On the Road Again, Championing Manufacturing Businesses

A thriving American manufacturing sector creates a positive impact on communities big and small across our great country. We’re fortunate to serve many manufacturing businesses, making it an easy decision to sign on as presenting sponsor of the 2024 Manufacturing Week, presented by the Association of Washington Business. 

Building on National Manufacturing Week, the annual tour brings focus to the amazing products, workforce and innovation taking place across Washington. The goal is to raise awareness of the important role of manufacturing and support the successful growth of this sector by touring innovative and diverse manufacturers all across the state. The tour shines a spotlight on Washington’s makers and calls attention to ways policymakers, economic development groups, chamber of commerce leaders and others can support manufacturers.

The tour kicked off October 2 in Vancouver with the boldly-branded bus crisscrossing the state, making 26 stops before ending October 9 in Bellingham. This year, two Banner clients were featured and more than 30 of our bankers participated when the bus visited their cities. Each stop included a facility tour—from a vaccine production facility to heavy-duty commercial truck assembly, and from crafting a proprietary rocket-launcher system to forging airplane parts. View recaps of each stop from AWB.
 
“We bank many manufacturers and supporting what’s important to them is one more way to demonstrate our commitment to their success,” said Jim Reed, Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking Executive, and AWB board member. “We are a long-time member of AWB because they are a strong advocate for all business—including championing the manufacturing sector so this was a natural fit for us.”
 
While stopped in the Tri-Cities, Kris Johnson, AWB President, delivered his 2024 State of Manufacturing in Washington address to business leaders, lawmakers and local media. He outlined how manufacturers in every part of the state play a key role in the economy. He shared Washington manufacturers employ roughly 271,000 people and contribute more than $60 billion in goods annually to the state’s economy. AWB represents 1,200 of those manufacturing companies. 

Manufacturing Week also serves to introduce young people in high school and college to careers in modern manufacturing, advocates for policies to grow the number manufacturing jobs, and calls attention to the state's goal of doubling the number of manufacturing jobs by 2031.

Pictured above: Commercial Banking Center Manager Mike Burke and Commercial Relationship Manager Geoff Spencer participate in Skagit County stops.