Creativity is a key job requirement at Dillon Works in Mukilteo, WA. For a company that specializes in the "design and fabrication of almost anything," ingenuity is prized.
Mike Dillon started Dillon Works in 1985 in the Seattle area after having worked as a Disney "Imagineer" in California. His company designs and builds custom dimensional, sculptural and architectural elements for retail/themed environments, amusement parks, signage, hotels, casinos, restaurants, commercials and exhibits worldwide. As the company’s website states:
"If you need widgets, go to the mall. If you need weird stuff, come to Dillon Works."
Designing "anything"
The company’s creative team has crafted a vast range of items: giant characters from Russian folklore for a Moscow shopping mall, the furry rear-end of a polar bear for a TV commercial, 3-D scenes from a children’s book, and a giant, dimensional, fiberglass telephone for a billboard, to name just a few.
Projects flow through the company’s various departments: design, sculpture, mold, fabrication (wood and plastics work), metal, paint and soft goods. Those who design and craft the projects have varied backgrounds, Dillon said. Some have worked previously in industrial environments, for other sign companies, or in television, film or theater. The common thread? "They’re all very creative," he said.
Ideally, a customer seeks out Dillon Works early in a project. "We can help them with their idea and make it cost effective," Dillon said. The company deals with clients who have no idea what they want and those that have detailed drawings already completed