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The most innovative companies in manufacturing for 2025

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Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Advances in manufacturing (faster, cheaper, smarter) don’t always result from one big technological breakthrough: Much of the work of innovation involves building on what people have accomplished before.By taking advantage of improvements in sensing hardware and software analytics capabilities, Blackline has built a better toolkit for detecting hazardous gases in industrial workplaces. In much the same way, Kraft Heinz has enlisted machine-vision systems and digital-twin modeling to improve quality and throughput in its vegetable-ingredient supply chain.Stratasys and Ursa Major, meanwhile, have leveraged advances in additive manufacturing to make 3D printing scale up to such high-performance missions as building rocket engines and other spacecraft components—both areas in which they have to square up against incumbents that have had lengthy head starts.Building an online-marketplace platform with software and services isn’t new, but Gelato and Keychain have taken that concept to the businesses of on-demand printing and consumer packaged goods. In each of those markets, suppliers face the problem of being relatively invisible to potential customers, and the platforms these two startups have launched can help remedy that imbalance. Of course, some innovation has to come in-house. Both P2 Science and HT Materials Science have drawn on their own inventions in chemistry to create cleaner and greener cosmetics and to make heating and air-conditioning systems more efficient and less thirsty for water. And since HT counts factories among its clients, future occupants of this list may rank among the beneficiaries of its work.1. Dirtt Environmental SolutionsFor customizing offsite modular constructionBased in Alberta, Canada, Dirtt Environmental Solutions creates custom interiors for commercial facilities in various sectors. Dirtt has introduced innovative smart-manufacturing processes and project-management tools that set new standards for the offsite modular-construction industry. Working with design firm Gensler, the company delivered a flexible workspace for Google’s new 1-million-square-foot headquarters in New York City, which opened in February 2024. The design allows teams to customize their own office area, easily transforming a large conference room into multiple smaller offices, for example. In November, Dirtt introduced COVE (Clinical Observation Vertical Exam). Designed for the healthcare industry, the prefabricated treatment area is half the size of a traditional examination room, increasing the number of nonemergency patients who can be examined. This past year Dirtt also released a dozen significant upgrades to its ever-evolving core platform, ICE, which enables clients, architects, designers, and contractors a cloud-based view of projects to collaborate and make changes in real time. One of the upgrades is Material Tracking and Optimization, which can identify when leftover material can be used elsewhere in a project, leading to a 4% yield improvement in materials reuse so far. Dirtt saw profitability increase more than 37% year-over-year through the first three quarters of 2024.2. P2 ScienceFor making cosmetic ingredients more beautifulThe cosmetics industry can look ugly in its reliance on fossil-fuel by-products and other unsustainable ingredients, but P2 Science, a green chemistry company, is working to give it more than a glow-up with a line of plant-centered ingredients. In September 2024, P2 launched two new liquid polymers, Citropol DE-4 and Citropol V6, which are derived from upcycled forest terpenes (translation: natural by-products of pulp and paper manufacturing). Citropol DE-4 creates rich textures for use in skincare and haircare products, replacing less-sustainable petrochemical compounds or oils derived from coconuts or palm leaves. Citropol V6 enhances product “spreadability” with a nongreasy feel and replaces the synthetic compound cyclomethicone, which some studies have linked to reproductive problems. The company’s custom-designed PICE (Process Intensified Continuous Etherification) bioreactor production line at its manufacturing site in Connecticut runs on 100% renewable energy, and P2 says it can double output in 12 weeks at moderate costs when necessary. P2 projects that it will see 175% revenue growth in 2024 compared to 2023. and as of September 2024, counts more than 100 launches of products with P2 components from 90 brands (including Living Proof, BASF, and Chanel) in 25 countries.3. KeychainFor harnessing AI to help CPG brands find the right manufacturing partnersFor consumer packaged goods companies, the road from new product idea to store shelf is torturous. The process traditionally has taken anywhere from a few months (for an extension of an established product) to a few years (for entirely new products that may require special manufacturing equipment.) At a time when socially amplified consumer trends are shifty and supply chains sometimes dicey, Keychain expedites the product-development process with a comprehensive database of 24,000-plus vetted manufacturing partners across 40 product categories. Brands can quickly identify qualified manufacturers capable of complying with increasingly complex food rules, such as zero-gluten requirements, limits on sugar or other ingredients, or allergen-free production. The unique AI-powered platform provides real-time insights on production availability, schedules, and costs. Founded in August 2023, Keychain launched in February 2024 and has been adopted by such notable brands as Cadbury, Hersey’s, Utz, and Dr. Pepper. The service is free for brands and retailers; manufacturers can also have a free basic profile but pay Keychain an annual subscription that ranges from $5,000 to $100,000 for a more robust presence on the platform. In November 2024, Keychain announced that brands had submitted more than $200 million worth of projects to the platform in the previous month. That same month, the company closed a $15 million round of financing with investors that included General Mills and Schreiber Foods.4. Blackline SafetyFor protecting industrial workers from hazardous gasesAccording to the AFL-CIO, hazardous workplaces kill or disable 125,000 American workers every year. Hazardous gases pose a significant source of danger in many industries, especially oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction. Blackline makes fixed and portable devices that provide on-the-spot, real-time measurements of hazardous gases such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, methane, and ammonia in industrial and other workplaces. In September 2024, Blackline released its EXO 8 monitor, a rugged 27-pound device about the size of a cinderblock that can be mounted on a tripod or even set on the ground to monitor air quality with an automated setup process that doesn’t require human-tended calibration. It features real-time cloud connectivity via 4G or 5G wireless as well as the option of satellite uplink through an add-on module. The device can be loaded with sensors for eight different hazardous gases and features a gamma-radiation sensor that offers three times the range of competing devices. Blackline says it has 2,200 customers across 75 countries—with a “net dollar retention” of 128%, meaning these customers are spending more than their initial outlay to expand their use of Blackline’s offerings. The company has achieved 30 consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth, and in September it was named by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s top growth companies for the sixth consecutive year.5. HT Materials ScienceFor identifying an additive that makes HVAC systems more efficientThe digital revolution giveth, and the digital revolution taketh away: On the one hand, smart technologies are improving energy efficiency; on the other, data centers and crypto-mining operations and fulfillment operations consume a massive and growing amount of energy that’s expected to double by 2030. About 40% of that consumption is attributable to energy required to keep operations cool. Dublin-based startup HT Materials Science doesn’t make heating/ventilation/air-conditioning systems, but it does make the HVAC hardware already installed at commercial and industrial sites significantly more efficient. The company accomplishes this with its proprietary drop-in additive called Maxwell, which suspends microscopic particles of aluminum oxide in water or a mixture of water and glycol to improve heat transfer. Adding just a tiny bit to an HVAC system’s water or water-glycol mix helps juice efficiency by up to 20%. HTMS has strategic partnerships with a number of prominent companies, including Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and Saudi Aramco, and in May 2024 it was accepted into Amazon’s Sustainability Accelerator to deploy Maxwell at a trio of fulfillment centers in the U.K. With support of the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, the company is also developing a data-center coolant based on graphene to increase efficiency in those power-hungry, heat-intensive facilities.6. StratasysFor speeding up 3D printingMinnesota-based Stratasys has been a key player in the additive manufacturing industry for decades, and its origins can be traced to a frog. In 1988, Scott Crump created a toy frog for his daughter using a glue gun with a mixture of polyethylene and candle wax. It’s unclear how much the frog inspired the little girl, but the process inspired Crump to devise the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology that would later revolutionize 3D printing. Crump and his wife founded Stratasys in 1989 to commercialize FDM and grew the company into a leader in the polymer 3D printing market. Near the end of 2023, Stratasys introduced the F3300 FDM 3D Printer, capable of printing up to twice as fast as previous printers while reducing materials and labor costs by about 45%. It has since been adopted by Toyota, BAE, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2024, the company add the Origin Two printer, optimized for short-run production, and launched a project with Northrop Grumman to test 3D printing on the moon. And in March 2024, Stratasys also established a first-of-its-kind Industrial Customer Advisory Board, whose 12 members include Boeing, Toyota, and TE Connectivity, to guide its development of additive manufacturing technologies in such areas as sustainability, quality and reliability, and data characterization. The company has obstacles to overcome—its third-quarter earnings saw narrowing losses but also news of a 15% reduction in employees—but the company looks well positioned to capitalize on growing adoption of additive manufacturing across numerous industries.7. Kraft HeinzFor redefining the food industry supply chain to reduce waste and forecast demandCompanies don’t thrive for more than a century without evolving with technology. Henry James Heinz founded his “catsup” company in 1876; the J.L. Kraft and Bros Company began selling cheese door-to-door in Chicago in 1909. After the two giants merged in 2015, Kraft Heinz began automating its supply-chain management system. Those enhancements helped Kraft Heinz weather COVID-19 supply chain chaos, but the pandemic revealed the risks that upstream disruptions continue to pose for procurement of ingredients and packaging materials. Since 2022, Kraft Heinz has been working to put software smarts to work across its food supply chain through a variety of initiatives: Lighthouse, a software stack to eyeball supply-chain metrics; Connected Worker, a digital platform to process and integrate insights from the company’s factories; and Digital Twin, software to model production processes in real time to watch for efficiency shortfalls and find opportunities for improvement. The combination of these projects has yielded impressive results, Kraft Heinz says: a 40% reduction in supply-chain waste (8.5% in 2024 alone), a 20% increase in sales-forecast accuracy coupled with a 35% increase in inventory-forecast accuracy, and a 6% product-yield improvement across North American factories. In 2024, the company added an AI-powered computer vision system to assess ingredient quality, which has already yielded a 12% increase in the efficiency of inspecting cucumbers on their way to pickling. Combined with other operational improvements, Kraft Heinz says this work has yielded more than $1.1 billion in gross efficiencies from 2023 through the third quarter of 2024.8. PellaFor inventing a safer way to install windowsPella has been making windows and doors for 99 years, but it wasn’t until 2024 that the privately held company pivoted to a new way to build windows and have them attached. Its Steady Set windows are built to be installed from the inside of a structure rather than the outside. That was something that 85% of window installers said they wanted, Pella representatives realized from going to job sites to watch and learn. The obvious upside for construction crews is that they can fit a window while standing on a floor indoors instead of on a ladder outdoors—Pella reports that crews installing Steady Set windows have 74% less ladder work and spend up to 72% less time outdoors. But Steady Set windows can also be installed more than three times faster than traditional outside-fit windows. And many windows are small enough that a single worker can put it into place, rather than the two workers typically required. Steady Set won a Best of IBS prize at the 2024 International Builders’ Show, and since its debut there last February, the company reports that 15% of new-construction wood window projects have now adopted Steady Set. The company estimates 2024 revenue to reach $2.2 billion, a 10% jump from 2023, and Pella’s workforce has shown year-over-year growth of 6%.9. Ursa Major TechnologiesFor building rocket engines via additive manufacturingUrsa Major is targeting a simple problem: Rockets take much longer to build than they do to fly, especially when military applications are involved and conflict demands the rapid expenditure of missiles. To speed up manufacturing times, the company is leveraging additive-manufacturing techniques. Its Lynx production system allows quick 3D printing of parts for the solid rocket motors used in such munitions as anti-tank weapons—and also enables swift shifts from building one type of solid rocket motor (SRM) to another. Lynx can churn out parts fast enough to restore U.S. defense stocks that have been drawn down by aid deliveries to Ukraine; for example, one Lynx cell can print 1,600 solid-rocket motor casings for anti-tank weapons a year, more than three-quarters of the DOD’s surge-production rate for the Javelin anti-tank missile.The U.S. Navy was impressed enough to sign a $12.5 million contract with Ursa Major in September 2024 to develop three SRM prototypes and then further develop Lynx. And 2024 also saw Ursa Major’s liquid-fueled rocket efforts notch notable achievements: Its Hadley engine, built for hypersonic applications, had its first flight on Stratolaunch’s Talon TA-1 vehicle, and its Draper engine had its first ground-based “hot fire” test less than 12 months after the start of that project.10. GelatoFor facilitating customized ecommerce for online creatorsThe creator economy has grown into a $250 billion global industry that could exceed half a trillion dollars by 2027. Once associated mainly with content creators, the sector has expanded to include artisans and micro-businesses that produce physical objects for sale. But very often these online businesses cater to far-flung audiences that may not be located anywhere near printing services that can fulfill the custom orders that drive this part of the economy. Gelato has built the world’s largest network—spanning 32 countries—for local production and distribution of customized products. In March 2024, the Oslo-based company introduced GelatoConnect, an enterprise software platform that helps digital printers capitalize on the burgeoning creator market while simultaneously expanding access to printing for creators. It streamlines workflows for printers by automating the production process while integrating procurement, production, and logistics into a single platform. A study by McKinsey supported Gelato’s claims that the platform will typically increase profit margins for printers by 3% to 7%—some companies that have adopted GelatoConnect cite efficiency gains of up to 25%. In the third quarter of 2024, seven major U.S.-based digital printers (the Anstadt Company, Bennett Graphics, CBiPrint, DPI Direct, GSB Digital, Hudson Printing Company, and Quantum Group) deployed the platform. To date, the private company has raised more than $284 million from a number for venture groups, including DN Capital, Goldman Sachs, and Insight Partners.Explore the full 2025 list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, 609 organizations that are reshaping industries and culture. We’ve selected the companies making the biggest impact across 58 categories, including advertising, applied AI, biotech, retail, sustainability, and more.

