Premier Manufacturing of Liberty Lake, Washington works across industry to deliver products to satisfied customers.
Some businesses have confusing names or hard-to-understand missions. That is not true for Premier Manufacturing in Liberty Lake, Washington. The company’s name defines its type of business – “premier,” meaning leading in the industry and being first in importance. The concept of quality in aerospace manufacturing is ubiquitous, but Premier Manufacturing’s mission and follow-through are well beyond quality. The company’s unwavering commitment to patriotism, training, and certifications ensures that they deliver top-notch, full-service production for customers across industries. They are the epitome of a successful manufacturing plant. How do they do it?
Britt La Chance, CEO, has been with the company for 15 years and has lived in the Spokane area most of his life. La Chance has the energy and conviction of a man on a mission.
Premier Manufacturing became a business in Liberty Lake in 2001. La Chance started on the production floor and worked his way up in the company. He studied at Eastern Washington University and ascended to leadership to work on business administration, sales, and employee management.
They have 114 employees and 55,000 finished square feet for manufacturing. Their competencies include:
- Engineering
- Punch press
- Lasers
- Press brake
- Hardware insertion
- Welding
- Powder coating
- Screen printing
- Assembly integration.
Premier Manufacturing offers services to the utility, aerospace, telecommunication, semiconductor, automotive, and medical industries. They also conduct work for the Department of Defense (DOD). In the renewable energy space, they work on electric battery enclosures. They also do fabrication work as a job shop. They offer a broad range of services, which La Chance attributes to efficiencies.
He said their core bulk of business by production numbers is for the utility sector (20 percent), followed by aerospace, defense, construction, and infrastructure fabrication, and the energy sector with oil and gas. They have done work in shipbuilding and marine applications, public transit and transportation, agriculture and heavy equipment, consumer appliances, and medical. “We hit it all; we hit any sector that utilizes manufacturing.”
With so much industry diversity in production, one might wonder how they do it all. La Chance said the processes are similar, so the diversity of industry volume is less relevant.
He enjoys building the team and being a proponent of advanced manufacturing in the U.S. He said they want to stay competitive with foreign sources, although he sees the reshoring of U.S. manufacturing as a positive resurgence.
A patriotic focus is a theme within the business. The American flag is on the mission statement posted in manufacturing, and the bald eagle is in the company logo. “Made in the USA” is proudly displayed at the top of the website.
He said there are few manufacturers who can offer as much as they do, under one roof. They offer a jack-of-all-trades model, “There is an overlap of sectors; if we can service one very well, we can do others. We are one of the only shops that can accommodate that.” He said their offerings have been needs-based, with direct requests from customers.
They can take on prototypes while also producing thousands of parts. “We are very versatile and able to scale.”
La Chance noted that they have heavily invested in training and certifications. He said that while they take time, continuous training and recertification means “Better quality products at a better price.”
Because of their reputation, they’ll take on the “oddball” sectors per customers’ requests. They ship worldwide to Mexico, Canada, and all over the U.S. “About 74 percent of our products stay in the U.S.; the remainder are shipped around the world.
They offer full-service products, such as having a UL panel shop in their facility. While “Anyone can produce a metal bracket,” what sets them apart is offering full-service assembly and wiring before the product goes out the door. They also include powder coating and finishing.
Mark Bagby manages purchasing materials for production and orders. He has been with the company for 21 years. One thing he likes about the company is that it is locally owned and team focused. He said, “It is a team-oriented model going on; bring in the materials for quick turns, get them out to customers with precision, integrity, and sustainability.”
Regarding La Chance as CEO, he said, “Britt brought the “T” in team to Premier. He shows what teamwork is all about. He’s done an awesome job of building team management.”
He said one key to success is staying technologically relevant. They have new technologies like a laser punch combo, state-of-the-art brake presses, and a custom-made ERP system.
One of their longest-term customers is EnerSys (formerly Purcell Systems). Jason Fischberg is an NPI sourcing manager with EnerSys, an internationally recognized telecommunications and energy storage solutions company. While the company was sold from Purcell Systems to EnerSys in 2013, the relationship between Premier Manufacturing and EnerSys has been maintained.
Fischberg said Premier Manufacturing produces aluminum or steel telecommunications cabinets for EnerSys. Regarding Premier, he praised, “They are easy to do business with and incredibly responsive.”
He cited immediate turnaround on emails and estimates. He said that they are simpatico because EnerSys has worked with Premier for 14 years. When they are working on projects, La Chance prioritizes the work and makes personal visits to discuss details.
When making recommendations about Premier Manufacturing, Fischberg said, “If you need responsive subject matter experts regarding design for manufacturing, cost reduction, and quick builds,” he said they are the ones to contact. He added, “I go to them often.”
La Chance said their location in Liberty Lake is accessible. He suggested that there may be government incentives to be in a state like Idaho, instead of Washington, but, he noted that it’s almost impossible to move a manufacturing plant. He would like to see Washington State offer more to manufacturers for growth.
The company’s diversification was built on customer demand. While they started with finishing services, he explained that customers asked for more stringent requirements they weren’t getting from foreign sources.
“They literally came to us to get into manufacturing with that quality in mind,” he added. He said that over the last 24 years, they’ve honed their finishing, assembly, and integration skills.
La Chance shared that learning the business from the ground floor was the most beneficial thing for him in becoming CEO. He felt he had an opportunity that most leaders don’t have. He has witnessed the scaling and growth and observed that they are a “significantly different company today.” He is excited for the next 10-20 years of the business.
His focus is on leadership. “It is one big team, and everyone matters — from the newest guy on the floor to the senior leader, everyone matters — which is echoed throughout the organization. Everyone is heard, and ideas and concepts are passed through the system.” He said they collectively make suggestions and improvements to strengthen the business.
Bagby reflected on company growth — they’ve had major growth in cabinet manufacturing, and overall, the company has grown 30-40 percent this year alone. Both La Chance and Bagby cited excitement over the new presidential administration and their initiatives for manufacturers. Bagby concluded, “We can see nothing but positive growth.”
Contact
Premier Manufacturing
1711 N. Madson Street
Liberty Lake, WA 99019
509.927.9860
www.premier-manufacturing.com
Certifications
Certified Women’s Business Enterprises (WBENC)
UL 891
UL 508A
UL 67
UL 1008
UL 1069
UL50E
UL TYPE 3
UL TYPE 3R
UL TYPE 1
UL TYPE 4
UL TYPE 4X
ISO9001:2008
ISO9001:2015
