Trend towards wood in healthcare and sport sectors

The overall trend is called Biophilic Design, an apporach used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment through the use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions. The approach is thought to provide health, environmental, and economic benefits for building occupants and urban environments, with little drawbacks. 

Veneer products in contemporary showrooms 

GALENA, Ill. --Working on a project in its own area is always a rewarding experience for Adams Architectural Millwork since they can see the beginning, work in progress, and the end result.

A historic train depot had been repurposed to provide tourist information and was in need of historically accurate storm windows to help insulate the building against the cold winters of the Midwest and protect the primary sash.

Adams’s traditional storm windows are custom made to match the window configuration in their Dubuque, Iowa, shop. Many of the windows have a half round top, for which they needed a template to ensure they would fit correctly when fabricated.

Before: Unprotected primary sash and plexiglass storms

The arch was built with extra material to provide the correct angles for clamping. This enabled Adams to clamp the frame so the mortise and tenon joints are square. The CNC is then used to cut off the excess lumber and create the finished edge.

As the photos show here, Adams can fabricate storm windows both with and without a center bar. These storm windows are built from clear white pine, putty glazed (with the exception of the large picture window which required thicker glass to be held in place with wood stop), and then primed in the Dubuque shop.

Once received, the fit was checked and the storm windows were painted to match the sash. Due to most of the windows being half-round, there was no easy way to use traditional sash hangers. Instead, the contractor fastened the traditional storm windows in place with screws.

Installed storm windows on the train depot.

In addition to storm windows, Adams Architectural Millwork offers many types of storm doors. They offer doors with both screen and storm inserts to make them versatile while maintaining an historically accurate impression. Their doors are constructed of solid wood without finger joints and they can match the design of an existing door, use one of their standard styles, or work with the customer to customize the insert with specialty glass or divided lites.

Adams fabricates historically accurate windows, window sash, storm windows, doors and storm doors. 

Their capabilities include manufacturing custom millwork for homes and buildings across the United States. The company states that it can fabricate products that most large window and door companies will refuse. If you are an architect, contractor, or an owner of a historical building or home who is looking to renovate a property, Adams can assist with architectural millwork needs. See http://www.adamsarch.com.

Patrick Dickinson and his team had a vision: To create a unified, nationwide architectural woodwork firm for the complete project management of complex, large-scale projects.

Newly formed and already making its mark, USA Millwork combines the expertise of four longtime regional manufacturers spread throughout the United States: IBS Millwork, O’Keefe Millwork, Cabinets by Design, and Freelance Millwork.  The conglomerate designs, builds and installs projects for the corporate, academic, hospitality, healthcare, entertainment, retail, and multifamily markets.

“The four brands within the USA Millwork portfolio are true leaders within the industry, and together, we have our sights set on becoming America’s millwork company,” said Dickinson, president and CEO. “We leverage best-in-class construction and installation practices, a nationwide supply chain, and an integrated technology platform across brands to exceed our customer’s expectations.”

While each brand boasts a specialty, all can produce casework and millwork from solid wood and panel, as well as working with other media.

IBS Millwork produces high-end architectural millwork and casework for a range of corporate customers, including Samsung.

• IBS Millwork produces high-end architectural millwork, including unique ceiling elements. Averaging $350,000, the projects span throughout the Washington, D.C. area and include: AARP, National Geographic, Apple Carnegie Library, DC United, Samsung, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, FedEx, and the Nationals Park. The company has approximately 107 employees at its 60,000-square-foot facility in Manassas, Virginia.

• Located near Minneapolis, projects for the 40,000-square-foot River Falls, Wisconsin-based O’Keefe Millwork average $300,000, and include: Anytime Fitness headquarters, Kraus Anderson offices, the University of Minnesota, Scheels Sporting Goods, EHI (Enterprise, Alamo and National car rental), Carleton College, and Cass Lake Casino. O’Keefe has approximately 60 employees.

• At its 120,000-square-foot facility, Atlanta, Georgia-based Cabinets by Design specializes in laminate and wood casework for labs and educational facilities, as well as architectural millwork. Noteworthy projects include USC Law School, Emory Hospital, Baxter Pharmaceutical, CDC Atlanta, Clemson University, North Fulton Library, Arthur Anderson Law Firm and area high schools. The company has 125 employees.

• Freelance Millwork has approximately 61 employees at the 65,000-square-foot facility in Denver, Colorado. Among its projects, which can average from $25,000 to $2 million, are those for Google, Amazon, Uber, Hyatt, Saratoga Casino, Pepsi Center, BP Denver headquarters, and the Colorado University Boulder Student Commons.

Among the many projects by Freelance Millwork is this reception area at Children’s Hospital Colorado, South Campus.

 “A lot of people can make amazing casework,” Dickinson said. “It’s actually being able to deliver on these highly complex jobs and being able to coordinate with the other trades – that’s what really differentiates us.”

He added, “We see ourselves as a partner at the general contractor’s table, one of the key players on the team. We’re providing a turnkey solution  – that’s what we’re really focused on, and it’s as much service as it is product.”

Among O’Keefe Millwork’s noteworthy projects is the Rough Rider Center, located in North Dakota.

Collaborative effort

What also sets the company apart, Dickinson said, is its “culture, attention to technology and our adaptability – our ability to move projects between locations and take on any project of any size, and do it quickly.”

The four brands at USA Millwork share best practices and resources, simplifying the project management process for national and regional commercial turnkey projects. “Our teams of seasoned project managers believe in a disciplined approach to staying on time and on budget. They partner with each customer to make quick decisions and adjustments and offer creative solutions throughout the process,” Dickinson said.

At its 120,000-square-foot facility, Georgia-based Cabinets by Design specializes in laminated and wood casework and millwork.

The process also relies on coordination and the integration of technology. USA Millwork is working to standardize its software systems to facilitate company-wide communication, collaboration and coordination. “That’s something that we want to develop and roll out across the company, where it’s the same systems helping to drive a consistent process,” Dickinson said.

In addition to utilizing Microsoft Dynamics’ CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, USA Millwork also relies on Microvellum design engineering software at its facilities. With its open architecture and easily configurable product libraries, “the Microvellum design engineering program, in particular, gives us the ability to move work between locations,” Dickinson said. Fully integrated with AutoCAD, the program’s modeling and analyzation technology simplifies the company’s design and value engineering process, while offering reporting and other capabilities.

Located in the Washington, D.C. area, IBS Millwork offers a range of panel processing, solid wood machining and high-end finishing capabilities at its 60,000-square-foot facility.

“We’re a solution provider and while on-time delivery is definitely one of the things we track, it’s really on-time completion that’s critical – and that’s at 100 percent,” Dickinson noted. With much of the business through word of mouth and existing customers, the brands’ reputations for quality and consistency is of critical importance. 

USA Millwork’s four locations are known for their ability to combine handcraftsmanship and technology, with the brands of equipment varying among the facilities. For example, among the equipment utilized at IBS are Schelling, IMA and Komo CNCs. At other locations, Homag, Biesse, Busellato, Holz-Her and SCM equipment are among those used for panel processing, along with a variety of standard milling equipment for solid wood machining. Finishing is also a critical element at the locations, with “color masters” at each site to custom-match to specification.

Based in Denver, Freelance Millwork produces custom millwork and casework at the 65,000-square-foot facility for a range of commercial customers.

 “Our focus on bringing in technology to enable our processes is pretty unique with regard to the level that we’re doing it,” Dickinson noted. “We have the ability to handle anything – stadium work, hospital work, law firms, corporate offices – from new-age contemporary to more traditional designs. We tackle the full range, and the more complex, the better the project is for us.”

A sustainable manufacturer, USA Millwork is also heavily involved in education and recruitment at the high school, vocational and college levels, including internships, as well as scholarship programs. “We’ve become pretty intentional about it,” Dickinson said. “It’s something that is critical for the future of the industry.”

Using a combination of technology and handcraftsmanship, O’Keefe Millwork produces architectural millwork and production casework, including retail fixtures, at the company’s 40,000-square-foot facility in River Falls, Wisconsin.

WARROAD, Minn. — Marvin Windows and Doors is launching a new brand name, logo and product collections. Known simply as Marvin, the brand represents all fenestration products previously known as Marvin Windows and Doors and Integrity Windows and Doors, with both of those brand logos now retired.

The company said the new Marvin brand logo, with a bold font and an updated yellow rose, "reflects Marvin's progressive, design-forward future and the company's heritage of optimism and hospitality." The yellow rose was first used by Marvin in 1968 and is said to have been the favorite flower of Margaret Marvin, whose husband Bill Marvin is credited with evolving the company's focus from lumber to windows and doors.

"As people's expectations of home change, we must also grow and evolve to bring beauty into the everyday while striving to simplify and enhance people's lives," said CEO Paul Marvin. "The changes we're sharing today are exciting, including a new brand identity, but they're a remodel. The foundation of our company – the people, exceptional quality and beautiful design of our products – all remain intact and stronger than ever."

