Custom Shop
For custom door manufacturer Industrial Millwork (IMC), Seneca, Kan., makers of Lag-Design doors, business is booming. Beginning in 1986 with the manufacture of custom stile and rail panel doors, IMC’s offering has grown over the last 20 years to include five product lines: Custom doors; 20-, 45-, 60- and 90-minute positive pressure fire doors; hurricane security doors; Wilderness Series doors; and Grand Opening exterior folding and lift-and-slide doors.

Coponent Product Showcase
The Wood Component Manufacturers Association represents more than 140 manufacturers of dimension and wood component products. In the midst of a rapidly changing business climate, Modern Woodworking spoke with WCMA executive director Steve Lawser about the issues currently facing the component market, as well as the opportunities that outsourcing presents to various segments of the woodworking industry.

Finish Line
The finisher in the finishing department, or what is commonly referred to as “the other side of the black hole,” is always blamed for a poor look or asked to “just fix it.” The problem is not necessarily a finish defect, however. Actually, it probably is a production defect that the finish happens to enhance and make noticeable. If the defect had been corrected during production, there would be no need to “just fix it.”

Hot Gear
Get descriptions and request information about products from our participating companies.

International Technology
Industry leaders give us the lowdown on what innovations we can expect from international technology

IWF 2006 Category Breakdown
In this month’s installment of IWF Category Breakdown, we highlight machinery, products and supplies of interest to casework manufacturers.

IWF First Impressions
Meet these first-time exhibitors at IWF 2006.

Material Issues
Wary of a declining customer base due to overseas imports, Sanford, NC-based Tramway Veneers knew it was time to venture into new markets. Bringing new technology into its Sanford, NC-based plant has made that a reality.

Production Line
Jeup Furniture, Jenison, Mich., serves the high-end residential furniture market with products in showrooms in 11 major U.S. cities and three abroad, including Taipei, Hong Kong and Toronto. Business is good for the nine-year-old company, but Joseph Jeup, president and owner, says the company owes much of its recent success to its decision to add a nested-based CNC router.

Proving Ground
The capital equipment strategy at Premier Eurocase is simple: Stay ahead of the competition. One glance at the production floor of the state-of-the-art facility in Denver and it’s obvious the company is true to its word. With an arsenal of equipment from Stiles Machinery – including Homag BOF CNC machines, Homag BAZ contour machining and edgebanding centers and a Wemhöner thermofused melamine short-cycle press line – Premier Eurocase has been able to thrive in a competitive marketplace.

Sanding Sense
A proper conveyor belt on a widebelt sander is essential in order for you to achieve your specific desired results. Years ago, widebelt sander manufacturers selected a conveyor belt for each machine based on each specific customer and his application. In today’s world of building “standard” machines in batches, that feature no longer exists. The selection of which conveyor belt will be used is based on lowest cost and a compromise of belt characteristics to create a “general purpose” belt. In almost all cases, this “general purpose” belt is not going to have the ideal characteristics for your specific application.

Supply Side
The main trend in decorative hardware coming out of this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show was manufacturers strengthening their lines with warm tones and rustic finishes.

“As far as sales, satin nickel is still the leader across the board,” says Donna Flack, Liberty Hardware’s category manager for decorative hardware. “But kitchen appliance manufacturers and plumbing fixture companies are offering warmer finishes, and decorative hardware manufacturers are offering more to provide consumers with more options.

Target Technology
Pre-show IWF 2006

Think Lean
Many of us cherish our “To Do” lists because it gives us a great sense of accomplishment to cross off the items as we continually add more and more to the list. Our days are consumed as we try to build momentum in our businesses by doing, doing, doing and doing more. The advertising theme, “Just do it,” has become the mantra of our management practice with numerous articles and books written on the virtues of action.

Trends
Modern Woodworking interviewed Dave Cooper, Code Development Representative for the Stairway Manufacturers’ Association to illuminate the latest trends and issues facing stairway manufacturers.

Trends Extra
Woodworking equipment purchases cool slightly in 2005. While most categories held steady or increased, overall acquisitions of woodworking equipment decreased by 3 percent in 2005 over 2004 numbers. A healthy economy along with continuing strong housing and remodeling markets bode well for 2006 increased buying power.

Trends Wood Bits
The Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) is requesting nominations for the 2006 Innovator, Educator and Commitment to Excellence Through Technology of the Year Awards.
According to Giordano Checchi, WMIA president, “The WMIA continues its commitment to the woodworking industry by providing it with the state-of-the-art equipment and technological services that make it possible for companies to re-engineer, retool and re-educate in order to compete more successfully in today’s challenging and evermore complex global markets. For 19 years, WMIA has honored individuals and organizations that employ high-technology equipment, machinery and systems provided by WMIA member companies to innovate and capture new markets.”

Words of Wisdom
If a salesman asked a farmer back in 1890 what he most needed, the farmer’s answer would probably be a mule that could pull a plow twice as fast and eat half as much. He couldn’t possibly envision that what he really could use would be a tractor. Sales growth strategist Art Turock’s book, “Invent Business Opportunities No One Else Can Imagine,” challenges the philosophy of most sales oriented businesses — “Ask customers what they want and give it to them.”