Roadshow Week Three: Fruit, Vegetables and Transportation

The inaugural OBI Manufacturing and Innovation Roadshow’s third and final week involved a drive on Interstate 84 to Boardman, followed by a swing through Central Oregon before concluding at the Port of Portland, a critical piece of Oregon’s economy that moves goods to and from manufacturers by rail, water and air.

Here’s a quick recap:

• Week three began with a tour of Alaska Airlines’ operation center at Portland International Airport. Aircraft play a key role in supplying manufacturers with small items quickly, and they rely upon the availability of new manufactured parts to remain operational.
• The bus then headed to Boardman for a tour of Boardman Foods, which prepares fresh and frozen onions to be shipped by truck, rail and barge throughout the United States and across the globe.
• The Roadshow then made a short hop to the Port of Morrow’s SAGE Center, an interactive museum that highlights sustainable agriculture and energy in Morrow County.
• On Tuesday, the Roadshow stopped in Redmond to visit Oregon’s Wild Harvest. The company manufactures organically grown herbal supplements, and it grows much of the plant material on its own farms.
• Wednesday, the final day of the Roadshow, began at Duckwall Fruit in Hood River. Duckwall ships more than 2 million cartons of premium pears around the world every year.
• The Roadshow made its final stop that evening at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6. The terminal features five ship berths and an on-dock rail yard that handle autos, containers and breakbulk cargo.

Once again, we’d like to thank our sponsors and the employers who opened their doors to Roadshow participants. We’d also like to thank the many public officials who took the time to join the Roadshow and learn about Oregon’s manufacturers and their importance to their communities and the state.

Want to know where the Roadshow went during its three-week journey around the state? Check out the itinerary here.

The Roadshow’s third week began with a tour of Alaska Airlines’ operations center at Portland International Airport.	Boardman Foods ships fresh and frozen onions throughout the country and across the globe.	Following its tour of Boardman Foods, the Roadshow checked out the Port of Morrow’s SAGE Center.
The Roadshow began its final day at Duckwall Fruit in Hood River, which ships more than 2 million cartons of premium pears every year.	Roadshow participants donned hardhats and safety vests during a tour of Sierra Pacific Industries’ sawmill in Eugene.	NIC Industries, in White City, won Walmart’s 2020 Open Call. Its headlight restoration kits are now available in thousands of stores.
The Roadshow spent Tuesday in Redmond, where it toured herbal supplement manufacturer Oregon’s Wild Harvest.	The Roadshow began its final day at Duckwall Fruit in Hood River, which ships more than 2 million cartons of premium pears every year.	The Roadshow made its final stop at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6.