Along with the brand change, Marvin has refreshed its product collections: Signature, Elevate and Essential.

Marvin says its Signature Collection features the broadest range of product types, styles, configurations and design options. It includes products previously known as Marvin Contemporary Studio, and also what will continued to be known as the Marvin Ultimate and Marvin Modern lines.

Marvin's Elevate Collection. Photo: Marvin

The Elevate Collection offers a "balance of creativity, vision and reality, hitting a sweet spot between differentiated, highly valued features and price," and includes products previously known as Integrity Wood-Ultrex.

The streamlined Essential Collection features clean lines and simple profiles, the company says. The collection includes products previously known as Integrity All-Ultrex.

A look at a product in Marvin's Essential Collection. Photo: Marvin

"The heart of Marvin has always been one of possibility, of designing for people," Marvin said. "A single brand expands on this possibility and allows us to use our expertise to make a positive impact on our customers' lives for years to come. The look and feel of the brand and collections may be changing, but the core of who we are – intentional, committed and caring – remains the same."

Founded in 1912, Marvin is a fourth-generation family-owned and -operated business, headquartered in Warroad, Minnesota, with more than 5,500 employees across 15 cities in North America. Marvin products are distributed nationally through a network of independent dealers and are also exported internationally.

The company is ranked #20 overall on the recent FDMC 300 list of top North American wood products producers, and among the top 5 for window and door manufacturers.

LEHI, Utah -- Authentic Joinery wants to bring furniture into the future by concentrating on methods of the past.

“I am introducing Authentic Joinery, LLC which brings custom doors and furniture into the 21st century,” said owner John J. Martin.

The new company is located near Salt Lake City. Its philosophy puts aside methods such as metal pocket screws and joints that depend on glue for structural integrity.

“As a specific example, craftspeople make all of our drawers using hand-finished dovetail joints,” Martin said. “Also, we will use different joint layouts depending on the design aesthetic. The appearance of a dovetailed drawer box corner is a small detail, but it means something when seen in the context of how we craft a complete item.

“We will offer made-to-measure entry doors and other wood-crafted pieces that are not held together with dowels or pocket screws but instead use time-honored joinery and cabinetmaking techniques in conjunction with the most modern technology and methods.

As an example, Martin said that the entry door pictured is made using no loose tenons, dowels, screws, pins, nails, or any other kind of fastener.

Martin also said Authentic Joinery will offer options such as wireless device charging and smart home controls built into any surface that do not need to be visible.

According to Martin, the new company will be able to make it faster than the dowelled or screwed-together doors currently available.

As of now, the company is 60 percent funded and are open to proposals for some or all capital requirements. All the planning, research, and financials are done. Martin said that they can begin production operations about 60 days after being fully capitalized.

See https://www.authenticjoinery.com/

‘Think Poplar’

Eagle Machinery-WoodEye scanning rough mill

Team effort

Boost in productivity

Family and team

TOCCOA, Ga. -- Osborne Wood Products, Inc. has announced the establishment of the Osborne Wood Trade Partner Program, which will offer businesses in the trade access to discounted prices on Osborne Wood’s inventory of unfinished wood furniture components.

Starting with a discount for all participants who enroll online, the Osborne Wood Trade Partner Program comprises a tiered system in which the level of discount increases with order size. When Trade Partners reach the spending threshold for a particular tier, the appropriate discount will be applied to all of their orders.

“We are committed to partnering with our clients toward their success, and we are always striving to build on this commitment,” says Osborne Wood CEO Leon Osborne. “The Osborne Wood Trade Partner Program is the latest addition to the list of ways we endeavor to show our clients how much we appreciate their business. We encourage current and future clients alike to take advantage of this exciting opportunity to purchase more and save more with Osborne Wood.”

See https://www.osbornewood.com/partners
 

Keystone Millwork’s strength is planning and managing high-end architectural projects with many different types of materials.

Owner Bob Kraus said the Texas company keeps projects on track and organizes workflow and materials, while being detail oriented on the administrative side. They also work closely with general contractors on a number of levels.

That emphasis on planning extends to Keystone’s own operations. The company may have 30 to 35 jobs in progress at any one time. Casework is 45 to 50 percent of the business.

“We don’t just make boxes,” Kraus said. “We do a lot of the complex jobs and a wide variety of things, including fabric, leather, and metal. We make mockups for architects, 3-D drawings. Management planning and attention to details are strengths.”

Because these jobs can be complex, intricate projects, they want to make sure that customers are getting exactly what they wanted, said Keystone’s Kate Henderson, marketing director. That also allows Keystone to be in an advisory role, using value engineering to complete a job while saving money.

Emphasis on planning extends to Keystone’s own operations. The company may have 30 to 35 jobs in progress at any one time. Casework is 45 to 50 percent of the business.

Thirty years in Aggie country

Keystone Millwork provides custom architectural millwork for commercial construction. They are located in Bryan, Texas, in the heart of Aggie country and in the middle of the Texas triangle of Austin, Dallas and Houston.

Keystone operates out of our 40,000 square foot location but began 30 years ago in a one-car garage in neighboring College Station.

Kraus started the company in 1989, using a small Sears saw that was put on a tabletop. He started as a builder and had a number of businesses, with a degree in construction science, and said he should have gotten an MBA.

“Just because you can make a cabinet doesn’t mean you can run a business,” he said. “My lack of business knowledge was an impediment, but I’ve taken classes, done everything I could to learn.”

Kraus outgrew his first shop and began to add to his team. Sixteen years ago, Keystone moved into its current Bryan location and two years ago, that building was doubled in size. The recent expansion gives the company space for flexibility and staging work.

Before they moved to the current Bryan location, he paid consultant Gero Sassenberg to develop a plan emphasizing flow. Sassenberg provided concepts that Kraus put into practice when setting up the new location. “Best $3,000 I ever spent,” he said.

Keystone Millwork offers hands-on management of each project from start to finish and the ability to execute both large scale casework and fine custom designs. They meet with architects to design the millwork they envision, manufacture it in their facility and install the millwork themselves.

One of the biggest reasons for the company’s success is in training people, managing and paying them well. There’s no micromanaging, Henderson said. People are allowed to have ownership in their work. The company has 38 employees.

“It’s not about the wood, it’s about the people,” Kraus said. “Like most successful businesses, most of the people have been here 10 years. People like it here.”

Computing Services Project at Texas A&M University was completed earlier. Architect: The Arkitex Studio, Inc.

Contractor customers

“Our customers are large general contractors,” Kraus said. Work may be in educational, medical, university, museums, and performing arts centers. A lot of work is related to Texas A&M University in nearby College Station, which accounts for about a quarter of the jobs. Keystone also did 600 convenience stores for a major chain and 60 retail stores for a cellphone company.

Aggie Build is a special project in which Keystone is donating and providing cabinets that are put in a shipping container with medical equipment and sent to developing countries.

It’s so much about relationships, Henderson said. At one time Keystone did many small jobs, and then they wanted to do fewer big jobs. That became very oriented toward relationships. They only bid with the larger companies they want to work with. “They come directly to us because they like us,” she said.

Keystone’s estimating department is really the face of the company. “Our estimators work with the general contractor’s estimators to put out a number so that when they get their final number on bid day, they’re confident that it is a good number,” Henderson said. “The fact that we have a very thorough and complete estimate is very meaningful. It’s the face of our company.”

Kraus also seeks out the challenging work.

“We’ll get a complicated set of drawings that is hard to understand,” he said. “I’ll say, yes, that’s what I want. Most people won’t touch that. I want to be the person who goes after that.”

Scheduling is one of their main issues, as millwork providers are one of the last to get into the building.

“That’s what we’re constantly trying to refine,” Henderson said. “How do we get enough ahead without putting ourselves in a bind? Expanding the shop helped us tremendously. Now we can have projects wrapped and ready for delivery.”

Kraus said that Keystone is paid for stored material when it’s is sitting in their operation.

Keystone has a Mayer panel saw with Weima grinder and a several smaller dust collectors rather than one large system for the whole plant. Cut pieces have a barcode label applied.

Flexibility in the shop

Keystone has a Mayer panel saw with Weima grinder and a several smaller dust collectors rather than one large system for the whole plant. Cut pieces have a barcode label applied.

A Homag Vantech 512 CNC router, Weeke ABD 050 Optimat dowel inserter, and Brandt edgebander, along with a Thomas return conveyor are also in the Bryan operation.

A Weeke BHX 055 Optimat vertical machining center provides flexibility in the overall operation if other machines were busy or not available.

“The BHX is great little machine, it helps flow quite a bit,” Kraus said. “It gives us more capabilities, diversity and options. It’s a perfect complement to the nested-based router and the beam saw. The three work together very well. It’s a great combination of machines.”

In the assembly area is a J.C. Uhling HP3000F case clamp. An older Busellato Jet 4002 CNC router is used as a backup for the shop.

The shop also has a custom fabrication area for solid wood and special work, and a countertop fabrication area. They are doing fewer laminate tops, but added solid surface capability. They do most installation, especially locally.

