Logistics

Lewis County has always been very competitive to logistics companies due to our location halfway between Seattle & Portland. Several large and prominent companies have set up their distribution centers here: Fred Meyer, Michaels, and Lowes. In addition the area is home to several trucking companies such as Lund Trucking, Sorenson Trucking, and J.J. Sauter Trucking.

Wood Products

Lewis County is located in the wood basket and is one of the largest timber producing counties in the Northwest. Our largest wood manufacturers are Cascade Hardwoods, Northwest Hardwoods, and Hardel Mutual Plywood. Our wood products include douglas fir, hemlock, maple, and alder. Our total forest area is greater than 1,374,647 acres.

Manufacturing

Two major highways and four major railroads make us a competitive location for manufacturing. We have companies that produce float glass, tempered glass, plastic piping, netting, and specialized composites. In addition, Lewis County is home to companies that produce chemicals for power plant operations as well as companies that recycle carbon.

Energy

Lewis County is home to many large energy players in Washington State. TransAlta operates a coal plant north of Centralia. Chehalis Power, a division of PacifiCorp, operates a natural gas plant in Chehalis. Tacoma Power provides electricity to Tacoma through its hydro plant in our county. The Lewis County PUD operates a hydro plant and has low rates compared to neighboring counties. BPA Transmission has a major line and regional substation running through Lewis County.

Healthcare

Providence Centralia Hospital employs 800 people with roots dating back to 1856 when the first Catholic nuns came out west to serve the poor. Providences’ teams are trained in lymphedema therapy, neurological therapy, occupational therapy, pediatric therapy, speech therapy, chemotherapy, wound care, and oncology. In addition, their diagnostic imaging services include: breast specific gamma imaging, digital mammograms, bone density screenings, CT-Scans, X-Rays, digital radiology, fluoroscopy, MRIs, nuclear medical exams, and ultrasound

Food Processing

Lewis County is home to major food processing companies as well as niche agricultural farms. National Frozen Foods pioneered the process to freeze and store vegetables in the 1920s. Today they run a highly automated system using robotics to process and package food. Callisons Inc. is the largest mint oil processor in the world with products in oral care, confectionaries, and gum. Darigold produces dry milks and supplies them throughout the world.

Telecommunications

We have a major north-south fiber link with multiple fiber lines that are available for access on a wholesale level. We are also served by various ISP’s and wireless carriers. Toledo Tel is a local ISP that offers phone and data services. We have a number of computer and technology based companies that operate competitively in our area.