Advances in manufacturing (faster, cheaper, smarter) don’t always result from one big technological breakthrough: Much of the work of innovation involves building on what people have accomplished before.By taking advantage of improvements in sensing hardware and software analytics capabilities, Blackline has built a better toolkit for detecting hazardous gases in industrial workplaces. In much the same way, Kraft Heinz has enlisted machine-vision systems and digital-twin modeling to improve quality and throughput in its vegetable-ingredient supply chain.Stratasys and Ursa Major, meanwhile, have leveraged advances in additive manufacturing to make 3D printing scale up to such high-performance missions as building rocket engines and other spacecraft components—both areas in which they have to square up against incumbents that have had lengthy head starts.Building an online-marketplace platform with software and services isn’t new, but Gelato and Keychain have taken that concept to the businesses of on-demand printing and consumer packaged goods. In each of those markets, suppliers face the problem of being relatively invisible to potential customers, and the platforms these two startups have launched can help remedy that imbalance. Of course, some innovation has to come in-house. Both P2 Science and HT Materials Science have drawn on their own inventions in chemistry to create cleaner and greener cosmetics and to make heating and air-conditioning systems more efficient and less thirsty for water. And since HT counts factories among its clients, future occupants of this list may rank among the beneficiaries of its work.1. Dirtt Environmental SolutionsFor customizing offsite modular constructionBased in Alberta, Canada, Dirtt Environmental Solutions creates custom interiors for commercial facilities in various sectors. Dirtt has introduced innovative smart-manufacturing processes and project-management tools that set new standards for the offsite modular-construction industry. Working with design firm Gensler, the company delivered a flexible workspace for Google’s new 1-million-square-foot headquarters in New York City, which opened in February 2024. The design allows teams to customize their own office area, easily transforming a large conference room into multiple smaller offices, for example. In November, Dirtt introduced COVE (Clinical Observation Vertical Exam). Designed for the healthcare industry, the prefabricated treatment area is half the size of a traditional examination room, increasing the number of nonemergency patients who can be examined. This past year Dirtt also released a dozen significant upgrades to its ever-evolving core platform, ICE, which enables clients, architects, designers, and contractors a cloud-based view of projects to collaborate and make changes in real time. One of the upgrades is Material Tracking and Optimization, which can identify when leftover material can be used elsewhere in a project, leading to a 4% yield improvement in materials reuse so far. Dirtt saw profitability increase more than 37% year-over-year through the first three quarters of 2024.2. P2 ScienceFor making cosmetic ingredients more beautifulThe cosmetics industry can look ugly in its reliance on fossil-fuel by-products and other unsustainable ingredients, but P2 Science, a green chemistry company, is working to give it more than a glow-up with a line of plant-centered ingredients. In September 2024, P2 launched two new liquid polymers, Citropol DE-4 and Citropol V6, which are derived from upcycled forest terpenes (translation: natural by-products of pulp and paper manufacturing). Citropol DE-4 creates rich textures for use in skincare and haircare products, replacing less-sustainable petrochemical compounds or oils derived from coconuts or palm leaves. Citropol V6 enhances product “spreadability” with a nongreasy feel and replaces the synthetic compound cyclomethicone, which some studies have linked to reproductive problems. The company’s custom-designed PICE (Process Intensified Continuous Etherification) bioreactor production line at its manufacturing site in Connecticut runs on 100% renewable energy, and P2 says it can double output in 12 weeks at moderate costs when necessary. P2 projects that it will see 175% revenue growth in 2024 compared to 2023. and as of September 2024, counts more than 100 launches of products with P2 components from 90 brands (including Living Proof, BASF, and Chanel) in 25 countries.3. KeychainFor harnessing AI to help CPG brands find the right manufacturing partnersFor consumer packaged goods companies, the road from new product idea to store shelf is torturous. The process traditionally has taken anywhere from a few months (for an extension of an established product) to a few years (for entirely new products that may require special manufacturing equipment.) At a time when socially amplified consumer trends are shifty and supply chains sometimes dicey, Keychain expedites the product-development process with a comprehensive database of 24,000-plus vetted manufacturing partners across 40 product categories. Brands can quickly identify qualified manufacturers capable of complying with increasingly complex food rules, such as zero-gluten requirements, limits on sugar or other ingredients, or allergen-free production. The unique AI-powered platform provides real-time insights on production availability, schedules, and costs. Founded in August 2023, Keychain launched in February 2024 and has been adopted by such notable brands as Cadbury, Hersey’s, Utz, and Dr. Pepper. The service is free for brands and retailers; manufacturers can also have a free basic profile but pay Keychain an annual subscription that ranges from $5,000 to $100,000 for a more robust presence on the platform. In November 2024, Keychain announced that brands had submitted more than $200 million worth of projects to the platform in the previous month. That same month, the company closed a $15 million round of financing with investors that included General Mills and Schreiber Foods.4. Blackline SafetyFor protecting industrial workers from hazardous gasesAccording to the AFL-CIO, hazardous workplaces kill or disable 125,000 American workers every year. Hazardous gases pose a significant source of danger in many industries, especially oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction. Blackline makes fixed and portable devices that provide on-the-spot, real-time measurements of hazardous gases such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, methane, and ammonia in industrial and other workplaces. In September 2024, Blackline released its EXO 8 monitor, a rugged 27-pound device about the size of a cinderblock that can be mounted on a tripod or even set on the ground to monitor air quality with an automated setup process that doesn’t require human-tended calibration. It features real-time cloud connectivity via 4G or 5G wireless as well as the option of satellite uplink through an add-on module. The device can be loaded with sensors for eight different hazardous gases and features a gamma-radiation sensor that offers three times the range of competing devices. Blackline says it has 2,200 customers across 75 countries—with a “net dollar retention” of 128%, meaning these customers are spending more than their initial outlay to expand their use of Blackline’s offerings. The company has achieved 30 consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth, and in September it was named by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s top growth companies for the sixth consecutive year.5. HT Materials ScienceFor identifying an additive that makes HVAC systems more efficientThe digital revolution giveth, and the digital revolution taketh away: On the one hand, smart technologies are improving energy efficiency; on the other, data centers and crypto-mining operations and fulfillment operations consume a massive and growing amount of energy that’s expected to double by 2030. About 40% of that consumption is attributable to energy required to keep operations cool. Dublin-based startup HT Materials Science doesn’t make heating/ventilation/air-conditioning systems, but it does make the HVAC hardware already installed at commercial and industrial sites significantly more efficient. The company accomplishes this with its proprietary drop-in additive called Maxwell, which suspends microscopic particles of aluminum oxide in water or a mixture of water and glycol to improve heat transfer. Adding just a tiny bit to an HVAC system’s water or water-glycol mix helps juice efficiency by up to 20%. HTMS has strategic partnerships with a number of prominent companies, including Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and Saudi Aramco, and in May 2024 it was accepted into Amazon’s Sustainability Accelerator to deploy Maxwell at a trio of fulfillment centers in the U.K. With support of the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, the company is also developing a data-center coolant based on graphene to increase efficiency in those power-hungry, heat-intensive facilities.6. StratasysFor speeding up 3D printingMinnesota-based Stratasys has been a key player in the additive manufacturing industry for decades, and its origins can be traced to a frog. In 1988, Scott Crump created a toy frog for his daughter using a glue gun with a mixture of polyethylene and candle wax. It’s unclear how much the frog inspired the little girl, but the process inspired Crump to devise the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology that would later revolutionize 3D printing. Crump and his wife founded Stratasys in 1989 to commercialize FDM and grew the company into a leader in the polymer 3D printing market. Near the end of 2023, Stratasys introduced the F3300 FDM 3D Printer, capable of printing up to twice as fast as previous printers while reducing materials and labor costs by about 45%. It has since been adopted by Toyota, BAE, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2024, the company add the Origin Two printer, optimized for short-run production, and launched a project with Northrop Grumman to test 3D printing on the moon. And in March 2024, Stratasys also established a first-of-its-kind Industrial Customer Advisory Board, whose 12 members include Boeing, Toyota, and TE Connectivity, to guide its development of additive manufacturing technologies in such areas as sustainability, quality and reliability, and data characterization. The company has obstacles to overcome—its third-quarter earnings saw narrowing losses but also news of a 15% reduction in employees—but the company looks well positioned to capitalize on growing adoption of additive manufacturing across numerous industries.7. Kraft HeinzFor redefining the food industry supply chain to reduce waste and forecast demandCompanies don’t thrive for more than a century without evolving with technology. Henry James Heinz founded his “catsup” company in 1876; the J.L. Kraft and Bros Company began selling cheese door-to-door in Chicago in 1909. After the two giants merged in 2015, Kraft Heinz began automating its supply-chain management system. Those enhancements helped Kraft Heinz weather COVID-19 supply chain chaos, but the pandemic revealed the risks that upstream disruptions continue to pose for procurement of ingredients and packaging materials. Since 2022, Kraft Heinz has been working to put software smarts to work across its food supply chain through a variety of initiatives: Lighthouse, a software stack to eyeball supply-chain metrics; Connected Worker, a digital platform to process and integrate insights from the company’s factories; and Digital Twin, software to model production processes in real time to watch for efficiency shortfalls and find opportunities for improvement. The combination of these projects has yielded impressive results, Kraft Heinz says: a 40% reduction in supply-chain waste (8.5% in 2024 alone), a 20% increase in sales-forecast accuracy coupled with a 35% increase in inventory-forecast accuracy, and a 6% product-yield improvement across North American factories. In 2024, the company added an AI-powered computer vision system to assess ingredient quality, which has already yielded a 12% increase in the efficiency of inspecting cucumbers on their way to pickling. Combined with other operational improvements, Kraft Heinz says this work has yielded more than $1.1 billion in gross efficiencies from 2023 through the third quarter of 2024.8. PellaFor inventing a safer way to install windowsPella has been making windows and doors for 99 years, but it wasn’t until 2024 that the privately held company pivoted to a new way to build windows and have them attached. Its Steady Set windows are built to be installed from the inside of a structure rather than the outside. That was something that 85% of window installers said they wanted, Pella representatives realized from going to job sites to watch and learn. The obvious upside for construction crews is that they can fit a window while standing on a floor indoors instead of on a ladder outdoors—Pella reports that crews installing Steady Set windows have 74% less ladder work and spend up to 72% less time outdoors. But Steady Set windows can also be installed more than three times faster than traditional outside-fit windows. And many windows are small enough that a single worker can put it into place, rather than the two workers typically required. Steady Set won a Best of IBS prize at the 2024 International Builders’ Show, and since its debut there last February, the company reports that 15% of new-construction wood window projects have now adopted Steady Set. The company estimates 2024 revenue to reach $2.2 billion, a 10% jump from 2023, and Pella’s workforce has shown year-over-year growth of 6%.9. Ursa Major TechnologiesFor building rocket engines via additive manufacturingUrsa Major is targeting a simple problem: Rockets take much longer to build than they do to fly, especially when military applications are involved and conflict demands the rapid expenditure of missiles. To speed up manufacturing times, the company is leveraging additive-manufacturing techniques. Its Lynx production system allows quick 3D printing of parts for the solid rocket motors used in such munitions as anti-tank weapons—and also enables swift shifts from building one type of solid rocket motor (SRM) to another. Lynx can churn out parts fast enough to restore U.S. defense stocks that have been drawn down by aid deliveries to Ukraine; for example, one Lynx cell can print 1,600 solid-rocket motor casings for anti-tank weapons a year, more than three-quarters of the DOD’s surge-production rate for the Javelin anti-tank missile.The U.S. Navy was impressed enough to sign a $12.5 million contract with Ursa Major in September 2024 to develop three SRM prototypes and then further develop Lynx. And 2024 also saw Ursa Major’s liquid-fueled rocket efforts notch notable achievements: Its Hadley engine, built for hypersonic applications, had its first flight on Stratolaunch’s Talon TA-1 vehicle, and its Draper engine had its first ground-based “hot fire” test less than 12 months after the start of that project.10. GelatoFor facilitating customized ecommerce for online creatorsThe creator economy has grown into a $250 billion global industry that could exceed half a trillion dollars by 2027. Once associated mainly with content creators, the sector has expanded to include artisans and micro-businesses that produce physical objects for sale. But very often these online businesses cater to far-flung audiences that may not be located anywhere near printing services that can fulfill the custom orders that drive this part of the economy. Gelato has built the world’s largest network—spanning 32 countries—for local production and distribution of customized products. In March 2024, the Oslo-based company introduced GelatoConnect, an enterprise software platform that helps digital printers capitalize on the burgeoning creator market while simultaneously expanding access to printing for creators. It streamlines workflows for printers by automating the production process while integrating procurement, production, and logistics into a single platform. A study by McKinsey supported Gelato’s claims that the platform will typically increase profit margins for printers by 3% to 7%—some companies that have adopted GelatoConnect cite efficiency gains of up to 25%. In the third quarter of 2024, seven major U.S.-based digital printers (the Anstadt Company, Bennett Graphics, CBiPrint, DPI Direct, GSB Digital, Hudson Printing Company, and Quantum Group) deployed the platform. To date, the private company has raised more than $284 million from a number for venture groups, including DN Capital, Goldman Sachs, and Insight Partners.Explore the full 2025 list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, 609 organizations that are reshaping industries and culture. We’ve selected the companies making the biggest impact across 58 categories, including advertising, applied AI, biotech, retail, sustainability, and more.

