In 1987, Mike Carson watched a cabinetmaker install a closet system in his father’s home and said to himself, “I can do that.”

“And Carson did it the hard way—drilling every hole by hand,” says Plus Closets president Frank Happ. “But he stuck with it and developed the business for 22 years—into something on the order of 10 million dollars—a strong, profitable company.”

Today, when one of Plus Closets’s nationwide dealers needs pilot holes drilled in a panel, he can send a Cabinet Vision design directly to the computer on one of the company’s three Felder Profit H10 CNC routers.

Plus Closets makes the Cabinet Vision training available to all of its dealers, enabling them to send a design directly to the router from anywhere in the U.S. The company has seen a substantial return not only through investments in its team, but also in its facility.

Happ purchased Plus Closets/Closet Works in 2013. He also hired Vince Alfano as sales manager, expanded the facility by double to 60,000-square feet and invested $2.5 million in Felder machinery. Total sales climbed to $10.8 million last year. Happ estimates sales for 2014 will reach $13.3 million, and forecasts future sales growing by approximately 15% per year.

Alfano, who carries 25 years of experience in manufacturing stone surfaces, says the company’s investments and successes in the past two years, reflect a steady rise in the housing industry.

Under the “Our Shop is Your Shop” slogan, Plus Closets operates as a wholesale manufacturer for independent businesses across the U.S. Its dealers include builders and remodelers, kitchen and bath professionals and cabinet makers. Alfano says he has witnessed an improvement for all trades involved in housing.

Customer service also plays a very important role, he says. The company not only guarantees its product, it also guarantees the user’s experience.

Making the Big Move to Felder
In 2013, Plus Closets invested $2.5 million in Felder machinery to fill its 60,000-square-foot facility. The Felder lineup includes three Felder Profit H10 CNC routers, a Kappa Automatic beam saw for cutting trim, a C-Express 920 for drilling and milling panels, a Perfect 608 edgebander, and two Perfect 710 edgebanders. Each machine also operates with its own dust collector to prevent the risk of fire.

Plus Closets and Felder will share a booth at the Cabinets & Closets Conference & Expo in Schaumburg, IL, April 14 - 16, 2015.