If you sell 3D Laminate thermofoil doors to cabinet shops it is very important to understand the value that your components have in terms of saved labor, time and hassle for the cabinet shop.
As we are all aware, the total sales of traditional High Pressure Laminates such as Wilsonart and Formica are much larger than the laminate sales of 3D Laminates. The reasons are:
1. HPL can be used for Kitchen Countertops. Because their product has a phenolic back and the papers are melamine impregnated, it allows for heat to be better distributed through the back of the product and then dissipated. With 3D PVC Laminates a hot placed on the top (even for a short time) will cause the material to wrinkle or even cause surface damage.
2. HPL is sold through distribution and even the smallest cabinet shop can use the material without having expensive CNCs or press machines.
3. There are currently greater design offerings from the traditional Laminate companies
4. Architects and specifiers are not afraid to specify the product because they know that the material is readily available and most anyone can process the material. With 3D Laminates there is often a breakdown between specification and implementation.
I've been around various aspects of cabinet and countertop manufacturing and have been in literally over 1,000 fabrication shops. One of my favorite shows of all time is "How its made" on the Science Channel. Over the past years I have been certified to fabricate Solid Surface, run the press machines and have been in a wide variety of production plants extruding, calendering, impregnating, laminating and coating. From each process I pick up a little insight on how our product fits into the entire picture.... So this morning one of our team members forwarded me a video on producing HPL doors that he thought I might like.
Making HPL Doors- Video 1
Making HPL Doors- Video 2
Making HPL Doors- Video 3
Making HPL Doors- Video 4
As I watched these videos I was reminded of how truly difficult and time consuming it is for a cabinet maker to produce his own Laminate doors. If you watch the videos you will notice that each step of the process is very laborious and time consuming. The video shows him:
1. Cutting the boards on a table saw
2. Sanding the boards then cleaning
3. Cutting edgebanding from HPL sheets
4. Stacking the boards to glue sides with roller then drying
5. Doing a second coat and drying again
6. Snapping laminate to approximate size, lay them out then glue (2 coats)
7. Applying edgebanding and nipping
8. Routering edgebanding on doors
9. Filing edgebanding so no sharp edges
10. Cutting out laminate sheets
11. Two coats of rolled glue on laminate sheets then drying
12. Putting sticks on door faces so laminate sheets can be placed
13. Putting on laminate and then pulling out sticks
14. Using a softwood board to rub down laminate for a good adhesion
15. Filing laminate smooth so no sharp edges
16. Cleaning up doors
The above is just a general outline to show or remind how tedious and how much labor it takes to produce a HPL door.
So why should the cabinet shop buy 3D Laminate thermofoil doors from you?
1. Saving time. Instead of spending time making the doors the cabinet guy could be building another set of cabinets or marketing his services.
2. Saving space. Shop floor space is one of the largest expenses for cabinet shops.
3. Hassle: Ordering your doors takes a lot less management involvement than managing the production of the doors in house.
4. Key Talent. Instead of a Cabinet shop having their key guy making doors he could be focused on getting more boxes produced or managing the flow.
5. Uniqueness. 3D Laminate doors have no edgebanding and specialized profiles can be added so that another cabinet shop won't be able to source the exact doors if he is unaware of which door supplier was used. This is a big selling point for the cabinet maker that is often unused.
6. The veneer factor. 3D Laminate doors can be marketed in slab version as a replacement to veneer doors. You have to remind the cabinet shop that the best colors can be used as an upsell over HPL doors ! Dackor even stocks matching phenolic back film for the veneer replacement look.
So what can your shop do to better promote your doors through cabinet shops?
1. Give them a good display system for the doors. If the doors are not displayed then they simply won't sell as well.
2. Make sure that your literature gives example Kitchens. If people don't see proof they won't believe a 3D Laminate Kitchen is capable of looking great.
3. Understand your customer's shop. If you know their shop is small you might bring up the value of outsourcing doors in terms of savings in space, time and labor. Of course the cabinet shop knows this however it certainly does not hurt to politely bring it up in conversation.
4. Don't be afraid to charge for rushes. Favors given when you start will end up training your clients to delay ordering. Charge 20% for rush orders so as to keep your door production running smoothly.
5. If you use distributors or Independent Reps be sure to have a Sales Manager travel with them routinely. Don't assume that because you landed a Distributor or Rep that your product will sell itself. If you travel with them you'll get triple the results. By showing them how easy it is you equip them to sell better when you are not around.
In conclusion, we should all remember that 3D Laminate doors add a lot of value to the Cabinet Industry and its our job to highlight those values. Since less than 8% of Kitchens in North America use 3D Laminates and in Europe its over 65% I am sure that many Cabinet Shops are actually serving as a filter to NOT specify the product. With more education, better literature and understanding I believe that the Cabinet Shop will someday better embrace 3D Laminate doors.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
How would Apple or Nike market 3D Laminates
During the course of a day I speak with a wide variety of people. I speak with component producers, end users, cabinet refacers, kitchen manufacturers, store chains, board manufacturers and so on. I've noticed that the most successful companies seem to focus on a key market, have good literature and they anticipate demand. This got me to thinking..... I wonder if tomorrow Apple Computers or Nike started marketing 3D Laminates or components how they would do things differently.
If we look at companies like Apple and Nike they do an outstanding job of:
1. Focusing on a key demographic & market
2. Presenting outstanding literature
3. Focus on anticipating demand
FOCUSING ON A KEY DEMOGRAPHIC: A wide type of people purchase Apple Computers and Nike shoes in terms of age and background. But isn't it also true that both of these products have a key demographic or type of person that they target? Nike aligns themselves with Athletes and Apple with Creative Types. Now I don't know about you but, I've seen people wearing Nikes that are clearly not athletes.... and some not-so creative people using Apples and Ipods.
I would bet that if Nike or Apple got into the 3D Laminate business or component business that they would probably focus on the larger Kitchen Cabinet companies that domestically produce rather than only marketing to the small companies that shop the lowest cost doors. I suspect that they would then train the domestic Kitchen Cabinet companies to market their Kitchens with stellar literature like they have in Europe. I also feel that with the increase in low cost imports of knock down cabinetry that in time the cost shopping customers who have traditionally purchased thermofoil doors will dwindle however with increasing competition from imported cabinetry the local Kitchen producers will value 3D Laminate components due to cost of production, consistency and quality. Can you imagine a market where high end companies sell vinyl doors and low end companies sell wood? .... I can. Look into my crystal ball. :)
PRESENTING OUTSTANDING LITERATURE: Do you think that Nike and Apple would have better or worse literature than you or I? I am sure that they would produce outstanding literature that featured the benefits of our product but with a presentation showing the product in use. After all, 3D Laminates are durable, consistent, easy to clean, are seamless, stylish and affordable.
To further my case lets look at Europe. Unlike North America where the small craftsman dominate the wood culture, the European market is dominated by the large production Kitchen companies. These large companies feature brochures with exciting, sexy Kitchens that feature fashion models and hot new color trends. They use CAD design on their Kitchen literature rather than photos taken by John's digital camera in the shop. When consumers see these Kitchens they are amazed and no longer care what the materials were made of. The high end literature SOLD them on the validity of the product. Nike doesn't advertise their shoes as "Leather shoes" because they have managed to get superior performance, style and durability out of sythetic materials. Plus the cost can be used on advertising and marketing rather than on the materials themselves. Very smart ! If you sell wood doors based upon the species and thermofoil doors based upon the passes it takes on the router then I understand your pain. This is the reality of our business however we can start working now in a different way.
ANTICIPATING DEMAND: I wonder if Nike and Apple would copy the market favorite colors. Maybe they would due to the complex board distribution in North America. I bet their first product launch would probably be a disaster because they didn't understand the industry like you and I do.... But maybe they'd also have the clout to incourage new design. I doubt seriously if either would call the end product a "vinyl door". They'd probably create a cool product name like Polyveneer and make no specific reference to the content of the product.
Too often I hear people say "Well I just don't have people asking me for thermofoil components.." Ouch. Really I'm embarassed when I hear this because it means I'm not doing my job affectively. On the other hand, in Europe do the consumers in Europe say "What I really want is a Kitchen with Vinyl Doors " I highly doubt it. I would bet they point to a picture of a beautiful Kitchen and say "Oh honey I like this one".
The truth is that its not about Designers, Architects or Consumers asking for our product but its up to the Kitchen, Store Fixture, Office and Closet makers to excite the end user. It is however, up to you and I to educate the end product marketers on how our product can be sold to the mainstream and even high end.
If you are reading this post and think.... "Mark, Mark, Mark you're delusional, 3D Laminates will never be accepted in the mainstream Kitchen market" ..... You know when I first started in the mid 90s thermofoil was just used for white cabinets but over the past 10 years it has exploded with the use of Closets. I have a vision for DACKOR and a personal mission to be an instigator of change. I know that only a hundred or so people currently read this blog but if you can imagine the thousands of Kitchens and closets that are affected just by us ! We are where the change starts ...... If you have not already done so, please visit http://dackor.com/modernkitchens.html to view the Kitchens and colors. I encourage you to share our Kitchen Gallery with your clients to foster new ideas.
If we look at companies like Apple and Nike they do an outstanding job of:
1. Focusing on a key demographic & market
2. Presenting outstanding literature
3. Focus on anticipating demand
FOCUSING ON A KEY DEMOGRAPHIC: A wide type of people purchase Apple Computers and Nike shoes in terms of age and background. But isn't it also true that both of these products have a key demographic or type of person that they target? Nike aligns themselves with Athletes and Apple with Creative Types. Now I don't know about you but, I've seen people wearing Nikes that are clearly not athletes.... and some not-so creative people using Apples and Ipods.
I would bet that if Nike or Apple got into the 3D Laminate business or component business that they would probably focus on the larger Kitchen Cabinet companies that domestically produce rather than only marketing to the small companies that shop the lowest cost doors. I suspect that they would then train the domestic Kitchen Cabinet companies to market their Kitchens with stellar literature like they have in Europe. I also feel that with the increase in low cost imports of knock down cabinetry that in time the cost shopping customers who have traditionally purchased thermofoil doors will dwindle however with increasing competition from imported cabinetry the local Kitchen producers will value 3D Laminate components due to cost of production, consistency and quality. Can you imagine a market where high end companies sell vinyl doors and low end companies sell wood? .... I can. Look into my crystal ball. :)
PRESENTING OUTSTANDING LITERATURE: Do you think that Nike and Apple would have better or worse literature than you or I? I am sure that they would produce outstanding literature that featured the benefits of our product but with a presentation showing the product in use. After all, 3D Laminates are durable, consistent, easy to clean, are seamless, stylish and affordable.
To further my case lets look at Europe. Unlike North America where the small craftsman dominate the wood culture, the European market is dominated by the large production Kitchen companies. These large companies feature brochures with exciting, sexy Kitchens that feature fashion models and hot new color trends. They use CAD design on their Kitchen literature rather than photos taken by John's digital camera in the shop. When consumers see these Kitchens they are amazed and no longer care what the materials were made of. The high end literature SOLD them on the validity of the product. Nike doesn't advertise their shoes as "Leather shoes" because they have managed to get superior performance, style and durability out of sythetic materials. Plus the cost can be used on advertising and marketing rather than on the materials themselves. Very smart ! If you sell wood doors based upon the species and thermofoil doors based upon the passes it takes on the router then I understand your pain. This is the reality of our business however we can start working now in a different way.
ANTICIPATING DEMAND: I wonder if Nike and Apple would copy the market favorite colors. Maybe they would due to the complex board distribution in North America. I bet their first product launch would probably be a disaster because they didn't understand the industry like you and I do.... But maybe they'd also have the clout to incourage new design. I doubt seriously if either would call the end product a "vinyl door". They'd probably create a cool product name like Polyveneer and make no specific reference to the content of the product.