Advances in manufacturing (faster, cheaper, smarter) don’t always result from one big technological breakthrough: Much of the work of innovation involves building on what people have accomplished before.

By taking advantage of improvements in sensing hardware and software analytics capabilities, Blackline has built a better toolkit for detecting hazardous gases in industrial workplaces. In much the same way, Kraft Heinz has enlisted machine-vision systems and digital-twin modeling to improve quality and throughput in its vegetable-ingredient supply chain.

Stratasys and Ursa Major, meanwhile, have leveraged advances in additive manufacturing to make 3D printing scale up to such high-performance missions as building rocket engines and other spacecraft components—both areas in which they have to square up against incumbents that have had lengthy head starts.

Building an online-marketplace platform with software and services isn’t new, but Gelato and Keychain have taken that concept to the businesses of on-demand printing and consumer packaged goods. In each of those markets, suppliers face the problem of being relatively invisible to potential customers, and the platforms these two startups have launched can help remedy that imbalance. Of course, some innovation has to come in-house. Both P2 Science and HT Materials Science have drawn on their own inventions in chemistry to create cleaner and greener cosmetics and to make heating and air-conditioning systems more efficient and less thirsty for water. And since HT counts factories among its clients, future occupants of this list may rank among the beneficiaries of its work.

1. Dirtt Environmental Solutions

For customizing offsite modular construction

Based in Alberta, Canada, Dirtt Environmental Solutions creates custom interiors for commercial facilities in various sectors. Dirtt has introduced innovative smart-manufacturing processes and project-management tools that set new standards for the offsite modular-construction industry. Working with design firm Gensler, the company delivered a flexible workspace for Google’s new 1-million-square-foot headquarters in New York City, which opened in February 2024. The design allows teams to customize their own office area, easily transforming a large conference room into multiple smaller offices, for example. In November, Dirtt introduced COVE (Clinical Observation Vertical Exam). Designed for the healthcare industry, the prefabricated treatment area is half the size of a traditional examination room, increasing the number of nonemergency patients who can be examined. This past year Dirtt also released a dozen significant upgrades to its ever-evolving core platform, ICE, which enables clients, architects, designers, and contractors a cloud-based view of projects to collaborate and make changes in real time. One of the upgrades is Material Tracking and Optimization, which can identify when leftover material can be used elsewhere in a project, leading to a 4% yield improvement in materials reuse so far. Dirtt saw profitability increase more than 37% year-over-year through the first three quarters of 2024.

2. P2 Science

For making cosmetic ingredients more beautiful

The cosmetics industry can look ugly in its reliance on fossil-fuel by-products and other unsustainable ingredients, but P2 Science, a green chemistry company, is working to give it more than a glow-up with a line of plant-centered ingredients. In September 2024, P2 launched two new liquid polymers, Citropol DE-4 and Citropol V6, which are derived from upcycled forest terpenes (translation: natural by-products of pulp and paper manufacturing). Citropol DE-4 creates rich textures for use in skincare and haircare products, replacing less-sustainable petrochemical compounds or oils derived from coconuts or palm leaves. Citropol V6 enhances product “spreadability” with a nongreasy feel and replaces the synthetic compound cyclomethicone, which some studies have linked to reproductive problems.

The company’s custom-designed PICE (Process Intensified Continuous Etherification) bioreactor production line at its manufacturing site in Connecticut runs on 100% renewable energy, and P2 says it can double output in 12 weeks at moderate costs when necessary. P2 projects that it will see 175% revenue growth in 2024 compared to 2023. and as of September 2024, counts more than 100 launches of products with P2 components from 90 brands (including Living Proof, BASF, and Chanel) in 25 countries.

