Washington Business Spring 2018 | Washington Business | Page 38

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More than a week later, the tour made its final stop in Tumwater
at the headquarters of Alaffia, a fair trade manufacturer of skin
care products with a compelling story to tell about alleviating
poverty and promoting gender equality.
By all accounts, it was a successful week as employers and their
employees decorated the sides of the buses with signatures and
company stickers.
“We appreciate your support,” said Dan Roberts, president of
Yakima-based music stand manufacturer Manhasset Specialty
Company. “It’s important for manufacturing to stay strong in
this country.”
made in washington
Washington’s manufacturing sector is remarkably diverse. From
apples, shellfish and organic beer to 3-D printers, aerospace parts
and mint oil, each product has a unique story.
And the people who make them are undeniably proud of what
they do — from the jobs they provide in their community to the
impact their products have for customers around the world.
At the Vaughan Co., which makes stormwater pumps that
can chop virtually anything that might come down the drain,
the company’s fourth-generation family owners noted that their
product helped keep 150 houses dry during Hurricane Harvey.
At A Glance
Two bright orange tour buses crossed Washington during
the first week of October. Bus No. 1 visited the Olympic
Peninsula, Grays Harbor, Vancouver, Yakima, the Tri-Cities,
Spokane, Moses Lake, Everett and Tumwater. Bus No. 2 hit
Bellingham, Wenatchee, Chelan, Colville, Pullman, Royal City
and Kent.
Manufacturing is a cornerstone of Washington’s economy,
but it’s also the only economic sector that has lost jobs since
2000. The budget approved last year by legislators reduced
the business and occupation tax rate for manufacturers, but
Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed that provision of the bipartisan budget
agreement.
AWB plans to take to the road again this fall with a new tour
kicking off in conjunction with the national Manufacturing
Day open houses on the first Friday in October.
38 association of washington business