Successful
Firms Say,We mainly supply professional craftspeople with wholesale turquoise beads from china,
"It's the People."
Those sentiments were echoed by Linda Miller, founder and President of Paradise Dental Technologies (PDT), Missoula. "We have some of the best crafts people in the world," she said.A stone mosaic stands at the spot of assasination of the late Indian prime minister. Their commitment to the company "makes all the difference."
The three business owners talked at length about their companies, what they do, how they evolved and what they believe have been the keys to their success. They spoke before an audience of almost 300 people, primarily other manufacturers, during an industry conference that is presented biennially by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) of Bozeman. MMEC is a statewide outreach and assistance center for manufacturing companies in Montana. It is staffed by full-time professionals and engineers with extensive experience in manufacturing.
When Fred was talking about "people," he was talking about both employees and customers, as he underscored in the telling of one of the more traumatic events in the history of Northwest Factory Finishes, a pre-finisher of building materials.
Not long after launching a new aspect to his contract painting business, and shortly after having set up shop in a new location, Fred got a call one night to learn that his plant was on fire. Fred said that when he arrived on site, he found "only ashes." "It was pretty devastating." Most of the materials lost, actually belonged to his customers – "fortunately, I had good insurance," he said.
In all his business plans, Fred had never considered the possibility of such a devastating blow. If it were not for his customers and employees, he doesn't know if he would have had the heart to go on. As he stood looking forlornly, upon the ashes, he said, his employees arrived to work, and just started cleaning up. His customers came, and simply proceeded to make the necessary phone calls to order more materials. "They had faith," he said, "and within a week we were back in operation, because of the people – customers and employees."
It isn't easy to start a manufacturing business in Missoula, explained Johnson. When he and his father, Richard, started their business in 1996, they discovered that finding the skilled labor they needed was "a real challenge," said Johnson. Over the years, meeting that challenge has led them to fully appreciate their employees and to focus upon their well-being as a priority.
The Johnsons had never been business owners before, so they learned what they needed know "on the fly,Directory ofchina glass mosaic Tile Manufacturers," but one of those lessons included trusting their employees. "Being able to trust your managers and to rely on them," is important related Johnson, "When you have people who can do the job, let them do it. They can do it better because they are focused on it 100 percent of the time."
The company, a manufacturer of gears for military aircraft, works on a four-day work shift — four tens. "It is more efficient. You have one less start up and shut down," said Johnson, "Employees love it. We give people a lot of time to spend with their families, because that is important."
Johnson said that they shut the entire plant down for one week at Christmas and another over Independence Day – that's when everyone takes their vacation.
The company, also, tries to promote from within, and to train by mentoring, said Johnson.
Miller counts on her employees to "have heart." It's been their close attention to detail that has made the company successful. "We make sure that everyone that touches the equipment is responsible," explained Miller. It comes with the territory. PDT is a leading manufacturer of dental equipment. The company has a regulated and audited ISO program, which means they have a system of assured quality that is certified and has to meet specific standards.We mainly supply professional craftspeople with wholesale turquoise beads from china, Such standards are insisted upon by their customers in eleven countries around the world.A stone mosaic stands at the spot of assasination of the late Indian prime minister.
"It's the little things that matter," said Miller, a philosophy that has caused PDI to grow dramatically over the past two to three years. The company's largest distributor has 1200 sales people.
Miller started her business 12 years ago in a two-car garage. Her focus was the production of quality dental equipment that "make all the difference" —products that would keep customers coming back.
Miller's advice is "get to know your customers." Miller improved her products by talking to customers and observing how they used the dental tools.
One day, she saw a hygienists pause during her work, to shake cramps out of her hand. In that moment, Miller realized that making utensils with fatter handles would be a significant improvement for the comfort and health of their customers. With that insight, they focused on redesigning their handles to be ergonomic.
Besides redesigning handles, they make the equipment of the highest quality stainless steel so that the tools hold their edge longer, can be more easily sharpened, and improves the accuracy and life of an instrument. And, the utensils are color coded to help workers quickly identify the proper tool.