Too often I hear people say "Well I just don't have people asking me for thermofoil components.." Ouch. Really I'm embarassed when I hear this because it means I'm not doing my job affectively. On the other hand, in Europe do the consumers in Europe say "What I really want is a Kitchen with Vinyl Doors " I highly doubt it. I would bet they point to a picture of a beautiful Kitchen and say "Oh honey I like this one".
The truth is that its not about Designers, Architects or Consumers asking for our product but its up to the Kitchen, Store Fixture, Office and Closet makers to excite the end user. It is however, up to you and I to educate the end product marketers on how our product can be sold to the mainstream and even high end.
If you are reading this post and think.... "Mark, Mark, Mark you're delusional, 3D Laminates will never be accepted in the mainstream Kitchen market" ..... You know when I first started in the mid 90s thermofoil was just used for white cabinets but over the past 10 years it has exploded with the use of Closets. I have a vision for DACKOR and a personal mission to be an instigator of change. I know that only a hundred or so people currently read this blog but if you can imagine the thousands of Kitchens and closets that are affected just by us ! We are where the change starts ...... If you have not already done so, please visit http://dackor.com/modernkitchens.html to view the Kitchens and colors. I encourage you to share our Kitchen Gallery with your clients to foster new ideas.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Finally an affordable Glossy White
For this article I'd like to re-introduce to your company our Semi Gloss White. Normally I try to make articles that are not so blatant in their efforts to sell product however this is a color that I think is a slam dunk for getting new business for many of you and I'll explain how.
When you introduce a new color or finish what makes that design sell? There are three types of demands in the market:
1. Demands that are unknown: For example, when you introduce a new color your customer has never seen before they may develop an interest for that color. Previously, since they did not know that color existed there was no real demand. By showing new and exciting things demands can often be created. If you are a trend setter with colors often customers will switch to buying from you or buy from you when they spot a customer who may be interested in your color offering. (This isn't the demand I'm discussing)
2. Demands that are known but are met: Imagine that you are targeting a new customer who is happy with his current component supplier. You show him or her your color offering but they are items that everyone has. The customer's demand is already being met so the only way you then can compete is by price. (This isn't the demand I'm discussing)
3. Demands that are known but unmet: This is the most important segment. Often markets have demands for products but the perfect solution is not available so companies compromise. A customer's demand for quality service and fair pricing may also be unmet so this creates opportunities to win over your competitor's customers. In other cases companies say things like "Why doesn't somebody come up with a so and so or why doesn't somebody improve this match?" Often you explain the manufacturing process of your foil supplier or the minimums needed to create a better match for example. ( I think this is the demand)
We believe that the Frosty White Semi Gloss fall under #3. We have heard "Why do High Gloss Doors cost so much" As a result we have created the perfect solution.
Our Frosty White Semi Gloss is:
1. Less than half the square foot cost of most typical High Gloss 3D Laminates
2. Hides telegraphing and scratching better due to the surface finish and therefore reduces in-house rejects and returns.
3. Does not wrinkle when pressing like High Glosses do. High Glosses are typically extruded instead of calendered and this may cause them to react poorly to typical press settings. By reducing wrinkles it should reduce manufacturing cost.
4. Comes with a peel coat just like High Glosses do however once removed our product WILL NOT show fingerprints as easily.
5. Will not show orange peel or spots like High Gloss after pressing.
We have found that nationwide High Gloss doors are typically marketed between $10 to $20 per square foot. With the combination of lower material cost and lower manufacturing cost we estimate that most companies will market our Semi Gloss at $6 to $9 per square foot. At this price it will make this product the first truly Affordable Glossy White.
The gloss level is still very high however it is not a mirror finish.When going around the market we have found that there is a demand for glossy but not too glossy product. A very common application for this product would be for Bathroom vanities. It gives a clean and crisp look without being to Euro modern or Miami-vice inspired.
Another way to look at White thermofoil doors are that they are essentially mimicking a painted white door. As we are aware paint comes in Matte, Semi Gloss and Gloss so it only makes since that there is a demand for Semi Gloss.
If you would like a pressable sample of our Frosty White Semi Gloss be sure to give us a call ! Also, I hope that this article was informative over all...
INTRODUCTION OF MATERIAL INTELLIGENCE:
- I'd like to mention that my colleague Kenn Busch has just started a company called Material Intelligence. As many of you are aware, Kenn is the editor for Surface & Panel Magazine. He now has created Material Intelligence to market directly to the design community. His site will not be limited to 3D Laminates alone but most decorative surfaces. I encourage you to visit his site at http://www.materialintelligence.com/ or to email Kenn at kenn@kennbusch.com or call (608) 213-9662. Dackor has decided that this is a valid tool and so we have chosen to advertise with Material Intelligence.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Market exposed
If you are a producer of 3D Laminate thermofoil doors, then you most likely sell to Kitchen Cabinet Refacers already. Kitchen Cabinet Refacers can be one man shops or larger shops with multiple installers.
In this article I'd like to discuss the colors in your sample chain, how much cabinet refacers charge, and what solutions DACKOR provides that would enable your company to obtain more cabinet reface business.
If you take a look at your sample chain, you probably can remember back to when you first added each color - you might even remember which customer initially requested it.
When I started in the thermofoil business in the mid 90s, most matches that foil companies did were to High Pressure Laminate companies like Wilsonart and Formica. A few more knowledgeable film companies created matches to Panolam and other TFM companies. At that time the quality of matches were very poor, and there was almost no cooperation between the paper companies and the PVC film companies to create perfect matches for the North American market. Today, however, the matches are ten times better.
If you look at your sample swatch of colors you offer to the public today, though, are all of your colors relevant to all of your clients? For example, why would a Closet Producer who purchases TFM board need to sift through a swatch book that is also mixed with colors that match only HPL? Vice versa, why would a Cabinet Refacer who purchases only HPL want to comb through a catalog mixed with designs that only match TFM? The truth is that most door buying customers find only a tight group of designs in your collection relevant to his business. So, the question is, how many outstanding matches do you really have to HPL? Probably less than your refacing colors would like.
Since cabinet refacers must rely upon HPL for matches, they will take your film swatch book and try to find colors that match the HPL suppliers such as Wilsonart, Formica and others. The matches are sometimes good, but sometimes they are absolutely horrible. Adding to this difficulty is that thermofoil companies such as ourselves are producing less colors that match HPL than ever. The cabinet refacer most often sells the job and hopes that the customer does not complain about the cabinet sides not matching the fronts. There are known cases of customers refusing to pay the refacer because of how poor the cabinet side match was. The point is that cabinet refacers would prefer a perfect match that they do not have to explain away.
Are cabinet refacers willing to pay extra for the perfect match? They say "no", but in reality the answer is yes. I will explain. First of all, the leader in North America for cabinet refacing is Sears. Sears offers a thermofoil refacing option with perfect matching doors and cabinet sides, because their door supplier offers a perfect match system - the thermofoil laminate with a phenolic backing. On average, the Sears price to reface is around $6K to over $15K per Kitchen. The customers find their financing and the backing of a national brand to be comforting in today's world of contractors who come and go. In addition, the homeowners often remodel before a holiday or special occasion, and they feel fear over having the entire Kitchen ripped out, especially due to concerns over damaged tile, wall paper, etc.
If you were a sales person working for Sears and you visited a homeowner, wouldn't you make a big deal about how local remodelers don't use the same material on the cabinet sides? Certainly this is a huge selling point for Sears.
With the average cost of doors being around $500, there is a healthy profit margin in cabinet refacing. Imagine purchasing your doors, drawers and all materials for less than $1,000 and being able to sell that job for $5,000 or even $10,000. The point I'm trying to make is that cabinet refacers would be willing to pay for the perfect match if they knew it would help them sell the jobs more easily.
For the cabinet refacing industry, DACKOR offers the perfect match peel and stick woodgrains and solids, as well as 4x8 laminate sheets. In addition, we offer film cut for the single job with no cutting fee! We can supply you a couple of trays for a single job and UPS it right out. The idea is that if a business is proven, then eventually you'd be purchasing larger rolls on the faster moving colors. We do this to offer the market the ability to show and promote to cabinet refacers without having to bring in inventory of all 12 colors we offer.
Some of your competitors already have a program with perfect match laminate sheets and certainly their cabinet refacing customer typically purchases from them for this reason. Your customer base probably doesn't ask you about this because your customer base is full of customers who don't even see the need. That a unique phenomenon among marketing products or services. Our feedback from our customers are limited to the types of customers we work with. What colors you choose to add to your line will determine what types of customers they attract. Some door producers who only offer the cheapest foils are surprised to find that their customers are the very ones saying their door prices are too high. Its a vicious cycle. So to attract refacers you must intentionally create a program for their needs. Word will get out that you have a program.
Currently the cost of our laminate sheets are $55 per sheet for a 10 pack or $75 each. We have the capability to sell these sheets to the refacers or through the door producer. Typically the door producer will tell their customer to buy from us until they are able to buy 10 sheet packs and resell the individual sheets for the jobs. The peel and stick comes in 4' wide X continuous lengths and cost the same.
Some cabinet refacers balk at this price for a laminate sheet, however many are unaware that the perfect match could help them separate their companies from the other refacers out there. Believe me, Sears would cut costs here too if it made sense, but they probably feel that it does not. Certainly if they explained to the customer that they offered a perfect match, the home owner would be more likely to go with them. And at at $4K plus profit per job, the laminate sheet cost is irrelevant. Please note also that our laminate sheets cost more because its the film cost + laminate back + lamination, so it essentially doubles the cost but offers the perfect match.
As for the peel and stick wood grains, we have some cabinet refacers who absolutely love this material. Properly used it can speed up installation and decrease the mess associated with trimming laminate in the Kitchen. The key is to clean the cabinets with 409 and some even sand down the boxes. For any holes or gaps they fill it in with wood putty. We are working with a half dozen refacers who have each told us that they used a hobby iron on the peel and stick to re-activate the glue and create a stronger initial bon to the substrate. This is a growing trend that cabinet refacers are discovering to properly apply the peel and stick. For apartment remodels, property managers can have their maintenance staff get trained by DACKOR and to remodel the entire property. A project with 300 units can purchase a lot of film and certainly a lot of doors from your company.
We have also seen a few websites pop up offering "do it yourself" cabinet refacing. The premise is that homeowners can measure their existing doors to the nearest eight inch and then simply order the doors, drawers and peel stick to remodel their own Kitchen. For less than $1,000, a homeowner could make their Kitchen look new before renting it out or reselling the property.
If your company is interested in creating an offering for the reface community you should work with DACKOR. It certainly wouldn't hurt to discuss. We maintain the stock, require no minimums, offer installation instructions and have the technical expertise to help you build this customer base. Be sure to visit www.dackor.com/reface or call us at 407.654.5013.
In this article I'd like to discuss the colors in your sample chain, how much cabinet refacers charge, and what solutions DACKOR provides that would enable your company to obtain more cabinet reface business.
If you take a look at your sample chain, you probably can remember back to when you first added each color - you might even remember which customer initially requested it.
When I started in the thermofoil business in the mid 90s, most matches that foil companies did were to High Pressure Laminate companies like Wilsonart and Formica. A few more knowledgeable film companies created matches to Panolam and other TFM companies. At that time the quality of matches were very poor, and there was almost no cooperation between the paper companies and the PVC film companies to create perfect matches for the North American market. Today, however, the matches are ten times better.
If you look at your sample swatch of colors you offer to the public today, though, are all of your colors relevant to all of your clients? For example, why would a Closet Producer who purchases TFM board need to sift through a swatch book that is also mixed with colors that match only HPL? Vice versa, why would a Cabinet Refacer who purchases only HPL want to comb through a catalog mixed with designs that only match TFM? The truth is that most door buying customers find only a tight group of designs in your collection relevant to his business. So, the question is, how many outstanding matches do you really have to HPL? Probably less than your refacing colors would like.
