As these WOOD 100 companies can attest, the investments made in new technology can help speed production while also improving the product quality and consistency.
Now in its 35th 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 of cabinetry and casework, furniture, closets and home organization systems, architectural woodwork/millwork, retail fixtures and other items, to improve their businesses.
Here's what some of them had to share about the enhancements made to improve the production process:
Greyloch Inc., Star, ID
The company recently opened a 97,000-square-foot facility, with “the most automated cabinet production line in North America,” said Brennon Fickes, Operations engineer, for the production of European-style cabinetry for residential and commercial projects. It earned the 2024 WIA Wooden Globe Award for its “Commitment to Excellence Through Technology.
The state-of-the-art Homag line performs cutting, edgebanding, drilling, and gluing. With the new Sorteq sorting system, the line is able to cut, band, and store up to 2,500 cabinet parts ready for assembly. “The automation has helped us tremendously on our lead times, product quality, and production capacity,” Fickes added.
The multi-million dollar facility also utilizes Nederman filtering and dust monitoring equipment.
The Horizon Group Inc., Davenport, IA
“We increased our sales and marketing, focused on employee retention, and implemented automation in our machining department and solid surface sanding area,” said Neil Hamilton, president of the custom commercial casework manufacturer. The strategy paid off, as 2023 sales rose 6.6%, with projections for 2024 also good.
New technology purchased in 2023 includes an Anderson-Stratus CNC router with automatic load and offload and a four-station multi-bunk loading system; and a Vention robotic sanding table for sanding solid surface material.
Horizon offers laminated and veneer cabinetry, wood trim, and laminated, solid surface, stone, and stainless steel countertops for healthcare, banks, schools, fire and police departments, courthouses, retail and office fit-outs.
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Sterling Wood Products LLC, Niles, MI
The panel processing/contract manufacturer continued to invest in automation, and the 13.3% sales growth proves it’s working. “We added more equipment to meet customer’s needs and increase product offering,” said Joe Agostino, president. “[We also] more efficiently matched production processes to applications, batch versus inline process, etc.” Among the new technology was a double-end tenoner and UV roll coat line acquired in 2023, and a shape and sand machine and linear spray line in 2024.
Chandler Cabinet Inc., Pilot Point, TX
CEO Josh Chandler credits “our people and implementation of new machinery/automation and processes,” for the 6.6% rise in sales in 2023. Projections for 2024 and 2025 are also good. The producer of custom cabinetry and built-ins invested in finishing equipment, CNC routers, a moulder and planer in 2023, with a robotic sander, automated material handling and more CNC routers planned for 2024.
Nations Cabinetry, San Antonio, TX
At North America’s largest tribally owned cabinet manufacturer, “We continue to build our in-house capabilities and look at what the market is asking for in colors and styles,” said JW Coady, CEO. “We have focused on adding value to our cabinets through improved finishing and machining processes.” The company completed its paint room reinvestment with the last of three full UV capable Cefla flat lines. “These significantly improved our finish while allowing us to drop our VOC footprint.” It also spent more than $1 million on new door equipment and added a moulder.
Verbois, Riviere-du-Loup, QC
“In 2023, the agility of our company and employees was crucial in overcoming the challenges that the year presented. We diversified into new markets and adapted our business model, which placed significant pressure on our engineering, design, production, IT, and quality departments,” said Etienne Gagnon, owner of the residential furniture manufacturer. “The addition of a new robotic cell also supported us in terms of productivity and provided us with new product development capabilities.” The autonomous robotic cell includes a Biesse CNC and Kuka robot on rail charging and decharging the CNC.
Northway Industries Inc., Middleburg, PA
The commercial casework and contract manufacturer firm recently invested in a 5-axis CNC router, with the addition of HPL panel door equipment, and a V-groover to further optimize the production process planned for 2024. President Elwyn Peachey and Skip Reich, director of Sales, also credit the customer service and employee skills for the company’s sales growth.
Watson Furniture, Poulsbo, WA
The contract furniture manufacturer recently completed a multi-million-dollar upgrade and expansion, that includes a 10,000-square-foot warehouse addition. President CK McKenzie said the upgrades will improve capacity, reduce waste, and safeguard the supply chain. New equipment includes a Black Bros. Panel Express heated laminator, which enables Watson to move from laminating into production without the need for additional curing or press time.
Corona Millworks, Chino, CA
At its 80,000-square-foot facility in Arizona, along with the seamless production that comes with incorporating Industry 4.0 technology, the cabinet components manufacturer can collect and analyze data to optimize order entry, estimating/pricing, inventory management, production scheduling, and machine maintenance. Technology includes: SCM CNC routers, FlexStore storage and retrieval systems, IMA laser edgebander, panel saws, and presses.
Versatile US, Nunica, MI
The custom commercial furniture producer invests “heavily in technology, and we’re always looking to find automation,” said Shawn VanLare, VP of operations. “Every year, we’re spending close to half a million dollars on capital equipment, so we’re as capable as anybody in the country at our size.” Recent investments include a newly redesigned laminate line that runs approximately 120 feet in length and allows the company to concurrently do cold press and hot press lamination on the same production line. The new line replaces two separate ones.
Read more 2024 WOOD 100: Strategies for Success
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