BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Lattice Materials is a silicon manufacturing company. They grow silicon crystals and then machine them into infrared products.

It's a global business with a network of sales reps around the world but managers came to Bozeman for a reason.

"A great resource base here with MSU, with engineers coming out of MSU, a lot of people want to live in Bozeman that have lived elsewhere in their career and have chosen Montana, specifically Bozeman, for quality of life," says Lattice Materials President and CEO Don Profata.

As much as Bozeman has to offer, Profata says Lattice also does a lot for Bozeman.

"We're hiring people here and the money we make is largely spent here. We're buying equipment locally, we're buying software, we're using consultants to help us with various things that we don't have people on board for," says Profata.

Lattice started in Bozeman 22 years ago with only three employees. Now, they employ around 40 people and are currently hiring for three more positions.

"Many of our employees, if not more than half, have been here for ten years or more so, it's been a very solid, stable employer for the Gallatin Valley," says Profata.

While Profata says they've had their ups and downs, he says they're growing.

"We're struggling like everybody else and we've had our share of challenges over the last three years but I'm proud to say that in the last year, we've grown 30%," says Profata.