Index Sensors prepares to move north

The electronic company has been in uptown Stanwood for the past nine years. PHOTO BY JEREMIAH O Index Sensors and Controls is in the process of moving its facilities to Bellingham, said owner Steve Anderson.

Anderson, who is currently seeking a site, said the move could take place in October if he finds a suitable building to lease. If he has to build a new structure, the move is oneand a-half to two- years out.

Nothing’s absolute at this point, Anderson noted, but he did say that Bellingham is a buyer’s market for commercial manufacturing facilities.

“There are a lot of empty buildings,” Anderson said, “and people would rather lease them at a lower rate than have them sit empty.”

By contrast, Anderson said he is “paying Seattle prices” for the facility in Stanwood. The last year has been very challenging.

Anderson survived a 50 percent decrease in business from his customers, which in turn has forced him to make “many difficult cuts.” This time last year, Index employed 42 people; they’re down to a staff of 25.

Anderson, who has been in Stanwood for nine years, said it’s a great area to live, but local resources for labor and professional help have proven elusive.

Bellingham offers an abundance of both, which Anderson feels is key to keeping the company as local as possible.

Bellingham also boasts three colleges, and Anderson, a Western Washington University graduate himself, knows the value of reciprocal relationships that could develop by connecting with them. Bellingham Tech offers a diesel mechanics program, and all three colleges offer programs requiring student internships in businesses like Index.

“The city (of Bellingham) and the port have been very helpful,” Anderson said. “I think it will be a wonderful and supportive community for me and the company.”

It wasn’t the only option, though.

“We build small parts,” Anderson said. “You can fit 25 of them in a little box and ship them all over the world. We could operate from anywhere.”

Index Sensors produces small electronic components, controls and switches for use in commercial and industrial equipment manufacturing, especially engines and hydraulics.

What Bellingham offers, which many other places do not, is a green future.

“We’re seeing transportation move increasingly into sustainable and alternative energy,” Anderson said, and Bellingham has been at the forefront of that movement for a while now.

The city ranked second place in EPA Green Power Communities program for drawing 11 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Smarter Cities ranked Bellingham the number one small city in America in their recent “Greenest Cities” survey.

Anderson is excited for the future of his company, and is encouraging his employees to stay on board. No positions are being terminated, Anderson said.

“I’ve got a great crew, I really like them,” he added. “It wouldn’t work without the people.”

For employees who aren’t interested in moving to Bellingham, or who don’t want to make the commute, Anderson will provide transportation.

A van will start in Smokey Point, where several employees live, and make stops at Stanwood and Mount Vernon park and rides on its way north. At the end of the day, the van will return south.

Anderson cautioned that as of now, he has no commitments to a building, no date, and no certain timeline. But, Index is indeed moving toward a sustainable and renewable future, Anderson said.