Some Companies Thriving in Economy
KOHD.com News – January 29, 2009
In dark times when thousands of Central Oregonians are without work, some local businesses are bucking the trend, making plans to expand. PV Powered in Bend which makes solar-power systems plans to open a new facility on the east side of Bend and hopes to at least double its staff of 50. “Translating that into the number of jobs really depends on the timing of the growth and just overall economic issues that we’re working our way through right now,” said Erick Petersen, Vice President of PV Powered.
So why are some companies doing so much better? They say they found a niche and have customers outside Oregon. PV Powered hopes to expand overseas. “Clean energy is without question the place to be. Wind, biomass, solar, geothermal,” said Petersen.
PV Powered was hit by the downturn in August 2008 when they laid off 10 people as they waited for the federal investment tax credit that wasn’t renewed until September. But now they say they’re cautiously staying positive. “We’re predicting a significant growth in the business year over year, we are growing in the residential market, we’re significantly growing in the commercial market,” said Petersen.
