Northwest Fourslide plans to have about 40 positions at a 43,000-square-foot plant under construction in North Lewiston.
Of those jobs, about 15 will be filled by individuals moving to Lewiston from Tualatin, Ore., where the thin-gauge metal stamping and wire forms company is now.
Northwest Fourslide is investing $11 million in its land and building, expected to be finished next year, along with $2.5 million in equipment.
That update about the company, which is relocating to Lewiston, is from Valley Vision, the not-for-profit economic development group that recruited the business when it was under the leadership of Scott Corbitt.
Leaders in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley have worked hard behind the scenes on the deal with Northwest Fourslide.
The Port of Lewiston sold the company 5.8 acres at its market value of $750,000. Northwest Fourslide and the Port of Lewiston are equally splitting the cost of constructing a road, water and sewer lines to the site from Wild Dove Way, near the city of Lewiston’s garbage transfer station.
Those upgrades are intended to serve Northwest Fourslide and future tenants and are estimated at $1.5 million, said Corbitt, who is now the Port of Lewiston’s general manager.
Members of the Mellinger family, the owners of Northwest Fourslide, appreciate the effort. They were seeking property they could acquire when the lease for their Oregon site expires.
A number of Mellingers who work for the company traveled to Lewiston recently. They attended a groundbreaking ceremony of the plant where Northwest Fourslide will continue its work of making components for the aerospace, defense, medical, electronics, power, commercial and automotive sectors.
They also spoke at the annual meeting of Valley Vision where Idaho Gov. Brad Little made the keynote presentation.
They are so impressed by how they’ve been treated that they are encouraging other ventures to join them, said Jan Mellinger, president of Northwest Fourslide at the groundbreaking.
“We want to be an active part of the community,” Mellinger said. “We want to be your friends and we want to be your neighbors. We want to work with you and grow together.”
CCI/Speer’s parent company prepares for change
Vista Outdoor, the parent company of Lewiston’s CCI/Speer ammunition-making operations, remains on track to separate into two businesses this year.
Vista has named Eric Nyman as CEO of the company’s Outdoor Products segment and a member of the board effective Aug. 21.
Nyman joins Vista from Hasbro where he was president and chief operating officer responsible for innovation, e-commerce, operations, media and marketing, strategic planning and organizational culture and leadership.
Following the separation of Vista Outdoor, Nyman will oversee a new outdoor products company with brands such as CamelBak, Bell, Giro, Camp Chef, Bushnell, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Fox Racing, Simms Fishing Products, Stone Glacier and QuietKat.
Jason Vanderbrink was previously promoted to CEO of Sporting Products, which includes Vista Outdoor’s Lewiston operations.
Gary McArthur, Vista’s interim CEO, will remain in that role until the company’s split.
“Their appointments will enhance continuity and increase readiness for each segment ahead of the planned separation,” according to a Vista Outdoor news release.
The company released its financial results last week for the first quarter of its 2024 fiscal year that ended June 25. Its net income for that period was $58.1 million, compared with $126 million for the same time last year.
Vista Outdoor is the largest maker of ammunition in the United States. Its sporting products segment, which includes cartridge manufacturing, saw lower sales in the three months that ended June 25 compared with the same period last year, according to a company news release.
“Sales declined 26% to $377 million … driven primarily by lower shipments across nearly all categories as channel inventory has normalized, and the previously announced termination of the Lake City contract (for Army rounds),” according to a Vista news release.
Thai Taste on hiatus
One of Lewiston’s oldest independently-owned restaurants is taking a break.
Thai Taste on 21st Street is closed indefinitely for a medical emergency, according to a telephone message on its answering machine.
The property and business are on the market for $625,000 and kitchen appliances included in the price, said Collin Shafer, an agent with Grand Realty that has the listing.
The restaurant has been in business more than 20 years, developing a loyal following for dishes such as pad thai, pineapple rice and tom kah gai, a coconut chicken soup.
Travelers could qualify for easier screening at Lewiston event
A Transportation Security Administration precheck enrollment event will be held from Aug. 14 - Aug. 18 at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, 406 Burrell Ave., in Lewiston.
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can go through a process that streamlines security checks by signing up for appointments from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. on those days.
The cost to enroll in the IDEMIA program is $78 for five years. Applicants need to bring proof of identity such as a valid U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate and a driver’s license. Fingerprints and digital photos will be collected at the event for background checks.
Those who pay the fees and clear the background checks will be allowed to use dedicated screening lanes at U.S. airports where they will not be required to remove shoes, laptops, certain liquids, belts or light jackets.
Additional information is available at tsaenrollmentbyidemia.tsa.dhs.gov/programs/precheck.
WSU associate dean joins hospital board
PULLMAN — Cheryl Oliver, associate dean of professional programs for Washington State University’s Carson College of Business, has joined the Pullman Regional Hospital board of commissioners.
Her term expires in December and she can pursue a six-year term in a November election.
Oliver has been at WSU for 23 years and in her present position since 2018. A board member of the hospital’s Women’s Leadership Guild, she serves on the WSU Global Campus Academic Council and is a founding and present member of the Women in Business Education International Network.
Oliver’s interest in health care originated during her childhood. Before retiring, her father was a psychologist and her mother was a nurse practitioner.
As a commissioner, Oliver will help oversee hospital district policies that involve its operations, delivery of quality patient care and meeting community health care needs.
Promotional money at stake in contest
MOSCOW — Five local businesses can win $500 each for print and marketing services in a contest launched by Allegra Marketing Print Mail in Moscow.
The goal of the campaign for small and mid-sized businesses is to help ventures “expand awareness and build loyalty among their local customers with Allegra’s community-minded expertise behind them,” according to a news release about the contest.
Entries are being accepted through Aug. 14 at allegramarketingprint.com/funding-five from businesses that are less than 5 years old.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