Since cabinet refacers must rely upon HPL for matches, they will take your film swatch book and try to find colors that match the HPL suppliers such as Wilsonart, Formica and others. The matches are sometimes good, but sometimes they are absolutely horrible. Adding to this difficulty is that thermofoil companies such as ourselves are producing less colors that match HPL than ever. The cabinet refacer most often sells the job and hopes that the customer does not complain about the cabinet sides not matching the fronts. There are known cases of customers refusing to pay the refacer because of how poor the cabinet side match was. The point is that cabinet refacers would prefer a perfect match that they do not have to explain away.
Are cabinet refacers willing to pay extra for the perfect match? They say "no", but in reality the answer is yes. I will explain. First of all, the leader in North America for cabinet refacing is Sears. Sears offers a thermofoil refacing option with perfect matching doors and cabinet sides, because their door supplier offers a perfect match system - the thermofoil laminate with a phenolic backing. On average, the Sears price to reface is around $6K to over $15K per Kitchen. The customers find their financing and the backing of a national brand to be comforting in today's world of contractors who come and go. In addition, the homeowners often remodel before a holiday or special occasion, and they feel fear over having the entire Kitchen ripped out, especially due to concerns over damaged tile, wall paper, etc.
If you were a sales person working for Sears and you visited a homeowner, wouldn't you make a big deal about how local remodelers don't use the same material on the cabinet sides? Certainly this is a huge selling point for Sears.
With the average cost of doors being around $500, there is a healthy profit margin in cabinet refacing. Imagine purchasing your doors, drawers and all materials for less than $1,000 and being able to sell that job for $5,000 or even $10,000. The point I'm trying to make is that cabinet refacers would be willing to pay for the perfect match if they knew it would help them sell the jobs more easily.
For the cabinet refacing industry, DACKOR offers the perfect match peel and stick woodgrains and solids, as well as 4x8 laminate sheets. In addition, we offer film cut for the single job with no cutting fee! We can supply you a couple of trays for a single job and UPS it right out. The idea is that if a business is proven, then eventually you'd be purchasing larger rolls on the faster moving colors. We do this to offer the market the ability to show and promote to cabinet refacers without having to bring in inventory of all 12 colors we offer.
Some of your competitors already have a program with perfect match laminate sheets and certainly their cabinet refacing customer typically purchases from them for this reason. Your customer base probably doesn't ask you about this because your customer base is full of customers who don't even see the need. That a unique phenomenon among marketing products or services. Our feedback from our customers are limited to the types of customers we work with. What colors you choose to add to your line will determine what types of customers they attract. Some door producers who only offer the cheapest foils are surprised to find that their customers are the very ones saying their door prices are too high. Its a vicious cycle. So to attract refacers you must intentionally create a program for their needs. Word will get out that you have a program.
Currently the cost of our laminate sheets are $55 per sheet for a 10 pack or $75 each. We have the capability to sell these sheets to the refacers or through the door producer. Typically the door producer will tell their customer to buy from us until they are able to buy 10 sheet packs and resell the individual sheets for the jobs. The peel and stick comes in 4' wide X continuous lengths and cost the same.
Some cabinet refacers balk at this price for a laminate sheet, however many are unaware that the perfect match could help them separate their companies from the other refacers out there. Believe me, Sears would cut costs here too if it made sense, but they probably feel that it does not. Certainly if they explained to the customer that they offered a perfect match, the home owner would be more likely to go with them. And at at $4K plus profit per job, the laminate sheet cost is irrelevant. Please note also that our laminate sheets cost more because its the film cost + laminate back + lamination, so it essentially doubles the cost but offers the perfect match.
As for the peel and stick wood grains, we have some cabinet refacers who absolutely love this material. Properly used it can speed up installation and decrease the mess associated with trimming laminate in the Kitchen. The key is to clean the cabinets with 409 and some even sand down the boxes. For any holes or gaps they fill it in with wood putty. We are working with a half dozen refacers who have each told us that they used a hobby iron on the peel and stick to re-activate the glue and create a stronger initial bon to the substrate. This is a growing trend that cabinet refacers are discovering to properly apply the peel and stick. For apartment remodels, property managers can have their maintenance staff get trained by DACKOR and to remodel the entire property. A project with 300 units can purchase a lot of film and certainly a lot of doors from your company.
We have also seen a few websites pop up offering "do it yourself" cabinet refacing. The premise is that homeowners can measure their existing doors to the nearest eight inch and then simply order the doors, drawers and peel stick to remodel their own Kitchen. For less than $1,000, a homeowner could make their Kitchen look new before renting it out or reselling the property.
If your company is interested in creating an offering for the reface community you should work with DACKOR. It certainly wouldn't hurt to discuss. We maintain the stock, require no minimums, offer installation instructions and have the technical expertise to help you build this customer base. Be sure to visit www.dackor.com/reface or call us at 407.654.5013.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
IWF 2008
I am back in the office and back from the IWF show in Atlanta. The attendance was way down but the quality of people who attended the booth was higher over all.
At the show we displayed our Brown Leather. This is a new stock design and it is great for head boards, night stands, end tables and for crown molding in the closet. We featured an ottoman with inlayed buttons and a few people stopped by and ordered a small roll or full roll on the spot. I don't think this leather will be a huge mover but I'm certain that many people will use it as an accent piece. We have plans to introduce it in the future with grey, black, tan and white as well.
We also showed our Wenge Island and displayed doors. This design is still doing very well for us. As I've mentioned they seem to like the ticking and emboss on this design. As you can see from the picture below it looks more like furniture and less like thermofoil.
We also showed our Frosty White with Interlam panels as you can see in the pictures above. The panels looked so great that even our standard white stood out. This really drew people in the booth and got people interested.
If you have not received a sample of the Leather or Cioccolato be sure to email or call me. Also hope to see you at the next show !
At the show we displayed our Brown Leather. This is a new stock design and it is great for head boards, night stands, end tables and for crown molding in the closet. We featured an ottoman with inlayed buttons and a few people stopped by and ordered a small roll or full roll on the spot. I don't think this leather will be a huge mover but I'm certain that many people will use it as an accent piece. We have plans to introduce it in the future with grey, black, tan and white as well.
We also showed our Wenge Island and displayed doors. This design is still doing very well for us. As I've mentioned they seem to like the ticking and emboss on this design. As you can see from the picture below it looks more like furniture and less like thermofoil.
We also showed our Frosty White with Interlam panels as you can see in the pictures above. The panels looked so great that even our standard white stood out. This really drew people in the booth and got people interested.
If you have not received a sample of the Leather or Cioccolato be sure to email or call me. Also hope to see you at the next show !
Saturday, August 9, 2008
How to control your 3D Laminate - Thermofoil Inventory
If you produce thermofoil components or Kitchens I am sure that you give careful consideration to your 3D Laminate inventory. You most likely are constantly faced with the dilemma of whether you should stock a new item or not. In this post I'd like to discuss the true costs of inventory, the opportunities that new colors create, and the importance of adding or removing colors in your line.
COST OF INVENTORY: Carrying inventory costs your business money. Not only does it tie up capital, but it takes up space and has tax implications at the end of the year. For foil manufacturers our goal is to maintain an average of three turns on our inventory in a year. Hot selling items may turn five times per year and slow selling items may not turn at all during a year. Having too many colors will give your company undue expense, yet on the flip side not having enough colors will cost your company in the form of lost business.
IMPORTANCE OF FILM RELATIVE TO COST: The average selling price of a custom thermofoil component is reported to be about $7 per square foot. These parts can range from $4 to $20 per square foot based upon the finish, color and design. A lot of costs go into producing a thermofoil component such as glue, board, film, tooling, and labor. Lets assume that you are using a quality board, diamond bit tooling, and a great quality adhesive. Assuming that you make a quality product, there are two ways to add value. One is by the profile and the other is by the design of the film itself. The film is the most obvious way to separate your company from your competitors. Often times manufacturers will price their doors based upon the number of passes on the router. If you are thinking as a plant manager, this makes perfect since because routers are expensive. They are also often the bottleneck in production, as the more passes your router takes increases the time involved to produce the door. But ask yourself this, "Does a buyer care?" Many kitchen producers charge more for a slab door in their modern kitchen line than they do for a multi-pass door in their value line. As a marketer of thermofoil components or kitchens, you can price your doors based upon demand, or just production alone.
If you have a design that nobody else carries why couldn't you charge an additonal $4 per square foot? On an average kitchen, this would cost $200; but, if an individual customer wants that color most would be willing to pay a $200 or even $1,000 premium to his kitchen supplier. Dackor, for example, will often run 3,000LY with only a 600LY commitment. The remaining stock is kept in the US for future orders. For an investment in only 2 rolls you could offer a color that nobody has seen yet in the market.
Basing pricing off of quality of production is another strategy. Consider high gloss doors - some door factories stay away from this all together, whereas other door factories have issues in regards to telegraphing and orange peel. If your company can produce a flawless High Gloss door, wouldn't it be worth $3 more per square foot than your competitor's with orange peel and telegraphing?
HOW MANY COLORS SHOULD YOU STOCK?: Back in the 90s, when I used to work for a competitor, we were the first to introduce small rolls in quantities as little as 10 yards. At the time, no other manufacturer offered small orders. This enabled us to obtain more market share while making it easier for new producers to afford to bring in colors. Nowadays most producers offer small quantities so it is easier to offer a wide color selection. But how many colors should you offer? Some companies carry 20 colors while other carry 50. Certainly if you have a good relationship with your supplier and you trust them to maintain the stock for you it is not necessary to have deep inventory on all colors. If you think about it though, you can break your colors down into market segments. A closet producer who buys from Roseburg may not be interested in your Panolam match. A small Kitchen producer or cabinet refacer who only uses HPL to make his cabinets won't be interested in TFM matches at all. When I visit a component producer I can tell a lot about his company based upon the colors he stocks. If there is only low end films then I know they are selling their components based only upon price but if I see a wide variety of colors and suppliers then I know that the company is trying to market to a wide variety of industries.
Occasionally I see Kitchen Producers with presses who will order a custom color from Germany from us, and they will even pay the air cost. One time I asked a customer if this was for a project, and his reply was that it was for only one kitchen. This Kitchen Producer sold the kitchen for over $30K and the customer loved the idea of bringing something custom into the country for a mere $3K. Now the Kitchen producer has that roll there for future use and it was paid for by one job. Some reading this will find this hard to fathom, but why? If you cannot imagine why consumers would do this, then you are letting your own bias get in the way of business. If you are a component producer and you do not have any Kitchen Producers who can sell a kitchen for $30K, then you might want to start building new relationships with some high end companies. If the Kitchen Producer turns his or her nose up at 3D Laminate components, then give them a little education on the European market from things you've learned from this blog. You can do it in a polite way by saying, "Well as you know, 3D Laminates are widely used in high end Italian and German Kitchens due to their design trends." Mention about DACKOR supplying Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Mercedes. If our product is good enough for a $2K handbag, or a $100K auto, then why is it not good enough for a $30K kitchen? Its all about perception. Visit http://www.dackor.com/ to view some of these kitchens. They may not be your cup of tea but I can tell you that these Kitchens are great for business.
SELLING ME TOO: Do you stock Summer Flame? Candlelight? If you said yes, I don't blame you. Its important to have the everyday colors that are being asked for by the market, but isn't it important to carry the same Summer Flame as your competitor? When a new company sets up, they most often buy the same Summer Flame that they have been buying as a door buyer or the same as their competitor. I think it is far better to have a color that is slightly different. Its easier to carry the same colors and simply beat your competitor's price, but as you build your customers there will be new companies who pop up to beat your pricing. It WILL come back to you. By offering at least some colors that are slightly different, have a unique texture, or are a shade off, you are building up a stronger customer base who must continue to buy from you! My advise would be to mix it up by having some market standards and some market leaders. If nobody is buying a design, but you like it, then the chances are strong that others may like it too. Your tastes are not as different as you think, but often its a matter of time and market exposure. Just remember that when you copy your competitor you are paying them the ultimate compliment. If your color or foil supplier is slightly different, but your service is second to none, it may be difficult from the component producer to switch to you but once he does he'll never want to switch back.