3. Keychain

For harnessing AI to help CPG brands find the right manufacturing partners

For consumer packaged goods companies, the road from new product idea to store shelf is torturous. The process traditionally has taken anywhere from a few months (for an extension of an established product) to a few years (for entirely new products that may require special manufacturing equipment.) At a time when socially amplified consumer trends are shifty and supply chains sometimes dicey, Keychain expedites the product-development process with a comprehensive database of 24,000-plus vetted manufacturing partners across 40 product categories. Brands can quickly identify qualified manufacturers capable of complying with increasingly complex food rules, such as zero-gluten requirements, limits on sugar or other ingredients, or allergen-free production. The unique AI-powered platform provides real-time insights on production availability, schedules, and costs.

Founded in August 2023, Keychain launched in February 2024 and has been adopted by such notable brands as Cadbury, Hersey’s, Utz, and Dr. Pepper. The service is free for brands and retailers; manufacturers can also have a free basic profile but pay Keychain an annual subscription that ranges from $5,000 to $100,000 for a more robust presence on the platform. In November 2024, Keychain announced that brands had submitted more than $200 million worth of projects to the platform in the previous month. That same month, the company closed a $15 million round of financing with investors that included General Mills and Schreiber Foods.

4. Blackline Safety

For protecting industrial workers from hazardous gases

According to the AFL-CIO, hazardous workplaces kill or disable 125,000 American workers every year. Hazardous gases pose a significant source of danger in many industries, especially oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction. Blackline makes fixed and portable devices that provide on-the-spot, real-time measurements of hazardous gases such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, methane, and ammonia in industrial and other workplaces. In September 2024, Blackline released its EXO 8 monitor, a rugged 27-pound device about the size of a cinderblock that can be mounted on a tripod or even set on the ground to monitor air quality with an automated setup process that doesn’t require human-tended calibration. It features real-time cloud connectivity via 4G or 5G wireless as well as the option of satellite uplink through an add-on module. The device can be loaded with sensors for eight different hazardous gases and features a gamma-radiation sensor that offers three times the range of competing devices. Blackline says it has 2,200 customers across 75 countries—with a “net dollar retention” of 128%, meaning these customers are spending more than their initial outlay to expand their use of Blackline’s offerings. The company has achieved 30 consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth, and in September it was named by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s top growth companies for the sixth consecutive year.

5. HT Materials Science

For identifying an additive that makes HVAC systems more efficient

The digital revolution giveth, and the digital revolution taketh away: On the one hand, smart technologies are improving energy efficiency; on the other, data centers and crypto-mining operations and fulfillment operations consume a massive and growing amount of energy that’s expected to double by 2030. About 40% of that consumption is attributable to energy required to keep operations cool. Dublin-based startup HT Materials Science doesn’t make heating/ventilation/air-conditioning systems, but it does make the HVAC hardware already installed at commercial and industrial sites significantly more efficient. The company accomplishes this with its proprietary drop-in additive called Maxwell, which suspends microscopic particles of aluminum oxide in water or a mixture of water and glycol to improve heat transfer. Adding just a tiny bit to an HVAC system’s water or water-glycol mix helps juice efficiency by up to 20%. HTMS has strategic partnerships with a number of prominent companies, including Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and Saudi Aramco, and in May 2024 it was accepted into Amazon’s Sustainability Accelerator to deploy Maxwell at a trio of fulfillment centers in the U.K. With support of the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, the company is also developing a data-center coolant based on graphene to increase efficiency in those power-hungry, heat-intensive facilities.

6. Stratasys

For speeding up 3D printing

Minnesota-based Stratasys has been a key player in the additive manufacturing industry for decades, and its origins can be traced to a frog. In 1988, Scott Crump created a toy frog for his daughter using a glue gun with a mixture of polyethylene and candle wax. It’s unclear how much the frog inspired the little girl, but the process inspired Crump to devise the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology that would later revolutionize 3D printing. Crump and his wife founded Stratasys in 1989 to commercialize FDM and grew the company into a leader in the polymer 3D printing market. Near the end of 2023, Stratasys introduced the F3300 FDM 3D Printer, capable of printing up to twice as fast as previous printers while reducing materials and labor costs by about 45%. It has since been adopted by Toyota, BAE, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2024, the company add the Origin Two printer, optimized for short-run production, and launched a project with Northrop Grumman to test 3D printing on the moon. And in March 2024, Stratasys also established a first-of-its-kind Industrial Customer Advisory Board, whose 12 members include Boeing, Toyota, and TE Connectivity, to guide its development of additive manufacturing technologies in such areas as sustainability, quality and reliability, and data characterization. The company has obstacles to overcome—its third-quarter earnings saw narrowing losses but also news of a 15% reduction in employees—but the company looks well positioned to capitalize on growing adoption of additive manufacturing across numerous industries.

7. Kraft Heinz

For redefining the food industry supply chain to reduce waste and forecast demand

Companies don’t thrive for more than a century without evolving with technology. Henry James Heinz founded his “catsup” company in 1876; the J.L. Kraft and Bros Company began selling cheese door-to-door in Chicago in 1909. After the two giants merged in 2015, Kraft Heinz began automating its supply-chain management system. Those enhancements helped Kraft Heinz weather COVID-19 supply chain chaos, but the pandemic revealed the risks that upstream disruptions continue to pose for procurement of ingredients and packaging materials. Since 2022, Kraft Heinz has been working to put software smarts to work across its food supply chain through a variety of initiatives: Lighthouse, a software stack to eyeball supply-chain metrics; Connected Worker, a digital platform to process and integrate insights from the company’s factories; and Digital Twin, software to model production processes in real time to watch for efficiency shortfalls and find opportunities for improvement.

The combination of these projects has yielded impressive results, Kraft Heinz says: a 40% reduction in supply-chain waste (8.5% in 2024 alone), a 20% increase in sales-forecast accuracy coupled with a 35% increase in inventory-forecast accuracy, and a 6% product-yield improvement across North American factories.

In 2024, the company added an AI-powered computer vision system to assess ingredient quality, which has already yielded a 12% increase in the efficiency of inspecting cucumbers on their way to pickling. Combined with other operational improvements, Kraft Heinz says this work has yielded more than $1.1 billion in gross efficiencies from 2023 through the third quarter of 2024.

8. Pella

For inventing a safer way to install windows

Pella has been making windows and doors for 99 years, but it wasn’t until 2024 that the privately held company pivoted to a new way to build windows and have them attached. Its Steady Set windows are built to be installed from the inside of a structure rather than the outside. That was something that 85% of window installers said they wanted, Pella representatives realized from going to job sites to watch and learn.

The obvious upside for construction crews is that they can fit a window while standing on a floor indoors instead of on a ladder outdoors—Pella reports that crews installing Steady Set windows have 74% less ladder work and spend up to 72% less time outdoors. But Steady Set windows can also be installed more than three times faster than traditional outside-fit windows. And many windows are small enough that a single worker can put it into place, rather than the two workers typically required. Steady Set won a Best of IBS prize at the 2024 International Builders’ Show, and since its debut there last February, the company reports that 15% of new-construction wood window projects have now adopted Steady Set. The company estimates 2024 revenue to reach $2.2 billion, a 10% jump from 2023, and Pella’s workforce has shown year-over-year growth of 6%.

9. Ursa Major Technologies

For building rocket engines via additive manufacturing

Ursa Major is targeting a simple problem: Rockets take much longer to build than they do to fly, especially when military applications are involved and conflict demands the rapid expenditure of missiles. To speed up manufacturing times, the company is leveraging additive-manufacturing techniques. Its Lynx production system allows quick 3D printing of parts for the solid rocket motors used in such munitions as anti-tank weapons—and also enables swift shifts from building one type of solid rocket motor (SRM) to another. Lynx can churn out parts fast enough to restore U.S. defense stocks that have been drawn down by aid deliveries to Ukraine; for example, one Lynx cell can print 1,600 solid-rocket motor casings for anti-tank weapons a year, more than three-quarters of the DOD’s surge-production rate for the Javelin anti-tank missile.

The U.S. Navy was impressed enough to sign a $12.5 million contract with Ursa Major in September 2024 to develop three SRM prototypes and then further develop Lynx. And 2024 also saw Ursa Major’s liquid-fueled rocket efforts notch notable achievements: Its Hadley engine, built for hypersonic applications, had its first flight on Stratolaunch’s Talon TA-1 vehicle, and its Draper engine had its first ground-based “hot fire” test less than 12 months after the start of that project.

10. Gelato

For facilitating customized ecommerce for online creators

The creator economy has grown into a $250 billion global industry that could exceed half a trillion dollars by 2027. Once associated mainly with content creators, the sector has expanded to include artisans and micro-businesses that produce physical objects for sale. But very often these online businesses cater to far-flung audiences that may not be located anywhere near printing services that can fulfill the custom orders that drive this part of the economy.

Gelato has built the world’s largest network—spanning 32 countries—for local production and distribution of customized products. In March 2024, the Oslo-based company introduced GelatoConnect, an enterprise software platform that helps digital printers capitalize on the burgeoning creator market while simultaneously expanding access to printing for creators. It streamlines workflows for printers by automating the production process while integrating procurement, production, and logistics into a single platform. 

A study by McKinsey supported Gelato’s claims that the platform will typically increase profit margins for printers by 3% to 7%some companies that have adopted GelatoConnect cite efficiency gains of up to 25%. In the third quarter of 2024, seven major U.S.-based digital printers (the Anstadt Company, Bennett Graphics, CBiPrint, DPI Direct, GSB Digital, Hudson Printing Company, and Quantum Group) deployed the platform. To date, the private company has raised more than $284 million from a number for venture groups, including DN Capital, Goldman Sachs, and Insight Partners.

Explore the full 2025 list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, 609 organizations that are reshaping industries and culture. We’ve selected the companies making the biggest impact across 58 categories, including advertisingapplied AIbiotechretailsustainability, and more.

