Port Angeles and Clallam County leaders gathered Thursday, Aug. 25, to celebrate the completion of a new advanced manufacturing center that officials say will bring jobs and economic development to the region.

The Composite Recycling Technology Center, at 2220 W. 18th St. in Port Angeles, is the only known facility to transform uncured carbon fiber composite scraps previously bound for landfills into new products.

Last week’s ribbon cutting was a celebration for local leaders that will be followed by the grand opening in November, one that will bring state, federal and international participants to the facility.

The CRTC also will house Peninsula College’s Advanced Manufacturing/Composite Technology program to give students classroom and hands-on training in advanced materials recycling and remanufacturing techniques. PC has relocated its full composites program into the facilty in time for start of classes the next quarter.

The Port of Port Angeles led the initiative to establish the infrastructure for the new building and to launch what is now the independent nonprofit CRTC. The port received funding for the new facility through a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration; $1 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce, Clean Energy Fund, and $1 million from Clallam County Opportunity Funds.

Additional support for improvements to the campus and facility was provided by the City of Port Angeles in services for utility infrastructure, road infrastructure improvements and in-kind staff support.

“The CRTC is the perfect example of how thinking outside the box can bring economic prosperity to Clallam County,” Port Commissioner Connie Beauvais said. “We gathered forces in the community to form an impressive public-private partnership to launch this new initiative in composite recycling.”