They, also, developed the "Ultimate Sharpening Kit," which helps their customers get the right angles in sharpening tools. They now have "the number one" sharpening unit in the market.
Marketing was improved by naming pieces with more memorable labels than indistinct numbers – such as "The Montana Jack" rather than the R138, or the Queen of Hearts periodontal curette."
Fred began as a self-employed business owner before he was even out of high school. He grew up with close ties to the painting business, since his grandfather, Enoch, was a contract painter in Helena and Marysville.
"I didn't go to school for manufacturing," said Fred, "I fell into this segment of the economy and I continue to grow."
Fred spent a summer painting a house, and the next summer he hired some friends to help, and painted the houses on an entire city block, by going door to door offering their services. He continued his enterprising ways on into college. "I was always working, while my friends were spending money rather than making it. That is when I discovered the value of time, and the value of delayed gratification."
By the time Fred graduated from college, he had saved up the money he needed to invest into his business in a bigger way. "When I graduated, I could afford to buy the equipment I needed, while my buddies didn't have a job. I employed many of them to help grow my business. They helped me manage multiple jobs at one time."
About 1995, Fred realized that there was a trend toward off-site building, and that it was going to be important in the future of the industry. Off-site building of trim and finishing materials offers an economy of time and space, and it delivers a higher quality product. Fred began providing that service to home builders.
He found an additional location where he could begin accepting customers to do trim work. As the business grew he acquired a second location and moved into it. That's when his business was devastated by the fire.
About 2003-04, his auxiliary business had grown to a point that he had to make a decision. To take his company in that direction meant having to quit the "service" part of his business (contract painting). At its peak, Fred had as many as 36 crews in the field, which demanded a level of management which he couldn't do and still grow the finishing business. Fred consulted with his key people, about changing directions. They all agreed to make the change. In making the decision, "there was no going back, only forward," said Fred.
The company downsized, and Northwest Factory Finishes began dealing only with lumber yards in finishing trim, and "things started to grow."
Those sentiments were echoed by Linda Miller, founder and President of Paradise Dental Technologies (PDT), Missoula. "We have some of the best crafts people in the world," she said.A stone mosaic stands at the spot of assasination of the late Indian prime minister. Their commitment to the company "makes all the difference."
The three business owners talked at length about their companies, what they do, how they evolved and what they believe have been the keys to their success. They spoke before an audience of almost 300 people, primarily other manufacturers, during an industry conference that is presented biennially by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) of Bozeman. MMEC is a statewide outreach and assistance center for manufacturing companies in Montana. It is staffed by full-time professionals and engineers with extensive experience in manufacturing.
When Fred was talking about "people," he was talking about both employees and customers, as he underscored in the telling of one of the more traumatic events in the history of Northwest Factory Finishes, a pre-finisher of building materials.
Not long after launching a new aspect to his contract painting business, and shortly after having set up shop in a new location, Fred got a call one night to learn that his plant was on fire. Fred said that when he arrived on site, he found "only ashes." "It was pretty devastating." Most of the materials lost, actually belonged to his customers – "fortunately, I had good insurance," he said.
In all his business plans, Fred had never considered the possibility of such a devastating blow. If it were not for his customers and employees, he doesn't know if he would have had the heart to go on. As he stood looking forlornly, upon the ashes, he said, his employees arrived to work, and just started cleaning up. His customers came, and simply proceeded to make the necessary phone calls to order more materials. "They had faith," he said, "and within a week we were back in operation, because of the people – customers and employees."
It isn't easy to start a manufacturing business in Missoula, explained Johnson. When he and his father, Richard, started their business in 1996, they discovered that finding the skilled labor they needed was "a real challenge," said Johnson. Over the years, meeting that challenge has led them to fully appreciate their employees and to focus upon their well-being as a priority.
