July 2018

106 107 BESTBATH tub replacement - a barrier-free shower made for home renovation.” The team at Bestbath soon realized they had a successful product that allowed them to convert an existing bathroom into one with a barrier-free, zero-entry shower. As Megan explains, “We had al- ways been in the commercial space, but from that point forward,we focused on building ready-made products that could be installed quickly,whether you were a commercial contractor or a homeown- er.”With the newmindset to build a bath/shower system that is designed to last the life of a building, meet all code and livability requirements of a family, their business boomed.Megan sums up the com- pany’s progress with,“We no longer compete in the commoditymarket.We are truly a specialized archi- tecture product.” Bestbath now has a 20-plus year span of innova- tion in the industry, beginning with its multi-piece, tub replacement barrier-free shower in 1993. In 2016, the company’s creative and contemporary improvements to design garnered it the Product In- novation Award fromArchitectural Products Maga- zine for its Designer Series 90-degree Corner Show- ers.Megan touts the project’s merit: “People used to composite showers are used to those rounded corner, smooth-wall showers.We were able to inno- vate our project in such a way that we can provide 90-degree corners.That was pretty revolutionary at the time.” Obviously, the work hasn’t stopped with the award. Always improving, Bestbath “continues to update and change the way our shower looks,” Megan adds. Recent aesthetic improvements, and their benefits, include subway tile textures with- out the leak and bacteria problems associated with traditional tile, and a single-piece, infinity drain system. Upcoming plans for improvement include customer behavior applications. “Were seeing in commercial and residential that people want to be as independent as possible,” says Megan. “So we’re looking at web development as a tool for them. Can we provide options that will allowyou to design your shower on our website and submit that order without ever having to pick up the phone? At present, no. But our goal is to get there for those who want to self-serve in that way.” Innovation aside, the company also continues to build strength through operations. JayMultanen, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Manufac- turing, explains the ways in which the company continues to improve its value.“From an operating perspective,we like to focus on the value stream, and service that as best we can,”he states.“We uti- lize our assets and strive to eliminate waste in that value building process. In doing so,we’ve been able to sustain a tremendous amount of growth, nation- ally, from our location here in Idaho.” Bestbath operates with 175 employees on a 10-acre tract of land in Caldwell, Idaho.While it