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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Damaged Zodiac plant to resume production

The Columbian
Published:

Workers injured in a mid-July explosion at the Zodiac aerospace plant north of Spokane have been released from the hospital, and limited production at the badly damaged plant is to resume this week, the company said.

Five people were hurt July 14 in the explosion at the plant in Newport, Pend Oreille County. Two were hospitalized, one with critical injuries.

An investigation to determine the cause of the explosion continues. Zodiac said in a statement Friday it has set up an internal inquiry and is cooperating with local and federal authorities.

The plant is a composite and engineered-materials facility, employing just over 100 people. It makes structural composites and assemblies, adhesives, panels with honeycomb core, and various plastics and glass-fiber materials, all used in the manufacture of aircraft-cabin interiors.

Zodiac said plant operations will resume in phases.

Equipment has been set up in a secured area of the facility to restart production of raw materials and adhesives this week. A press that manufactures composite panels is to restart next week.

But Zodiac said other production equipment, particularly to produce the carbon-fiber “pre-preg” material used to make composites, was more seriously damaged, and that work cannot yet be resumed on site.

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