Boise-based company values its employees and their years of experience
On July 26, Lieutenant Governor Brad Little, along with representatives from the Idaho Department of Commerce, welcomed a delegation from Cameroon at the Yanke Machine Shop facility in Boise.
Officials from the Cameroon ministries of Defense, Finance, and Economy, along with Hoffman International and Aesco/Madsen representatives, toured the operation while observing and participating in a live demonstration of an asphalt plant manufactured by Yanke. 
Yanke Machine Shop is a family owned heavy steel fabrication, machining and repair facility founded in Boise in the 1930s. Carl and Margaret Yanke, with their two young sons Sheldon and Ronald, arrived in Boise in 1937 after a long trip from Wisconsin. The business was started in 1939 with partner Henry Lobnitz at a building on Front Street. Another partner, B.A. Stunz, helped Carl buy out Lobnitz, and eventually the business became family owned in 1942 and incorporated in 1946. The determined Yanke forged his growing business with endless commitment. Once they had outgrown the original location in 1961, Yanke moved the business to Capital Boulevard below the train depot. Then in 1973, the fabrication shop was moved to its current location on Gekeler Lane, and the machine and repair shops soon followed.
President Linda Yanke and senior management work now to keep the family business thriving. Yanke products are used by many different industries locally, regionally and internationally. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1992 and continues to pride itself on its employees – several employees started at Yanke as teenagers and remain well into a 40-year career, blending the energetic youth of new employees with the experience and knowledge of the older.
“Idaho-grown companies like Yanke continually support the communities they operate in and pass through,” said Dirk Christison of Yanke Customer Support. “We strive to provide an exceptional service, effective delivery and a professional finish on our products and services.”
Yanke maintains licensing in Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Washington, Montana and Arizona, and its field operations and equipment are MSHA surface compliant. Yanke employees are very familiar with mine site safety and operational demands, and its trucking group routinely transports standard and oversize loads within the region. The design, detailing and procurement offices perform preliminary and support tasks throughout projects.
“Dependable suppliers are a key aspect of our operation, to name only a few: Norco Welding Supply, Alexander Clark Printing, Paramount Supply, The Coble Company, Chapel Steel, Kowallis & Richards, Leavitt & Associates Engineers, Tacoma Screw, Page Industrial, PDM Steel, Kelly-Moore Paints, Sherwin-Williams Company, H&H Xray & Farwest Steel Corporation,” Christison said. “The combined knowledge and experience of these organizations exceeds 700 years of committed service.”
To learn more about Yanke Machine Shop, its capabilities and affiliated companies, visit www.yankemachine.com or call the office at 208-342-8901.