Marvin Wood Products, with a Baker City location, earns national recognition
By Joe Hathaway on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY — Marvin has been recognized as one of America’s Best Large Employers, according to a Forbes magazine ranking of the nation’s top places to work. Marvin has earned the No. 19 spot on the exclusive list of U.S. employers with more than 5,000 employees.
Marvin Wood Products is a leading manufacturer specializing in premium windows and doors and based in Minnesota.
Marvin also has a prominent factory in Baker City, where it’s been a major economic player for the town since the plant opened in 1986.
The Baker plant specializes in cut stock, clear finger-jointed cut stock, as well as veneer and constructed parts, which is then sent to other facilities for final assembly.
“There’s very few parts of our products that aren’t made here in America,” said Chad Hurliman, Plant Manager at Marvin’s Baker City location.
The plant employs around 180-190 people and operates three shifts, which Hurliman says contributes significantly to Baker’s economy.
“We’re one of the biggest employers in town, besides the hospital,” said Hurliman. “You can come here, get a really good paying job on day one and make a career out of it.”
Hurliman says Marvin is deeply involved in the Baker community, supporting various initiatives through its contribution council.
“Some of our initiatives include sponsoring events, supporting local projects like installing scoreboards at the Baker High soccer field, and participating in community programs like helping try and get the splash pad project up and going in Baker,” said Hurliman.
Marvin is also looking to get more involved with local youth, offering summer internships for students 18 years or older.
“It gives teens an opportunity to come in here after graduating, work for the summer, learn a ton of great skills and knowledge, then go off to college or wherever,” said Hurliman. “A lot of times we’ve had instances where people come out of summer temps, they leave for a year, they come back and then they stay full time.”
Hurliman says he’s not surprised by the honor given to his company.
“The award that the company got, wasn’t something that the company went after. They got it by the actions that they take to make their place a good company.”
