In 1996, Douglas Sayer wanted to improve the way french fries were battered.

So he founded Premier Technology in Blackfoot, Idaho, and he and a handful of other employees designed and manufactured equipment that accomplished that goal.

Premier Technology went on to develop a number of innovative products for the food-service industry, a manufacturing sector in which Sayer has experience dating back to the 1980s.

But as its expertise and reputation grew, Premier Technology soon branched out into the nuclear, mining, defense, aeronautical, medical and chemical processing industries.

Premier is a full-service manufacturer, performing everything from custom engineering and design to fabrication, testing and installation for its diverse and ever-expanding clientele.

Today, Premier Technology employs 340 people at sites in Blackfoot, Pocatello and Twin Falls, boasts a 24,000-square-foot facility and maintains a constant workflow.

Besides food-industry items, the company's products include structural decks, storage tanks and silos, sanitary piping, conveyors and radiation shielding and equipment.

The company also has helped other Idaho businesses and small towns through its commitment to Rural Idaho Outreach Partners, an organization that aims to enhance workers' employable skills in the state's rural areas.

To that end, Premier has partnered with firms like Salmon-based Commander Chassis, which provides nuclear-quality machining services, and recently hatched plans to build a small plant in Sayer's hometown of Mackay, population 566.