Prominent businesses recommit to and expand in Portland.
Dos Hermanos owners Josue Azcorra (left) and Gabriel Azcorra (right), pictured with Prosper Portland Food & Beverage Manufacturing / Tech & Media Industry Liaison Yvonne Smoker (center).
Sherpa Design, Jacobsen Salt, Dos Hermanos Bakery, Jaguar Land Rover, and Bauman’s Cider are recent examples of notable companies expanding their production capacity and increasing employment in Portland.
Sherpa Design provides engineering and product development solutions through design, prototyping, training, Teamcenter PLM solutions, and production. Founded in 2001, their team is growing and recently expanding to SE 2nd Street in the Central Eastside. As a key business in Metals & Machinery, one of Portland’s priority industries, Sherpa Design’s growth advances inclusive job creation and contributes to Portland’s competitiveness in this industry. The decision to invest in Portland was partly due to the city’s deep pool of talent and they are excited about the proximity to industry partners that Central Eastside brings. Said Sherpa Design owner Patrick Barrett, “We’re looking forward to growing in our new space in the Central Eastside and we’re thankful for the support we’ve received from Prosper Portland along the way, including lean manufacturing consultation through Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Prosperity Investment Program, and the Enterprise Zone Program. These resources played a crucial role in the success of our relocation and expansion.”
Sherpa acquired a space that was previously occupied by Revant Optics. Revant Optics recently moved to Northwest Portland to expand their operations and open a community space. Elsewhere in Northwest Portland, Jaguar Land Rover recently announced the decision to expand its offices into a 50,000 square foot space on NW 27th Avenue, where the JLR team will focus on software engineering. Prosper Portland has partnered with Jaguar Land Rover for more than a decade, most recently in supporting this relocation and expansion.
Jacobsen Salt, a prominent Oregon brand known for its quality salt and pantry staples, moved its headquarters from the Buckman neighborhood to a larger space on Northeast Ninth Avenue a few months ago. Founded in 2011, Jacobsen Salt has grown into a national brand, and moving to more spacious facility allowed them to hire more staff while leaving room for expansion. After conducting a far-ranging search for their new location, Jacobsen Salt made the decision to stay in the Central Eastside. Founder Ben Jacobsen said, “The vast majority of our employees live in Portland, our founding customers, partners, and community are here – we are committed! We’re eager to be a part of positive change for Portland – and to put our best foot forward each and every day. We’re grateful for our community here and look forward to being a vibrant part of Portland for years to come.”
Only a block apart from each other, Bauman’s Cider and wholesale bakery Dos Hermanos Bakery both recently relocated to the Central Eastside. Bauman’s Cider has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years and is expanding operations to SE Oak St and SE 9th Ave. This is their first location in Portland.
Nearby, Dos Hermanos Bakery outgrew their North Portland location and moved to a new headquarters at SE Stark St and SE 10th Ave. The new facility includes a flour silo and retail café and represents a significant increase in capacity for the growing company, assisted by a loan for tenant improvements and equipment from Prosper Portland. Co-owner Josue Azcorra said, “The City of Portland has helped our business grow because of the diversity of people who live here, who support small minority businesses, people who buy local products, customers who have trusted our products and have given us the opportunity to grow in business every time they buy our products, businesses that have trusted us and use our product for their restaurants, markets and stores. As two brothers who started as part time help 8 years ago, we have worked hard and are proud to be building a generational business for our kids to take over some day.”
Prosper Portland Executive Director Kimberly Branam lauded these successes, saying, “We are thrilled each of these innovative companies has decided to stay and expand their operations in Portland’s Central City. Their investments create quality employment opportunities for Portlanders and strengthen the city’s competitive advantage in growing industries. We are grateful to these private sector leaders for their belief and investment in Portland and we look forward to working alongside them for years to come.”
If you are interested in connecting with Prosper Portland’s Business Advancement Team about support for your growing business, please contact Anne Crispino-Taylor, crispino-taylora@prosperportland.us
