When Amazon celebrated the opening of its 14-acre, 80,000-square-foot delivery and distribution hub in east Redmond last month, with area leaders and business leaders in attendance for the ceremonies, the international company had already created more than 300 regional jobs since operations began earlier this year. Serving community ZIP codes within a 90-minute radius, the facility currently handles 13,000 shipments daily, amounting to a weekly total exceeding 90,000 packages, and represents about $25 million in private investment.
“The project generates a ripple effect across the economy,” said Steve Curley, REDI director for EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon), supporting local businesses, strengthening the region’s supply chain infrastructure and potentially attracting additional companies in related industries — which could lead to sustained job growth and economic diversification.
Curley, who first met with Amazon soon after starting his EDCO job in May 2022, recalled that the publicly traded corporation “really wanted to be in Redmond — it was the sweet spot.” He admitted, however, that the years-long process “involved twists and turns. We had to find a property that fit Amazon’s needs, which required significant infrastructure work, including relocating an underground irrigation canal and re-routing utilities.”
Those benefiting from Amazon’s new hub — one of more than ten logistics facilities across Oregon — are likely unaware of the duration and “pivots along the way” that were involved on Curley’s part, as “so much of my work in supporting regional economic prosperity is behind the scenes.” He also emphasized that “the average life span of a project is three years. It doesn’t happen overnight, especially when construction of a new industrial building is involved.”
Curley’s daily activities include working with the City of Redmond, landlords and several brokers on property that is changing hands, financial institutions, the Redmond Municipal Airport (where land can only be leased) and the state-owned, large-lot property near the Deschutes County Fairgrounds (with its 50-acre minimum size requirement). Curley is also involved in legislative and policy work “all the way to the governor’s office — a lot of education and trying to help decision-makers get what they need to move forward.”
‘Redmond Is the Perfect Place to Grow’
At present, Curley has 25 active projects in the pipeline — including warehousing and logistics, advanced manufacturing and food products — which will account for 2,601 new jobs and an anticipated capital investment of some $762 million. He noted that “not all these projects will move forward, but the pipeline remains robust.”
Curley explained that his current efforts tend to focus on existing companies expanding their space into Redmond, as represented by the following examples:
Nosler Inc.
“Nosler, a worldwide manufacturer of ammunition and high-performance handloading components, is an example. Based in Bend since 1983, the family-owned company built a new 80,000-square-foot headquarters facility and moved all its manufacturing operations to Redmond earlier in 2026. The decision demonstrated a lot of foresight and long-term planning, and taking advantage of available land,” Curley said, “as over time, Redmond is the perfect place to grow.”
EquipmentShare
Similarly, the $185M tech-driven equipment rental provider EquipmentShare opened a new branch in Redmond last year as part of statewide expansion plans, which are expected to create up to 120 new jobs. Curley characterized this as “a matchmaking project that progressed fairly quickly. Originally looking for a property to build, the company ended up taking over a facility occupied by a trucking company that was looking to move out.”
At official opening ceremonies, he said that “EquipmentShare’s commitment to the Redmond and Central Oregon markets validates the growth we are seeing both in industrial development as well as the residential sector.”
Baselite Concrete Products
Baselite Concrete Products — with 13 locations across the western U.S. and Canada — expanded its operations in Redmond with a new 8,000-square-foot, $7.8 million design center, showroom and office facility that opened this June.
While the existing Baselite manufacturing plant near the Redmond Municipal Airport remains fully operational, future plans call for a 60,000- to 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility of 14 acres, including a 9,000-square-foot facility showcasing products for contractors and homeowners, and the creation of up to 75 new jobs.
Poltex, Inc.
Poltex, which previously worked out of a barn in Tumalo and most recently occupied a space near the Redmond Municipal Airport, built its own $2.5 million home: an 11,800-square-foot production facility with 1,500 square feet of office space and 10,300 square feet designated for manufacturing, shipping, and warehousing. The company designs and manufactures space-saving organizational products for healthcare companies and lab environments.
Redmond as ‘Hub of Manufacturing for Central Oregon’
“Redmond continues to show resiliency and growth as the hub of manufacturing for Central Oregon,” said Curley. “The companies that are moving and growing here are very intentional with their desire to be in Redmond for the lifestyle and amenities available to them. This makes the work of economic development exciting and rewarding.”
