Progress • March, 2015 35 PRIEST RIVER/PRIEST LAKE PRIEST RIVER’S AEROCET OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE space. They rented a building for storage that is completely full. With limited options left, Aerocet has to at least entertain expansion with the potential growth they are seeing and with perceived future needs. A build- ing with a range size of 50,000-75,000 square feet could be needed. (MOU) with NIC to be an official NIC extension location for their aero- space composites program. They wanted to offer the NIC Aerospace program in closer proximity to local residents. I “It is good for Aerocet and good for the community, so we approached NIC and they were amazing, they stepped right up and we met several times to hash out the logistics. We have installed the composites ovens and work benches. NIC will supply a tool kit to students and curriculum,” Garry Hojan, Operations Manager said. “Aerocet has a composites instructor on staff who will teach the lab classes after hours,” he added. There will be evening classes that begin in May. Watch for upcoming information events that are going to be held in April in Priest River and Sandpoint. Anyone from Bonners Ferry to Sandpoint to Priest River can go to the NIC Sandpoint office and do the composites theory pro- gram online and then do the lab work in Aerocet’s classroom/produc- tion environment. Aerocet is always looking for dedicated and qualified individu- als to join their team, and if they go through this program they will actually have a starting wage that is $1-$2/hour higher to start than if they came in without taking the courses. If they continue with the additional courses in the program through NIC they can make another $1-$2/hour. In 2009, Aerocet was adversely affected by the recession and through layoffs went from a high of 40 employees down to only 15. Just five years later, Aerocet has rebuilt the company and now employs 47 people, not including owners Tom and Linda Hamilton. Aerocet is in the midst of the largest research and development project the company has ever under- taken, the development and FAA See AEROCET, Page 37 In the region, Aerocet has been instrumental in the beginnings of the Idaho Aerospace Alliance, the North Idaho College’s Aerospace Center of Excellence and starting this spring for the very first time there will be a 4H Aerospace Program. It will be in Sandpoint thanks to a pilot at Quest Aircraft Company taking a referral from Aerocet on the program and running with it. Aerocet hosted a tour of 28 Sandpoint High School students who are going through the schools specialized program geared to teaching students who have an interest in advanced manufacturing technologies and aerospace. A few of the students actually have their pilots license. The Aerospace Center of Excellence program has been a great success. It was set up through a grant that was to retrain veterans and find them gainful employment. Aerocet has hired two retrained veteran employees through the NIC Aerospace Center of Excellence pro- gram and one non-veteran through the program. Aerocet is entering into a Memorandum of Understanding By TERRI IVIE Staff writer PRIEST RIVER — Home is where the float is. In other words, Aerocet considers Priest River their home and pos- sible expansion plans are focused on remaining here because it is Aerocet’s preference and goal to con- tinue to support the community that has supported them for 29 years. They are currently working with the Priest River Development Corporation, the City of Priest River, Bonner County, State Representatives and branches of gov- ernment on expansion plans for both space and efficiency reasons. But other sites are part of the feasibility study. They currently have one building that has 15,000 square feet and one that has 20,000 square feet and they state they seem to be getting smaller and farther apart every day. They have had custom steel overhead racks built to store tooling when not in use to try and free up floor space. They also implemented certain lean manufacturing principles and practic- es to conserve and free up additional —Photo by TERRI IVIE Aerocet owner Tom Hamilton after returning with these new floats from Renton, Wash., recently. —Photo by TERRI IVIE This trio of Aerocet employees are part of the Aerospace Center of Excellence program. Pictured, from left, are Cason Spencer, and veterans Sonya Kelley and Spencer Rhodes.