President Barack Obama singled out Marvin Windows, a Warroad, Minn., manufacturer, for praise in his speech in Kansas Tuesday.
The plant's switchboard "lit up" with telephone calls from people who had heard about the speech, company spokesman John Kirchner.
The publicity can only help business, he said.
While its competitors have laid off workers and closed facilities because of the housing downturn, Marvin Windows has done neither. It has cut hours and other expenses, but hasn't reduced its work force nor taken away health benefits.
In the last five minutes of an hour-plus speech on his economic vision, Obama said that Marvin's has shown "values that our country was built on" and is an example of how to get the economy back on its feet.
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"We are certainly honored that our president has taken notice of our efforts to keep workers employed," Kirchner said. "We're a family-owned company and our philosophy is simple: 'Do the right thing.' If you do that, the business will be fine."
"Any time we can talk of our company and get our message to potential customers, it's good," he said. "I don't know how much it will pay off immediately. But it's good to get out word of our unique set of values that sets us apart from other companies.
"We've had a tough last several years, but we've survived them and are ready to thrive."
Competitors Andersen Windows and Pella Corp. have closed factories and laid off workers in recent years because of the economy's downturn. Marvin's has gone to 32-hour work weeks and has limited overtime, but its workforce has diminished only through retirements and other attrition.
It has 4,000 employees at its 10 plants, one in Grafton, N.D.
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send email to rbakken@gfherald.com .
