New funding helps Tacoma aerospace company to expand

TACOMA, Wash. — Tool Gauge has been operating in south Tacoma for more than half a century. These days they make parts for Boeing.

“We make metal and plastic parts for aerospace,” said general manager Jim Lee. Thanks to a grant from the Governor's Strategic Reserve Fund Tool Gauge is expanding its new employee training and opening up job opportunities.

That comes as the company is working on a $20,000,000 expansion and preparing to hire 100 new employees.

“It’s a real challenge for a small company like ours to get those employees trained and capable of producing very critical aerospace components,” said Lee.

The $125,000 state grant isn't the only reason the company is growing. But Bruce Kendall of the Economic Development Board of Tacoma and Pierce County says the state grant funds provide an incentive for smaller companies training new skills to new workers.

“Because they’re actually going to people, if you will, to help train them on new machinery,” said Kendall.

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