Read the full story here.
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Meet Portland’s 2025 Rose Festival Court Princesses

Every spring, Portland crowns a queen. Here are the contenders.

Every spring, Portland crowns a queen.That is, of course, the Rose Festival Queen, a local high school girl chosen from the Rose Festival Court.Last June, Jefferson High School senior Kobi Flowers was crowned the 110th Portland Rose Festival Queen.This year, at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 6, a new queen will take her place. Who will it be this year? One of 15 area high school students who were selected as princesses earlier this spring.After a month of orientation, princesses spend May traveling to community events. Each receives “a $3,500 scholarship provided by The Randall Group valid for any accredited college, university or trade program, a wardrobe including shoes and accessories, and a lifetime of enduring friendships with their Rose Festival Court sisters.”Here are the 2025 princesses. All information is provided by the Portland Rose Festival.Kathy Nguyen, Leodis McDaniel High School Kathy Nguyen, a junior at Leodis McDaniel High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture plans: Nguyen plans to study law and work in medicine in law.Activities: Nguyen participates in dance, Key Club, tennis and National Honor Society, among many other things. She also runs and teaches pickleball to elementary school kids. What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Portland’s scenery is unparalleled, and I enjoy biking up to Mount Tabor on bright summer days, where the journey through tree-lined streets, local shops, and public art makes the effort worthwhile. I’ve been going there since I learned to ride a bike, and it remains a special place where I make lasting memories with friends, watching sunsets and enjoying sports and nature.”Eleanor Isles, Ulysses S. Grant High School Eleanor Isles, a junior at Ulysses S. Grant High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture plans: Four-year university and a career in law, specifically patent litigation.Activities: Isles takes part in mock trial, cross country and National Honor Society, among many other things. She developed an AI cyberbullying detection algorithm during an internship at PSU. What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “My favorite place to visit in Portland is Powell’s Books. Every time I’m downtown, I find myself drawn to its endless shelves of stories and knowledge.”Sabrina Johnson, Cleveland High School Sabrina Johnson, a junior at Cleveland High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture plans: Four-year university and then graduate school studying counseling psychology or environmental justice.Activities: Johnson is part of the cheer team and student council. She is also an active member of the youth group at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? "My favorite place in Portland is Sellwood Riverfront Park, or ‘the docks,’ which holds special memories of joy, friendship, and beauty. Surrounded by greenery, sparkling water, and a stunning city skyline, it’s where I find peace and happiness while spending time with friends and family."Brenda Martinez De Jesus, Benson Polytechnic High SchoolBrenda Martinez De Jesus, a junior at Benson Polytechnic High School was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture plans: University and a career as a pediatric nurse.Activities: Martinez De Jesus is her junior class vice president and vice president of HOSA-Future Health Professionals. She is also a cheerleader, swimmer and tennis player.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “My favorite place to visit is Mount Tabor because of how much you can see. You can see how our city is truly beautiful. From the top you can see our beautiful buildings, the trees being so big and so green, and the light through the city that light it up.”Janiya Thompson, Jefferson High School Janiya Thompson, a senior at Jefferson High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: University, majoring in graphic design then working in illustration/animation or marketing/media design.Activities: Thompson participates in mock trial, choir and theater, among many other things, and loves to make art in her free time.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “I love visiting Mississippi Street for its vibrant mix of experiences, entertainment, and great food. Whether I’m with friends or exploring on my own, it always offers new adventures and feels like a perfect representation of Portland.”Gloria Zawadi, Roosevelt High School Gloria Zawadi, a senior at Roosevelt High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose Festival Year in school: SeniorFuture plans: Major in Psychology at a university and then work as a clinical psychologist. Activities: Zawadi plays tennis and is president of Roosevelt’s Black Student Union. She participates in African Club and Upward Bound, along with many other activities, and loves dancing and writing.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Columbia Park because it is a place where I hold a lot of memories and is very dear to me. I learned how to swim for the first time at Columbia Pool and frequently spent time on the swings and play structure when we would visit the park in elementary school on walking field trips.”Ava Rathi, Lincoln High School Ava Rathi, a senior at Lincoln High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: Study international affairs, political science, or business at a university and pursue a career in international relations or public policy.Activities: Rathi is the captain of Speech and Debate and participates in mock trial and National Honor Society, among other things. She likes to ski and make art. What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “My favorite place to visit in Portland is the Japanese Gardens. It has a calm atmosphere and beautiful design. It was one of the first places I visited after moving to this city and I have been enamored with the architecture and nature since I was a kid.”Meerali Patel, Central Catholic High School Meerali Patel, a senior at Central Catholic High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: Study law and be either a business lawyer, financial consultant or economics consultant.Activities: Patel is a varsity lacrosse player and a member of mock trial and constitutional debate, among other things. She is also the leader of the Women’s Coalition and a member of the Asian American Hotelier Owners Association What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Even before the amazing renovations, the PDX airport has always been the most representative of a city’s spirit in my opinion. With the kind staff that have always made my family feel welcome, the wide variety of art that showcases our beautiful city and of course the amazing food that I am not afraid to eat before a long-haul flight I genuinely look forward to going to the airport before a flight.”Sivan Safran, Ida B. Wells High School Sivan Safran, a senior at Ida B. Wells High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: Major in urban studies and Jewish history and then pursue a career in documentary filmmaking. Activities: Safran participates in theater, track, yearbook and is the co-president of the Jewish Student Union, among other things. She plays drums and loves to take photos.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Forest Park – All my life I’ve loved nature. I was born into a family of park rangers, backroads bike trip leaders, and commune members who worshiped Mother Earth.”Isa Halle, Franklin High School Isa Halle, a junior at Franklin High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture plans: Major in international relations and minor in French at a university and potentially a career in international relations focusing on environmental advocacy.Activities: Halle is the president and co-founder of Franklin’s Harm Reduction Club and is on the ski and cheer team, among other things. She loves to thrift shop and is a vendor at Portland Vintage Market. What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “My favorite place to visit in Portland is Sellwood Riverfront Park. Since my birthday is at the beginning of summer, I often spend it at the docks in Sellwood. I have had my birthday party there for the last four years, and for this reason, I have very fond memories of laying in the sun and swimming with my friends. My happiest memories of summer and sunshine are in Sellwood Riverfront Park, and I look forward to dock days every year.”Jayden Rendon-Ramirez, David Douglas High School Jayden Rendon-Ramirez, a junior at David Douglas High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture education plans: University and then a career as a pediatrician or nurse.Activities: Rendon-Ramirez participates in Red Cross, College Possible Club and dance team, among other things. She volunteers every weekend at her church and loves hike in Portland.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “My favorite place in Portland, Oregon, would be SW downtown because of the busy city environment and all the restaurants and shops that they have there. Also, its diverse culture and views make it a vibrant and exciting place to explore.”Ivette Hernandez, Parkrose High School Ivette Hernandez, a senior at Parkrose High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: Attend a university and enter the pediatric field.Activities: Hernandez manages the Parkrose wrestling team, leads the Finance Club and plays tennis, among other things. She likes to solve puzzles and play video games. What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “My favorite place to visit in Portland is Rocky Butte Natural Area. I love this place! It has greenery, knowledge, and a beautiful view of the city.”Esther Lian, St. Mary AcademyEsther Lian, a senior at St. Mary Academy, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: Attend university and go into business, marketing and management.Activities: Lian participates in robotics, volleyball and the South Asian Student Association, among many other things. She likes to cook, craft and dance.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Grotto, it’s one of the most breathtaking places that I have visited. It’s both spiritual healing and connecting with nature. The view is spectacular and so beautiful as well as the Church inside the Grotto.” Addie Glem, Century High School (Metro West)Addie Glem, a junior at Century High School, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: JuniorFuture plans: Study nursing and become either a labor and delivery nurse or ICU nurseActivities: Glem does cross country and track and is an officer in the National Honor Society, among other things. She likes baking and volunteering in the Labor & Delivery unit at Kaiser Westside Hospital.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. This building holds so many memories that I treasure in my heart.” Avari Brocker, La Salle Catholic (Metro East)Avari Brocker, a senior at La Salle Catholic, was selected to the 2025 Rose Festival Court.Courtesy of the Rose FestivalYear in school: SeniorFuture plans: Study biomedical engineering with a minor in business, and later get a master’s degree in prosthetics engineering so she can start a prosthetics company.Activities: Brocker is part of student council and the captain of the speech and debate and volleyball teams, among other things. She works at Mathnasium and likes poetry and photography.What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why? “Rose Garden, because of all the memories I have shared there. One of my favorite memories is my parents’ impromptu vow renewal.”– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com.Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.