Henderson said that expanding the shop helped them in two major ways. They were able to order materials earlier, and store them and organize them.

Keystone has used many different kinds of software over the past 30 years. They are now using Microvellum and Cabinet Vision for drawing, and TradeSoft’s ProjectPAK and ShopPAK for the management side of the business.

Keystone does 90 percent of machine maintenance themselves, working with Texas A&M or hiring a local technician rather than calling a machine tech from out of town.

Finishing in the future

Finishing capability is planned for the future. Keystone will start with an inflatable portable finishing booth. They are planning for no VOC finishes, all water-based, which will save on fire prevention equipment.

But Keystone will continue to send out larger finishing jobs, such as 300 sheets to a flatline finisher, Widner Product Finishing. Kraus wants do the smaller number of pieces or one-of-a-kind finishing in house.

Over the past 30 years, Kraus said the biggest change is manufacturing has been in software, especially in the office end of the business.

Kraus is also looking for a quantum shift, maybe away from laminated panels to plastic cabinets or injection molded boxes. He is trying to anticipate what might affect the business for the next 30 years.

Keystone Millwork offers hands-on management of each project from start to finish and the ability to execute both large scale casework and fine custom designs.

AT A GLANCE

Keystone Millwork

Bryan, Texas

Custom architectural millwork for commercial construction

Employees: 38

Plant size: 40,000 square feet

http://www.keystone-millwork.com

CHICAGO, IL – Winners of the 2019 Wood Diamond Awards contest have been announced by the Cabinet Makers Association. The annual design competition promotes professional development and encourages peer recognition of outstanding workmanship in a variety of categories.

The 2019 award winners were announced on Thursday, July 18, during the AWFS Fair in Las Vegas. First place winners were awarded a customized plaque in their respective category.

CMA President Chris Dehmer congratulates Tom Floyd, Custom Creative Furniture, on his first place win.

“The Wood Diamond Awards program is an exceptional opportunity to recognize the unique talents of its members,” said CMA member Ken Kumph of Premier Builders, Georgetown, Massachusetts.

"This year's competition was extremely competitive, particularly in the frameless kitchen category, which had 28 entries," said CMA Executive Director Amanda Conger. The high percentage of frameless cabinet construction entries is consistent with overall industry trends, she added.

The variety of submissions within the residential category also confirms that cabinetry continues to extend to every room in the home, Conger said. Interestingly, although the vast majority of submissions (90 percent) were residential, the overall winner was a commercial project.

And the award goes to...

Winning the 2019 “Best Of, Best Overall” award was Covenant Millwork in Louisville, Georgia. The project also won for its category  “Commercial: Hospitality.”

First place winners are listed below and the projects can be viewed in the slideshow. Details on the projects can be found at cabinetmakers.org/2019winners.

Commercial
Hospitality: Covenant Millwork (Louisville, Georgia)
Medical: Ipswich Cabinetry (Ipswich, Massachusetts)
Retail: Ogee (Oakland, California)

Residential
Bathroom
Frameless
Under $10,000: Custom Creative Furniture (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
Over $10,000: Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)

Kitchen
Face Frame
Under $25,000: Chandler Cabinets (Pilot Point, Texas)
Over $25,000: Covenant Millwork (Louisville, Georgia)
Frameless
Under $25,000: CVR Colorado (Loveland, Colorado)
Over $25,000: Patzer Woodworking (Mitchell, South Dakota)

Living Spaces
Bar
Under $25,000: Dibbleville Woodworks (Fenton, Michigan)
Over $25,000: CVR Colorado (Loveland, Colorado)
Entertainment Center: Under $10,000: CVR Colorado (Loveland, Colorado)
Fireplace Surround: Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)
Wall
Under $10,000: Dibbleville Woodworks (Fenton, Michigan)
Over $10,000: Danlee Wood Products (Forreston, Illinois)
Bedroom
Under $10,000: Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)
Over $10,000: Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)
Fish Tank Stand: Under $10,000: Custom Creative Furniture (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
Office: Danzo Group (Baldwin Park, California)

Utility/Storage
Closet/Dressing Room: Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)
Mud Room: Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)
Wine Cellar: Ipswich Cabinetry (Ipswich, Massachusetts)

Submissions for the 2020 Wood Diamond Awards will be accepted March 1 through May 1; you must be a current CMA member to participate. Winners will be announced at IWF in Atlanta. Email director@cabinetmakers.org for information.

Celebrating more than  20 years of industry service, the Cabinet Makers Association was incorporated in 1998 by a group of custom cabinetmakers who thought the small to mid‐size shop needed to network and help each other grow profitably. Currently, CMA membership is made up primarily of 20 or fewer employee operations, with the vast majority of those being 1‐5 person shops.

WILLOWS, Calif. -- CalPlant I, the $315 million rice straw-based MDF plant now under construction north of Sacramento, is scheduled to begin production this fall, according to CalPlant CEO Jerry Uhland.

Construction of the manufacturing location is almost 80 percent complete, and an inventory of more than 200,000 tons of rice straw is currently in storage at the CalPlant site for the first run of panels, which should roll off the line this November.

“This facility is the first of its kind in the world in so many ways,” Uhland said. “Not only will it have a production capacity to supply 30 percent of California’s MDF demand, it will significantly reduce the use of water to flood rice fields in the Sacramento Valley, thereby cutting the production of greenhouse gases. Those aspects, along with the tremendous direct and indirect benefits the plant operations will bring to the Willows area, make this a legacy project for Glenn County and the state of California.”

CalPlant will be the world’s first commercial-scale producer of no-added-formaldehyde, rice straw-based MDF, and at design capacity, the plant will produce more than 140 million square feet (¾-inch basis) annually.

Rice straw is an annually renewable raw material, with all of the material for the plant being procured each year from Sacramento Valley rice growers within a 15- to 25-mile radius of the plant site. Employing a Generation 9 Siempelkamp ContiRollcontinuous press, which is 10 feet wide and 115 feet (35 meters) long, CalPlant will be staffed by 115 full-time employees with 450 part-time jobs created during the annual straw-collection period.

The mill will be able to produce MDF thicknesses of 2.0 mm to 30 mm. Columbia Forest Products, who is CalPlant’s exclusive sales agent, is an investor in the project and has been an important partner during developmentof the project.

In addition to its formaldehyde-free adhesive system, which will guarantee compliance with new Federal TSCA Title VI regulations on formaldehyde emissions from composite panels, CalPlant’s operations will produce significantly less volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions due to its feedstock and is expected to be a minor source of emissions under EPA rules. Its reclamation of approximately 20 percent of the Sacramento Valley’s rice straw waste will also result in significant savings of the water now used to flood fields to decompose straw after the annual harvest.

CalPlant I,LLC and its predecessor company, CalAg,LLC, have spent many years researching, developing, and patenting a process to make MDF using annually renewable rice straw as the feedstock, the disposal of which has posed environmental issues in California. It has worked extensively with Columbia Forest Products and Siempelkamp to develop a facility with production capabilities well-suited to the MDF markets the plant will be serving. https://calplant1.com/

Frankie Jordan

LANDOVER, Md. - Architectural woodwork firm Washington Woodworking Co. has named Frankie Jordan as its new CEO.  Based in Landover, Maryland, Washington Woodworking has been manufacturing and installing custom architectural woodworking to major law firms, corporations, and general contractors and architects for more than 100 years.

Jordan has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial millwork industry. Most recently, he was COO of Augusta Cabinets & Casework, a licensed premium grade AWI company.

Washington Woodworking has annual revenue approaching $15 million and employs around 100 people. The company is a subsidiary of Hitt Contracting Inc.

The Falls Church, Va.-based Hitt construction firm has been selected as the 2019 ENR MidAtlantic Contractor of the Year.

Taylor Brothers Manufacturing’s roots run deep in northeastern Georgia, but the company has done well by adapting to changing markets and conditions.

Jeff Taylor said the Toccoa, Georgia, company’s work tends to be more custom and in smaller runs, instead of the large-run components that may be imported.

They specialize in architectural millwork and custom glued-up panels, and make architectural interior and exterior components, lineal wood mouldings, fingerjoint stock and mouldings, primed mouldings, do some assembly of components, and provide cabinet doors, jambs and entry doors. 

“We have always been diversified in our millwork, changing and adding machines to do a very wide variety of wood components,” Taylor said.

Lineal wood mouldings, fingerjoint stock andmouldings, and primed mouldings are specialties for the Georgia millwork producer.

Customers are companies that make that architectural millwork, furniture, cabinets, shutters, and windows. Poplar is the most-used species, then maple, sapele, oaks, cypress, basswood, and many others used in lesser amounts.

Taylor said that the company used to serve furniture manufacturers in the area, but now the focus is more on architectural millwork, with components produced in Toccoa winding up in hotels, private schools, court houses, churches, restaurants, custom homes and mobile homes.

Toccoa was a major furniture and casket manufacturing center at one time. The former Trogdon Furniture Co., was nearby, and Habersham is active today as a furniture and cabinet manufacturer. Also in Toccoa is Osborne Wood Products, Inc., a maker of wood table legs, corbels, mouldings and other wood components.

