Solid Surface InCounters is off to a strong start

A team of skilled and certified workers draw on more than 20 years of experience

By Lindsay Scherer
Staff Intern

Solid Surface InCounters, located in Winsted’s Industrial Park, is making a name for itself in the solid surface industry.

It is co-owned by Richard Scott of Plato and Lisa Hennessey of Winsted.

The company manufactures a wide variety of products including countertops, islands, vanities, shower pans, shower walls, tub surrounds, table tops, wet bars, flooring, mantels, hearths, and even fish cleaning tables.

Scott and Hennessey work with a variety of solid surfaces including Corian, Zodiaq, Mysteria, Formica, Meganite, Avonite, LG Hi-Macs, and Wilsonart. However, the company mainly works with Corian, which is a product manufactured by DuPont.

Corian is an acrylic material that resembles granite but possesses very different properties.

Corian is nonporous, which means that it won’t absorb liquids. This prevents the product from staining. It also provides for a sanitary surface, making it a top choice for counters in restaurants and medical facilities.

This material is also able to be bent and curved if heated properly.

Solid Surface InCounters is DuPont Corian-certified. Being DuPont Corian-certified is a rare thing in the solid surface business, according to Scott.

The nearest facilities with this certification are located in Sioux Falls, S.D. and Fargo, N.D.

Being the only DuPont Corian-certified company in the state brings Scott and Hennessey all over Minnesota. They’ve done work in Willmar, Battle Lake, Westbrook, Leech Lake, Walker, New Ulm, and Stewartville.

The co-owners first met while working at the same company. Scott had been working in fabrication, and Hennessey was working in the office.

The two of them then got a job offer to move together to a different location.

Scott said he was ready for a change. He had been working at the same company for 19 years and was ready to try something new.

Hennessey wasn’t familiar with the manufacturing side of solid surfaces and Scott wasn’t accustomed to the business end of marketing them.

They both felt like it was a great opportunity to expand their areas of expertise. As Hennessey said, “We just thought it would fit.”

They then operated their own division of JIT Solid Surface, which is based in Green Isle. After two years of being almost entirely self-sufficient as a pair, they decided to start their own business.

They created Solid Surface InCounters April 15, 2007.

Solid Surface InCounters keeps office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Hennessey and Scott admit that they are very flexible.

“Our hours are from 6:30 (a.m.) to whenever,” Scott joked.

They often put in later hours consulting with their clients on site. “When they can see a color sample in their house, with their lighting . . . it makes a huge difference,” Hennessey said.

Hennessey has been working with solid surfaces for around six years.

Scott has been working with solid surfaces for more than 20 years and has tackled a number of very diverse projects.

Two of the more challenging projects that he’s encountered are a fountain and a unique shower.

The large scope of the industry is one of the reasons why the two of them enjoy the business so much. “Every project is something new and you get to meet new people,” Scott said.

The business is about half residential and half commercial. This gives Hennessey and Scott a wide range of diversity in their projects.

As far as future plans for the business are concerned, Scott and Hennessey are considering hiring additional employees.

Currently, they have a few part-time workers for installation, but Hennessey and Scott do all of the manufacturing work themselves.

Both Scott and Hennessey said that they are always up to new challenges and look forward to new and interesting projects in the future.

If you would like to contact Solid Surface InCounters, its office is located at 492 Industrial Drive, Suite 2, PO Box 898 in Winsted, or call (320) 485-2464.