IS THE COLOR TOO CRAZY?: We've all seen new colors introduced to the market that look phenomenal. We have a few colors that look so real that it would fool you into thinking its a real wood door. But why is it that some of these colors aren't selling well? There are various factors that contribute to whether a design will sell. They are:
1. Availability of TFM match in the market to the Closet and Kitchen Producers
2. Availability of HPL to the smaller refacers and smaller cabinet guys
3. Availability of Edgebanding
4. Quality of above matches
5. Number of door producers and end users using the design
6. Popularity of the color and design in the market currently
If you ever hear someone saying they can predict the market colors, they are delusional; however, I have learned that if there is a quality TFM/HPL match that is readily available and if its not too wild it will typically sell. We have refined our design development by speaking directly to kitchen designers, builders and consumers. If people like it and the match is good, then it will sell. We know if we introduce five new colors that two will be good/great, one fair and two bad. Often I hear component producers say "We're not adding new colors." This is a very dangerous position because there will always be competitors who will rise and be aggressive with adding new colors. The established company is sending a message to their clients that product develop is not important or that you no longer believe you can grow your thermofoil component division.
GETTING RID OF DEAD STOCK: If your company has dead stock, one way to get rid of those colors is to offer that color at the price of a low end white for an apartment producer. If you calculate the numbers, you may deduce that you are losing money due to how much you paid initially for the foil; however, it is indeed capital that is tied up. Rather, you should think of dead stock as a fixed cost in introducing new designs. By selling your new designs at a $3 premium, this additional profit will offset the cost of designs that become dead stock. If you offer to one select customer a special offer to get rid of inventory, then you'll free up capital to reinvest into the upcoming designs in the market. There should be a set cost per square foot associated to dead stock built in to your bottom line. If you have no dead stock and have made no mistakes then you are simply playing it too safe.
Another way to reduce your Dead Stock cost is to write it off the books. Ask your CPA about writing Dead Stock off of the books to stop the tax implications associated to the product as an asset.
HOW DACKOR INTRODUCES NEW COLORS: Last month we introduced a brown leather. This design will be able to sell a couple rolls of month (not a lot but still acceptable), even though it doesn't not have any matches. First of all there is an existing demand of leather surfacing, as real leather is expensive. Second, it looks real. Matches do not exist, but in reality they are not needed because it will be used as an accent color on headboards, mouldings, table tops, night stands and other items.
Typically we will bring in new stock items if our customers order 600 yards (2 big rolls). If we like the design, and/or if there is a TFM, HPL or paper match, then we'll produce 2,000 yards and then ship 600 to the customer. This is a very aggressive offering, yet most companies don't take us up on it. I can't be sure if people don't know about it or they are afraid to commit to 600 yards. I know that if I were a component or Kitchen Producer, I'd rather bring in 600 yards of a color I knew I could sell rather than bring in 50 or 100 yards of a crazy color that I was unsure of. As a film producer we make pennies per square foot, but we see new colors as an investment. Many component producers, however, make dollars per square foot and they consider film as a cost. I can't blame them because I'm sure their warehouse is full of non selling colors. Just remember to look at your dead stock and evaluate the match quality available, the quality of the print and marketability of the design. Your past mistakes with taking on colors should not make you afraid of trying new designs; rather, they should be learning experience over the importance of quality colors and quality matches. I am sure that if you never take on any new colors you'll never make a mistake; however, you'll also miss out the respect from your customers of being a pioneer and will miss out on the opportunity to sell NEW colors at a premium.
COST OF INVENTORY: Carrying inventory costs your business money. Not only does it tie up capital, but it takes up space and has tax implications at the end of the year. For foil manufacturers our goal is to maintain an average of three turns on our inventory in a year. Hot selling items may turn five times per year and slow selling items may not turn at all during a year. Having too many colors will give your company undue expense, yet on the flip side not having enough colors will cost your company in the form of lost business.
IMPORTANCE OF FILM RELATIVE TO COST: The average selling price of a custom thermofoil component is reported to be about $7 per square foot. These parts can range from $4 to $20 per square foot based upon the finish, color and design. A lot of costs go into producing a thermofoil component such as glue, board, film, tooling, and labor. Lets assume that you are using a quality board, diamond bit tooling, and a great quality adhesive. Assuming that you make a quality product, there are two ways to add value. One is by the profile and the other is by the design of the film itself. The film is the most obvious way to separate your company from your competitors. Often times manufacturers will price their doors based upon the number of passes on the router. If you are thinking as a plant manager, this makes perfect since because routers are expensive. They are also often the bottleneck in production, as the more passes your router takes increases the time involved to produce the door. But ask yourself this, "Does a buyer care?" Many kitchen producers charge more for a slab door in their modern kitchen line than they do for a multi-pass door in their value line. As a marketer of thermofoil components or kitchens, you can price your doors based upon demand, or just production alone.
If you have a design that nobody else carries why couldn't you charge an additonal $4 per square foot? On an average kitchen, this would cost $200; but, if an individual customer wants that color most would be willing to pay a $200 or even $1,000 premium to his kitchen supplier. Dackor, for example, will often run 3,000LY with only a 600LY commitment. The remaining stock is kept in the US for future orders. For an investment in only 2 rolls you could offer a color that nobody has seen yet in the market.
Basing pricing off of quality of production is another strategy. Consider high gloss doors - some door factories stay away from this all together, whereas other door factories have issues in regards to telegraphing and orange peel. If your company can produce a flawless High Gloss door, wouldn't it be worth $3 more per square foot than your competitor's with orange peel and telegraphing?
HOW MANY COLORS SHOULD YOU STOCK?: Back in the 90s, when I used to work for a competitor, we were the first to introduce small rolls in quantities as little as 10 yards. At the time, no other manufacturer offered small orders. This enabled us to obtain more market share while making it easier for new producers to afford to bring in colors. Nowadays most producers offer small quantities so it is easier to offer a wide color selection. But how many colors should you offer? Some companies carry 20 colors while other carry 50. Certainly if you have a good relationship with your supplier and you trust them to maintain the stock for you it is not necessary to have deep inventory on all colors. If you think about it though, you can break your colors down into market segments. A closet producer who buys from Roseburg may not be interested in your Panolam match. A small Kitchen producer or cabinet refacer who only uses HPL to make his cabinets won't be interested in TFM matches at all. When I visit a component producer I can tell a lot about his company based upon the colors he stocks. If there is only low end films then I know they are selling their components based only upon price but if I see a wide variety of colors and suppliers then I know that the company is trying to market to a wide variety of industries.
Occasionally I see Kitchen Producers with presses who will order a custom color from Germany from us, and they will even pay the air cost. One time I asked a customer if this was for a project, and his reply was that it was for only one kitchen. This Kitchen Producer sold the kitchen for over $30K and the customer loved the idea of bringing something custom into the country for a mere $3K. Now the Kitchen producer has that roll there for future use and it was paid for by one job. Some reading this will find this hard to fathom, but why? If you cannot imagine why consumers would do this, then you are letting your own bias get in the way of business. If you are a component producer and you do not have any Kitchen Producers who can sell a kitchen for $30K, then you might want to start building new relationships with some high end companies. If the Kitchen Producer turns his or her nose up at 3D Laminate components, then give them a little education on the European market from things you've learned from this blog. You can do it in a polite way by saying, "Well as you know, 3D Laminates are widely used in high end Italian and German Kitchens due to their design trends." Mention about DACKOR supplying Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Mercedes. If our product is good enough for a $2K handbag, or a $100K auto, then why is it not good enough for a $30K kitchen? Its all about perception. Visit http://www.dackor.com/ to view some of these kitchens. They may not be your cup of tea but I can tell you that these Kitchens are great for business.
SELLING ME TOO: Do you stock Summer Flame? Candlelight? If you said yes, I don't blame you. Its important to have the everyday colors that are being asked for by the market, but isn't it important to carry the same Summer Flame as your competitor? When a new company sets up, they most often buy the same Summer Flame that they have been buying as a door buyer or the same as their competitor. I think it is far better to have a color that is slightly different. Its easier to carry the same colors and simply beat your competitor's price, but as you build your customers there will be new companies who pop up to beat your pricing. It WILL come back to you. By offering at least some colors that are slightly different, have a unique texture, or are a shade off, you are building up a stronger customer base who must continue to buy from you! My advise would be to mix it up by having some market standards and some market leaders. If nobody is buying a design, but you like it, then the chances are strong that others may like it too. Your tastes are not as different as you think, but often its a matter of time and market exposure. Just remember that when you copy your competitor you are paying them the ultimate compliment. If your color or foil supplier is slightly different, but your service is second to none, it may be difficult from the component producer to switch to you but once he does he'll never want to switch back.
IS THE COLOR TOO CRAZY?: We've all seen new colors introduced to the market that look phenomenal. We have a few colors that look so real that it would fool you into thinking its a real wood door. But why is it that some of these colors aren't selling well? There are various factors that contribute to whether a design will sell. They are:
1. Availability of TFM match in the market to the Closet and Kitchen Producers
2. Availability of HPL to the smaller refacers and smaller cabinet guys
3. Availability of Edgebanding
4. Quality of above matches
5. Number of door producers and end users using the design
6. Popularity of the color and design in the market currently
If you ever hear someone saying they can predict the market colors, they are delusional; however, I have learned that if there is a quality TFM/HPL match that is readily available and if its not too wild it will typically sell. We have refined our design development by speaking directly to kitchen designers, builders and consumers. If people like it and the match is good, then it will sell. We know if we introduce five new colors that two will be good/great, one fair and two bad. Often I hear component producers say "We're not adding new colors." This is a very dangerous position because there will always be competitors who will rise and be aggressive with adding new colors. The established company is sending a message to their clients that product develop is not important or that you no longer believe you can grow your thermofoil component division.
GETTING RID OF DEAD STOCK: If your company has dead stock, one way to get rid of those colors is to offer that color at the price of a low end white for an apartment producer. If you calculate the numbers, you may deduce that you are losing money due to how much you paid initially for the foil; however, it is indeed capital that is tied up. Rather, you should think of dead stock as a fixed cost in introducing new designs. By selling your new designs at a $3 premium, this additional profit will offset the cost of designs that become dead stock. If you offer to one select customer a special offer to get rid of inventory, then you'll free up capital to reinvest into the upcoming designs in the market. There should be a set cost per square foot associated to dead stock built in to your bottom line. If you have no dead stock and have made no mistakes then you are simply playing it too safe.
Another way to reduce your Dead Stock cost is to write it off the books. Ask your CPA about writing Dead Stock off of the books to stop the tax implications associated to the product as an asset.
HOW DACKOR INTRODUCES NEW COLORS: Last month we introduced a brown leather. This design will be able to sell a couple rolls of month (not a lot but still acceptable), even though it doesn't not have any matches. First of all there is an existing demand of leather surfacing, as real leather is expensive. Second, it looks real. Matches do not exist, but in reality they are not needed because it will be used as an accent color on headboards, mouldings, table tops, night stands and other items.
Typically we will bring in new stock items if our customers order 600 yards (2 big rolls). If we like the design, and/or if there is a TFM, HPL or paper match, then we'll produce 2,000 yards and then ship 600 to the customer. This is a very aggressive offering, yet most companies don't take us up on it. I can't be sure if people don't know about it or they are afraid to commit to 600 yards. I know that if I were a component or Kitchen Producer, I'd rather bring in 600 yards of a color I knew I could sell rather than bring in 50 or 100 yards of a crazy color that I was unsure of. As a film producer we make pennies per square foot, but we see new colors as an investment. Many component producers, however, make dollars per square foot and they consider film as a cost. I can't blame them because I'm sure their warehouse is full of non selling colors. Just remember to look at your dead stock and evaluate the match quality available, the quality of the print and marketability of the design. Your past mistakes with taking on colors should not make you afraid of trying new designs; rather, they should be learning experience over the importance of quality colors and quality matches. I am sure that if you never take on any new colors you'll never make a mistake; however, you'll also miss out the respect from your customers of being a pioneer and will miss out on the opportunity to sell NEW colors at a premium.