Taylor said that window shutters also used to be a large part of the business. A large customer moved all that business to China, but then returned to Taylor Brothers when the quality of imported shutters was not adequate. Then a new owner bought that company – and the shutter business went back to China.

They are also ready for unexpected markets. A current customer makes beehives, and Taylor manufactures pine components and assembles them with galvanized steel.

Lumber for the fingerjoint process is gang ripped and fed into the computer programed optimizer to cut out the knots and other defects.

Deep roots

Taylor family roots run deep in the area. Jeff Taylor’s great grandfather, a Confederate Army veteran, owned land in the area, ran a steam-powered mill and made wood products. Taylor’s grandparents and parents were also involved in chair and casket manufacturing and his sister now makes hand-crafted wood caskets.

Jeff and brother Kenny started this company in 1991. Kenny was a tool and die maker, and this is still his specialty. They are a third generation manufacturing family, and currently Jeff’s son Jacob represents the fourth generation. He now runs the plant and oversees production from beginning to end of processes. There are 14 employees total. A photo album details the company’s expansions and construction of their current building.

Taylor Brothers Manufacturing does all of their machine tooling in house prior to setting up machines, with a complete tooling department for the cutter knives.

Making mouldings and components

The company has a warehouse to house lumber that is brought in for stock to pull from depending on what the customers need.

“We bring kiln-dried lumber into our 12,000 square foot warehouse, then send bundles to our gang rip area for dimensioning the widths needed for the job,” Jeff Taylor said.

“If we are cutting a lower grade lumber for our fingerjoint process we will grade this lumber after being gang ripped to feed into our computer programed optimizer to cut out the knots and other defects”

“If we are cutting high grade lumber that may be moulding blanks, it is moved to either of our two moulders. One is a high-speed long-run jointed machine and the other is a short-run computer setup machine. We sometimes will have to split the lumber after gang ripping it so we can do that with a thin kerf band saw. Other saws that we use in our lumber preparation include a straight line rip, vertical band, and a sliding panel.

Taylor Brothers Manufacturing also offers a large selection of glued up panels that are glued by a clamp carrier that will handle 16 foot lengths and also RF gluing systems. They use a 42-inch planer-sander, and a 52-inch sander for cleaning up the panels after they are glued up for a smooth finish. Panels that are larger than this are built in sections and hand-built, with finish sanding by palm or belt sanders.

CNC machines can cut out a wide variety of parts and components for special use or to produce items in volume for customers.

The brothers started out with Wadkin moulder equipment, along with a resaw bandsaw. They bought a Weinig Hydromat moulder in 1993, and a Newman Whitney KF-24 gang rip saw. In 2000 they added Cemco widebelt sanders, and an Altendorf F90 saw.

They have a Cemco 52-inch widebelt sander, and a Shoda CNC router. Also here is a Doucet clamp carrier, and an older L&L Machinery Glu-All RF gluing machine for gluing panels. They also added a Weinig Powermat that Taylor said could handle 25 setups in a day if tooling is available.

Taylor Brothers Manufacturing also does all of their machine tooling in house prior to setting up machines, with a complete tooling department for the cutter knives, as well as CAD drawings, and templates produced for a no waiting process to produce lineal profiles quickly for customers.

The company also has prime lines for priming and sanding profiles once they come off of one of the moulders. They use a Makor UV finishing system for priming and spray lines for lacquer and water-based coatings when required by customers. About half of their products are finished, and they do some assembly but mostly sell individual components.

“We cross train our employees so that they can move from machine to machine to operate and work together to be more effective,” Jeff Taylor said. “We have been green with our waste since we opened our plant in 1991, selling our sawdust and shavings to companies that pick up and deliver them into poultry houses.” (Nearby Gainesville is a center of poultry activity.)

Jacob Taylor, left, represents the fourth generation of the family and is running most of the operations and is looking at new opportunities to grow and expand, along with Jeff Taylor, right.

The company has focused on making better quality products, with quicker turnaround time in production, less waste, and more control of the entire process.

For the future, Jeff Taylor said an expansion is planned. “We are looking at expanding the plant to better handle current and future production needs,” he said. “We have some younger blood (Jacob) running most of the operations now and are looking at new opportunities to grow and expand.”

“There’s still a need for the short-run product,” Taylor said. “The long-run product is seeking the lowest price. We’re able to provide that work today while raw material costs have gone up. I see a lot of potential for growth in architectural and custom work.”

Future plans for Jacob Taylor include exploring end-use products rather than supplying components to other companies. Also, Jacob has a 13-year-old son, Aiden, who may enter the business. By that time the customer mix may be different.

A goal is to seek opportunities for the company to make end-use products. “We want to have our own product,” Jeff Taylor said.

FACTS

Taylor Brothers Manufacturing

Toccoa, Georgia

Architectural millwork, mouldings, panels and components

Employees: 14

http://Taylorbrothersmfg.com

COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. -- Andersen Corp. broke ground recently on an expansion of its Renewal by Andersen manufacturing campus in Cottage Grove, near St. Paul.

The expansion, adjacent to the existing Renewal by Andersen facility, will include a 350,000-square-foot Value Add Center to accommodate manufacturing, warehouse and office space.

Andersen plans to invest more than $35 million in the expansion and is expected to create at least 125 new jobs to support growing demand for products made by Renewal by Andersen.

"We are excited to expand our Renewal by Andersen operations to support the rapid growth of this business and the signature service our customers know and expect," said Andersen Corp. chairman and CEO Jay Lund. "We are proud to invest in our Minnesota-based operations and are grateful for the support of the City of Cottage Grove, the Minnesota Department of Economic Development led by Commissioner Grove, and Governor Walz and the State of Minnesota."

The new facility will alleviate current space constraints by providing warehouse, office, distribution and additional parking space. With the new Value Add Center, the existing manufacturing facility will be reorganized for future manufacturing expansions.

In recent years, Andersen has achieved growth driven in part by its products made with proprietary Fibrex engineered composite, including its Renewal by Andersen product lines. This expansion is part of the company's strategy to make significant investments to meet current and future demand for its Fibrex material-based products.

LAVAL, Quebec -- Uniboard, a North American designer and producer of TFL decorative composite wood panels, has announced the introduction of Studio, a collection of 20 digital designs. These new colors will be available at Uniboard’s authorized melamine distributors and were scheduled to be unveiled during the Wood Design Show in Quebec City. 

Inspired by the arts and creative expression, Studio is comprised of 20 designs, offered in the vellum finish on a particleboard or MDF core. These are mainly aimed at the architectural, commercial and institutional segments, especially large-scale projects.

"We asked ourselves: what could we offer our design-oriented customers? We want to provide them with products that allow them to stand out from the crowd and deliver projects that live up to their inspirations,” said Don Raymond, vice president, marketing and U.S. sales.

The new colors are also available on HPL. See http://www.uniboard.com.

HOUSTON – Quanex Building Products has announced that Woodcraft Industries, a Quanex company, has received the Kentucky Governor’s Safety and Health Award at its Bowling Green, Kentucky operation.

The award is a recognition of Kentucky organizations with outstanding safety and health performance. The award helps to encourage the development of programs designed to reduce and eliminate occupational injuries. It is given to businesses and their employees who have achieved 500,000 hours or more without a lost-time injury or illness at their workplace.

“Safety is a guiding principle for Quanex, in every facility we operate,” said Nate Dalrymple, human resources generalist, Quanex Building Products. “Our employees work hard every day to ensure that everyone goes home after working safely, and the Kentucky Governor’s Award is a fulfilling recognition of our total organizational commitment to safe operation.”

“This award is a reflection of our team’s constant effort to work safely while delivering quality products to our customers,” said Isaiah Harville, plant manager, Woodcraft Industries. “Safe operation takes everyone’s effort, and it’s a never-ending journey. This award is an important milestone along that journey.”

Woodcraft is a manufacturer of hardwood and laminated componentry, with 13 production facilities throughout North America. To learn more, visit http://www.WoodcraftInd.com.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -- Katerra, a vertically integrated construction company, selected USNR as the major supplier for its new Cross Laminated Timber manufacturing complex located in Spokane Valley. It will reportedly be the largest CLT production plant in North America with new technology provided by USNR. It will give Katerra the ability to pre-qualify the lumber that goes into its CLT panels. Whether green or dry they can regrade it on site to make adjustments.
 
Katerra's business model spans new building, material sales, and renovations. The company is positioned as the architect, material supplier, manufacturer, general contractor, and project manager. Katerra will obtain both green and dry lumber, grade it, and evaluate its properties with options to re-dry it and plane it as candidate stock for CLT panels.

Pressed layers exit the press as a CLT panel and are transferred to the finishing area for sanding and machining electrical outlets, windows, and notches for beams. The CLT panel is then labeled and trucked to a jobsite. The new plant will be fully operational in the fall of 2019. See usnr.com.

