Senators Crapo & Risch Protect Idaho Manufacturing Leadership

Idaho is fortunate to have Senators Risch and Crapo representing us in the U.S. Senate. As our country faces unprecedented challenges, meeting market demands with local manufacturing growth is the best way to support Idaho jobs. Our Senators recognize the challenges of today as well as the need to prepare our workforce and small businesses for the opportunities that help us compete tomorrow.

As small aerospace suppliers race to develop advanced materials before foreign competitors, Senators Crapo and Risch are fighting to increase our local manufacturing jobs. Global demand for new aircraft over the next 20 years provides an opportunity for American manufacturers to make lighter, larger aircraft parts like ribs, wings, beams, and doors using advanced thermoplastic composites. Northern Idaho is a leader in many technologies essential to American economic and national security. Securing these Idaho manufacturing jobs and making next generation aerospace parts requires new state of the art equipment and new industry-led technical education and training programs.

Small aerospace suppliers in Northern Idaho are part of the Regional Tech Hub plan to develop the next generation of lightweight aircraft. With the domestic aerospace supply chain centered right here along the I-90 corridor, these efforts reflect a long-term vision to multiply our existing regional strengths. Once the Tech Hub partners develop and prove these new parts, the global production demands will be 20 times the current domestic aerospace supply base, creating amazing opportunities for the high-rate production of advanced thermoplastic composite aero-structures in defense and commercial markets.

The Tech Hub testbed and training center is backed by a consortium of more than 50 members, including Boeing, Collins Aerospace, Toray, Spirit Aerosystems, Synesqo, Blue Origin, Electroimpact, Accudyne, Lockheed Martin, Apex & Unitech Composites, ATC Manufacturing, NASA, The Air Force Research Lab, Department of Energy National Labs at Oak Ridge & PNNL, Idaho Department of Commerce, University of Idaho, North Idaho College, Idaho Workforce Council, the Coeur d’Alene Economic Development Council, and the Cities of Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene, among many others.

Thanks to the efforts of Senators Crapo and Risch, Northern Idaho will be well-positioned to excel in advanced aerospace technologies that are essential to American economic and national security.