Stop by and say "Hi" at IWF
IWF is here again ! The show is being held from Wed, August 20th to Sat, August 23rd at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The show's website is http://www.iwfatlanta.com/ and our booth number will be 1716 in Hall A.OUR BOOTH: This year we will be promoting our NEW Leather, Wenge for Condos and our striking Modo Semi Gloss Colors. The booth will feature a Kitchen Island made from DACKOR Wenge. Inside of the Island you will find doors featuring matching backs. In addition we will have an ottoman made out of our Leather. It is routered out in design to show buttons similiar to a leather sofa. Great for head boards, insert door panels, bar tops, table tops and closet parts.
L-MA MEETING: As you are aware, we have recently created a testing organization that is dedicated to the adhesion testing of thermoformed components. We are having a meeting at our booth #1716 at 4pm on Thursday August 21st. This will be an informal meeting whereby I will give a very brief introduction to L-MA and answer any questions or concerns that anyone may have. You may also visit http://www.l-ma.org/
BE OUR GUEST AT IWF: If you have not booked your room yet for the IWF show why not stay for free? We have one room available for multiple nights at the Hyatt Place in Buckhead. The room has a 42" HDTV and is typically $170 per night. Simply place an order before the show for at least 20LY of DACKOR Brown Leather, Wenge, or a Semi Gloss Modo color and your stay will be free ! Most people have already booked for the show so if you haven't simply give me a call to inquire today !
The room is available any time from the Monday the 18th to the Sunday the 24th. Only on new orders placed from today until the show starts for the colors listed above. You may also visit: http://atlantabuckhead.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/index.jsp
DINNER OUT WITH DACKOR: What do you do after the show? Do you go back to your hotel and simply rest your feet? This year why not go out to dinner for some good food and laughs with us? Simply visit Roseburg at booth #2500 and ask Rick Troxel what new color they have out matching Dackor. Be the first to bring that color name and code # to us at booth #1716. For those that are not the first, still stop by to let us know that design name and number for a special show promotion.
(must not be the IWF Guest and you must be a company that has a press)
Tradeshows are not only for business; they can be fun too. We are looking forward to seeing you at the show !
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
If The Winner Takes All, Why Not Give 110%?
Its July and next month is the IWF show. DACKOR will have a booth there at #1716 where we will show our new Leather Design. This design looks like real leather ! It has a registered emboss to the print to give it a very realistic look. In addition, the design has a special scratch resistance coating that makes it ultra durable. We believe that this design will do outstanding for headboards, desktops, nightstands, and closet parts as well.
This month I'd like to write about "The Winner Takes All" concept. We have all heard the adage "Do What You Love and You'll Be Successful". People make this sound like a mystical concept however in reality it simply means that if you love doing something you'll work so hard at it that and put in the time until you are successful at it. Its interesting how today's popular sayings try to make it look like their are short cuts to success. I kind of prefer the old quote "Early to bed, early to rise, work like heck and advertise." I really don't think that quote would be popular in today's young culture.
Is it important to work hard? I recently read a book called "The Four Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss. This was a very interesting book. Its basically about a guy who stopped reading the news, entrusted his employees to do their jobs and is living off his business while only really working 4 hours a week. I know I couldn't get by with that but its interesting to read about a guy who has. All I could think about while reading the book was that he's a very smart guy who'd probably be even more successful if he worked more than 4 hours a week. But maybe he's hired people who are better than him. I did cut down on reading the news as a result of this book. If you think about it, most US news garbage nowadays. Aside from this guy's story, I think that we live in a world where the Winner Takes All. If you think about it, most people who are at the top of their profession have really worked harder than everyone else.
Some people don't give their all. Do you have co-workers or employees who simply do the least that they can get by with and still keep their job? I'm sure you do. In reality though, they are cheating themselves. If they are there 8 hours of the day and they aren't giving their all then they are really just wasting their time as well as yours. If you have to be at work why not give 110%?
In todays world of "The Winner Takes All" its the person who tries just a little bit harder who wins. Lets use the example of the sports player. Aside from god given talent, lets assume that you have two equal players and one gives 10% more than the other. Most likely the guy giving 10% more will end up with the big contract. The same can be said for sales as well. If one person works harder they will get more business under equal situations.
In sales and in business the person who gives a little more often ends up with five times more business than the other. If you think about it, by giving 110% you actually get a better return on your time investment. And in the end, time is the most valuable thing we have.
This month I'd like to write about "The Winner Takes All" concept. We have all heard the adage "Do What You Love and You'll Be Successful". People make this sound like a mystical concept however in reality it simply means that if you love doing something you'll work so hard at it that and put in the time until you are successful at it. Its interesting how today's popular sayings try to make it look like their are short cuts to success. I kind of prefer the old quote "Early to bed, early to rise, work like heck and advertise." I really don't think that quote would be popular in today's young culture.
Is it important to work hard? I recently read a book called "The Four Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss. This was a very interesting book. Its basically about a guy who stopped reading the news, entrusted his employees to do their jobs and is living off his business while only really working 4 hours a week. I know I couldn't get by with that but its interesting to read about a guy who has. All I could think about while reading the book was that he's a very smart guy who'd probably be even more successful if he worked more than 4 hours a week. But maybe he's hired people who are better than him. I did cut down on reading the news as a result of this book. If you think about it, most US news garbage nowadays. Aside from this guy's story, I think that we live in a world where the Winner Takes All. If you think about it, most people who are at the top of their profession have really worked harder than everyone else.
Some people don't give their all. Do you have co-workers or employees who simply do the least that they can get by with and still keep their job? I'm sure you do. In reality though, they are cheating themselves. If they are there 8 hours of the day and they aren't giving their all then they are really just wasting their time as well as yours. If you have to be at work why not give 110%?
In todays world of "The Winner Takes All" its the person who tries just a little bit harder who wins. Lets use the example of the sports player. Aside from god given talent, lets assume that you have two equal players and one gives 10% more than the other. Most likely the guy giving 10% more will end up with the big contract. The same can be said for sales as well. If one person works harder they will get more business under equal situations.
In sales and in business the person who gives a little more often ends up with five times more business than the other. If you think about it, by giving 110% you actually get a better return on your time investment. And in the end, time is the most valuable thing we have.
Friday, June 13, 2008
L-MA Adhesive Testing Organization Launched !
New for June I have created a new organization called L-MA, pronounced "el-ma". The two biggest problems facing our industry is a lack of brand identity and fear of delamination.
As I travel throughout the country and ask users or non users of 3D Laminates the biggest concern or fear is of delamination. Delamination typically occurs when transporting components in hot containers and it also typically happens above the stove. In rare occasions delamination can occur when not exposed to heat as well.
Most delamination situations are caused by not getting enough heat to activate the glue. This is typically caused by not getting the press hot enough. Another cause for delamination is use of inferior films that may have too much plasticizers in them. These plasticizers decrease the cost of producing the product but the material wants to return to its original state before formed.
L-MA will be using Industrial grade ovens and adhesion testing machines to determine if the components will withstand heat. Our plan is to heat at 150F for one hour and then increase by 5 degrees up to delamination or shrinkage. We may change our testing format or settings however we have consulted with glue companies and industry experts.
In addition, end users may send their doors to us for a small nominal fee. This will create a check and balance system to assure that the doors are being produced properly year round.
Companies who test with L-MA will be given a logo to use on their business cards to proudly promote that they are companies that take product performance seriously.
L-MA will not be posting door producers on their website but if a door buy should email the organization we will confirm if a company has been tested and approved.
Out of the few hundred companies in North America that produce 3D Laminate component, I predict that on a portion will apply for L-MA. Many companies who apply and pass L-MA testing will utilize this status to separate themselves from companies who do not want to pay to have their doors tested.
In conclusion, I think that our industry needs more safe guards to manage and prevent delamination and I believe that L-MA is a step in the right direction. Be sure to visit www.l-ma.org to learn more about this new organization. I hope that you participate and separate your company from the pack.
FINDING NEW MARKETS
New for June, I was a guest writer for Surface & Panel magazine, page 54~56 and also launched L-MA "Laminate Material Adhesion Testing" Organzation. Be sure to visit this at www.l-ma.org.
This month I’d like to talk about targeting new markets as a 3D Component producer. Most companies are very experienced with producing thermofoil doors, however there are other markets that can be quite lucrative. The markets I’d like to talk about for the purpose of this article are Store Fixtures, Offices and Hotels.
Producing thermofoil components for Store Fixtures can be very challenging. Typically, most retail stores utilize an Architect to choose designs, and then a General Contractor to oversee the purchasing of all the fixtures. The biggest difficulty in our industry is that the decision makers, normally the Architects, are unaware that 3D Laminates exist. Once they become exposed to 3D Laminates, the next obstacle is usually in finding the right color that they need, and many times the requested design is a non-stock foil. Adding to this difficult task is when they ask for a prototype store to be completed, a typical request; this is easy to do for a stock design, but no so much if it’s custom or not in stock. Doing prototype stores require that you have a great relationship with your 3D Laminate suppliers, so that they will produce pressable samples or help come up with colors to be proposed. The final difficulty with a store fixture project is that there is typically a “we need it yesterday" situation, because often you will be contacted six weeks before the project is due. Again, its important to have an excellent relationship with your suppliers to assure you’ll be able to deliver in time.
The next market of interest is the Office Industry. 3D Laminates can be used for desk tops, drawer fronts, wall systems, and moldings. Most 3D Laminate manufacturers have a horizontal grade film, so the most important aspect will be getting the color that your customer is looking for. In addition to the large national Office manufacturers, you may also wish to contact small regional manufacturers and distributors of office furniture. 3D Laminates can work very well in this application because it gives the desktop a modern and seamless look. One term I have used in the past is “A Seamless Monolithic Work Surface”. Yes, that’s a mouthful – but it’s sure to get a smile and a second look at your components. You might also want to router out some shapes in the desktop such as a round area to harness the monitory, a square indentation for cell phones, paper clips or a long one for pencils and pens. For the drawer fronts, you can router in a drawer handle, and for wiring it is possible to router out a channel to which a plastic cover can be snapped over. Another benefit of targeting the Office Industry is that the market is more open to modern design and euro style cabinets in the office industry than in the kitchen.
The final market I’d like to talk about in this article is the Hotel and Restaurant Industry. 3D Laminates can make extremely interesting nightstands, headboards, and dressers. Either you or your client can build the casework with melamine and press unique glosses, exotic woodgrains or interesting designer foils on the fronts. One new design that will be available from DACKOR is Brown Leather. This surface will be great for all three industries. The leather design is extremely scratch resistant and is a clever way to introduce a texture onto the surface. Also leather is a versatile color that appeals to a broader market than a single wood grain color. Leather can also be used in combination with wood designs and can be used for desktops, store shelves, moldings, bar areas, headboards and a wide variety of other applications.
In conclusion, going after new markets can be very challenging and require new sales and marketing skills. Each market segment requires a unique approach that may differ than what your company is used to. From my experience all three of the above markets are extremely under-represented by 3D component producers. Also, while the single family building market was hot, there were probably unlimited growth opportunities. Now that the single family home market has declined, you may just find that these new commercial markets may be worth your efforts.
This month I’d like to talk about targeting new markets as a 3D Component producer. Most companies are very experienced with producing thermofoil doors, however there are other markets that can be quite lucrative. The markets I’d like to talk about for the purpose of this article are Store Fixtures, Offices and Hotels.
Producing thermofoil components for Store Fixtures can be very challenging. Typically, most retail stores utilize an Architect to choose designs, and then a General Contractor to oversee the purchasing of all the fixtures. The biggest difficulty in our industry is that the decision makers, normally the Architects, are unaware that 3D Laminates exist. Once they become exposed to 3D Laminates, the next obstacle is usually in finding the right color that they need, and many times the requested design is a non-stock foil. Adding to this difficult task is when they ask for a prototype store to be completed, a typical request; this is easy to do for a stock design, but no so much if it’s custom or not in stock. Doing prototype stores require that you have a great relationship with your 3D Laminate suppliers, so that they will produce pressable samples or help come up with colors to be proposed. The final difficulty with a store fixture project is that there is typically a “we need it yesterday" situation, because often you will be contacted six weeks before the project is due. Again, its important to have an excellent relationship with your suppliers to assure you’ll be able to deliver in time.