POTOMAC FALLS, Va. --  AWI Board of Directors reviewed the AWI Executive Vice President Search Committee's report and recommendation of Doug Hague as Philip Duvic's successor effective January 1, 2020.

Following the board's unanimous vote on that recommendation, Directors enthusiastically endorsed Hague in his new role as the AWI EVP. Duvic has been associated with AWI since November 2000 and was appointed as executive vice president in 2005. Hague held the title of AWI Education Director since July 2016.

Prior to the Board's vote, Doug Mock, chair of the EVP Search Committee connected to the board meeting by teleconference call and reported that nearly 80 applicants were received and reviewed in the selection process which resulted in a selection of  three qualified finalist EVP candidates.

Each of the three finalist candidates was interviewed by the EVP Search Committee in face to face meetings. At the conclusion of those interviews, the EVP Search Committee selected Hague as their recommended EVP candidate for consideration by the AWI Board of Directors. 

In September through December, Duvic and Hague will be working together to ensure a successful transition into his new role as the AWI Executive Vice President. That transition process will include a number of face-to-face meetings and conference calls, some of which will include many AWI members of the AWI staff team. See http://www.awinet.org.

For the largest producers of cabinets, contract and residential furniture, millwork and store fixtures, the past year was one of steady growth. Overall, sales for the FDMC 300 group of companies grew 4.75 percent in 2018, the most recent year completed, to reach $54.691 billion.

The FDMC 300 is a group of the 300 largest cabinet, furniture, millwork, store fixtures, office/contract and component producers in North America The companies are ranked by annual sales each year in the February issue of FDMC.

The top 10 lists are compiled from information published in the FDMC 300; with updated information included when available. This year’s FDMC 300 is sponsored by Pollmeier Inc.

More information on the FDMC 300 can be found at Woodworkingnetwork.com/FDMC-300. If your company has more than $10 million in sales this year, we would like to hear from you. Email: karl.forth@woodworkingnetwork.com.

Top cabinetry manufacturers

1. MasterBrand Cabinets
Main Location: Jasper, IN; Divisions: Aristokraft, Decora, Diamond, Dynasty, HomeCrest, Kemper, KitchenCraft, Norcraft, Omega, Schrock, WoodCrafters; Annual Sales: $2.390 billion* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 16 -- Talladega, AL; Waterloo, IA; Arthur, IL; Ferdinand, Goshen, Huntingburg, Jasper (2), Kinston, NC; Grants Pass, OR; Weslaco, TX; Winnipeg, MB; Valle Hermoso, Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Gomez Palacio, Mexico; and six Norcraft locations; Total Square Footage: 6 million; Products: Stock, semi-custom and custom fully assembled kitchen and bath cabinets; frameless RTA; Total Employees: 12,000

2. American Woodmark Corp.
Main Location: Winchester, VA; Divisions: Timberlake, Shenandoah Cabinetry, Potomac; Annual Sales: $1.7 billion ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 18 -- Kingman, AZ; Anaheim, Mira Loma, CA; Jackson, Toccoa, GA; Gas City, IN; Monticello, KY; Allegany County, MD; Lincolnton, NC; Humboldt, TN; Berryville, Dallas, TX; Orange, VA; Tijuana, Mexico; Total Square Footage: 5 million; Products: Stock and semi-custom kitchen and bath cabinets; Total Employees: 10,000

3. Masco Corp.
Main Location: Livonia, MI; Divisions: KraftMaid Cabinetry, Merillat Industries, Masco Retail Cabinet, Quality Cabinets; Annual Sales: $965 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 8 (domestic) -- Middlefield, Orwell, OH; Los Lunas, NM; Culpeper, Mt. Jackson, VA, Wilson, PA, Mt. Sterling, KY; Duncanville, TX; Total Square Footage: 5 million; Products: Cabinets; Stock and semi-custom assembled and ready-to-assemble kitchen and bath cabinets; other room cabinets; Total Employees: 10,000

4. ACProducts, Inc.
Main Location: The Colony, TX; Divisions: Advanta, Echelon; Annual Sales: $250 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Mount Union, Thompsontown, PA; Total Square Footage: 400,000; Products: Stock and semi-custom kitchen and bath cabinets; Total Employees: 1,000

5. Elkay Wood Products Co. (ACProducts acquisition early 2019)
Main Location: Waconia, MN; Divisions: Mastercraft, Medallion, Yorktowne, Design-Craft, Schuler, Woodbridge, American Cabinetry Collection; Annual Sales: $250 million* ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 6 -- Aurora, CO; Culver, IN; New Ulm, Waconia, MN; Independence, OR; Mifflinburg, PA; Total Square Footage: 2 million+; Products: Semi-custom kitchen and bath cabinets; Total Employees: 2,500

6. Wellborn Cabinet Inc.
Main Location: Ashland, AL; Divisions: Cabinetry by Karman; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Ashland, Lineville, AL; Salt Lake City, UT; Total Square Footage: 2 million; Products: Stock, semi-custom and custom kitchen and bath cabinets; whole home solution closet cabinets and storage systems; Total Employees: 1,550

7. Foremost Groups Inc.
Main Location: East Hanover, NJ; Divisions: Kitchen & Bath Div., Home Div., OEM Div., Canada Div.; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 6 -- Woodland, CA; East Hanover, NJ; Hobart, IN; Rizhao, Shenzen, Shandong, China; Total Square Footage: 340,000; Products: Decorative bath and kitchen cabinetry, metal parts, computer desks, entertainment centers, patio furniture; Total Employees: 1,600

8. Wood-Mode Inc.
Main Location: Kreamer, PA; Divisions: Wood-Mode, Brookhaven; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('18) Manufacturing Plants: 1 -- Kreamer, PA; Total Square Footage: 1.2 million; Products: Custom and semi-custom kitchen and bath cabinets, custom cabinetry for other rooms; Total Employees: 1,000

9. W W Wood Products Inc.
Main Location: Dudley, MO; Divisions: Shilo Cabinetry, Eclipse Cabinetry, Aspect Cabinetry; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('19); Manufacturing Plants: 4 -- Dudley, MO; Total Square Footage: 1,500,000; Products: Kitchen/bath cabinets, millwork/mouldings, custom kitchen/bath cabinets, mouldings, cabinet doors; Total Employees: 1,200

10. Leedo Mfg. – 2018
Main Location: Stafford, TX; Divisions: Leedo Cabinetry; Annual Sales: $100 million* ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- East Bernard, El Campo, TX; Total Square Footage: 265,000; Products: Stock/custom kitchen cabinets, bath vanities, laminate, granite, and quartz countertops; Total Employees: 600

(Note Wood-Mode was listed before its closure, sale, and acquisition by Bill French.)

Top contract furniture manufacturers

1. Steelcase Inc.
Main Location: Grand Rapids, MI; Divisions: Coalesse, Turnstone, Steelcase Health, Details, Vectra; Annual Sales: $3.055 billion ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 21 -- Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Gaines Township, MI; Atlanta, GA; Athens, AL; City of Industry, Corona, CA; Clymer, Dixonville, PA; Okmulgee, OK; Tijuana, Mexico; Total Square Footage: 11.8 million; Products: Seating, lighting, storage, furniture systems, interior architectural products, technology products and related products and services; Total Employees: 10,700

2. Herman Miller Inc.
Main Location: Zeeland, MI; Divisions: Nemschoff, Geiger, Maharam, ELA International; Annual Sales: $2.381 billion ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 10 -- Atlanta, GA; Holland, Spring Lake, Zeeland, MI; Hildebran, NC; Sheboygan, WI; Melksham, England; Dongguan, Ningbo, China; Bangalore, India; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Total Square Footage: 4 million; Products: Contract/office furniture and related services, and residential furniture -- desks, office systems, office chairs, healthcare systems, manufacturing and laboratory systems, home office, occasional furniture, education furniture; Total Employees: 7,600

3. Haworth Inc.
Main Location: Holland, MI; Divisions: Health Care Environments; Annual Sales: $2.04 billion ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 17 -- Big Rapids, Holland, Kentwood, Ludington, MI; Bruce, MS; High Point, NC; Canada; China; France; Germany; India; Portugal; Spain; Total Square Footage: 5.5 million; Products: Contract/office furniture; systems furniture, office chairs and seating, desks, filing/storage, casegoods, tables (computer, conference, occasional, training, work), upholstered guest chairs; Total Employees: 7,000

4. HNI Corp.
Main Location: Muscatine, IA; Divisions: Allsteel, Gunlocke, HON, HNI International, Maxon, Paoli, HBF, Lamex, bpergo; Annual Sales: $1.7 billion* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 10 -- Cedartown, GA; Mt. Pleasant, Muscatine, IA; Wayland, NY; Total Square Footage: n/a Products: Contract/office furniture; desks, credenzas, filing/storage, office systems, office chairs, bookcases, conference tables, home office furniture, glass walls; Total Employees: 8,500

