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News, Brews and Creative Solutions

News, Brews and Creative Solutions

In-person networking is back and there were plenty of smiling faces at the recent REDI News & Brews event. Those in attendance were introduced to some innovative solutions to workforce challenges from a local manufacturing company.

Blessed with summer-like temperatures in April, the community gathered on the patio at Initiative Brewing to meet REDI’s new director Steve Curley and hear his vision for carrying out REDI’s mission to build prosperity in Redmond going forward. “I’m honored to be the new REDI Director and excited about the opportunity to help bring living wage jobs to the Redmond community through the work of assisting traded-sector companies locate and grow here,” he says. “A vibrant community is made up of many small businesses that contribute to the culture and prosperity in Redmond."

Along with networking and fun, guests learned from one of the leaders in the local Manufacturing industry finding silver linings in current workforce shortages. Scott Springer, owner of Springer Precision, LLC, shared how he has overcome these obstacles and thrived to keep up with consumer demand by augmenting his team with automation and robots.

Springer Precision, LLC manufactures parts for firearms that allow end users to make their tools better fit their needs. The company sells to a variety of people including competitors, the military, law enforcement, and the recreational user.

In the midst of labor challenges, Springer says his company evaluated labor, historical trends, and tasks that could be optimized or eliminated. “We are leveraging technology to make more with less human interactions,” he says. “We turn down two step opportunities so that we can make sure not to damage our direct to consumer opportunities.”

The company plans to continue adding robots and high performance manufacturing tools. “We are increasing the training of our skilled employees and bringing in very high skilled workers to help us get caught up on our backlog of projects,” says Springer. “We are bringing in tools to make sure our labor is highly utilized as possible.”

So, why did Springer Precision LLC choose to grow in Redmond? “We've looked through the entire country for suitable places to locate our business and it just happened that we could not beat our own backyard,” says Springer. “Redmond's location and development plan means that we can have big city support with a small-town feel.  Shipping, technology infrastructure, a regional airport, and being centrally located in the region opens up the most options to resources and labor in all of the places that we considered locating.”

Lucky guests in attendance had the chance to take home some of Redmond’s pride in the form of raffle items like Gompers Gin, Justy’s Jelly, We’re the Wurst, Hardenbrook Hardwoods, and select wine from Faith Hope and Charity Vineyards. We appreciate our event stakeholders, LS Networks, Summit Bank and Express Employment professionals for providing us with the opportunity to keep hosting this ever growing and popular community event to learn about our local Trades industry and how it helps build wealth and prosperity in Redmond.