The next market of interest is the Office Industry. 3D Laminates can be used for desk tops, drawer fronts, wall systems, and moldings. Most 3D Laminate manufacturers have a horizontal grade film, so the most important aspect will be getting the color that your customer is looking for. In addition to the large national Office manufacturers, you may also wish to contact small regional manufacturers and distributors of office furniture. 3D Laminates can work very well in this application because it gives the desktop a modern and seamless look. One term I have used in the past is “A Seamless Monolithic Work Surface”. Yes, that’s a mouthful – but it’s sure to get a smile and a second look at your components. You might also want to router out some shapes in the desktop such as a round area to harness the monitory, a square indentation for cell phones, paper clips or a long one for pencils and pens. For the drawer fronts, you can router in a drawer handle, and for wiring it is possible to router out a channel to which a plastic cover can be snapped over. Another benefit of targeting the Office Industry is that the market is more open to modern design and euro style cabinets in the office industry than in the kitchen.
The final market I’d like to talk about in this article is the Hotel and Restaurant Industry. 3D Laminates can make extremely interesting nightstands, headboards, and dressers. Either you or your client can build the casework with melamine and press unique glosses, exotic woodgrains or interesting designer foils on the fronts. One new design that will be available from DACKOR is Brown Leather. This surface will be great for all three industries. The leather design is extremely scratch resistant and is a clever way to introduce a texture onto the surface. Also leather is a versatile color that appeals to a broader market than a single wood grain color. Leather can also be used in combination with wood designs and can be used for desktops, store shelves, moldings, bar areas, headboards and a wide variety of other applications.
In conclusion, going after new markets can be very challenging and require new sales and marketing skills. Each market segment requires a unique approach that may differ than what your company is used to. From my experience all three of the above markets are extremely under-represented by 3D component producers. Also, while the single family building market was hot, there were probably unlimited growth opportunities. Now that the single family home market has declined, you may just find that these new commercial markets may be worth your efforts.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Hiring Independent Reps vs Salaried Reps to Sell Doors
As a manufacturer of Cabinet Doors you have probably faced the challenge of figuring out how to get those doors sold. This article will outline the pros and cons of the various ways of getting your doors to market. Although this article can apply to Kitchens or other products I will give more specific information here about 3D Laminate doors.
Some popular options are:
I. Selling yourself
II. No selling but focus on word of mouth
III. Using Distributors
IV. Hiring a salaried Rep
V. Hiring an Independent Rep
Before I begin, I'd like to outline that I have had previous experience in each area I am speaking about. I have experienced being an Independent Rep, as well as a salaried rep and then the business owner trying to decide which path to ultimately use to go to market.
I. SELLING YOURSELF: Many small door manufacturers opt to sell their doors themselves. This can be a great option, however there are many things to consider. Did you start your door business because you are skilled at selling doors, great at manufacturing, or because you enjoy all the aspects? No matter how good of a sales person you are, it is impossible to run a company and to still affectively perform the sales job properly. Assuming that you wish to continue to grow your business, it may be imperative to get assistance in selling.
II. WORD OF MOUTH: There are many door producers that really just rely on word of mouth and their past business dealings to drive the business to their door. When any downturn comes in the market, you will notice that those who are aggressive in going out to get the business will be the ones to maintain it.
III. USING DISTRIBUTORS: We all know that there are thousands of small Kitchen producers, closet manufacturers, refacers and remodelers across the country. Small and large, the majority of these companies buy from local distributors. These local distributors typically have a client base of at least 1,000 companies for each warehouse branch in operation. These distributors typically have salaried sales people, milk run delivery schedules, large accounting, operations and warehouse staff. Distributors specialize in handling small, detailed orders but they also specialize in extending credit and collections. Since these small shops need so many items from their local distributor it is critical that they keep paying them. This close relationship creates a symbiotic relationship that is necessary in order for both to survive. Although working with distributors are not for every door manufacturer, I'm a big believer in using them. On average, I have found that many smaller accounts are fine with paying an extra few dollars per square foot for the convenience of dealing with these distributors. The customer would never admit it however the amount of 3D Laminate doors sold through distribution is evidence enough.
One of the key fears that most door makers have in working with distributors is that they'll lose the connection with the customers. There is a fear that if the distributor drops them, they will lose their business.
The biggest fear that distributors have is that they will inject time and money into selling doors and then the customers will, in the end, bypass them and buy direct. Distributors often ask for protected territories to seclude the customer from going direct.
In all manufacturing or distribution there is a cost of doing business. It is not feasible to give the same pricing for 20 doors as it is for a block of 200 or even 2000 doors. The administration and billing required for many single kitchen orders is a high price to pay. It is important that both the thermofoil door manufacturer and the distributor agree to a workable relationship that will benefit all parties involved.
One option open to door manufacturers is to set up pricing that leaves a 30% margin for the distributor, but no territory protection. You can explain that if a customer comes to you then they'll be paying a higher price on a single kitchen order and since the distributor is bundling orders they'd be protected. Essentially the small door buyer would pay the same even if they came direct. Another option would be to private label for the distributor. This would assure that their business was based upon their merits and vice versa. And finally another option would be to give some exclusive door styles to your distributor. Even a slight different shape in the door would make it difficult for the distributor's customers to buy direct. This is not a common strategy but it gives you some ideas of negotiation between you and a distributor.
I do recommend, however, working with larger and more stable distributors who are focused on the cabinet industry already.
IV. HIRING A SALARIED REP: Another option to getting your doors into the market is via a salaried sales rep. The great thing about salaried sales reps is that you have more control over their time. It also gives you greater flexibility to redirect their efforts from cabinet shops to closet companies or to new industries all together. Salaried sales reps can also roll their sleeves up and help in customer service for the day. In general, using salaried reps gives you the most attention and commitment to your company.
V. HIRING INDEPENDENT REPS: This is probably the least understood area by thermofoil door manufacturers. Some companies have said that they'd never go back to Salaried Reps, yet others say that they'd never use an independent rep again. I'd like to explain the nuances behind what makes the Independent Rep / Thermofoil Door Manufacturer relationship work....
First of all, it is possible to use a combination of Salaried Reps and Independent Reps. Actually its more affective to have Independent Reps reporting to Salaried Sales Managers who understand sales and can travel with and train Independent Reps. This seems like doubling up however it does have a more proven track record.
There are two types of Independent Reps out there. The ones that carries multiple lines and the ones that do not carry any other lines. Being an Independent Rep takes a special breed of sales rep. First of all they must be able to work with little management, willing and able to spend their personal money to develop the territory and disciplined not to spread themselves too thin. You will find that the only thing worse than a Rep that has too many lines is one that is unable to make a living with your line alone.
The key to being successful with Independent Reps is communication. You must properly train them, travel with them and let them know that you expect results. We've all heard the adage that the squeaky wheel gets the oil... Independent Reps will naturally gravitate to the lines that give them the most attention and the ones easiest to sell. I recommend communicating heavily with your Independent Reps so that you can show them how to sell your doors more effectively. If you show them the nuances and they become more educated about your line then your line will be the easiest for them to sell. Its common sense, but all too often companies think that they just need to give them samples and they'll be off to the races. Believe me, this is the exception not the rule. In summation, Independent Reps can be a viable alternative if you find the right rep and if you work with them to foster their growth.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion there are multiple ways to get your doors to market. As a business owner or manager, your time is best spent brokering new deals than it is fussing over a small orders or fussing over the CNC. To grow your business, think of new paths to market and constantly be looking for new angles and cooperations. You might be surprised by what you are capable of with the right sales person or right distributor working to execute your well layed out plans...
Some popular options are:
I. Selling yourself
II. No selling but focus on word of mouth
III. Using Distributors
IV. Hiring a salaried Rep
V. Hiring an Independent Rep
Before I begin, I'd like to outline that I have had previous experience in each area I am speaking about. I have experienced being an Independent Rep, as well as a salaried rep and then the business owner trying to decide which path to ultimately use to go to market.
I. SELLING YOURSELF: Many small door manufacturers opt to sell their doors themselves. This can be a great option, however there are many things to consider. Did you start your door business because you are skilled at selling doors, great at manufacturing, or because you enjoy all the aspects? No matter how good of a sales person you are, it is impossible to run a company and to still affectively perform the sales job properly. Assuming that you wish to continue to grow your business, it may be imperative to get assistance in selling.
II. WORD OF MOUTH: There are many door producers that really just rely on word of mouth and their past business dealings to drive the business to their door. When any downturn comes in the market, you will notice that those who are aggressive in going out to get the business will be the ones to maintain it.
III. USING DISTRIBUTORS: We all know that there are thousands of small Kitchen producers, closet manufacturers, refacers and remodelers across the country. Small and large, the majority of these companies buy from local distributors. These local distributors typically have a client base of at least 1,000 companies for each warehouse branch in operation. These distributors typically have salaried sales people, milk run delivery schedules, large accounting, operations and warehouse staff. Distributors specialize in handling small, detailed orders but they also specialize in extending credit and collections. Since these small shops need so many items from their local distributor it is critical that they keep paying them. This close relationship creates a symbiotic relationship that is necessary in order for both to survive. Although working with distributors are not for every door manufacturer, I'm a big believer in using them. On average, I have found that many smaller accounts are fine with paying an extra few dollars per square foot for the convenience of dealing with these distributors. The customer would never admit it however the amount of 3D Laminate doors sold through distribution is evidence enough.
One of the key fears that most door makers have in working with distributors is that they'll lose the connection with the customers. There is a fear that if the distributor drops them, they will lose their business.
The biggest fear that distributors have is that they will inject time and money into selling doors and then the customers will, in the end, bypass them and buy direct. Distributors often ask for protected territories to seclude the customer from going direct.
In all manufacturing or distribution there is a cost of doing business. It is not feasible to give the same pricing for 20 doors as it is for a block of 200 or even 2000 doors. The administration and billing required for many single kitchen orders is a high price to pay. It is important that both the thermofoil door manufacturer and the distributor agree to a workable relationship that will benefit all parties involved.
One option open to door manufacturers is to set up pricing that leaves a 30% margin for the distributor, but no territory protection. You can explain that if a customer comes to you then they'll be paying a higher price on a single kitchen order and since the distributor is bundling orders they'd be protected. Essentially the small door buyer would pay the same even if they came direct. Another option would be to private label for the distributor. This would assure that their business was based upon their merits and vice versa. And finally another option would be to give some exclusive door styles to your distributor. Even a slight different shape in the door would make it difficult for the distributor's customers to buy direct. This is not a common strategy but it gives you some ideas of negotiation between you and a distributor.
I do recommend, however, working with larger and more stable distributors who are focused on the cabinet industry already.
IV. HIRING A SALARIED REP: Another option to getting your doors into the market is via a salaried sales rep. The great thing about salaried sales reps is that you have more control over their time. It also gives you greater flexibility to redirect their efforts from cabinet shops to closet companies or to new industries all together. Salaried sales reps can also roll their sleeves up and help in customer service for the day. In general, using salaried reps gives you the most attention and commitment to your company.
V. HIRING INDEPENDENT REPS: This is probably the least understood area by thermofoil door manufacturers. Some companies have said that they'd never go back to Salaried Reps, yet others say that they'd never use an independent rep again. I'd like to explain the nuances behind what makes the Independent Rep / Thermofoil Door Manufacturer relationship work....
First of all, it is possible to use a combination of Salaried Reps and Independent Reps. Actually its more affective to have Independent Reps reporting to Salaried Sales Managers who understand sales and can travel with and train Independent Reps. This seems like doubling up however it does have a more proven track record.