5. Knoll Inc.
Main Location: East Greenville, PA; Divisions: KnollExtra, KnollStudio, KnollTextiles, Spinneybeck, Muuto; Annual Sales: $1.26 billion* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 6 -- Grand Rapids, Muskegon, MI; East Greenville, PA; Toronto, ON; Foligno, Graffignana, Italy; Total Square Footage: 2.5 million (North America); Products: Contract/office furniture; office systems, office seating, desks, casegoods, file and storage cabinets, executive office furnishings, tables, lounge chairs, sofas, contract textiles, leathers; Total Employees: 4,000

6. Global Furniture Group
Main Location: Downsview, ON; Divisions: Global Contract, Globalcare, Offices to Go; Annual Sales: $1 billion* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 40 -- Downsview, Ontario; Marlton, NJ (U.S. headquarters); Total Square Footage: 4 million+; Products: Contract/office furniture, RTA furniture, office chairs, office seating, filing/storage, desks, office systems, conference tables, bookcases, sofas, upholstered chairs, swivels, meeting/training room furniture, hospitality, healthcare, education; Total Employees: 4,500

7. Kimball International Inc.
Main Location: Jasper, IN; Divisions: Kimball Hospitality, Kimball Office, National Office Furniture, D'Style; Annual Sales: $685.6 million ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 11 -- Borden, Jasper, Salem, Santa Claus, IN; Danville, Fordsville, KY; Martinsville, VA; Tijuana, Mexico; Total Square Footage: 3.29 million; Products: Office and hospitality furniture, cabinet products; Total Employees: 3,075

8. KI
Main Location: Green Bay, WI; Divisions: KI Canada, KI Europe Middle East Africa, Pallas Textiles, Spacesaver; Annual Sales: $650 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 7 -- Tupelo, MS; High Point, NC; Green Bay, Bonduel, Manitowoc, Fort Atkinson, WI; Pembroke, ON; Total Square Footage: 1.9 million; Products: Contract/institutional furniture -- chairs, ergonomic seating, conference tables, filing/storage, university/classroom furniture, auditorium seating, wall systems, adjustable work surfaces, healthcare furniture; Total Employees: 3,000

9. Teknion Corp.
Main Location: Toronto, ON; Annual Sales: $500 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 21 -- Calgary, AB; Concord, Markham, Toronto, ON; Montmagny, St. Vallier; St. Romuald, QC; Clayton, NC, Malaysia; Total Square Footage: 2.5 million; Products: Contract/office furniture; office chairs, office seating, filing/storage, desks, office systems, conference tables, bookcases, love seats, sofas, upholstered chairs, architectural wall systems; Total Employees: 3,400

10. OFS Brands Inc.
Main Location: Huntingburg, IN; Divisions: OFS, Carolina, Bryan Ashley; Annual Sales: $404 million ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 10 -- Huntingburg, IN; Huntington Beach, CA; Leitchfield, KY; Archdale, NC;  Total Square Footage: 1,500,000; Products: Contract/office furniture; desks, filing/storage, open plan, conference tables, office chairs, office seating; healthcare, education and hospitality furniture; Total Employees: 1,850

Top residential furniture manufacturers

1. Ashley Furniture Industries Inc.
Main Location: Arcadia, WI; Divisions: Ashley Casegoods, Ashley Upholstery, Millennium; Annual Sales: $5.209 billion ('18) (excluding retail); Manufacturing Plants: 12 -- Ecru, Ripley, Verona, MS; Advance, NC; Leesport, PA; Arcadia, Independence, Whitehall, WI; Tan Uyen District, Binh Duong City, Vietnam; Kunshan, China; Total Square Footage: 20,000,000; Products: Residential furniture; dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, desks, occasional furniture, upholstered furniture, motion furniture, lamps, leather upholstery, recliners, outdoor furniture; Total Employees: 27,000

2. La-Z-Boy Inc.
Main Location: Monroe, MI; Divisions: Upholstery Group: England, Casegoods Group: American Drew, Hammary, Kincaid; Annual Sales: $1.338 billion ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 8 -- Siloam Springs, AR; Redlands, CA; Newton, MS; Neosho, MO; Lenoir, Taylorsville, NC; Dayton, Morristown, TN; Total Square Footage: 5 million; Products: Residential furniture, contract/office furniture and commercial/hospitality furniture -- recliners, sofa sleepers, sofas, love seats, occasional chairs, power recliners, lift chairs, massage chairs, pedestal chair; Total Employees: 8,500

3. Dorel Industries, Inc.
Main Location: Montreal, QC; Divisions: Altra, Ameriwood, Cosco Home & Office, Dorel Asia, Dorel Home Products, Ridgewood, Carina, SystemBuild; Annual Sales: $795 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 5 -- Columbus, IN; Tiffin, OH; Cornwall, ON; Montreal, QC; Helmond, Holland; Products: Residential furniture and RTA furniture; juvenile furniture, entertainment centers, bookcases, desks, metal furniture, metal folding furniture, child restraint systems, futons; Total Employees: 4,500

4. Hooker Furniture Corp.
Main Location: Martinsville, VA; Divisions: Home Meridian, Bradington-Young, Sam Moore Furniture LLC, Pulaski, Samuel Lawrence; Annual Sales: $645 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Hickory, NC; Bedford, VA; Vietnam; Total Square Footage: 2.5 million (incl. distribution); Products: Residential furniture; bedroom furniture, occasional furniture, entertainment centers, desks, bookcases, home office, home theater, fabric chairs, leather upholstery; Total Employees: 900

5. Flexsteel Industries Inc.
Main Location: Dubuque, IA; Divisions: DMI Furniture; Annual Sales: $489 million ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 6 -- Harrison, AR; Riverside, CA; Dublin, GA; Dubuque, IA; Starkville, MS; Juarez, Mexico; Total Square Footage: 2,120,000; Products: Residential furniture, Commercial contract/office furniture and recreational furniture -- upholstered chairs, sofas, love seats, recliners, swivel/rockers, office chairs, office seating, occasional tables, desks, dining tables, bedroom furniture; Total Employees: 1,400

6. Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.
Main Location: Danbury, CT; Divisions: Ethan Allen Global Inc., Ethan Allen Retail Inc., Ethan Allen Operations Inc.; Annual Sales: $475.7 million ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 9 -- Maiden, Old Fort, NC; Passaic, NJ; Orleans, VT, Silao, Mexico; Honduras; Total Square Footage: 3.2 million; Products: Residential furniture, dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, occasional furniture, home theater, home office, upholstered chairs, sofas, love seats, swivel/rockers, indoor/outdoor furniture, accents; Total Employees: 4,000

7. Brown Jordan International
Main Location: St. Augustine, FL; Divisions: Brown Jordan, Tropitone, Winston, Casual Living, Charter, Wabash Valley; Annual Sales: $400 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 8 -- El Monte, Irvine, CA; Sarasota, FL; Silver Lake, IN; Juarez, Mexico; Total Square Footage: 1 million; Products: Outdoor furniture, contract/office furniture, office chairs, upholstered chairs, sofas, love seats; hotel, restaurant, and health care seating; aluminum casual furniture; Total Employees: 1,600

8. Klaussner Furniture Industries
Main Location: Asheboro, NC; Divisions: Klaussner International, Enso, Candor Creek, Comfort Design, Klaussner Outdoor; Annual Sales: $350 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Asheboro, Candor, NC Total Square Footage: 1.8 million; Products: Residential furniture, stationary upholstery, leather, reclining furniture, sleeper sofas, dining, bedroom, occasional tables; Total Employees: 1,700

9. Bassett Furniture Industries
Main Location: Bassett, VA; Divisions: Lane Venture, Casegoods, Table, Upholstery; Annual Sales: $255 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Newton, NC; Martinsville, VA; Products: Residential and office furniture; dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, home office, juvenile furniture, entertainment centers, occasional furniture, upholstered chairs, sofas, love seats, recliners, desks, office systems, office chairs; Total Employees: 2,000

10. Century Furniture/RHF Investments
Main Location: Hickory, NC; Divisions: Century, Highland House, Hancock & Moore, Jessica Charles, Cabot Wrenn, Hickory Chair, Maitland-Smith, Pearson; Annual Sales: $250 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 9 -- Hickory, Lenoir, NC; Vietnam, Philippines; Total Square Footage: 2 million; Products: Residential furniture -- dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, occasional furniture, entertainment centers, upholstered chairs, sofas, love seats, swivel/rockers, sectionals, contract seating and tables; Total Employees: 1,500

Top architectural woodwork/millwork manufacturers

1. Masonite International Corp.
Main Location: Tampa, FL; Annual Sales: $1.429 billion ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 12 --Haleyville, AL; Largo, FL, Mason City, IA; Shelbyville, KY; Verdi, NV; Charlotte, Greensboro, NC; Northumberland, PA; Denmark, SC; Stanley, VA; Marshfield, WI; Mexico; Total Square Footage: 1 million+ Products: Millwork: Interior and exterior doors for residential new construction; Total Employees: 10,000

