By Steve Lawser, CAE-
Executive Director
Wood Component Manufacturers Association

The WCMA and its members offer one stop shopping for all finished and rough components.

One stop shopping...The Wood Component Manufacturers Association makes it easy for buyers to find WCMA members that can produce the wood component products they need, whether it be in solid or engineered wood materials. One call to the WCMA office or a visit to the Source Guide on our Web site — www.woodcomponents.org — can connect you with a WCMA member company that can produce the exact product to your specifications.

Located throughout the United States and Canada, the more than 150 WCMA member companies produce rough-, semi- and fully machined wood component products for the cabinet, furniture, building products, staircase, flooring, millwork, store fixture and related decorative wood product industries. These components include S2S and S4S dimension blanks, flooring strips, moulding blanks, edge-glued panels, solid and laminated squares, dowels, mouldings, turnings, table and chair parts, cabinet doors and parts, frame stock, staircase parts, interior trim, millwork, engineered wood components and many other specialty wood products. These components are made from a variety of hardwoods, softwoods, engineered and composite wood materials.

WCMA members produce a diverse range of fully machined, semi-machined and rough parts, made from solid wood, laminated or engineered wood.

By outsourcing these components, wood product manufacturers are able to gain a competitive edge and combat the rising costs of doing business. Reliable, just-in-time delivery of components allows finished wood product manufacturers to lower their inventories and increase their turnover rates, resulting in higher margins. Purchasing components also helps cabinet, furniture, and millwork manufacturers to respond more quickly to changes in the marketplace for new products and designs. Likewise, consumers benefit by having more choices in their customized furniture, cabinets and related goods, AND by having them delivered more quickly.

To meet this increased demand for just-in-time, outsourced components, WCMA members continue to expand their capabilities to provide a wide range of components for a variety of applications with shorter lead times. Investments in new technology and equipment are helping WCMA members to meet the growing demand for precision components by improving their productivity levels and making them more competitive with other suppliers.

Other resources offered by the WCMA include trade promotion, information on rules and specifications for dimension and components, research studies and plant tours.

WCMA Programs and Events

Trade Promotion: The association supports its members through the use of WCMA advertisements placed in the annual directory and buyer’s guide issues of the major woodworking magazines. The WCMA also exhibits at several woodworking trade shows held throughout the world, with displays highlighting the various products produced by its member companies.

Free copies of the Wood Component Buyer’s Guide also are available at these shows to interested component buyers and users who visit the association’s booth. A large number of sales leads are obtained at these trade shows and are passed along to all WCMA members for follow-up.

Wood Technology Expo: The WCMA conducts a Wood Technology Expo each year, designed to encourage more interaction between WCMA Technology Partners and member companies. The Wood Technology Expo is held in conjunction with our Fall Conference & Plant Tour Event.

A select group of manufacturers of woodworking machinery, equipment, software and business solutions exhibit at this Wood Technology Expo. These companies discuss their latest technological developments in the woodworking industry that offer solutions to wood processing challenges for dimension and component manufacturers. Manufacturers of materials handling, gluing equipment, dust collection, fingerjointers, moulders, planers, cutoff and ripsaws, routers, tenoners, CNC machinery, dry kilns, optimizing equipment, finishing systems, yield improvement systems, tooling, software and business solutions are represented at the event. Attendees also have opportunities for one-on-one discussions regarding problems and solutions pertaining to their specific companies.

WCMA Rulebook: The WCMA publishes the “Rules and Specifications for Dimension and Woodwork.” A necessary addition to any plant, the Rulebook covers dimension and component grading rules, tolerances and claim procedures for domestic and export trade. It also serves as a guideline for buyers of dimension and component products when specifying their component products. It is also a valuable communications link between component buyers and suppliers.

The pocket-sized Rulebook is available for $5.00 per copy, which includes shipping and handling. Interested persons should mail a check to the WCMA office at 741 Butlers Gate, Suite 100, Marietta, GA 30068.

Industry Research and Market Studies

The WCMA conducts a number of proprietary technical and market studies to help members identify new markets and improve their company’s competitive position.

WCMA members rely on the annual WCMA Dimension & Component Market Study to keep them informed of current business conditions and industry trends. In addition, the Wage & Benefit and Cost-of-Doing-Business Surveys allow members to compare their costs of doing business, wage and benefit structures with other member companies.

These valuable studies are the only ones conducted for the wood component industry and are available to all participating WCMA members free of charge. This gives WCMA members a distinct competitive advantage and the benefits are passed on to their customers through greater production and management efficiencies in the plants.

The WCMA exhibits at several trade shows, including the biennial IWF, to be held August 20-23 in Atlanta, GA. Information on the association and its members will be available at Booth #A-443.

Find a Supplier Fast

WCMA Membership Directory & Source Guide

Included in this Wood Components Buyer’s Guide is a “WCMA Membership Directory and Source Guide.” This listing of WCMA member companies and their capabilities is a handy reference source for locating suppliers for dimension and component products. This section includes a listing of all WCMA member companies, a description of the products they produce, available species of wood and machining capabilities. This makes it easy for dimension and component buyers to identify those companies that produce the products they need and provides them with contact information.

WCMA Member Match™ Program

The WCMA’s Member Match™ Program was created to “match” component buyers’ needs with our members’ production capabilities. It is a computerized membership database retrieval system that provides prospective buyers with a list of all WCMA members who can produce the specific component products they need. This computer-generated list is immediately faxed or e-mailed to component buyers so they can contact manufacturers with their exact specifications. This service is free of charge to dimension and component buyers and is available by contacting the WCMA office directly or visiting our Web site at www.woodcomponents.org.

2008-2009 WCMA Calendar of events

WCMA at IWF 2008

Visit the WCMA at Booth #A-443 at IWF 2008 to receive a free copy of our new Wood Components Buyer’s Guide and assistance in locating suppliers for the wood components you need. Component manufacturers can receive information on the WCMA’s many promotional, educational and research activities and discover how these programs can benefit their companies. The WCMA also helps component producers find new markets and customers for the products they make.

August 20 - 23, 2008: IWF: International Woodworking Fair - USA; Atlanta, GA; Booth #A-443

August 2008: WCMA Wage & Benefit Study

September 28-30, 2008: WCMA Fall Conference & Plant Tour Event; Central Iowa

October 15-18, 2008: ZOW Italy Woodworking Show; Pordenone, Italy

January 2009: WCMA Dimension & Components Market Study

February 19-20, 2009: Carolinas Industrial Woodworking Expo; Greensboro, NC

March 18-20, 2009: Closets & Home Organization Conference & Expo; Schaumburg, IL

April 2-3, 2009: Mid-Atlantic Industrial Woodworking Expo; York, PA

April 29-May 2, 2009: Woodworking Industry Conference (WIC); Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

July 15-18, 2009: AWFS Vegas Fair; Las Vegas, NV

For more information on WCMA programs and activities, or to become a member, contact the WCMA office at: Wood Component Manufacturers Association, 741 Butlers Gate, Ste. 100, Marietta, GA 30068; 770-565-6660; FAX: 770-565-6663; e-mail: [email protected]; www.woodcomponents.org.

Click on the Stories Below for More WCMA Information

Fall Event Spotlights Plant Tours & Conference
In addition to solid wood components, WCMA members also specialize in engineered, wood-based products.

A Plethora of Product Options
Visit www.woodcomponents.org for all your component needs.

Products and Information Available 24/7
In addition to solid wood components, WCMA members also specialize in engineered, wood-based products.