There are two types of Independent Reps out there. The ones that carries multiple lines and the ones that do not carry any other lines. Being an Independent Rep takes a special breed of sales rep. First of all they must be able to work with little management, willing and able to spend their personal money to develop the territory and disciplined not to spread themselves too thin. You will find that the only thing worse than a Rep that has too many lines is one that is unable to make a living with your line alone.
The key to being successful with Independent Reps is communication. You must properly train them, travel with them and let them know that you expect results. We've all heard the adage that the squeaky wheel gets the oil... Independent Reps will naturally gravitate to the lines that give them the most attention and the ones easiest to sell. I recommend communicating heavily with your Independent Reps so that you can show them how to sell your doors more effectively. If you show them the nuances and they become more educated about your line then your line will be the easiest for them to sell. Its common sense, but all too often companies think that they just need to give them samples and they'll be off to the races. Believe me, this is the exception not the rule. In summation, Independent Reps can be a viable alternative if you find the right rep and if you work with them to foster their growth.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion there are multiple ways to get your doors to market. As a business owner or manager, your time is best spent brokering new deals than it is fussing over a small orders or fussing over the CNC. To grow your business, think of new paths to market and constantly be looking for new angles and cooperations. You might be surprised by what you are capable of with the right sales person or right distributor working to execute your well layed out plans...
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Monday, April 14, 2008
Trimming Doors
There are a variety of ways to trim thermofoil doors. In the past, most people have used knives of various forms. The problem with these knives is that when they dull it can often get caught and cause your wrist to bend upwards and this can result in nicked doors. Although the doors can be patched it does not look as professional and it wastes valuable time.
Some larger producing companies have elected to purchase an automatic trimming system from companies like Gottschild. I work with various customers who are very pleased with such automatic trimming systems.
The third option is to use hand trimmers. These hand trimmers are often shaped like door knobs and they are excellent for trimming the back of the doors. The trimmers stay flat on the back of the door and they hold the blade at the perfect angle. You can view an example of these at http://www.dackor.com/tools/handtrimmer.jpg
One idea used by some large shops is to combine the hand trimmers with flipping systems. With a flipping system you can flip the entire bed of doors and then cut out the doors while automatically trimming them with a hand trimmer.
I'd like to hear from you on how you trim your doors. Leave a comment or email me...
Some larger producing companies have elected to purchase an automatic trimming system from companies like Gottschild. I work with various customers who are very pleased with such automatic trimming systems.
The third option is to use hand trimmers. These hand trimmers are often shaped like door knobs and they are excellent for trimming the back of the doors. The trimmers stay flat on the back of the door and they hold the blade at the perfect angle. You can view an example of these at http://www.dackor.com/tools/handtrimmer.jpg
One idea used by some large shops is to combine the hand trimmers with flipping systems. With a flipping system you can flip the entire bed of doors and then cut out the doors while automatically trimming them with a hand trimmer.
I'd like to hear from you on how you trim your doors. Leave a comment or email me...
Thursday, April 10, 2008
3D Laminate Thermofoils for Multi-Family
In a previous article, “Thermofoil Is Ideal for High End Kitchens,” I stated my case for why I think 3D Laminates are ideal for high end kitchen applications.
For this article I’d like to discuss why I believe 3D Laminates are ideal for use in multi-family apartments and condos. Almost every producer of 3D Laminate doors have a few customers who purchase their doors for the use in an apartment or a condo; additionally, makers of thermofoil doors often give out their sample swatches without a special interest or marketing literature created for the multi family developer. Often colors like summer flame or basic white are offered and it is assumed that these colors will be suitable for that customer. It seems, however, that these markets often go with real-wood veneer in the high end condos or HPL in the apartments because the designs seem to be limited in the 3D Laminate market. When compared with a typical veneer door, 3D Laminates are very competitive in price and also competitive in appearance when the right colors are selected. In the pervious article I stated my case for why 3D Laminates can be used for the high end, but we all know that this is a difficult proposition. It is, however, an easier case to state that 3D Laminates are ideal for multi-family developers.
In addition to 3D Laminates being a good fit for these projects, I suspect that multi-family will continue to prosper over the long term. We’re all familiar with the weak housing market, though what predictions can we make about the future? What’s almost certain is that for your typical couple getting out of college, the price for a single-family home will be out of reach in most parts of the country. In addition, fuel prices are continuing to increase and this may encourage people to attempt to live closer to their work. Although we have plenty of land in America, condos will become an attractive alternative to many families in the coming years.
What’s interesting to note is that most condos or apartments opt for euro-style kitchens. Often, euro-style cabinetry is also called “Full Access” since there are no face frames impeding storage, which allows more of the box to be usable. Euro-style kitchens also make the kitchen look larger with the doors and drawers being closer together.
Throughout the next few years, the US market will be undergoing subtle changes. We’ve all seen the US furniture industry go to China, however the US cabinet market has remained insular to some degree. This is slowly changing and many of the big producers are starting to outsource many of their parts to China.
The euro-style kitchens using 3D Laminates should be produced here in the US. These type of kitchens need more machinery, technology and precision than that of the wooden kitchen, hence decreasing the Chinese labor advantage. In addition to labor being less of a factor for euro-style kitchens, the quality of glue and board used is critical. Finally, many of these projects need to be delivered in three weeks leaving little time for an overseas manufacturer to complete them.
I have nothing against foreign produced products, however my loyalty rests with the American kitchen cabinet and door manufacturer. You could say that I have a bias; however, one thing is for certain, and that is that if we share our ideas and successfully market our products together we’ll both be successful and prosperous.
For this article I’d like to discuss why I believe 3D Laminates are ideal for use in multi-family apartments and condos. Almost every producer of 3D Laminate doors have a few customers who purchase their doors for the use in an apartment or a condo; additionally, makers of thermofoil doors often give out their sample swatches without a special interest or marketing literature created for the multi family developer. Often colors like summer flame or basic white are offered and it is assumed that these colors will be suitable for that customer. It seems, however, that these markets often go with real-wood veneer in the high end condos or HPL in the apartments because the designs seem to be limited in the 3D Laminate market. When compared with a typical veneer door, 3D Laminates are very competitive in price and also competitive in appearance when the right colors are selected. In the pervious article I stated my case for why 3D Laminates can be used for the high end, but we all know that this is a difficult proposition. It is, however, an easier case to state that 3D Laminates are ideal for multi-family developers.
In addition to 3D Laminates being a good fit for these projects, I suspect that multi-family will continue to prosper over the long term. We’re all familiar with the weak housing market, though what predictions can we make about the future? What’s almost certain is that for your typical couple getting out of college, the price for a single-family home will be out of reach in most parts of the country. In addition, fuel prices are continuing to increase and this may encourage people to attempt to live closer to their work. Although we have plenty of land in America, condos will become an attractive alternative to many families in the coming years.
What’s interesting to note is that most condos or apartments opt for euro-style kitchens. Often, euro-style cabinetry is also called “Full Access” since there are no face frames impeding storage, which allows more of the box to be usable. Euro-style kitchens also make the kitchen look larger with the doors and drawers being closer together.
Throughout the next few years, the US market will be undergoing subtle changes. We’ve all seen the US furniture industry go to China, however the US cabinet market has remained insular to some degree. This is slowly changing and many of the big producers are starting to outsource many of their parts to China.
The euro-style kitchens using 3D Laminates should be produced here in the US. These type of kitchens need more machinery, technology and precision than that of the wooden kitchen, hence decreasing the Chinese labor advantage. In addition to labor being less of a factor for euro-style kitchens, the quality of glue and board used is critical. Finally, many of these projects need to be delivered in three weeks leaving little time for an overseas manufacturer to complete them.
I have nothing against foreign produced products, however my loyalty rests with the American kitchen cabinet and door manufacturer. You could say that I have a bias; however, one thing is for certain, and that is that if we share our ideas and successfully market our products together we’ll both be successful and prosperous.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
How to Press High Gloss
High Gloss Films have been considered the most difficult film to press using a membrane press and even more difficult to press with a vacuum press. This article will discuss the nature of this surface and give useful advice.
Earlier in my career I worked for a leading Japanese manufacturer of 3D Laminates and I worked as their technical guru to help companies press High Gloss. I must admit that at times I wanted to just give up but the finished products were so unique and special that I persisted.
A lot of companies in Europe who press High Gloss do so with a Fritz Bladder press that uses a hot liquid in the bladder to press the doors. The bladder presses have great pressure and they distribute the heat evenly. The bladder presses though are not really promoted and the most common membrane presses simply use air to push their membranes. Unless you intend to buy a press just for your High Gloss I would recommend using your existing press and working with the parameters to get the best results you can.
The most common problems with High Gloss are wrinkling, orange peel and telegraphing. Typical High Gloss Foils are 0.7mm thick or 28 mil and they are made using an Extruder rather than a Calender. This thicker guage of PVC requires more exposure to heat but with too high heat it will inevitably cause wrinkles in the finished part. Therefore it is recommend to press using a lower temperature such as 105 Celcius versus 118 Celcius for an average woodgrain. The preheat however, should be increased to 60 seconds or even 90 or 120 seconds rather than an average of 30 to 45 seconds for a 12 mil solid or woodgrain. As a rule of thumb, the above two settings are the biggest difference between pressing a High Gloss and a Solid or Woodgrain.
Earlier in my career I worked for a leading Japanese manufacturer of 3D Laminates and I worked as their technical guru to help companies press High Gloss. I must admit that at times I wanted to just give up but the finished products were so unique and special that I persisted.
A lot of companies in Europe who press High Gloss do so with a Fritz Bladder press that uses a hot liquid in the bladder to press the doors. The bladder presses have great pressure and they distribute the heat evenly. The bladder presses though are not really promoted and the most common membrane presses simply use air to push their membranes. Unless you intend to buy a press just for your High Gloss I would recommend using your existing press and working with the parameters to get the best results you can.
The most common problems with High Gloss are wrinkling, orange peel and telegraphing. Typical High Gloss Foils are 0.7mm thick or 28 mil and they are made using an Extruder rather than a Calender. This thicker guage of PVC requires more exposure to heat but with too high heat it will inevitably cause wrinkles in the finished part. Therefore it is recommend to press using a lower temperature such as 105 Celcius versus 118 Celcius for an average woodgrain. The preheat however, should be increased to 60 seconds or even 90 or 120 seconds rather than an average of 30 to 45 seconds for a 12 mil solid or woodgrain. As a rule of thumb, the above two settings are the biggest difference between pressing a High Gloss and a Solid or Woodgrain.
Another trick is to space your parts out a bit farther than normal from each other. What this does is to give more material and it requires less stretching of the material. Its common sense but the closer your parts are with this thicker material then the more the material has to stretch to get down on the edges.
If you encounter wrinkles then you will most likely need to decrease your preheat slightly or possibly even your temperature by a few degrees. There is a small window of settings that will get your High Gloss to press.
If you encounter orange peel in your parts you may want to reduce your preheat time and potentially even the pressure slightly. The orange peel is equivalent to small islands of built up heat if that makes any since. When you press High Gloss you really want to have the least amount of temperature for the least amount of time as possible. Some companies are very light on their application of glue to the center of the door component to reduce the glue/heat reaction that can cause orange peel. If your doors are sprayed thoroughly on the edges then you should not have any delamination issues.
If you encounter wrinkles then you will most likely need to decrease your preheat slightly or possibly even your temperature by a few degrees. There is a small window of settings that will get your High Gloss to press.
If you encounter orange peel in your parts you may want to reduce your preheat time and potentially even the pressure slightly. The orange peel is equivalent to small islands of built up heat if that makes any since. When you press High Gloss you really want to have the least amount of temperature for the least amount of time as possible. Some companies are very light on their application of glue to the center of the door component to reduce the glue/heat reaction that can cause orange peel. If your doors are sprayed thoroughly on the edges then you should not have any delamination issues.
In terms of pressure, I have have heard of different theories such as using less pressure however in Europe many companies have presses that will go above the 4 or 5 bars that a US press has. I have heard of 7 bar and up presses being used for pressing High Gloss doors however I have never personally worked with one of these machines.