2. Alexandria Moulding (U.S. Lumber)
Main Location: Alexandria, ON; Divisions: Royal Woodworking Co.; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Moxee, WA; Alexandria, Aurora, ON; Total Square Footage: 846,000; Products: Millwork/mouldings; mouldings, stair parts, post covers, columns, related products; Total Employees: 500

3. Mission Bell Manufacturing, Inc.
Main Location: Morgan Hill, CA; Annual Sales: $75 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 1 -- Morgan Hill, CA; Total Square Footage: 80,000 sq. ft.; Products: Millwork, custom commercial millwork and casework for health care, technology, education and hospitality; Total Employees:  250

4. Koetter Woodworking Inc.
Main Location: Borden, IN; Annual Sales: $60 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 1--Borden, IN; Total Square Footage: 1,200,000 square feet; Products: Millwork, solid wood doors and stair parts, cabinet and furniture components; Total Employees: 325

5. Glenn Rieder, Inc.
Main Location: West Allis, WI; Divisions: Quality Cabinet & Fixture, Shamrock Installations, Shamrock Metals; Annual Sales: $55 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- West Allis, WI; Tijuana, Mexico; Total Square Footage: 200,000 sq. ft.; Products: Architectural millwork for hotels, casinos, corporate offices, institutional, sports facilities, and retail; Total Employees: 260

6. Merritt
Main Location: Mentor, Ohio; Annual Sales: $53 million ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Mentor, OH; Lodi, CA; Total Square Footage: 150,000; Products: High-end monumental millwork applications for residential and yacht interiors, luxury interiors for superyachts; Total Employees: 300

7. Barnett Millworks Inc.
Main Location: Theodore, AL; Annual Sales: $50 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 1 -- Theodore, AL;  Total Square Footage: 400,000; Products: Architectural woodwork and millwork/mouldings, windows/doors, stair treads, risers; Total Employees: 250

8. Appalachian Wood Products Inc.
Main Location: Clearfield, PA; Annual Sales: $47 million ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 1 -- Clearfield, PA; Total Square Footage: 303,000; Products: Millwork/mouldings; wood components, kitchen cabinet doors, cabinet framing, drawer fronts; Total Employees: 308

9. Contact Industries (Endura Industries)
Main Location: Clackamas, OR; Annual Sales: $40 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 1 -- Prineville, OR; Total Square Footage: 555,000; Products: Millwork/mouldings, cabinet components, windows, door frames, cut stock, veneer wrapped products, furniture components; Total Employees: 215

10. Imperial Woodworking Co.
Main Location: Palatine, IL; Divisions: Calmar Manufacturing Co., Imperial Architectural Finishing; Annual Sales: $40 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Palatine, IL; Colorado Springs, CO; Calmar, IA; Total Square Footage: 240,000; Products: Custom architectural woodwork, wood doors & frames, paneling, custom furniture, store fixtures, modular casework; Total Employees: 250

Top store fixture manufacturers

1. Lozier Corp.
Main Location: Omaha, NE; Annual Sales: $500 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 9 -- Omaha, NE; Scottsboro, AL (2); Middlebury, IN; Joplin, MO; Union, MO; McClure, PA; Total Square Footage: 5.2 million; Products: Store fixtures and retail displays, commercial cabinets, countertops, storage and material handling systems; Total Employees: 1,800

2. idX Corp.
Main Location: Earth City, MO; Divisions: Baltimore, Chicago, China, Dallas, Dayton, India, London, Los Angeles, Louisville, Mexico City, New York, North Carolina, Seattle, S.F. Bay Area, St. Louis, Tokyo, Toronto; Annual Sales: $350 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 10 -- Ontario, CA; Jeffersonville, IN; Columbia, MD; Washington, NC; Dayton, OH; Cedar Hill, TX; Fredericksburg, VA; Puyallup, WA; Leicestershire, UK; Wujiang City, China; Total Square Footage: 3,100,000; Products: Custom fixtures, displays and millwork for the retail, financial and hospitality markets; Total Employees: 1,500

3. L.A. Darling Co.
Main Location: Paragould, AR; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Paragould, AR; Mexico City; Total Square Footage: 1.5 million; Products: Wood and metal store fixtures, point-of-purchase displays; Total Employees: 500

4. Artitalia Group
Main Location: Montreal, QC; Divisions: Artitalia, Hemsley Furniture, International Visual Corp.; Annual Sales: $85 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Montreal, QC; Total Square Footage: 700,000; Products: Store fixtures, displays, hotel furniture; Total Employees: 450

5. Colony Inc.
Main Location: Elgin, IL; Annual Sales: $75 million* ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- St. Charles, Elgin, IL; Xiamen, China; Total Square Footage: 550,000; Products: Store fixtures, point-of-purchase displays; Total Employees: 500

6. Fetzer Architectural Woodwork
Main Location: Salt Lake City, UT; Divisions: Architectural Millwork, Store Fixtures, Library and Corporate Furniture; Annual Sales: $75 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Salt Lake City, UT; Total Square Footage: 220,000; Products: Architectural woodwork, store fixtures, library and corporate furniture; Total Employees: 300

7. Fleetwood Fixtures
Main Location: Leesport, PA; Divisions: Sister company, High Country; Annual Sales: $70 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 1 -- Leesport, PA; Total Square Footage: 287,000; Products: Custom retail store fixtures, design development services, value engineering, project management, installation, logistics; Total Employees: 160

8. American Display & Fixture
Main Location: Chattanooga, TN; Annual Sales: $50 million* ('17); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Calhoun, Dalton, GA; Chattanooga, TN; Total Square Footage: 800,000; Products: Store fixtures, retail displays; Total Employees: 250

9. Amstore Corp.
Main Location: Grand Rapids, MI; Annual Sales: $50 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 2 -- Grand Rapids, MI; Shanghai, China; Total Square Footage: 200,000; Products: Store fixtures; Total Employees: 200

10. JSI Store Fixtures
Main Location: Milo, ME; Annual Sales: $50 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 5 -- Milo, Bangor, ME; Greenville, SC; Payson, UT; Collingwood, ON; Total Square Footage: 260,000; Products: Custom store display fixtures; Total Employees: 350

Top window & door manufacturers

1. Andersen Corp.
Main Location: Bayport, MN; Divisions: Eagle Window & Door, EMCO Doors, KML Windows, Dashwood Industries, Renewal by Andersen; Annual Sales: $2.5 billion* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 9 -- Bayport, Cottage Grove, MN; Menomonie, WI; Des Moines, Dubuque, IA; Luray, VA; Centralia, Strathroy, London, ON; Total Square Footage: 2.8 million (Bayport); Products: Millwork; windows and doors; Total Employees: 11,000

2. Jeld-Wen Inc.
Main Location: Charlotte, NC; Annual Sales: $2.15 billion* ('17) (North Am); Manufacturing Plants: 16 -- Rantoul, IL; Mount Vernon, OH; Bend, OR; Hawkins, WI, Hartselle, AL; Rocklin, CA; Kissimmee, FL; Grinnell. IA; Grand Rapids, MI; Lexington, NC; Chiloquin, Klamath Falls, OR; Sunbury, PA; Temple, TX, Ludlow, VT, Oshkosh, WI; Products: Wood windows and doors, millwork, exterior and interior doors; Total Employees: 9,000

3. Pella Corp.
Main Location: Pella, IA; Divisions: Efco, Duratherm, Reilly Windows & Doors, Grabill; Annual Sales: $1.25 billion* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 14 -- Ames, Carroll, Pella, Shenandoah, Sioux Center, IA: South San Francisco, CA; Macomb, IL; Murray, KY; Vassalboro, ME; Almont, MI; Calverton, NY; Portland, OR; Gettysburg, PA; Wylie, TX; Products: Windows and doors; Total Employees: 6,000

4. Marvin Windows and Doors
Main Location: Warroad, MN; Divisions: Integrity Windows, Infinity Windows, TruStile; Annual Sales: $600 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 8 -- Warroad, MN; Northwood, IA; Fargo, Grafton, West Fargo, ND; Ripley, TN; Baker City, OR; Roanoke, VA; Total Square Footage: 3.4 million; Products: Millwork; windows, doors; Total Employees: 5,500

5. Weather Shield Mfg. Inc.
Main Location: Medford, WI; Annual Sales: $300 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 6 -- Ladysmith, Medford, Park Falls, WI; Total Square Footage: 1 million; Products: Custom-built windows and doors for residential and commercial; Total Employees: 1,900

6. Metrie Inc.
Main Location: Vancouver, BC; Annual Sales: $250 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 7 -- Lexington, KY; Richmond, VA; Ferndale, WA; Clearwood, Surrey, BC; Calgary, AB; Toronto, ON; Products: Solid wood and composite mouldings, window, door and flooring components; Total Employees: 1,500

7. VT Industries Inc.
Main Location: Holstein, IA; Annual Sales: $250 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 8 -- La Mirada, CA; Rome, GA; Holstein, Sac City, IA; Hagerstown, MD; Roseburg, OR; Bryan, San Antonio, TX; Boucherville, QC; Total Square Footage: 1 million+; Products: Architectural wood doors, postformed laminate countertops, stone surfaces; Total Employees: 1,500