Luxury yacht owners are throwing scientists a lifeline

Francesco Ferretti had a problem. His research expedition to track white sharks in the Mediterranean was suddenly adrift—the boat he’d arranged had vanished into the pandemic’s chaos of canceled plans and family emergencies. With scientific equipment packed and a team of seven researchers ready, the marine biologist found himself scanning the horizon for solutions. It was then that Ferretti turned to six-year-old Yachts for Science, a matchmaking service linking wealthy boat owners with cash-strapped researchers. Soon, an owner of a private yacht offered to help. Though weather conditions limited their time on the water and forced a relocation between countries, the expedition pressed on, with the yacht’s crew eagerly assisting with scientific operations. The unusual collaboration—luxury yacht meets marine research—proved successful despite the compromise of working on a vessel not specifically designed for scientific work. “Whenever the crew was there, and we were actually doing science, they were available to help,” says Ferretti. “Sometimes you need hands, or you need other people to do stuff for you, to facilitate even the most trivial things, like organizing buckets or helping with sampling.” A dive during an expedition last year to Silver Banks, a whale sanctuary in the Dominican Republic, organized by Bering Yachts. [Photo: Max Bello] Ferretti’s experience represents a growing movement in marine research, where luxury meets necessity. There are dozens of research vessels registered in the U.S., far more than any other country, including NOAA’s fleet of 15 research and survey ships, but availiablity can be scarce, and they aren’t cheap. Renting one of those vessels for an oceanographic expedition like this can cost upwards of $50,000 per day, according to Ferretti, a huge sum to raise for many scientists facing budget constraints. Meanwhile, the world’s ultra-wealthy use their multimillion-dollar yachts just a few weeks each year, with vessels sitting idle while still incurring substantial crew and maintenance costs.  Organizations like Yachts for Science, the International SeaKeepers Society, and the Pink Flamingo Society aim to bridge this gap, turning underutilized pleasure craft into platforms for discovery, whether by donating full research expeditions or simply collecting ocean data during regular voyages. For scientists, these collaborations provide vital access to remote, understudied regions; for yacht owners, they offer tax benefits, meaningful engagement for crew, and the satisfaction of contributing to ocean conservation without necessarily sacrificing privacy or comfort. Rob McCallum, who helps facilitate these matchmaking arrangements through Yachts for Science, describes his organization as “the Tinder of the seas.” McCallum says they are on track to make about a dozen matches this year—amounting to about $1.4 million in vessel time for researchers—with plans to ramp up to hundreds of collaborations over the next few years, generating about $15 million in vessel time per year. “We’re just approaching some of our funders at the moment asking for $600,000 a year for three years to actually fund taking the brakes off,” says McCallum. “My belief is that it’ll grow almost to an infinite extent, because once you have yachts getting out there and doing science, it will become the thing discussed at cocktail parties.” The yacht owner who answered Ferretti’s call was Frank Peeters, a Belgian businessman whose vessel, Blue Titan, is what he calls “an adventure yacht” built for crossing oceans rather than hosting parties. “The boat is not fit for that many people,” says Peeters of the 27-meter (88-foot) yacht. “Normally we sail with 6 people and the crew, and here we were sometimes 12, 13, 14 people.” Bering Yachts organized a 13-person expedition to Silver Banks aboard the 30-meter Bering 92 Papillon. [Photo: Bering Yachts] The expedition quickly faced challenges. After two days off the Tunisian coast, military officials intercepted the craft, claiming the research team lacked proper permissions. What followed was a bureaucratic struggle that lasted two weeks, with permits granted then mysteriously revoked. At one point, the boat was even briefly confiscated. Despite complications costing Peeters between 10,000 and 20,000 euros (about $11,000 to $22,000) out of pocket, he has no regrets. “Would I do it again? Yes, I would do it again immediately,” he says. “I know they have to work on very small budgets, and we could help there.” The scientists eventually redirected their shark-tracking expedition to Italian waters near Lampedusa, where they continued their research. While the team didn’t directly observe white sharks, they detected white shark environmental DNA (eDNA) at multiple sites, confirming the species’ presence in the area. This helped identify one of the last strongholds of the Mediterranean white shark population and marked a key step in launching a multi-institutional conservation program. Peeters, who describes himself as “kind of retired” and sails Blue Titan with his wife about 16 weeks a year, now follows the researchers on Instagram, occasionally receiving video updates about their work. He was also acknowledged in the scientific paper that resulted from the expedition—a form of compensation he finds “definitely worthwhile.” A North Atlantic humpback whale breaching during the Bering Yachts expedition. [Photo: Max Bello] For researchers like Ferretti, these collaborations involve compromise. Scientists must adapt their methodologies for yacht environments, working carefully in spaces designed for luxury rather than research. But with U.K. research grant success rates dipping below 10% and U.S. government funding for the sciences increasingly uncertain, these adaptations reflect a persistent reality.  Beyond donating entire vessels for expeditions, yacht owners can contribute to science with minimal effort by installing simple data collection technology on their luxury vessels, which often venture into remote, understudied areas where scientific data is scarce. “A lot of these boats are going into data-poor regions where there isn’t a lot of information,” says Roman Chiporukha, who co-runs Roman & Erica, a travel company for ultra-wealthy clients. “They could be mapping ocean floors where it hasn’t been done in the past.” For yacht owners, these donations can also yield financial benefits. “When you’re donating the boat, it acts as a donation from a philanthropic institution,” says Chiporukha. “If I charter my boat for half a million dollars a week, I just wrote off half a million dollars [in taxes].” Yachts are, of course, not typically associated with ocean protection or environmental stewardship: A 2018 study found that the world’s top 20 billionaires emitted around 8,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, compared to the average citizen’s carbon footprint of around 4 tons, or 15 tons in the United States; and that a staggering two-thirds of these emissions were created by their superyachts. And not all ocean inhabitants welcome the presence of luxury vessels: See the Iberian orcas that have taken to ramming yachts off the Spanish coast since 2020. Researchers have used eyewitness reports to study these encounters—another way yacht owners can contribute to marine science—and have speculated that the behavior may be juvenile whales using boat rudders as target practice for bluefin tuna.) The luxury vessels participating in this scientific matchmaking vary widely. Turkey-based international company Bering Yachts found an opportunity not just in donating yacht time but in experiencing extraordinary research firsthand. “I felt very privileged to be there,” says Bering Yachts founder Alexei Mikhailov, who joined an expedition last year to Silver Banks in the Dominican Republic, a whale sanctuary that permits only about 500 visitors annually. “When you’re surrounded by thousands of whales and mothers with babies, action around you 360 degrees, 24/7, it’s insane.” The research trip utilized a customer’s 30-meter steel-and-aluminum yacht, positioning scientists 80 miles offshore in consistently rough seas. Despite 5- to 7-foot waves that would typically cause severe discomfort, the vessel’s dual stabilization systems created a comfortable platform for the researchers and their sensitive equipment. For Mikhailov, whose early career was dedicated to environmental protection, the expedition reconnected him with scientific pursuit in a profound way that he hopes he can help replicate with Yachts for Science again. “It was very interesting to talk to these people and share stories,” says Mikhailov. “I hope we’ll have another chance to visit a place like this in the future.”

Francesco Ferretti had a problem. His research expedition to track white sharks in the Mediterranean was suddenly adrift—the boat he’d arranged had vanished into the pandemic’s chaos of canceled plans and family emergencies. With scientific equipment packed and a team of seven researchers ready, the marine biologist found himself scanning the horizon for solutions. It was then that Ferretti turned to six-year-old Yachts for Science, a matchmaking service linking wealthy boat owners with cash-strapped researchers. Soon, an owner of a private yacht offered to help. Though weather conditions limited their time on the water and forced a relocation between countries, the expedition pressed on, with the yacht’s crew eagerly assisting with scientific operations. The unusual collaboration—luxury yacht meets marine research—proved successful despite the compromise of working on a vessel not specifically designed for scientific work. “Whenever the crew was there, and we were actually doing science, they were available to help,” says Ferretti. “Sometimes you need hands, or you need other people to do stuff for you, to facilitate even the most trivial things, like organizing buckets or helping with sampling.” A dive during an expedition last year to Silver Banks, a whale sanctuary in the Dominican Republic, organized by Bering Yachts. [Photo: Max Bello] Ferretti’s experience represents a growing movement in marine research, where luxury meets necessity. There are dozens of research vessels registered in the U.S., far more than any other country, including NOAA’s fleet of 15 research and survey ships, but availiablity can be scarce, and they aren’t cheap. Renting one of those vessels for an oceanographic expedition like this can cost upwards of $50,000 per day, according to Ferretti, a huge sum to raise for many scientists facing budget constraints. Meanwhile, the world’s ultra-wealthy use their multimillion-dollar yachts just a few weeks each year, with vessels sitting idle while still incurring substantial crew and maintenance costs.  Organizations like Yachts for Science, the International SeaKeepers Society, and the Pink Flamingo Society aim to bridge this gap, turning underutilized pleasure craft into platforms for discovery, whether by donating full research expeditions or simply collecting ocean data during regular voyages. For scientists, these collaborations provide vital access to remote, understudied regions; for yacht owners, they offer tax benefits, meaningful engagement for crew, and the satisfaction of contributing to ocean conservation without necessarily sacrificing privacy or comfort. Rob McCallum, who helps facilitate these matchmaking arrangements through Yachts for Science, describes his organization as “the Tinder of the seas.” McCallum says they are on track to make about a dozen matches this year—amounting to about $1.4 million in vessel time for researchers—with plans to ramp up to hundreds of collaborations over the next few years, generating about $15 million in vessel time per year. “We’re just approaching some of our funders at the moment asking for $600,000 a year for three years to actually fund taking the brakes off,” says McCallum. “My belief is that it’ll grow almost to an infinite extent, because once you have yachts getting out there and doing science, it will become the thing discussed at cocktail parties.” The yacht owner who answered Ferretti’s call was Frank Peeters, a Belgian businessman whose vessel, Blue Titan, is what he calls “an adventure yacht” built for crossing oceans rather than hosting parties. “The boat is not fit for that many people,” says Peeters of the 27-meter (88-foot) yacht. “Normally we sail with 6 people and the crew, and here we were sometimes 12, 13, 14 people.” Bering Yachts organized a 13-person expedition to Silver Banks aboard the 30-meter Bering 92 Papillon. [Photo: Bering Yachts] The expedition quickly faced challenges. After two days off the Tunisian coast, military officials intercepted the craft, claiming the research team lacked proper permissions. What followed was a bureaucratic struggle that lasted two weeks, with permits granted then mysteriously revoked. At one point, the boat was even briefly confiscated. Despite complications costing Peeters between 10,000 and 20,000 euros (about $11,000 to $22,000) out of pocket, he has no regrets. “Would I do it again? Yes, I would do it again immediately,” he says. “I know they have to work on very small budgets, and we could help there.” The scientists eventually redirected their shark-tracking expedition to Italian waters near Lampedusa, where they continued their research. While the team didn’t directly observe white sharks, they detected white shark environmental DNA (eDNA) at multiple sites, confirming the species’ presence in the area. This helped identify one of the last strongholds of the Mediterranean white shark population and marked a key step in launching a multi-institutional conservation program. Peeters, who describes himself as “kind of retired” and sails Blue Titan with his wife about 16 weeks a year, now follows the researchers on Instagram, occasionally receiving video updates about their work. He was also acknowledged in the scientific paper that resulted from the expedition—a form of compensation he finds “definitely worthwhile.” A North Atlantic humpback whale breaching during the Bering Yachts expedition. [Photo: Max Bello] For researchers like Ferretti, these collaborations involve compromise. Scientists must adapt their methodologies for yacht environments, working carefully in spaces designed for luxury rather than research. But with U.K. research grant success rates dipping below 10% and U.S. government funding for the sciences increasingly uncertain, these adaptations reflect a persistent reality.  Beyond donating entire vessels for expeditions, yacht owners can contribute to science with minimal effort by installing simple data collection technology on their luxury vessels, which often venture into remote, understudied areas where scientific data is scarce. “A lot of these boats are going into data-poor regions where there isn’t a lot of information,” says Roman Chiporukha, who co-runs Roman & Erica, a travel company for ultra-wealthy clients. “They could be mapping ocean floors where it hasn’t been done in the past.” For yacht owners, these donations can also yield financial benefits. “When you’re donating the boat, it acts as a donation from a philanthropic institution,” says Chiporukha. “If I charter my boat for half a million dollars a week, I just wrote off half a million dollars [in taxes].” Yachts are, of course, not typically associated with ocean protection or environmental stewardship: A 2018 study found that the world’s top 20 billionaires emitted around 8,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, compared to the average citizen’s carbon footprint of around 4 tons, or 15 tons in the United States; and that a staggering two-thirds of these emissions were created by their superyachts. And not all ocean inhabitants welcome the presence of luxury vessels: See the Iberian orcas that have taken to ramming yachts off the Spanish coast since 2020. Researchers have used eyewitness reports to study these encounters—another way yacht owners can contribute to marine science—and have speculated that the behavior may be juvenile whales using boat rudders as target practice for bluefin tuna.) The luxury vessels participating in this scientific matchmaking vary widely. Turkey-based international company Bering Yachts found an opportunity not just in donating yacht time but in experiencing extraordinary research firsthand. “I felt very privileged to be there,” says Bering Yachts founder Alexei Mikhailov, who joined an expedition last year to Silver Banks in the Dominican Republic, a whale sanctuary that permits only about 500 visitors annually. “When you’re surrounded by thousands of whales and mothers with babies, action around you 360 degrees, 24/7, it’s insane.” The research trip utilized a customer’s 30-meter steel-and-aluminum yacht, positioning scientists 80 miles offshore in consistently rough seas. Despite 5- to 7-foot waves that would typically cause severe discomfort, the vessel’s dual stabilization systems created a comfortable platform for the researchers and their sensitive equipment. For Mikhailov, whose early career was dedicated to environmental protection, the expedition reconnected him with scientific pursuit in a profound way that he hopes he can help replicate with Yachts for Science again. “It was very interesting to talk to these people and share stories,” says Mikhailov. “I hope we’ll have another chance to visit a place like this in the future.”

