[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11036]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING LIE-NIELSEN TOOLWORKS INC.

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, American entrepreneurs often make 
their mark by honing their skills to meet a public demand. Today I wish 
to recognize Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Inc., a small business in my home 
State of Maine, that saw a need in specialty toolmaking, and moved 
quickly to fill it.
  As a boy, Thomas Lie-Nielsen spent many hours in his father's 
workshop as seasoned woodworkers practiced their craft, absorbing their 
techniques. An English major in college, Mr. Lie-Nielsen always 
maintained a fondness for woodworking, and later worked for a mail 
order woodworking tools business. When larger manufacturers began to 
drop specialty tools from their lines, he moved to the small Maine town 
of West Rockport, where he opened his shop in 1981 to fill the 
specialty tool niche. In 1988, as the business grew, Mr. Lie-Nielsen 
moved the company to the neighboring town of Warren, where he later 
opened a 13,000-square-foot facility for its day-to-day operations. In 
1998, Lie-Nielsen acquired the Independence Tool Company, further 
growing the company's size.
  Starting out producing just two tools in 1981, Lie-Nielsen today 
manufactures almost 100 different tools, from planes to spokeshaves to 
special inlay tools. The company now employs more than 60 Mainers, 
crafting woodworking tools from a variety of native American hardwoods 
found mostly throughout New England. Lie-Nielsen ships its tools to 
customers abroad, as far away as Europe, Japan and Australia. The 
company also teaches the craft of woodworking through its training DVDs 
which feature how to get the most out of their specialty, hand-crafted 
Lie-Nielsen tools.
  Mr. Lie-Nielsen remains personally committed to the success of his 
business, particularly through increased production and the development 
of new and sturdy products. He is particularly responsive to comments 
and suggestions from his company's customers in designing new tools 
they would like Lie-Nielsen to make. Additionally, Mr. Lie-Nielsen 
frequently travels throughout the United States and Canada discussing 
the woodworking and tool-making trade at informational talks and 
presentations. He is also an accomplished author, having written 
``Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Sharpening,'' as well as co-
authoring ``Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking.''
  On April 17 of this year, Maine Governor John Baldacci presented Lie-
Nielsen, along with five other excellent Maine companies, with the 2009 
Governor's Award for Business Excellence. Lie-Nielsen was selected for 
the company's innovative spirit and for its strong record of community 
service and dedication to investing in its workforce. I extend my 
congratulations to Lie-Nielsen Toolworks for this outstanding 
recognition.
  Carving out a specialty niche in the woodworking world, Lie-Nielsen 
has excelled as a leader in the craft of toolmaking. It is the passion, 
drive, and innovation of entrepreneurs like Thomas Lie-Nielsen that 
will shape our economic future. I wish Mr. Lie-Nielsen, founder and 
CEO, and everyone at Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Inc. a successful 
year.

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