News - Local News

POSTED: Monday, Sep. 28, 2009

Gregoire sees new Bellingham center creating jobs

BELLINGHAM - Gov. Chris Gregoire hailed the Waterfront Innovation Zone on Monday, Sept. 28 as the kind of public-private partnership that will get Washington state out of recession.

"We are experiencing the great recession," Gregoire told a crowd of more than 100 business and civic leaders who crowded into the dedication ceremony for the 10,000-square-foot Technology Development Center, located inside one corner of a massive waterfront warehouse once used by Georgia-Pacific Corp. "Out of it we become stronger. ... We know we're on the road to recovery. It's going to be tough. It's going to be hard."

Gregoire said Bellingham's $1.7 million center, launched with money from the Port of Bellingham and state and federal grants, is one of 11 across the state. The centers work on everything from medical technology to winemaking, putting research universities and technical colleges to work with private companies to develop and produce new products.

In Bellingham, the focus is on marine industries, starting with southside boatbuilder All-American Marine. Western Washington University faculty will lend their expertise in composite materials to help the company develop lighter-weight, lower-wake vessels.

"We've got the ability to build a marine industry that will be the envy of everyone," Gregoire said.

Port Commission President Scott Walker said he hopes All-American will be "the first of many local and regional private companies that will use this center to develop future products."

Bellingham Technical College also will participate. Tom Eckert, president of BTC, said students will use the center for training in a wide range of marine-related job skills, including diesel repair, marine electrical and instrumentation work, welding and carpentry.

Eckert said he hopes the center can be a significant player in the push to design and build a new generation of more fuel-efficient vessels. One million oil-burning ships are at sea at any given moment, Eckert added, and the environmental benefits of reduced vessel fuel consumption are real.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen said the U.S. economy has pulled out of its steep dive, but that has not yet translated to more jobs. The Everett Democrat, who represents Whatcom County, said Congress and the Obama administration will be looking for ways to boost employment in the months ahead.

"We still need to focus on job creation," Larsen said. "There's still a long way to go."