Published: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 5:54 p.m.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., announced the news Wednesday during a conference call with journalists. Larsen said he had met at the air show with leaders from Pacifica's parent, MTorres of Torres de Elorz, Spain, which designs and builds aerospace manufacturing equipment.

Last year, MTorres bought Pacifica Engineering. At the time, Pacifica employed about 60 people, Larsen said. Since then, Pacifica has added 25 workers in Bothell and plans to employ 100 people in Bothell and Everett by year's end.

State officials did not have additional information about Pacifica's plans for Everett, and company officials could not be reached for comment. But a local aerospace executive who did know said that Pacifica will lease 25,000 square feet of space in the building owned by Majestic Glove, on West Casino Road just south of Boeing's big factory near Paine Field.

The Everett plant, which is to open next month, will employ about 20 people, said the executive, who asked not to be named.

Among other things, MTorres and Pacifica specialize in building tools for the manufacture of carbon composites.

The investment by MTorres in an Everett site underscores the message Larsen learned from talking with representatives of aerospace companies at the air show: "Workforce for these folks is the number one issue."

Many aerospace companies, including Boeing rival Airbus, are looking to expand their presence in the U.S. That gives them the advantage of pricing and selling their products using the U.S. dollar rather than the euro.

Larsen led the delegation of Washington economic development officials, business leaders and educators to Paris on behalf of Inslee, who stayed in Olympia during the legislative special session. Inslee joined the conference call from Washington.

The governor emphasized the need for the Legislature to support his education and workforce training initiatives to keep the state's aerospace workforce strong and attractive to outside companies.

Originally posted here:

Bothell aerospace firm to open Everett plant