Kila guy states flag company influenced by patriotism

Craig Kempthorne’s function is hugely visible all over the Flathead Valley, even while his small, a person-guy Kila enterprise retains a reduced profile.

His Flathead Flagpole Co. is responsible for setting up poles and flags at household, industrial and government sites during the region. As the company’s founder and sole personnel, Kempthorne likes to continue to keep the highlight on his flags and what they represent.

“Fly your colors,” is his unofficial motto.

Kempthorne’s corporation handles each and every stage in the approach of increasing a flag. He lays the concrete, erects the pole and provides the elements. And he can satisfy all kinds of customized orders — from specially produced flags to poles mounted on numerous distinct surfaces.

It is really significant to Kempthorne that each customer has the prospect to get their great display.

“Everybody does it their have way,” he stated. “It really is pretty amazing to be equipped to provide that company.”

KEMPTHORNE’S RESUME ranges from docks on Flathead Lake to Glacier Countrywide Park’s Apgar Visitor Heart. He’s the valley’s only formal supplier for national producer Eder Flag the up coming closest vendor is in Helena.

In a standard 12 months, he installs someplace involving 40 and 60 flags.

Kempthorne was working as a firefighter in Illinois when he started off the flag company in 1993.

Coming from a armed service household, he was motivated by the splendor he saw in the American flag.

“We have the most stunning flag in the globe,” he stated. “Real patriots want to exhibit their patriotism.”

In the beginning, flagpoles have been just a facet gig for Kempthorne. It was a few yrs ahead of the company really took off and he was in a position to retire from firefighting.

That day finally came in 2010. Kempthorne departed Illinois to stick to his childhood enthusiasm for the American West, relocating to northwestern Montana.

He traveled with his trailer and flagpole machines, being with pals he experienced created and operating on a path crew in the North Fork though he acquired established.

“It was slow in the commencing,” he recalled.

Not so any longer.

THE FLATHEAD Flagpole Co. is now a entire-time work for Kempthorne. He stays chaotic with many installations just about every working day of the week during the fast paced summer season season.

“It’s been really fantastic the past handful of years,” he explained.

Very last 12 months was especially hectic.

The advancement in the valley and the election calendar year despatched demand for flags sky-large, he said. And business enterprise has ongoing at a regular clip this 12 months, even though he claimed the COVID-19 pandemic has sophisticated issues.

“This calendar year flags are a major difficulty,” he explained.

Orders commonly just take 4 to 6 weeks to arrive, Kempthorne mentioned. He solely buys from suppliers in the U.S., but in current months they have skilled setbacks thanks to labor and content shortages.

The predicament just lately prompted Kempthorne to come across a new domestic flag supplier. A single of the greatest challenges, he explained, was an maximize in the bare minimum orders permitted by quite a few producers.

However, following just about 20 decades in the sector, Kempthorne is confident he’ll be capable to weather conditions the unforeseen troubles.

“I feel as time goes on, it’ll get improved,” he mentioned.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin might be achieved at 406-758-4459 or [email protected].