pears-webVANCOUVER, Wash. —Port of Vancouver USA commissioners approved a 10-year lease extension with Northwest Packing Co. on Jan. 13 that could keep the longtime Clark County business in Vancouver through 2024.

“I’m pleased,” said Commission President Nancy Baker. “Keeping Northwest Pack here in this community is valuable to our community and valuable to the port, and I’m just delighted that this has come to a successful conclusion.”

The lease extension includes three five-year options for Northwest Packing to renew beyond the initial 10-year term. The company also has the option to end its lease in 2019 if business needs require relocation outside Clark County.

The port’s most recent lease with Northwest Packing dated back to 1987 and was up for renewal in 2011. One of the renewal terms was a rent adjustment to fair market value. The port extended the lease to December 31, 2014, to give Northwest Packing a chance to evaluate its needs and both parties time to discuss options.

The port and company came to agreement last November and worked out remaining details as 2014 drew to a close.

At the Jan. 13 meeting, representatives with Northwest Packing thanked port staff for their hard work and collaborative efforts. President and CEO Matt Jones spoke of his company’s long history and his expectation for the future.

“We’re proud to be a significant anchor to Clark County’s economy, providing stable employment for local residents over the last 43 years,” Jones said. “It is our hope that this agreement ensures that Neil Jones Food Company – Northwest Packing – can continue to play a vital role in the Clark County economy.”

“This is a great note to begin 2015 on,” said port CEO Todd Coleman. “Today’s approval is the culmination of three years of hard work for both us and Northwest Packing. We’re happy we could come to agreement, and we look forward to another decade of partnership.”

Northwest Packing is the only fruit processing operation at the Port of Vancouver and one of only three similar companies in the Pacific Northwest. The business, which is owned by Neil Jones Food Co., employs the equivalent of 500 full-time workers annually.

 
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The Port of Vancouver USA is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast, and its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a skilled labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.