BLACKFOOT — Premier Technology held a ribbon-cutting Friday for its new 36,000-square-foot facility, which is primed and ready to operate.
The facility will bring 50 new jobs to the Blackfoot community and is just the start of things to come.
“We’re really happy to have this completed,” said Premier Technology chief business officer and co-founder Doug Sayer. “We’re very excited and pleased with the speed and the support that we got from the community to get the project to the point where it’s at now, so we’re anxious to start hiring employees and moving the work actually into the facility.”
Blackfoot is at the forefront of manufacturing in Southeast Idaho, and the new facility only adds to that.
“This is a huge day for us,” Sayer said. “This is going to change the manufacturing industry in Southeast Idaho, and actually in the Northwest. The assets that we’ve put in place really don’t exist, especially in our local economy or communities, so these are new assets, and we’re going to share those with even our competitors.”
One of those assets sits at the heart of the new facility: a five-axis CNC machining center. The machine measures more than 30 feet long and 20 feet tall and can handle parts weighing up to 150 tons. It is equipped with both a flat table and a rotary table, allowing it to perform vertical turning as well as flat machining work.
The machine also allows the company to perform large-scale machining in-house that it previously would have had to send to a subcontractor.
“We’re absolutely excited about the machine that’s in the (building) behind me,” Sayer said. “This is a new capability that’s never been in Southeast Idaho before. It’s not only going to change our company; it’s going to change the work and the opportunities that all of our communities have in the southeast, so I’m excited for that.”
The project is now moving into its next phase, with hiring underway and work expected to transition into the facility.
Sayer said the company also plans to partner with Idaho State University to bring students into the workforce.
“We want to work closely with Idaho State University, and we want their students,” Sayer said. “We’ll give specialized tours.”
For Blackfoot, the expansion reflects Premier Technology’s continued efforts to be a leading manufacturer and resource in the region.
“You do not have to be a large metropolitan area to build a successful company,” Blackfoot Mayor Scott Stufflebeam said. “You can do those things right here in Blackfoot. As a mayor, I want Premier Technology and every business in our community to know that Blackfoot values your investment, appreciates the jobs you create and wants to partner in your continued success.”
The project is also a major accomplishment for the state and for Southeast Idaho.
“It’s one of the premier companies helping with the future energy needs of this country,” U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson said.
The company turned 30 earlier this year. Sayer believes in people, and he said his employees and staff have continued to revolutionize manufacturing in Idaho and across the Northwest.
“I have always believed that this company has continued to grow, and so this is just another step,” Sayer said. “That’s what we do. We just keep adding and growing. It’s the culture that is inside of it. That has nothing to do with me.”