A Centralia industry is poised to continue its growth in 2024.
Intermountain Electronics has seen tremendous growth since it arrived in the Centralia Industrial Park in 2012. General Manager Tim Benedict says the power distribution manufacturer nearly tripled its workforce since expanding its 400 Swan Drive location in 2020 and constructing a secondary production warehouse across the street.
“Three years ago, we doubled in size and this year we will almost triple in size. We added the warehouse across the street, and we will be manufacturing across the street by the end of this year,” Benedict said. “We went from 10 people up to 78 now. By the end of 2024, we should have around 120 people. Our goal is to hire another 35 people in 2024.”
IE Recruiter Brenda Malone said the influx of new positions will benefit both IE and the Centralia community at large.
“The 35 jobs we are bringing to Centralia are good-paying jobs. We are not hiring entry-level applicants. “We are looking for electrical technicians, welders, industrial painters, engineers; jobs that require technical skills,” explained Malone. “We are not offering minimum wage jobs; we offer a living wage. If you do the math, 35 jobs at $45,000 or $50,000 a year is a huge economic impact to this community.”
Kenner Hug, Manufacturing Manager at IE, said the company’s continued growth isn’t just occurring locally, but internationally.
“It’s not only the Centralia location that has tripled in size,” Hug advised. “This is company-wide. All of the facilities are responding in the same way. Everyone is growing.”
In addition to Centralia, IE has locations in Denver, Colorado, and Spring Point, Ohio, and its headquarters in Price. Utah. The manufacturer was founded in 1985 by the parent company Price Industries.
Benedict, Malone, and Hug each insisted IE is here to make a difference in Centralia and already has an apprenticeship program underway at Kaskaskia College.
To learn more about IE, visit them online at ie-corp.com
(Thanks to the Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce for information and photos.)
Project managers Matthew Haeuber, (left) and Michael Haeuber, (center) discuss a 480 Volt Distribution Panel with fellow project manager Jeremy Pierce (right).
Project Manager Amanda Holloway examines a distribution box built to power mining equipment.