Lawmakers Listen to Farmer Concerns During Two-Week Break

April 21, 2025 – Last week, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) met with farmers at Moon Valley Farm in Woodsboro, Maryland, where livestock, vegetable, and grain growers expressed concerns about frozen USDA programs, the impacts of tariffs, and other challenges. Van Hollen said that he set up the roundtable because farmers have been calling and […] The post Lawmakers Listen to Farmer Concerns During Two-Week Break appeared first on Civil Eats.

April 21, 2025 – Last week, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) met with farmers at Moon Valley Farm in Woodsboro, Maryland, where livestock, vegetable, and grain growers expressed concerns about frozen USDA programs, the impacts of tariffs, and other challenges. Van Hollen said that he set up the roundtable because farmers have been calling and writing to his office—especially about tariffs and the cancellation of funding for programs that connect small farms to schools and food banks—and his purpose was to hear more of their stories. “The freeze on payments under the farm-to-school program is outrageous,” he said at the event. “We will fight this in the courts. We will fight this in Congress.” Senator Chris Van Hollen (left) listens to farmer-brewer Tom Barse of Milkhouse Brewery (right) at Stillpoint Farm talk about “trying to find a way to continue to make a living as a small farm.” (Photo credit: Lisa Held) It was one of several agricultural roundtables and town halls that lawmakers are holding across the country during Congress’ two-week recess, which ends later this week. Politico reported that Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Adam Schiff (D-California) would all be gathering feedback from farmers over the break. One farmer told Civil Eats he attended an invite-only event that Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) held in her state, where representatives of both the Minnesota Farm Bureau and Minnesota Farmers’ Union were present. He attended to call her attention to the still-frozen Farm Labor Stabilization Program. In Maine, Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) marched alongside farmers protesting USDA cuts to funding and staff. At Moon Valley, farmer-owner Emma Jagoz emphasized the loss of the Local Food for Schools funding, which had helped her get her organic fruits and vegetables into 12 Maryland school districts. In the past, she said, USDA programs also helped her access land and build high tunnels that allow her to grow and sell produce year-round. “These tools help us to stay in business, grow responsibly for the future, and feed a lot more people,” she said. Kelly Dudeck, the executive director of Cultivate & Craft, an organization that helps farmers turn their crops into higher-value products, said that the Mid-Atlantic’s craft wineries and breweries are already struggling in the face of tariffs, since most depend on global supply chains for bottles, barrels, and grain inputs. “Brewers specifically are saying that half of them will likely be out of business within a year,” she told Van Hollen. One farmer expressed concerns over solar development leading to a loss of farmland, a priority of the last administration under Democrats. On the flipside, farmer Elisa Lane, of Two Boots Farm, said she was worried about the USDA eliminating climate change and other environmental terms from its vocabulary and website. “I’m not sure how USDA can support us if we can’t even name the things we’re up against,” she said. (Link to this post.) The post Lawmakers Listen to Farmer Concerns During Two-Week Break appeared first on Civil Eats.

Secondhand Stores Are Poised to Benefit if US Tariffs Drive up New Clothing Costs

Stores selling secondhand clothing, shoes and accessories are poised to benefit from the Trump administration’s trade war even as global businesses race to avoid potential damage

American styles carry international influence, but nearly all of the clothing sold domestically is made elsewhere. The Yale University Budget Lab last week estimated short-term consumer price increases of 65% for clothes and 87% for leather goods, noting U.S. tariffs "disproportionately affect” those goods.Such price hikes may drive cost-conscious shoppers to online resale sites, consignment boutiques and thrift stores in search of bargains or a way to turn their wardrobes into cash. Used items cost less than their new equivalents and only would be subject to tariffs if they come from outside the country. “I think resale is going to grow in a market that is declining,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an apparel industry analyst at market research firm Circana. “What I think is going to continue to win in this chaotic environment are channels that bring value.”The outlook for preowned fashion nevertheless comes with unknowns, including whether the president's tariffs will stay long enough to pinch consumers and change their behavior. It's also unclear whether secondhand purveyors will increase their own prices, either to mirror the overall market or in response to shopper demand. A new audience courtesy of sticker shock Jan Genovese, a retired fashion executive, sells her unwanted designer clothes through customer-to-customer marketplaces like Mercari. If tariffs cause retail prices to rise, she would consider high-end secondhand sites. “Until I see it and really have that sticker shock, I can’t say exclusively that I’ll be pushed into another direction,” Genovese, 75, said. “I think that the tariff part of it is that you definitely rethink things. And maybe I will start looking at alternative venues.”The secondhand clothing market already was flourishing before the specter of tariffs bedeviled the U.S. fashion industry. Management consulting firm McKinsey and Co. predicted after the COVID-19 pandemic that global revenue from preowned fashion would grow 11 times faster than retail apparel sales by this year as shoppers looked to save money or spend it in a more environmentally conscious way. While millennials and members of Generation Z were known as the primary buyers of used clothing, data from market research firm Sensor Tower shows the audience may be expanding. The number of mobile app downloads for nine resale marketplaces the firm tracks — eBay, OfferUp, Poshmark, Mercari, Craigslist, Depop, ThredUp, TheRealReal and Vinted — increased by 3% between January and the end of March, the first quarterly gain in three years, Sensor Tower said. The firm estimates downloads of the apps for eBay, Depop, ThredUp and The RealReal also surged compared to a year earlier for the week of March 31, which was when Trump unveiled since-paused punitive tariffs on dozens of countries. Circana’s Classi-Zummo said that while customers used to seek out collectible or unusual vintage pieces to supplement their wardrobes, she has noticed more shoppers turning to secondhand sites to replace regular fashion items."It's still a cheaper option” than buying new, even though retailers offer discounts, she said. A tariff-free gold mine lurking in closets and warehouses Poshmark, a digital platform where users buy and sell preowned clothing, has yet to see sales pick up under the tariff schedule Trump unveiled but is prepared to capitalize on the moment, CEO Manish Chandra said. Companies operating e-commerce marketplaces upgrade their technology to make it easier to find items. A visual search tool and other improvements to the Poshmark experience will “pay long dividends in terms of disruption that happens in the market” from the tariffs, Chandra said. Archive, a San Francisco-based technology company that builds and manages online and in-store resale programs for brands including Dr. Martens, The North Face and Lululemon, has noticed clothing labels expressing more urgency to team up, CEO Emily Gittins said. "Tapping into all of the inventory that is already sitting in the U.S., either in people’s closets or in warehouses not being used,” offers a revenue source while brands limit or suspend orders from foreign manufacturers, she said. “There’s a huge amount of uncertainty,” Gittins said. “Everyone believes that this is going to be hugely damaging to consumer goods brands that sell in the U.S. So resale is basically where everyone’s head is going." Stock analysts have predicted off-price retailers like TJ Maxx and Burlington Stores will weather tariffs more easily than regular apparel chains and department stores because they carry leftover merchandise in the U.S. Priced out of the previously owned market Still, resale vendors aren't immune from tariff-induced upheavals, said Rachel Kibbe, founder and CEO of Circular Services Group, a firm that advises brands and retailers on reducing the fashion industry's environmental impact. U.S. sellers that import secondhand inventory from European Union countries would have to pay a 20% duty if Trump moves forward with instituting “reciprocal” tariffs on most trading partners and eliminates an import tax exception for parcels worth less than $800, Kibbe said. A circular fashion coalition she leads is seeking a tariff exemption for used and recycled goods that will be offered for resale, Kibbe said. Trump already ended the duty-free provision for low-value parcels from China, a move that may benefit sellers of secondhand clothing by making low-priced Chinese fashions pricier, she said. James Reinhart, co-founder and CEO of the online consignment marketplace ThredUp, said the removal of the “de minimis” provision and the 145% tariff Trump put on products made in China would benefit businesses like his. He doubts creating resale channels would make a big difference for individual brands.“Brands will explore this and they may do more, but I don’t see them massively changing their operations,” Reinhart said. “I think they’re going to be figuring out how to survive. And I don’t think resale helps you survive.”Rebag, an online marketplace and retail chain that sells used designer handbags priced from $500 to tens of thousands of dollars, expects tariffs to help drive new customers and plans to open more physical stores, CEO Charles Gorra said. Gorra said the company would analyze prices for new luxury goods and adjust what Rebag charges accordingly. The two historically rose in tandem, but Rebag could not match Chanel's 10% price increase last year because of lower resale demand, Gorra said. “That has nothing to do with the tariffs,” he said. “Consumers are feeling priced out.”Norah Brotman, 22, a senior at the University of Minnesota, buys most of her own clothes on eBay. She also thrifts fashions from the 1990s and early 2000s at Goodwill stores and resells them on Depop. “I would love if this would steer people in a different direction,” she said.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Feb. 2025

As heavy as 100 Eiffel Towers: Monumental L.A. County fire debris removal could finish by June

Almost 8,800 property owners have asked the Army Corps of Engineers to direct the cleanup of burned homes. With more than 100 parcels a day being cleared, the job is almost halfway done, with June a likely date for completion, officials say.

