Even more notable than the food is the homey atmosphere created when all employees, production workers, admins, project managers, directors and the president sit down and “break bread” together.

Apart from Fat Tuesday, we also do fish fries, holiday pot lucks, birthdays and any other notable occasions that arise during the course of the year. And if there are no special occasions, we’ll do it just for the heck of it !

So what does “model” mean, as it relates to our work? (Not to be confused with Kate Moss.)

First, we need to go back in history: Back in the “good ole’ days”, when we worked with a client unable to visualize something in 3D, we would “make a model”. This was a physical model, produced by hand out of whatever materials were appropriate to create the shape of the object. Typically it was at a small scale, but relational to the object being created, and for ease of handling. (ie a model of play areas and theming for the children’s ministries for a 3 story church would be modeled at a dramatically reduced scale, whereas a brachytherapy radioisotope would be modeled at an increased scale.)

But as technology evolved, and became more aligned with the way in which we communicate with our clients, the term “model” shifted. It became less of a noun – a physical object, and more of a verb – something to do: “I’ll model that gigantic Jelly sculpture in Rhino” (Or AutoCAD, 3D Studio MAX, MAYA, CATIA, Sketchup, or Solidworks, to name a few…) And the more powerful and versatile these “modeling” programs become, the more emphasis we put on using them as tools in our toolbox.

The biggest attribute of a digital model, is that it can be shared quickly, and easily with all involved –in essence, just press “Send”. The downside to a digital model (or anything done with computer-like precision), is that some people perceive it’s the finished product. Often times an object will be modeled to define design intent – by no means the final result.

Yet there is still a valid argument for the good old fashioned model made with Foam core and balsa wood, as some clients just want to literally touch, and hug their project.

And to make it even more confusing, a project can include both: We “model” on the computer to generate ideas, and to help aid in discussions to solve problems. But that can also manifest itself into a physical model, either made by hand, or produced by a CNC or rapid-prototyping machine.

The key is to have a clear understanding of the visual capabilities and needs of the client, which will dictate the most effective method of communication and “modeling”.

So if your project needs a hug, we’re the model company for you.

• Yes, you can buy a nice Mercedes for $75,000. But what if Mercedes only made one single car? How much do you think it would cost for one car after they added in all of the R & D, design, prototyping, tooling, start-up costs, etc? Exactly.
  

• All of our work is custom – from the estimate to the crating, and everything in between. We don’t have a 35-foot tall rocket ship sitting on a shelf in the back room, ready to ship to your theme park; but if you want one, we’d be glad to build it for you.

• Quality and service. When you want to buy something as inexpensively as possible, in which quality is not at the top of your list when gauging value, and you don’t need anyone to explain to you what you’re buying, you might go to a big box discounter like Walmart. We’re more like Nordstrom.

• Everything we make is produced by hand in the good ole’ U. S. of A.- human hands…and very talented ones at that.

• You’ll never get transferred to India when you call with a question or concern about your project.

Because we care.

And your project is worth the price.

John came to us from the film industry in Los Angeles, where he was doing freelance special effects makeup. John was looking to utilize his skills in a creative way. We didn’t disappoint, as his first job for us was helping make a puppet for a Pizza Hut commercial. The rest, as they say (whoever “they” are), is history, and our history wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for John’s great contributions to Dillon Works over the years. The most gratifying part of his job? “Problem solving. Like when a new project comes along, and everyone says: How the hell are we going to do that?! ”

Twenty years ago, Jamie answered a good old-fashioned newspaper ad for a Part Time Shopper. (Back then, kids, newspapers were actually the main source for “help wanted” ads.) She did such a good job shopping that we made her our first receptionist. Over time, she proved herself in her reliability, and attention to detail, and moved into accounting, where she continues to insure our expense reports are turned in timely (kind of), and are accurate (always!).

Congrats to John and Jamie! We appreciate your years of dedication and hard work!

“What is something interesting about Dillon Works that you didn’t know about until you worked here?”

Here are a few responses, in their own words:

“Several surprises…The scope and depth of projects created. I knew you guys made lots of neat-o stuff but I had no idea how big and how much!”

“How few employees there are. I honestly expected twice as many people, which highlights Dillon Works efficiency and proficiency of talented folks.”

“Mike [Dillon] is a lefty! Holy right brained boss Batman! I am also a lefty so we are in our right minds… most of the time. “ – Jen, our Graphics Guru

“I wasn’t aware that there would be so much good natured cross-department communication and hands-on teamwork, from the top on down. VERY happy to work for a company that walks the talk in that regard!” – Jason, our new Technical Designer

“I actually didn’t know about Fat Tuesday, and the feast we had gave me something to look forward to (besides the exciting projects) in the future.”* – BK, also a new Technical Designer

* BK is Korean/American. Although having lived here all his life, he was not familiar with Fat Tuesday. Here at Dillon Works, our Business Manager celebrates a few non-major holidays every month (Watermelon Day, St. Urho’s Day, etc), usually involving some delicious nibbles themed to the day. Needless to say, we have one person who is from Louisiana, combined with a bunch of us that love to eat! So BK got a Mukilteo version of Fat Tuesday that has him salivating in anticipation of our next feast!

The word “Blog” didn’t even exist two and a half decades ago, or faxes, cell phones, digital cameras, and a litany of technological wonders that we now take for granted.

Did I think this is where we’d be 25 years later? I guess so. I always knew from a very young age that I was driven to create and to “make stuff”, but I’d like to think that I was smart enough to surround myself with people who could help me realize my dreams.

What I started all by myself in my Grandmother in-law’s basement after my time as a Disney Imagineer has grown to our own current 3.9 million square inch design and fabrication facility. While the size of the physical space puts our growth in perspective, that’s just where it happens – and advancements in technology have changed how we work.

But it is really still all about the people.

From the freelancers I first hired while working out of my garage, to the expanded staff that created amazing things that seemed to burst out of the seams in the old “Saw Shop” on Bothell Way in the 80’s it was really all about the people, albeit just a handful at that time.

We purchased a renovated old motel on Highway 99 in Seattle and thought we had more than enough room, until we grew into three buildings. We then realized it was time to expand and over a decade ago we built our current facility. Even it isn’t big enough to contain all of our projects but we are fortunate to remain flexible utilizing overflow neighboring buildings on an as needed basis.

When we set our 26 foot “paper” airplane on top of the edge of our brand new roof 12 years ago, I saw it as a symbol that “we think differently here and we have fun while we are doing it”. We have a team of individuals who think outside the box.

Our talented staff has created thousands of projects around the world and we are dedicated to exceeding our client’s expectations. Our clients are people too and it is about them and their projects that make up the fabric of Dillon Works. I once had a client call me and say, “My boss came to me with a new project and I have no idea what he’s thinking or how to make it happen but I knew I should call Dillon Works to help me figure it out.”

That is exactly why we do what we do.

Some people have come and gone over the years and a couple even went away and came back. The fact that they came back is validation of what we do here at Dillon Works and that makes me feel good. It’s tough to see people leave, but most of them say as they make their exit, moving on for various reasons, that “Dillon Works was the best place they ever worked”. To me, that’s what makes it all worthwhile. It is a good feeling to know employees enjoy the environment we’ve created enough to still be here – some after nearly two decades.

25 years later, our team continues to design & fabricate almost anything. I think we’ve done some very unique things but I am even more excited for what is to come and I am proud to continue to share it with, and enjoy being around such an amazing team of people.