On Nov. 30, 10:30 CST, listen to Woodworking Network’s Webcast on WOOD 100 Success Strategies, which is sponsored by Keystone Wood Specialties, Solid Wood Systems and Drawer Connection.
In this Webcast, we’ll be looking at some of the business and marketing strategies for growing sales, along with ideas on how to lean your manufacturing operation for optimal productivity and profitability.
Featured are three presenters from a diverse group of companies. Lary Skow is vice president of sales and marketing for Northern Contours Inc. , a Minnesota-based company specializing in components for the kitchen, bath and home organization markets, with six manufacturing locations and 393 employees. As vice president, Lary brings with him 27 years of manufacturing, sales and product development experience.
In Lary’s presentation, he discusses ways to survive this challenging economy by becoming proactive, not reactive. Although the instinct is to hunker down and “pull in the reigns,” companies should instead find opportunities to increase market presence, including launching of new products, advertising / trade show promotion and expanding its geographic reach.
Similarly, John Wiley, president of Elipticon Wood Products, has also grown sales through a combination of new marketing strategies as well as lean manufacturing. The Wisconsin-based company has built its reputation on providing high quality straight and curved historical reproductions and classic millwork. In 2008, the company made a concerted effort to move from a niche producer to a marketing company, and emphasizing its quality and service in value-added products. John will also discuss the company’s lean efforts and provide examples of changes made to improve the company’s productivity and profitability by eliminating waste from the process.
The third speaker in the webcast is Len Morreale, CEO of A Perfect Closet and Cabinets. What started as a hobby for Len soon turned into a job, and Len has been manufacturing closet and storage systems since 2006. Along with growing his product line, as well as expanding into garages and entertainment units, Len found other ways to make money, including selling the company’s millwork capabilities to other area woodworkers. He will share his tips for setting up the woodworking “cooperative” as well as other methods for growing sales.
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