A small army of laborers, heavy-equipment operators, hazmat technicians and truck drivers have cleared more than one-third of the home lots left in charred ruin by January’s firestorms — a frenetic pace that suggests the bulk of the vast government-run cleanup in Los Angeles County could be completed as early as June, officials say.U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officers overseeing the effort said the crews of mostly private contractors are working at a record clip for a wildfire recovery, clearing nearly 120 lots a day and operating at close to the capacity that roads — and residents close to the fire zones — can tolerate.The scope of the unfinished work came into clearer focus last week, with the passing of the April 15 deadline for residents of Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu to opt in or out of the cleanup. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Some 10,373 property owners completed “right-of-entry” forms, authorizing the Army Corps and government contractors to work on their properties, while 1,698 others opted out of the program, many because they wanted their own crews to perform the work.Army Corps of Engineers commanders reported that 4,153 properties across the Eaton and Palisades burn zones had been cleared by Thursday, though the total declared as “complete” is lower because many of the lots still need finishing touches — including the removal of hazardous trees, installation of fencing around pools and application of “hydro-mulch” sealant to prevent erosion.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass held a news conference Thursday to mark 100 days since the fires and to tout the speed of the recovery. “The Army Corps of Engineers are heroes in Los Angeles, are heroes in the Palisades,” said Bass, standing alongside Army commanders and Westside Councilmember Traci Park. “It is amazing to come here day after day. … Every time I come, I see more and more properties cleared.”The Army officers commanding the cleanup say it is the biggest their agency has ever conducted in a wildfire zone. With more than 1 million tons of concrete, steel, earth and plants already removed from the burn areas, two colonels overseeing the operation reached for superlatives to describe the scope of the work. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) The weight of the debris removed equals the weight of 100 Eiffel towers, said Col. Sonny Avichal, the West Point graduate overseeing the Altadena fire cleanup. The weight taken out of the Palisades, alone, is equal to a row of Ford F-150 pickups, lined up end-to-end and stretching from Los Angeles past Salt Lake City, said Col. Brian Sawser, another West Point grad, who has overseen the Palisades fire cleanup.“This has been very similar to a war-fighting approach,” said Sawser, referring to the military’s strategy of bringing together diverse personnel, organizations and processes and unifying them in a common purpose. He later pledged: “Renewal is coming, it’s coming. And we’re bringing it to you as fast as we possibly can.”Avichal said the mission requires brute force but also a soft touch, as when an elderly woman in Altadena recently asked a cleanup crew for a personal treasure buried in her home’s rubble. The workers soon recovered a small safe and the gold coins inside it, delivering the bounty to the beaming homeowner, a moment captured in a Facebook video.“At the end of the day, it’s about the human touch,” Avichal said, recognizing the workers who returned the coins to the owner. “It’s about the compassion we have for the individuals who lost their homes.”The cleanup has ramped up considerably in recent weeks.When Avichal arrived in February from his base in Virginia, there were only 20 crews clearing lots in Altadena. (Each crew consists of, at minimum, a quality assurance official from the Army Corps; a task force leader from the principal contractor, Burlingame-based ECC; a heavy-equipment operator; a crew leader; and several laborers.) Now 129 crews are clearing properties in the San Gabriel Valley community.It takes a little less than two days for workers to finish clearing a property, slightly less than the time needed in the Palisades, where lots tend to be larger, and in Malibu, where some of the work has been complicated because of the precarious perch of more than 300 burned homes along the beach.The fire zones now teem with lines of trucks, earthmovers and workers in yellow-and- orange safety vests. The air thrums with the din of destruction — giant excavators clanking against steel beams, trucks bleating out warning signals as they back into position, green organic material whooshing out of hoses onto finished sites.While the images can appear chaotic, they are the result of hours of planning and preparation.Homeowners typically receive a call two or three days before crews arrive. A staffer from lead contractor ECC asks for important property details: Are there septic tank lids or propane tanks that need to be avoided? Are there pet graves that must be left undisturbed? Do workers need to be on the lookout for squatters?An initial inspection crew, commissioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, then screens each property in search of paints and other toxic substances. Analysts also probe for asbestos — a job that expanded as the carcinogenic material turned up in many more locations than expected.Workers have found asbestos in more than 60% of homes in Altadena and more than 40% in the extended Palisades fire zone. Cleanup crews in white hazmat suits and respirators typically needed up to three days to scrape away the material and remove it in sealed containers.“At one point we had 95 crews doing nothing but asbestos abatement,” Avichal said. On the Westside, the debris removal has been complicated by the constricted roads in and out of the burn zone. Traffic flow along Pacific Coast Highway has been reduced to one lane in each direction and Temescal Canyon Road remains closed to create what the Army leaders call a TDRS — Temporary Debris Reduction Site.Heavy excavation machines bash giant concrete blocks into more manageable chunks, before grinders pulverize the material into 1- to 3-inch rocks, which can be recycled. Steel and other metals also get compacted in the recycling zone before being trucked away.By doing the reduction work close to the disaster site, debris that initially filled three or four dump trucks can be consolidated into one large semi tractor-trailer load. That means that the total truck traffic leaving the burn areas is reduced substantially. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Anthony Marguleas, a real estate agent active in rebuilding efforts in the Palisades, called the debris recycling effort “a clear win for the community,” in that it reduced outbound truck traffic and also appeared to be “efficient and environmentally responsible.”State insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in January that homeowners have typically spent more than $100,000 when they paid to have private contractors remove debris after recent wildfires.Those who opt in to the government program have no direct out-of-pocket costs, though the Army Corps of Engineers will ask insurance companies that cover debris removal to reimburse the government up to the limits of that specific coverage.The pressure for progress abounds throughout the fire communities, as homeowners plead for access that will allow them to start rebuilding. But the drive to complete the work is particularly high along PCH in Malibu, where 327 homes burned.The extra anxiety has multiple causes: The charred remains of homes continue to wash away, spilling contaminants into Santa Monica Bay. Caltrans crews need access to ensure the ground under PCH does not erode. And the the sooner the work is done, the sooner access might improve along the highway, a lifeline for residents and for businesses that depend on customers coming from Santa Monica and points beyond.Sawser said last week that the Army Corps-led crews would be “tripling their effort” along the coast, with as many as a dozen crews clearing home sites, compared to the three or four that had operated there before.“That highway is the linchpin to everything that we do,” Sawser said, “because we not only have to clear that debris for many reasons, we also need to have the highway to move material out of a lot of other locations.”Though the cleanup crews have drawn wide praise, the work has not been flawless. A homeowner complained at a recent hearing in Malibu that an excavator has mistakenly began to plow up the concrete slab under her ADU. She caught the mistake before the destruction was complete and the contractor later told her by phone that the company would pay to repair the damage.And some health officials and residents have questioned whether the lot clearances have gone far enough. The Federal Emergency Management Agency decided to not follow past practice of testing the soil after disasters for contaminants. Those tests typically had been used to determine whether cleanup crews should remove more than the first 6 inches of topsoil.After the twin L.A. fires, FEMA announced it would not conduct the soil testing on cleared lots, drawing criticism that the cleanups would not be truly complete. Those reservations gained some traction earlier this month when soil testing by Los Angeles County in and around the burn areas found concerning levels of lead.The potential adverse impact of the work has also generated pushback in neighboring Southern California communities, given the more than 2,000 truckloads of earth, concrete, metal and other debris being shipped each day to 16 landfills and recycling centers around the region. The Simi Valley Landfill & Recycling Center has taken by far the biggest share of the fire detritus, receiving an average of 1,228 truckloads a day last week and a total of 636,000 tons of debris since the cleanup started. The Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar, the second biggest fire debris repository, has received 126,000 tons. From Malibu to Calabasas, Altadena and Irwindale, residents around the burn zones and the communities where the debris is being deposited have expressed fears that toxic materials could be released into the air and soil. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Contractors have responded that they are taking considerable care — including frequent watering of home lots and waste consolidation sites — to keep pollutants out of the air. Into mid-April, the protests and a lawsuit by the city of Calabasas had not succeeded in redirecting the debris.On a recent weekday afternoon, debris trucks lined up for several hundred yards outside the weigh station at Simi Valley Landfill & Recycling Center. Once inside, trucks lumbered up a long, curving road into the hills. Then came another wait to dump their loads — an untold number of incinerated living room sets, teddy bears, running shoes and other detritus, spilling into a final resting place.An enormous cloud of gulls billowed and swooped around the charred waste.“Everything we owned and gathered over 35 years was hauled away in like three trucks,” said Eitan, a Palisades man who declined to give his last name. “It’s almost a biblical kind of conclusion, from ashes to ashes. That’s for humans but, in this case, it’s for all of those objects as well.”

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