Words of Wisdom
 formerly Shop Talk With the Publisher    

U.S. cabinetmakers not only survive, but thrive!

Here are five reasons why

By W.W. “Chip” Wisdom
Vice President/Group Publisher
cwisdom@randallpub.com

Why does the U.S. cabinetry industry continue to escape the threat of foreign competition faced by others in the woodworking industry today?

History may provide the answer for us. This isn’t our first encounter with foreign competition. Back in the early to mid-1980s, there was a significant increase in the number of cabinetry exports to the U.S. The prevailing thought was that if things weren’t done the European way, it would mean the end. That didn’t prove to be true. Instead, U.S. cabinetmakers created a kind of hybrid cabinet that was an Americanized version of what was coming from overseas. Today, the cornerstone of their industry is still the frame cabinet. But by going about the business of adapting European strategies and technology, U.S. cabinetmakers made the overseas competition insignificant.

History is repeating itself. Once again, cabinetmakers are poised to address overseas competition — this time from the Far East. Dick Titus, executive vice president of the KCMA (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association), recently shared with MW five reasons why U.S. industry will prevail.

  1. Production flexibility. “There are thousands of cabinetmaking shops throughout the country that provide stiff competition for large domestic manufacturers. It is double stiff competition for overseas manufacturers. It’s a whole different scenario than with furniture.”
  2. Housing market strength. Says Titus, “With continued drops in interest rates, the overriding view is that new housing will remain at a very sustainable level, and that we will continue to be the beneficiaries of that strength.”
  3. Current remodeling craze. “Remodeling has become close to eighty percent of our business, with more people upgrading all the time,” he says.
  4. Residential cabinetry opportunities. “As architecture and interior design have changed,” he continues, “people actually are talking about adding great room/kitchen combinations, thereby creating more matched types of settings. As consumers also look for more ways to increase storage and new types of appliances, items like entertainment centers create opportunities for our members to offer new products. They still are not making furniture, but offering a logical extension of their expertise.”
  5. Demand for customized features. “Cabinetmakers know the science of making the product more user-friendly along with ways to increase storage,” notes Titus. “Consumers will continue to want products they can design and make their ‘own.’”



    As for the future, Titus sees two trends on the horizon. “Without question, we are going to feel more of the green movement, which is going to have an impact on all wood related industries,” he says. “The whole sustainability and green labeling issues (from both consumer demand and awareness, and government regulations) will affect the average cabinetmaker by limiting the availability and raising the cost of materials.

    “Also, our manufacturers will be incorporating more of the so-called universal design features, which are friendly to the more aging population. Cabinetry will be adjustable, reoriented to that population’s declining ability to stretch and stoop. It’s already here, but we’ll see more of it.”

 

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