Impact Washington - NIST MEP

🎉 Celebrating 20 Years with Impact Washington! Last month, Jessica Ingle, our Chief Operating Officer, celebrated 20 incredible years at Impact Washington—a milestone that speaks to her dedication, adaptability, and the impact she’s had on all of us. Jessica has taken on more roles than anyone on the team, and with every challenge, she’s brought thoughtfulness, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of how everything fits together. If you ever have a question, she’s the person you turn to! She has an incredible ability to connect the dots between functions and ideas, always making sure Impact Washington’s mission stays at the heart of everything we do. And now, she’s paying it forward — growing her team, mentoring future leaders, and investing in their success just as she’s invested in Impact Washington over the years. Beyond her incredible impact, she’s also our Chief Fun Officer, leading our internal food club – and keeping spirits high and the good times rolling! Jessica’s kindness, intelligence, and creativity have shaped our team in so many ways, and we are beyond grateful for her. Here’s to 20 years of making a difference—and to many more ahead! #workanniversary

Small and micro manufacturers – Level up your business! Join us for hands-on workshops designed to help you streamline operations, refine strategy, and boost efficiency – funded by the Washington State Microenterprise Association ~ Official grant, made possible through funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce. These sessions run through April and focus mainly on small and micro enterprises (1-5 employees). If your organization has six or more employees, please reach out to us at marketing@impactwashington.org. Running a small business comes with unique challenges – limited resources, narrow margins, and the necessity to improve efficiency. These workshops would help you navigate those challenges with  📌 Practical tools and expert insights 📌 A network of peers who you can collaborate with on challenges and solutions 📌 Access to Impact WA growth cycle that includes free business evaluations, consultations, and the small manufacturers growth grant   We are partnering with Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County, Skagit Valley College, Seattle Good Business Network, PublicDisplay.ART, TRIDEC - Tri-City Development Council, EDC Team Jefferson, and Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) to bring these workshops across Washington.   Learn more about the grant and sign up for the workshop closest to your area here – https://lnkd.in/gVdcxJJm Spots are limited! Miguel Angel Moreno Hierro #wasmallbusinesses #wamfg #smallbusiness

Can you be proud of your clients??? Cynthia Duran owner of Xinca Foods is the Audience Choice Winner in the 2025 Natural Products Expo West Pitch Slam. Impact Washington - NIST MEP has been supporting Xinca Foods for a couple of years, and we are so happy to see this super small company growing. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Lean 101 Workshop: Learn, Apply, Transform! We are partnering with Cowlitz Economic Development Council to bring small and medium #manufacturers a hands on Lean 101 workshop designed to streamline processes and boost efficiency. In this interactive workshop, you will: ✅ Define value from your customer’s perspective ✅ Identify and eliminate waste ✅ Apply Lean principles in a real-time simulation ✅ Learn key tools such as 5S, Visual Controls, Kanban, Batch Size Reduction, Standardized Work You will transform an imaginary company from a traditional environment to a lean environment – gaining insights you can apply to any industry. Ideal opportunity to meet industry experts and fellow entrepreneurs! Steve Capuano Lindsey Cope #Lean #WAMfg Register now - https://lnkd.in/giwVVzAY

Secure your spot in the Supply Chain 101 for #PNW Food & Beverage manufacturers! Learn best practices to optimize your supply chain, reduce costs, and boost efficiency. Register now! Anibeth Ruiz Craig Doan

Exciting News! We are proud to be a recipient of the WSMA grant! This funding will help us continue empowering small manufacturers across Washington. We have four upcoming workshops focused on business strategies and Lean principles - designed to help small manufacturers grow and succeed. Stay tuned for details! Miguel Angel Moreno Hierro #WAsmallbusiness #WAMfg

🚀 Build your supply chain strategy! In today’s fast-paced world, a resilient supply chain is more than just a competitive advantage – it is a necessity. Our no-cost Supply Chain 101 workshop is designed to help manufacturers deepen their knowledge and understand best practices to support overall business strategy and supply chain optimization. Why attend this workshop? ✅Learn how to strengthen your supply chain against disruptions ✅Discover supply chain management best practices ✅Connect with industry peers and experts The reality of today’s supply chains: 83% of businesses in the US are focusing on building more customer-centric supply chains that will improve service and delivery options Building a future-proof supply chain requires proactively managing risks and preparing for disruptions. Join us at a workshop near you and take the next step toward supply chain resilience. https://lnkd.in/gGHfpCaY #supplychain #washingtonmanufacturers #WAMfg Green River College Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Montana Manufacturing Extension Center TechHelp - Idaho Manufacturing Specialists TRIDEC - Tri-City Development Council Tri County Economic Development District

Unlock the benefits of Foreign Trade Zones for your business! Are you concerned about the global trade environment? Did you know that Washington state has Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) that can provide Washington manufacturers importing components or exporting finished products with a significant competitive advantage?   FTZs are sites located in the United States but considered to be outside the U.S. Customs territory. Businesses with operations in an FTZ can store, assemble, manufacture, and process goods without being subject to formal Customs entry procedures, duties, and federal excise taxes.   Here is what FTZs can do for you: 🎯Duty Deferral & Exemptions – Pay duties only when the products enter the US commerce 🎯Simplified Custom Procedures – FTZs streamline import/export process, reducing complexity and delays and increasing predictability 🎯Improved Cash Flow – Deferred duty payments, inverted tariffs, and duty-free exports free up capital 🎯Flexible Operations – Store, assemble, repackage, and test within the FTZ without incurring U.S. duties 🎯Reshoring Manufacturing - Manufacture goods in the U.S. without paying tariffs on imported raw materials, and if you export the finished goods, you avoid tariffs altogether FTZs provide Washington manufacturers a strategic edge enabling them to compete globally while manufacturing locally. Is your company leveraging these benefits?   Let’s discuss how they can fit into your trade strategy! #SupplyChain #GlobalTrade #FTZ #GlobalBusiness #WAMfg   https://lnkd.in/gCepwx4V

🎉 Celebrating 8 Years with Impact Washington! Last month, Miguel Angel Moreno Hierro, our Account Executive for Small and Rural manufacturers, marked 8 years with Impact Washington and his impact has been nothing short of incredible. Miguel is dedicated to his mission and is deeply empathetic, always putting small manufacturers first and helping them grow. More than that, he’s a community builder, constantly connecting people and creating networks that strengthen the industry. A natural problem-solver, he is the first to step up, ready to volunteer, brainstorm ideas or simply offering support. And of course, we can’t forget his love for great food and wine – especially when he’s supporting small wineries and food entrepreneurs (a win-win for him!). Cheers to Miguel for eight incredible years of impact, leadership and generosity. Here’s to many more! #WAMfg #smallmanufacturers

We wrapped up an incredible two days of Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance ADVANCE 2025 last week! ADVANCE 2025 is a premier #aerospace conference that brings together professionals worldwide to share insights, showcase innovations, and foster industry connections. Impact Washington was proud to sponsor and contribute to this premier aerospace event. We hosted two successful sessions on Kata and Leadership Standard Work, with insightful discussions and strong engagement. A big thank you to Paul Hamacher for leading the sessions and to Steve Wittenberg for guiding the live simulation – it added tremendous value! Shoutout to the PNAA team for organizing a great event! #WAMfg #manufacturing #kata