8. Woodgrain Millwork, Inc.
Main Location: Fruitland, ID; Divisions: Ashworth Door, Monarch Windows and Doors, Windsor Windows and Doors; Annual Sales: $250 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 9 -- Anniston, AL, Albany, GA; Fruitland, ID; West Des Moines, IA; Monroe, NC; Greenville, TX; Marion, VA; Los Angeles, Chile; Dalian, China; Products: Millwork; wood and aluminum-clad windows and doors, vinyl windows, pine doors and mouldings, lineal mouldings, exterior door components; Total Employees: 3,000

9. Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co. Inc.
Main Location: Wausau, WI; Divisions: Kolbe Vinyl Windows, Point Five Windows; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 3 -- Manawa, Wausau, WI; Fort Collins, CO; Total Square Footage: 1.2 million; Products: Millwork, mouldings; windows, doors; Total Employees:  1,000

10. Quanex Building Products (Wood Components)
Main Location: Chatsworth, IL; Annual Sales: $150 million* ('18); Manufacturing Plants: 7--Chatsworth, IL; Richmond, IN; Dubuque, IA; Mounds View, MN; Luck, Rice Lake, WI; Products: Millwork; window and door components; Total Employees: 600

In addition to FDMC 300: Closets & home organization (information compiled by Michaelle Bradford)

The Freedonia Group projects closet home organization products to grow 4.8 percent annually reaching $3.4 billion in 2023. Also, according to its Home Organization Products study, demand for home organization products for all rooms across the home - closets, garages, family rooms, bedrooms, pantries and kitchens, and bathrooms and utility rooms - is projected to reach $12.7 billion in 2023 with an increase of 3.8% per year. Top companies include:

•Newell Brands has a pro division – Rubbermaid Pro – offering custom wire and wood closets, garage systems and more. Its main location is Hoboken, New Jersey. rubbermaidpro.com

•The Container Store a retailer of storage and organization products and solutions including its TCS Custom Closets, which now has four custom closet lines: elfa, elfa Décor, Avera, and Laren, recently opened its first custom closet store concept in Los Angeles. Its headquarters is located in Coppell, Texas. containerstore.com

•One of the largest closet and home storage franchises, California Closets is owned by FirstService Brands and is headquartered in Richmond, California. californiaclosets.com

•ClosetMaid offers a consumer and professional line of home organization products. Located in Ocala, Florida, it is part Griffon Corp.’s Home Building Products division. closetmaid.com

•Organized Living offers storage and organization products including freedomRAIL, for the whole home. The company sells through dealers, retailers and online. Organized Living is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. organizedliving.com

•The Stow Co. makes storage solutions under four brands: EasyClosets, ORG Home, Easy Track, and Inspired Closets. The Stow Co. is located in Holland, Michigan. thestowcompany.com

•Closet & Storage Concepts/More Space Place provides closet and organizing systems and murphy beds through nationwide locations. It’s headquartered in West Berlin, New Jersey. closetandstorageconcepts.com

•Closet Factory manufactures and installs custom storage solutions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the franchise has locations across the United States.  closetfactory.com

•Organizers Direct was started by Neil Balter, the founder of California Closets, in 1995. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, it has more than 250 dealers in the U.S., Canada and Cayman Islands. organizersdirect.com

•Tailored Living featuring PremierGarage, is a brand of Home Franchise Concepts with over 200 North American franchise territories. It’s headquartered in Irvine, California. tailoredliving.com

•EncoreGarage makes garage cabinets and storage solutions. Headquartered in East Dundee, Illinois, it has eight locations nationwide. encoregarage.com

•Founded in 1982, Closets By Design, Garden Grove, California, offers custom home organization solutions with franchises across North America. closetsbydesign.com

New technology gives helps these WOOD 100 companies finish first by reducing time, labor and improving quality. What follows are some of the methods put in place by the 2019 WOOD 100 class, which includes cabinet manufacturers, residential and office furniture producers, architectural woodworkers, wood component manufacturers, closet companies and more.

Now in its 30th year, the WOOD 100: Strategies for Success highlights the innovative as well as tried-and-true initiatives put in place by 100 North American wood products manufacturers to grow their businesses. Here's what some of them had to share for technology integration:

Conestoga Wood Specialties, East Earl, PA —  Recent investments in new technology, including a state-of-the-art flatline finishing line and edgebanders, have helped the company improve productivity and increase profits.

“Consistency and dependability have been the main factors to our company’s success for the past two-plus decades,” said Jeffery Eichenseer, director of Marketing & Product Development. “It’s our quality, our on-time complete delivery, our willingness to stand behind our products, the accuracy of our literature and our willingness to continually seek out what is new and provide it to our customers.”

Conestoga manufactures doors plus a wide array of cabinetry components, including wood, MDF, Decorative Laminate Veneers (DLV) and Thermally Textured Surfaces (TTS/TFL). Priming, painting and staining services are also offered.

Premier EuroCase, Denver, CO —  The full-service panel processor is the first in the U.S. with two Homag HPS 320 flexTec robotic saws. It recently added the KAL 370 profiLine, which communicates with the saw to automatically feed pieces for laser edgebanding. Premier EuroCase specializes in lamination, components, store fixtures and cut-to-size doors.

“Our autonomous production line goes from inventory to finished components without any human interaction necessary. This increased efficiency facilitated a 50% reduction in lead time in 2019 - from 10 days to 5,” said Jill Rosenberger, marketing manager.

“We also expanded our Reflekt high-gloss and UltraMatte acrylic collections by adding blue and sage colors to both. This prepared us for the blue and green trends happening in 2019. We also added metallics to the UltraMatte line.”

More Tech Heads

Pinelli Universal, Atlanta, GA

A manufacturer of millwork products for the 2-step distributor market of the U.S., the company invested recently in new cut and rip lines to improve production. “We offer a high-quality product with highly mixed loads and deliver in shorter delivery times,” said Andres Sosa, sales director. Sales at the multi-million dollar firm grew 4.2%.

Our Country Home Enterprises Inc., Harlan, IN

To help further speed production and reduce delivery times, “We built a 30,000-square-foot robotic cutting facility adding 4 CNC machines, a robotic beam saw, and a laser bander, with other automatic support machines,” said Thom Blake. Also added was a membrane press. Planned for 2019 is a CNC upgrade for plant 1, wood grinders and robotic material handlers. Sales grew 3.7% for the store fixtures and props manufacturer.

PT Signature Cabinetry LLC, Lebanon, MO

Sales projections are “excellent” for the custom residential and commercial cabinet and closets firm. Along with customer service, Owner Abe Penner cited the purchase in 2018 of a CNC router, automated edgebander and straightline ripsaw, for helping productivity and quality. 2019 purchases include a RazorGage automatic saw system.

EFC Kitchens Inc., Concord, ON

A manufacturer of high-end kitchen cabinetry and vanities for the custom housing market, the company focused on increasing productivity and customer services, a successful strategy that has led to sales growth, said Nick Amiri, CEO. Investments in new technology, including a Biesse CNC router, also helped improve production.

Deas Millwork, Semmes, AL

“We have invested in technology and equipment that helps us be more efficient,” said Zach Deas, president. “With a very tight labor market these investments have paid off.” Sales grew over 100% for the architectural casework and millwork manufacturer. Aiding its production are the 2018 purchases of a flatline finishing system, IR curing, and project management software, and in 2019, solid wood processing equipment.

Eco Relics, Jacksonville, FL

Sales grew 20.0% for the producer of river tables, farm tables, barn doors and custom furniture. The vertically integrated company “invested heavily to start  a sawmill, dry kiln and milling operation. We also invested heavily in more equipment for our custom wood shop,” said Michael Murphy, CEO. “The majority of our products are made from the urban reclaimed hardwoods we process, from log to finished products.”

Foggy Bottom Woodworks, Muscoda, WI

The cabinetry, millwork and prefinishing company posted a sales gain of 8.4%, with growth prospects “excellent” for 2019 and 2020, said Rick Tisdale, owner. Helping to improve productivity, and profitability was the move to a larger location and the investment in technology, including a new edgebander.

Hollywood Cabinets, Shelby Township, MI

The residential kitchen and bath cabinetry manufacturer looks to improve efficiency and productivity with investments this year in technology, including a CNC  dovetailer and 3-head sander, said Tony Pacella, vice president. The company’s products are targeted for the new construction and remodeling markets. Hollywood also offers cabinetry for commercial businesses, as well as home offices and entertainment centers.

H&H Architectural Woodwork, College Point, NY

The custom cabinet fabricator and millwork producer added a CNC router to the shop to improve the production process and enhance quality control, said Patrick Ho, CEO.

The 2019 WOOD 100 is sponsored by Pollmeier Inc.

Read more 2019 WOOD 100: Strategies for Success

Marketing Initiatives

Business Strategies

Productivity Enhancements

Technology Integration

Product Innovations

Customer Service

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Read the special 2019 Leadership issue of FDMC online