It has taken the whole team, past and present, to make Madison County Wood Products
(“MCWP”) the largest pallet supplier in Missouri. Every individual employee has played a part in MCWP’s victory story. Since our founding in 1981, MCWP has enjoyed tremendous success as we’ve grown from a small family-owned operation to a premiere wood products manufacturer. We produce grade lumber, railroad ties, pallets, mulch, dust, and chips and take pride in our zero-waste approach. Our most significant accomplishment, however, is a culture that values mission and people. As we celebrate our 40th Anniversary, we are excited to share the secrets that have made us who we are.
Secret #1: People are More Important than Profits
Although revenue is a critical metric, we measure our prosperity by the lives we positively impact. MCWP delights in helping others realize their full potential. Whether we’re a stepping-stone or a lengthy chapter in a person's life story, we strive to "grow people" by helping everyone who works with us become better than they were before they joined our team.
Below are just a few of the achievements we have enjoyed over the past 40 years:
• A high school graduate without prior work experience became a skilled Machine Operator.
• Another high school graduate with no work experience became a respected Saw Shop Manager.
• A person suffering from loss found steady work and on-site pastoral support.
• Innumerable employees have gained the knowledge, skills, and confidence they needed to realize their personal passions or goals.
• Praise and gratitude from our team members, including one who noted that he had “never worked anywhere where [he] felt as loved and cared for as [he did at MCWP]”!
Secret #2: Teamwork is Essential to Success
No one succeeds alone - and celebrating triumphs with others brings joy. MCWP recognizes and embraces these truths. Our organization has several departments, each charged with a specific task. Interdepartmental cooperation is thus critical to achieving overall company objectives. MCWP team members recognize that when one person succeeds everyone wins and when one falls short everyone loses because we are all in this together.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. We start each day gathered in God's name and give Him all glory for the blessing of work that enables us to provide for our families. All team member contributions are valued, and those who desire professional growth are encouraged to explore new opportunities within the plant as they arise. For us, there is no greater thrill than seeing the justifiable pride our employees feel when they realize their dreams. Sometimes a person comes to us lost and broken and finds a family that genuinely supports and cares for them. These are our proudest moments.
Secret #3 Company Mission Matters
People are the key to our company's success and an inspiring mission maintains our focus. We post it on the walls within our plant and we recite it during each morning safety meeting. It is our backbone. Motivation comes when our team understands how their individual and collective contributions align with our company's higher purpose. Our mission reads: “With God as our foundation, we are committed to operating with honesty, respect, integrity, and as good stewards of forest resources by providing exceptional wood products that positively impact the world." Keeping this mission at the center of all we do helps demonstrate to our staff a clear link between individual department goals and the company's broader objectives. It enables the team to understand that their job matters – they’re not just "sawing or nailing boards.” Everyone plays a critical role and each employee possesses unique gifts, knowledge, and talent.
Secret #4: An Attitude of Gratitude Builds Trust
People and mission are essential to who we are. Genuine gratitude for our customers and employees is the ultimate secret to our success.
Interested in learning more about the mission and people that make Madison County Wood Products a top-rated business? Check out these other articles:
About the Author:
Bryan Kesting is the VP of Sales for Madison County Wood Products – he’s also a 2nd generation Co-Owner of the family-run business. He helps set the company direction and is in continual pursuit of industry-changing opportunities. Bryan is proud to serve MCWP’s clients and the entire team from the loggers to the drivers delivering the finished goods. Everything he does supports the company’s drive to be an incredibly vertically operated wood products company by managing acreage, harvesting, logging, milling, and manufacturing while focusing on zero waste through the use of the whole log.
Madison County Wood Products Inc. is a vertically integrated company specializing in land and timber management, logging, sawmilling, and pallet manufacturing. With a focus on environmental impact, we take a zero-waste approach while providing customers with quality products, competitive prices, and on-time deliveries.
Happy 40th Anniversary!