KMM holds ceremony for Dickinson plant
Christinia Crippes
The Dickinson Press
Wednesday, August 08, 2007

As a sign of good faith, Boeing Co. shared its two most precious babies with Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing.

Like all children, they came with some challenges, including acquiring new housing and learning a new language.

However, it was those fresh contracts that allowed KMM to open its Dickinson facility and create more than 100 new jobs.
John Cornish, director of manufacturing for Boeing Co., left, talks with Sen. Kent Conrad during a grand opening ceremony at the Dickinson satellite of Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing on Tuesday.

“If we didn’t believe in you, why would we give you the hottest selling programs that are basically sold out for the next seven years as the baseline of your product line for Boeing?” Director of Manufacturing for Boeing John Cornish said.

Boeing representatives and U.S. senators, among others, were on hand Tuesday afternoon to give a pat on the back to the Hedger family, who founded KMM and helped it grow. The KMM satellite in Dickinson opened at its current site near the end of 2006.

Cornish, who manages the commercial aspect of Boeing’s enterprise, said he began talks with KMM about four years ago.

“We have work here on the 737 and 777 programs, which are our two strongest programs, and I would say KMM comprises probably about 10 percent of our work package,” Cornish said.

Dan Hedger, vice president of KMM, said it was out of a desire to diversify its industry that the company sought to get commercial contracts.

He said Boeing makes up about one-third of KMM’s contracts.

“The commercial market is very strong right now and we’ve had a lot of growth in sales,” Cornish said.

He said the outlook is good for those products for the next five to seven years, which is as far ahead as the industry looks.

“We’re so very, very proud of you,” Cornish said at the grand opening. “We’re not done yet by a long shot.”

Cornish said in the future he’d like to be able to work with KMM to develop an engineering degree at Dickinson State University; expand production with the company; and further improve supply chain integration.

Three cheers

“It feels kind of strange welcoming the Hedgers and Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing to Dickinson because they’ve really been part of community for 20 years,” Dickinson Mayor Dennis Johnson said.

At Tuesday’s grand opening, KMM Group Manager Bryan Hanstad said that at times opening the Dickinson facility was like drinking out of a fire hose.

“We had to learn a whole new language; we had to learn to speak Boeing,” Hanstad said.

Sens. Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad offered their praise and also recognized the success during the grand opening.

“This is a significant, world-class business here in western North Dakota,” Dorgan said. “(Founders) Don and Pat Hedger didn’t know what they couldn’t do.”

Dorgan said the guests were there to celebrate the founders, the community, as well as the employees.

Conrad told a story of flying out to Seattle a few years ago to meet with Boeing’s board of directors. He said after the meeting, the board asked what they could do for the senator.

“I said, ‘We have an outfit called Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing in Killdeer and I’d like you to get in touch with them and give them a shot,’” Conrad said. “‘Because if you do, you will be convinced they’re the type of people you want to be associated with.’”

Conrad said it was up to the Hedgers at that point to get the contract and deliver the goods.

“And deliver they have,” Conrad said.

Gov. John Hoeven also offered his praise of KMM, acknowledging the job growth within the company and its work on the Centers of Excellence initiative with DSU.

“This is a tremendous enterprise, with tremendous employees,” Hoeven said.

Hoeven said the company agreed to deliver 120 jobs here within five years, and to check to make sure KMM delivered, the governor looked into the numbers.

“They’re having this dedication today…at 108 employees; not bad,” Hoeven said.

Although the day was about praise, Kristin Hedger, granddaughter of Don and Pat Hedger and KMM director of business development, said the company shows no signs of slowing down.

“Now is not the time to rest on our laurels,” Kristin Hedger said. “Now is a time to go forward, forge ahead.”

KMM also submitted a five-year, 10 percent income tax exemption to the State Board of Equalization for its Dickinson facility.