[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9902-9903]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING WESTERN IDAHO CABINETS

 Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, some of the most successful small 
businesses in America originate with an entrepreneur who takes a leap 
of faith to try something new. Dale Wilson and Brett Hatfield, the 
owners of Western Idaho Cabinets, had no prior experience working in a 
cabinet shop. Brett has a degree in production, while Dale has a degree 
in information studies. Despite their initial inexperience, Western 
Idaho Cabinets, since its founding in 1993, has grown to be the largest 
cabinet manufacturer in Idaho. This remarkable story is why I wish to 
honor Western Idaho Cabinets in Boise, ID as the Idaho Small Business 
of the Day as part of National Small Business Week.
  Western Idaho Cabinets is a great example of job creation and 
expansion, starting as a two-man shop in Dale's garage to a company 
whose annual sales will reach nearly $15 million this year. This is the 
American dream. Currently, Western Idaho Cabinets is the premier 
kitchen cabinet supplier in the State, housed in a state of the art 
facility and boasting 170 employees. Last year, the company took first 
place in four out of seven categories at the 2012 Parade of Homes.
  In addition to delivering quality products, Western Idaho Cabinets 
works hard to streamline the process of manufacturing, optimize usage, 
and eliminate waste--perhaps Western Idaho Cabinets should teach the 
Federal Government a thing or two about this. Co-owners Dale and Brett 
traveled internationally to learn from different countries' 
manufacturing processes in order to develop the most efficient methods. 
In doing so, the company was able to cut waste by 60 percent, meaning 
they could make twice the amount of product with the same amount of 
labor. They continue to invest in equipment that will automate the 
production process and help to save money

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and allow them to meet their customers' demands. This lean production 
model has led to Western Idaho Cabinets' reputation as the local expert 
on the manufacturing process and the company is frequently approached 
by others who want to learn their methods. Western Idaho Cabinets 
enjoys great success that seemed an improbable feat from the early days 
of constructing cabinets out of a two-car garage.
  With the willpower to achieve success and the commitment to 
perfecting their business model, Western Idaho Cabinets proves that a 
small business can start from a basic idea and evolve to be at the top 
of their industry. Small businesses around the country and globally 
could stand to learn much from Western Idaho Cabinets and I am proud to 
honor them today as a part of National Small Business Week.

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