Cover Story
Five years ago, Huntwood was a thriving cabinet company busting at the seams. Having grown over the years to 340,000 sq. ft. incorporating all or part of five different buildings in an industrial complex in Spokane, Wash., the custom cabinet manufacturer found its future potential restricted. Tim and Resa Hunt, the company’s owners, faced the common dilemma of having to move in order to improve efficiency and provide opportunities for growth. What’s not so common is the way they went about it and the level of investment they were willing to make in order to increase the company’s prospects.

Custom Shop
Roger Harvey, owner of Roger & Roberta Harvey Enterprises, (d.b.a. Harvey Scenic) in Clearwater, Fla., likes variety. That being said, he’s in the perfect business for someone who wants to build something different every day. Harvey Scenic manufactures sets and props for theaters, TV stations, amusement parks and special events, which requires creativity and flexibility.

Finish Line
A long time ago in a faraway county called Cook, the spray gun was introduced to whitewash buildings within three days for a great fair, it’s been said. Well today we can spray, but the years filled with history of apprenticed spray painters has long since faded.

The First Word
Many cabinet manufacturers are struggling to claim a bigger piece of a shrinking pie due to a poor housing climate and the turmoil in the mortgage industry. Consequently, they’re faced with the challenge of finding new revenue streams to weather the storm.

Hot Gear
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Material Issues
What are the latest trends in veneers? “It’s still dark and vertical for us,” says Geoff Schaefer, creative director at Treefrog Veneer, a collection of exotic pre-finished veneer laminates. So far in 2007, he sees existing trends continuing. “The wengés are strong, and the ebonys are, too. The company sees continued interest in straight grains, which are more vertical looks.”

Production Line
Deep in the heart of Indiana’s Amish country is the town of Nappanee. It is there that you will find Kountry Wood Products, a national supplier of kitchen cabinets and matching bathroom vanities that offer classic styling with quality craftsmanship. A move to an automated finishing system has greatly impacted the company by increasing efficiency, producing better quality, eliminating outsourcing and improving employee retention.

Proving Ground
Architectural woodwork manufacturer upgrades with Delmac Machinery. Also, SCM GROUP USA, INC. brings efficiency and accuracy to high-end cabinetmaker

Sanding Sense
A user’s first “real” look at a widebelt sander manual doesn’t usually take place until there is a problem. At that point, it is far too late. It is then that you will find out that the manual is probably woefully inadequate. An evaluation of the manual should be part of your up-front comparison, before you make a buying decision.

Supply Side
What’s the biggest mistake wood processors make when buying abrasives, and what advice do you have for them?

Think Lean
Kanban scheduling systems are among the simplest, most effective and least expensive means for manufacturing production and inventory control. As a result, the Kanban has become one of the most frequently employed lean tools. It’s an attractive system of continuous supply of components, parts and supplies, such that workers have what they need, where they need it, when they need it.

Trends
Veneer Technologies hosted the third annual Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge, held during the 2007 AWFS Vegas Fair. The competition – created to demonstrate the creative use of veneer and wood products – highlighted 274 entries in five categories.

Trends Extra
Overall U.S. woodworking equipment purchases in 2006 fell by less than a half percent from those in 2005, according to data from Equipment Data Associates (owned by Randall-Reilly Publishing – publishers of Modern Woodworking), which tracks and analyzes leases and finances of woodworking machinery and equipment in certain categories from all 50 states.

Trends Wood Bits
This November, the industrial woodworking industry will focus on Grand Rapids, MI. The Midwest Industrial Woodworking Expo® will be the most important event in the woodworking manufacturing industry this fall. In addition to over 600 exhibitors and 6,000 attendees, there will be a numerous new product introductions and a wide-ranging series of professional seminars and roundtable discussions.