The Johnsons had never been business owners before, so they learned what they needed know "on the fly,Directory ofchina glass mosaic Tile Manufacturers," but one of those lessons included trusting their employees. "Being able to trust your managers and to rely on them," is important related Johnson, "When you have people who can do the job, let them do it. They can do it better because they are focused on it 100 percent of the time."
The company, a manufacturer of gears for military aircraft, works on a four-day work shift — four tens. "It is more efficient. You have one less start up and shut down," said Johnson, "Employees love it. We give people a lot of time to spend with their families, because that is important."
Johnson said that they shut the entire plant down for one week at Christmas and another over Independence Day – that's when everyone takes their vacation.
The company, also, tries to promote from within, and to train by mentoring, said Johnson.
Miller counts on her employees to "have heart." It's been their close attention to detail that has made the company successful. "We make sure that everyone that touches the equipment is responsible," explained Miller. It comes with the territory. PDT is a leading manufacturer of dental equipment. The company has a regulated and audited ISO program, which means they have a system of assured quality that is certified and has to meet specific standards.We mainly supply professional craftspeople with wholesale turquoise beads from china, Such standards are insisted upon by their customers in eleven countries around the world.A stone mosaic stands at the spot of assasination of the late Indian prime minister.
"It's the little things that matter," said Miller, a philosophy that has caused PDI to grow dramatically over the past two to three years. The company's largest distributor has 1200 sales people.
Miller started her business 12 years ago in a two-car garage. Her focus was the production of quality dental equipment that "make all the difference" —products that would keep customers coming back.
Miller's advice is "get to know your customers." Miller improved her products by talking to customers and observing how they used the dental tools.
One day, she saw a hygienists pause during her work, to shake cramps out of her hand. In that moment, Miller realized that making utensils with fatter handles would be a significant improvement for the comfort and health of their customers. With that insight, they focused on redesigning their handles to be ergonomic.
Besides redesigning handles, they make the equipment of the highest quality stainless steel so that the tools hold their edge longer, can be more easily sharpened, and improves the accuracy and life of an instrument. And, the utensils are color coded to help workers quickly identify the proper tool.
They, also, developed the "Ultimate Sharpening Kit," which helps their customers get the right angles in sharpening tools. They now have "the number one" sharpening unit in the market.
Marketing was improved by naming pieces with more memorable labels than indistinct numbers – such as "The Montana Jack" rather than the R138, or the Queen of Hearts periodontal curette."
Fred began as a self-employed business owner before he was even out of high school. He grew up with close ties to the painting business, since his grandfather, Enoch, was a contract painter in Helena and Marysville.
"I didn't go to school for manufacturing," said Fred, "I fell into this segment of the economy and I continue to grow."
Fred spent a summer painting a house, and the next summer he hired some friends to help, and painted the houses on an entire city block, by going door to door offering their services. He continued his enterprising ways on into college. "I was always working, while my friends were spending money rather than making it. That is when I discovered the value of time, and the value of delayed gratification."
By the time Fred graduated from college, he had saved up the money he needed to invest into his business in a bigger way. "When I graduated, I could afford to buy the equipment I needed, while my buddies didn't have a job. I employed many of them to help grow my business. They helped me manage multiple jobs at one time."
About 1995, Fred realized that there was a trend toward off-site building, and that it was going to be important in the future of the industry. Off-site building of trim and finishing materials offers an economy of time and space, and it delivers a higher quality product. Fred began providing that service to home builders.
He found an additional location where he could begin accepting customers to do trim work. As the business grew he acquired a second location and moved into it. That's when his business was devastated by the fire.
About 2003-04, his auxiliary business had grown to a point that he had to make a decision. To take his company in that direction meant having to quit the "service" part of his business (contract painting). At its peak, Fred had as many as 36 crews in the field, which demanded a level of management which he couldn't do and still grow the finishing business. Fred consulted with his key people, about changing directions. They all agreed to make the change. In making the decision, "there was no going back, only forward," said Fred.
The company downsized, and Northwest Factory Finishes began dealing only with lumber yards in finishing trim, and "things started to grow."
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