Local company preserves old firearms - and feet, too
<p>Standing in front of aluminum cases fabricated for the USA Center of Military History Museum Division, from left, Plant Manager Matt Fleener, Chief Operations Officer of Heater Craft John Chambers and Creative Director Jason Shadrick, at Heater Craft in Rathdrum.</p>
<p>Chuck Lupton, cosmetic grinder, preps aluminum panels for the USA Center of Military History Museum Division project at Heater Craft.</p>
<p>James Hinrich, a lead powder coater at Heater Craft, sprays a coat of paint on a collapsable dog kennel during a recent shift.</p>
Editor's note: This story appeared in the March issue of North Idaho Business Journal, which was distributed throughout the region on Feb. 24. For more stories like this, go to: nibusinessjournal.com
From battles on the football field to those during war in our nation’s history, a Rathdrum manufacturer is building products related to both.
Heater Craft, the mother company of Impact Case and Container, makes Cyclone shoe dryers for professional and college football programs.
“All four of the teams that were in the NCAA playoffs use our products,” said John Chambers, chief operating officer.
The company has also been busy manufacturing 650 aluminum cases for The USA Center of Military History Museum Division to store arms and other artifacts dating back to the pre-Revolutionary War period.
“It’s rewarding to know the cases will be around forever,” Chambers said. “They have pressure equalization valves on them. Bugs can’t get in these.”
Heater Craft landed a $1.45 million contract last fall to manufacture the cases.
“A machine punches out the aluminum sheeting, we use a press break to bend them and then we hand assemble them,” said Chambers.
He said the contract has provided a “big boost” to the company this year and led to the creation of 12 manufacturing floor jobs.
“We plan to maintain those guys and gals after the production,” Chambers said.
Chambers said most of the contracts the company wins are less than $100,000, so the work for the military is significant. The cost of the cases ranges from $2,200 to $2,600 each, depending on size.
“We started off by manufacturing 30 a month, but we’ve cranked it up a bit to 44 now,” Chambers said. “We started production in December and will continue through April.”
The collection of artifacts includes about 20,000 firearms stored in the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama. Many of the artifacts are rare and irreplaceable, requiring sensitive handling and professionally designed and fabricated storage systems to preserve their historical integrity.
“When we were originally approached to quote this project, we understood the historical significance, and we knew we had to provide the highest quality custom case available,” said Danny Baker, ICC business development manager.
With the production of the Cyclone shoe dryers, the products can be seen on the sidelines and in the locker rooms for teams ranging from the Florida Gators to the Seattle Seahawks.
“It’s a simple device with tubes coming out at a 30-degree angle,” Chambers said. “When you plug it in, warm air goes through the system and shoes.”
The dryers are made in various sizes to accommodate two, four, eight, 12, 24 or 48 pairs of shoes. The cost ranges from $300 to $6,000.
Chambers said some ski lodges have also purchased the products.
The dryers make up about 15 percent of the company’s business, Chambers said.
About half of the company’s business consists of manufacturing heaters for boats, all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles.
“Everything we do is seasonal,” Chambers said.
The company employs 53, which is as high as employment has been in recent years.