Dean Baldwin is celebrating 50 years of being part of the painting aircraft industry, with the Miami County location in its second year of operation.
Dean Baldwin CEO Barbara Baldwin said the company was started in 1965 in Miami International Airport.
“My father-in-law started the company and I joined it in 1978, Baldwin said. “At that time we were a small company, around $150,000 in sales.”
In 2005, Dean Baldwin had skyrocketed to $10 million annual sales in revenue, according to Baldwin.
“We were able to create more jobs as our business continued to grow,” Baldwin said. “We had about 170 employees by then.”
Baldwin said one of her main responsibilities is that is responsible for all financial proposals for the company.
“One of our best decisions was to come here to Miami County in 2013, Baldwin said. “We only had one bay ready in March 2013.”
Baldwin said the Miami County location started with a 767 airliner from American Airlines and in April, the first Airbus 300 came in.
“JetBlue came on board in fall 2013 because it is closer to their headquarters,” Baldwin said. Since that period of time, we were able to grow our operations here in Miami County.”
Baldwin said with all four of their locations, the company has grown to more than 400 employees and $25 million a year in revenue.
“We are looking to hire at least 10 more people at our Miami County location this year,” Baldwin said. “When we put our applications out, we get so many responses. It really is amazing.”
Baldwin said she is blessed to have a good Miami County workforce and that all of her employees are top notch in their field.
“We have a training program to train the painters,” Baldwin said. “But many people around here are fast leaners and I am very grateful to have them.”
Miami County Economic Development Director Jim Tidd said Dean Baldwin is a great asset for Miami County and the community.
“Dean Baldwin will take someone with no skills and train them, resulting in a skill and a trade,” Tidd said. “It is great to see their establishment here continuing to grow.”
Tidd said he first met Barbara Baldwin at a trade show back in Dallas in 2009.
“It all started back in April or 2009. I was attending a trade show on maintenance repair and overhaul in Dallas, Texas and we stopped by Dean Baldwin booth,” Tidd said. “Basically, we were saying that we had a runway and a hangar and those kinds of things available for re-use.”
Baldwin recalled meeting Tidd at the trade show in 2009.
“We were looking to expand, so when Jim approached us, it was like it was meant to be,” Baldwin said.
Tidd said since 2009, Miami County has built a relationship with Dean Baldwin that continues to grow.
“We have 175 employees there and are on our way to 200 employees here in Miami County,” Tidd said.
Tidd said Dean Baldwin has also helped paint school corporation trailers as well as YMCA buses when they are not working on airliners.
“Dean Baldwin is very well respected in the industry and we are happy that they are here,” Tidd said.
Baldwin said in honor of their 50th anniversary, the employees surprised her with an aircraft painted with the 50-year Dean Baldwin logo.
“We bought a plane from the Air Museum for our employees to practice on during training,” Baldwin said. “They surprised me with it and I was so thrilled.”
Baldwin said she looks forward to many more years in Miami County.
“The workforce here is great and look forward to many years here,” Baldwin said.
