PORT ANGELES — Two businesses — one local and the other global — are planning new facilities in Port Angeles that have the potential to significantly impact employment and the local economy.
Brix Marine and Amazon on Tuesday signed leases with the Port of Port Angeles for properties on which they plan to build a combined 70,000 square feet of space for their operations.
Brix Marine will construct a 35,000-square-foot facility for aluminum boat manufacturing on a 2.26-acre parcel that runs from B Street to D Street on the south side of Marine Drive.
Amazon plans to build its 35,000-square-foot warehouse/distribution center on 8 acres at 2100 S. Airport Road. Its 15-year lease comes with 10 five-year options to renew.
Amazon will get $15,000 a year in credit for improvements it will make to the property, bringing down its rent from $188,850 per year to $173,850 annually.
Brix Marine will pay $56,000 a year in rent on a 50-year lease with three 10-year options to renew.
Brix Marine’s new location will essentially double the size of the company’s current facility located east of Port Angeles off of U.S. Highway 101. After moving, Brix Marine will close its old facility and all production will take place on Marine Drive.
Brix Marine managing director Perry Knudson said the extra space will enable it to manufacture bigger and more vessels.
“Right now, we’re restricted to a 19-foot beam based on the size of the building,” Knudson said. “In the new facility, we’ll no longer have that restriction, and we’re looking at up to a 30-foot beam. We could potentially do larger than that.”
Brix Marine also will not be as constrained marketing its recreational, passenger and surveying vessels.
“We’ll be able to expand our number of launches in each of those categories,” Knudson said.
He said Brix Marine anticipates gradually adding about 14 employees to its current workforce of 40 to 45 people after the new facility opens.
The challenge will continue to be finding skilled workers.
“We train people in-house, pair them up and do job-shadowing with our current staff,” Knudson said. “We do look pretty heavily to Peninsula College and their welding program, and a number of our current employees have been through that.”
Brix Marine can’t begin construction until the existing leases on the Marine Drive property end in 2026 and the structures are demolished and removed. Permitting also could add time to any start date.
The city of Port Angeles approved Amazon’s Wetland Permit Application and issued a SEPA mitigated determination of non-significance on Aug. 20. However, the project is still in the permitting process with the FAA, the city and other entities. Once it’s complete, Amazon could start construction before the end of the year.
According to SEPA documents, Amazon’s warehouse/distribution center will employ 70 people. The 24-hour facility will have parking for 114 employees and spaces for 63 fleet vehicles, four box trucks and 11 tractor trailers.
In addition to greater manufacturing capacity, its new location means Brix Marine will no longer have to hire a transport service to trailer vessels to Boat Haven for sea trial.
“Boats will come out of the building, be lifted by the Travelift and then immediately launched in the water,” Knudson said.
For this and many other reasons, Brix Marine was looking forward to joining Port Angeles’ working waterfront.
“It’s such an incredible resource,” Knudson said. “We’re excited to be down there and part of it.”
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