If you encounter telegraphing when pressing your parts then you may need to sand your parts to get a more smooth texture before applying the glue. If you are encountering small dust particles then you may need to look at a few things. Is your roll rack grounded? If not then the static electricity could be pulling particles up onto your roll. Is your press in the same room as your router? If so you may need to think of your next investment being into building a special room for the press. Just a room to keep the dust out is adequate so you could use framing and clear plastic. Another common trick is to put a fan on top of your press to direct particles away from the press. This will decrease the small particles showing up under the door.
Most High Gloss films come with a masking film. In addition to having more rejects, High Gloss is more succeptible to scratches during installation. In the past there have been problems with some masking films being difficult to pull off. Most manufacturers have made improvements in this area so the film will come off more easily.
The gloss level of a High Gloss film ranges from 70 to 100 degree sheen. Dackor offers a Semi Gloss foil that has a 55 degree sheen. This semi gloss product does not have the mirror finish that a High Gloss does but instead has a slight stipple to it that is very subtle. This in affect hides telegraphing, scratches and debris from showing up. The product is also a 16 mil so it presses more easily and costs less than a High Gloss film. The appearance of the semi gloss film gives the look of a semi gloss paint that is shiny and looks as if it has been sprayed on.
In summation, High Gloss and Semi Gloss films are an attractive surface finish that give Kitchen doors a clean and modern look. With the right settings you can successfully offer either finish to your customers. Semi Gloss films press just like any other 16 mil film but if you should have trouble pressing the 28 mil High Gloss films you can call or email me and I will be glad to help with your settings.
If you encounter telegraphing when pressing your parts then you may need to sand your parts to get a more smooth texture before applying the glue. If you are encountering small dust particles then you may need to look at a few things. Is your roll rack grounded? If not then the static electricity could be pulling particles up onto your roll. Is your press in the same room as your router? If so you may need to think of your next investment being into building a special room for the press. Just a room to keep the dust out is adequate so you could use framing and clear plastic. Another common trick is to put a fan on top of your press to direct particles away from the press. This will decrease the small particles showing up under the door.
Most High Gloss films come with a masking film. In addition to having more rejects, High Gloss is more succeptible to scratches during installation. In the past there have been problems with some masking films being difficult to pull off. Most manufacturers have made improvements in this area so the film will come off more easily.
The gloss level of a High Gloss film ranges from 70 to 100 degree sheen. Dackor offers a Semi Gloss foil that has a 55 degree sheen. This semi gloss product does not have the mirror finish that a High Gloss does but instead has a slight stipple to it that is very subtle. This in affect hides telegraphing, scratches and debris from showing up. The product is also a 16 mil so it presses more easily and costs less than a High Gloss film. The appearance of the semi gloss film gives the look of a semi gloss paint that is shiny and looks as if it has been sprayed on.
In summation, High Gloss and Semi Gloss films are an attractive surface finish that give Kitchen doors a clean and modern look. With the right settings you can successfully offer either finish to your customers. Semi Gloss films press just like any other 16 mil film but if you should have trouble pressing the 28 mil High Gloss films you can call or email me and I will be glad to help with your settings.
Friday, February 29, 2008
3D Laminate Thermofoils are ideal for High End Kitchens
(THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED by SURFACE & PANEL magazine Q2, 2008; www.surfaceandpanel.com)
Since there are numerous names for our product segment, it is very difficult to explain to outsiders what our product is. I’ve even met cabinet makers and specifiers, much less people in typical social settings, who didn’t know what product I meant when I said “thermofoil”. I’d have to explain that it’s the same material used for “white vinyl wrapped doors”; even at that, though, they didn’t know that those same 3D laminates were available in wood grains! If I said that I sell granite, they would all clearly identify and usually have a positive reaction about that product segment; however if you take a look at our product segment, we lack all of that. When you think about it, though, how could a product segment that lacks a single, clearly identifiable name build awareness as an industry?
I have long thought that there should be one clear name to identify our product segment. In 1998, I started using the phrase “3D Laminate”. I can’t be certain that I was the first to use it, but I certainly had never seen it used previously. The year prior I had noticed at the NeoCon office furniture show that people would ask how our product was used. In response, knowing that most people clearly understood what an HPL chip looked like, I created a professional board that was backlit and spread chips out in front that were cut to represent the size and look of HPL chips. I used the term “3D Laminates” on top of the board. At that show I received many comments that, “Wow, they have 3D laminates now?” I realized then that the more descriptive name of “3D Laminate” helped to identify our product segment while also adding value over a traditional laminate.
Aside from a more descriptive name, our product segment lacks a positive image. Cabinetmakers and consumers alike do not recognize the quality and high end application potential that 3D laminates can offer. In Europe, 3D laminates are viewed as a durable, hygienic and a fashionable surface. It is not only more economical than wood, but it is also more consistent and offers a great deal more color and design options. If a project called for an exotic West African wood, the cabinet door could cost as much as $50 per square foot; however, a 3D laminate door in that same design and application would cost only a fraction of the price. In addition, a quality 3D laminate would be more consistent in design, and no “Old Growth” forest would need to be touched. Although 3D laminate doors are typically produced using PVC as an overlay, the bulk of the finished product is made by MDF. MDF is composed of blended raw wood material utilizing low priority wood composites of branches, small diameter trees, mill waste and forestry chips. It could be argued that our product segment even deserves recognition in the revitalized green movement.
In Europe, why are 3D laminates perceived as fashionable and modern surfaces to be used in mainstream and high end applications, but not here in North America? In North America, we typically see 3D Laminates as a lower end product used only in the bathroom, for apartments or in the closet. One problem is that, unlike their larger European counterparts, the extremely large kitchen producers here do not promote 3D laminates as a consumer friendly product and product of desire. At the opposite end of the scale, the small custom shop, which got its start as a custom wood craftsman, is pro natural wood, especially since “real wood” has a tendency to be viewed as a product that a cabinet shop without an automated CNC can roll up their sleeves and work with by hand.
So without the large kitchen producers and small cabinet shops pushing 3D laminates, what remains is only a small niche of kitchen and component producers who specify and utilize the product segment. The exact numbers are hard to pinpoint, but it has been reported that over 55% of kitchens in Europe use 3D laminates, whereas in North America that number is less than 10%. Typically, when you do see 3D laminates in North America, they are marketed as a type of counterfeit wood door. Mostly, though, they are promoted as multi-pass raised panel doors which require more CNC time than a slab door, thus warranting a higher price than a single pass routered door.
It’s also interesting to note that the perceived value of a kitchen in Europe is created by the color or design, whereas in North America the perceived value is more closely associated with how long it takes to produce. We have all heard the adage, “You sell what you show.” Well, in North America, the marketing efforts of 3D laminate door producers have collectively leaned towards selling their product as counterfeit, raised panel wood doors, which by their very nature is lower end on the pricing scale; as a result, thermofoil has become synonymous with low end.
As an Industry, shouldn’t we be promoting our 3D Laminate components to the High End design market? I feel that we should. The reason that 3D Laminates are not being offered to the high end clientele currently is a direct result of a category identity problem, which derives from a lack of information and education about our product segment as a whole.
As I mentioned, 3D Laminates are more popular in Europe, but let’s further examine why. First of all, the European market has a greater concentration of large manufacturers whom value consistency in their production line. These larger manufacturers create brochures that rival the automotive industy’s in style and quality and they proudly promote Kitchens that utilize 3D Laminates. Wood is also more scarce in supply and comes at a higher cost, and the average labor rate is high in most European countries. As a result of all of this, the large manufacturers are compelled to better utilize their machinery and material, such as 3D laminates, to add the most value possible to their finished product. Consequently, the 3D laminate product segment is perceived as a high end, high quality product in the European kitchen market. (On a side note, the consumers in Europe also live in tighter spaces; therefore “Euro Style” or “Full Access” cabinetry lends itself to being more desirable since more of the cabinet is usable.)
Now let’s compare the European situation to that in North America. In North America, “real wood” cabinet doors are viewed to be higher quality than 3D laminates. It is interesting that some of these “real wood” kitchens use the low-end wood doors, cheap hardware, untreated paper on the cabinet sides, and low-grade particle board. Then these kitchens are sold as being a high quality kitchen simply because they utilize “real wood” doors. Compare that kitchen to a Euro Style kitchen produced here in the US using a CNC with an all melamine board construction and Blum hardware; I would contend that the US made Euro Style kitchen offers more quality and value than the former. That is not to say that 3D laminates are superior to wood, but at the same time they are not necessarily lower in quality either. Allow me to give some examples of where man made products can outperform or have a higher perceived value over the “real” surface:
“Real” but LOW END PRODUCTUses Natural Wood, Leather, Steel
“Man Made” but HIGH END Uses Graphite, Plastic or Fiber
Wooden Golf Clubs VS. Callaway Graphite Clubs
Leather Shoes at Wal mart VS. Nike Running Shoes
Leather Handbag from Mall VS. Gucci Designer Handbag
Butcher Block Island VS. Corian Solid Surface by Dupont
Steel Ford Pinto VS. Fiberglass Corvette
Steel Bike from Target VS. Carbon fiber Racing Bike
Low end Maple Cabinets VS. High End 3D Laminate Kitchen
The above examples show that a man made product with artificial surfacing can be of a higher quality or of a higher perceived quality when properly produced, designed and marketed. If you sell your product based upon the wood species or how many passes it takes on the router, then you are not branding your product to its full potential.
Let me give an example:
Two years ago I visited the showroom of an Italian kitchen producer here in Florida, and was very impressed by the size and appearance, as well as the beautiful kitchens on display in large, wide-open spaces... It was obviously a very upscale showroom. I was admiring one of the Kitchens when an attractive saleswoman walked over and asked how I liked the kitchen. I remarked that it was indeed beautiful, and asked whether it was thermofoil. She began to explain to me that it was a special lacquer dipped process they do in Italy, but after hearing this, the showroom manager quickly walked over and corrected the sales person. They did have a special lacquer line, but it was for special order only. As it turns out, the kitchen I was looking at was indeed thermofoil. When I asked how much it retailed for, I was surprised at the high price level. In general, the average retail for their kitchens was considerably higher than the average “real wood” kitchen, but it did have a lot more hardware, function, high quality melamine construction and most importantly style.The Sales Manager and I ended up speaking for hours about the Kitchen Industry, the US market and the perception of foils in the market. I then realized that some of these kitchens coming in from Europe were sold widely into condos, as well as high end homes. When I have mentioned to designers the names of some high end kitchen producers from Germany and Italy, they drool over the thought of specifying them into their next project. They are viewed as an ultra luxury product, yet they don’t know or don’t want to see that they are using products that can be sourced in North America as well. After leaving that showroom, and after multiple trips to Germany and Italy, I have realized my calling. Although I didn’t hear a trumpet sound, I knew that it was my job to bring design and profitability to producers of 3D laminate components and kitchens to North America. I hope that this article reaches those who are in a position in their daily activities to join me in spreading the awareness of 3D laminates for use in high end kitchens.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Pressing is an Art not a Science
Throughout the past 10 years I've helped hundreds of companies with pressing, and I’ve come to realize that if you can allow yourself to toss out the old thinking of viewing pressing as a “science”, and regard it more so as an “art”, you can reveal the true underlying explanations to many of the issues you have or will run into with varying films. There are so many variables that can affect the outcome, and unfortunately it takes only one inaccuracy to cause a chain of events that can lead to multiple problems down the road.
Some variables to watch for:
-Temperature of room, film or board
-Humidity in room
-Preheat, Cycle Time and Temp
-Duration of Membrane Application
-Space between components, jigs or table
-Height of pedestal or pin system
-Thickness, Gloss level or color of foil
-Plasticizer content of foil
-Amount of Glue applied
-Bars of Pressure
There are other variables, so please feel free to post your comments.
Aside from looking at just the quantity of potential disruptions, it’s also important to realize that it only takes one to throw a chain of events into play that will impact the rest of your settings. Let me give an example:
Lets say that you get a request for a new color, and press it with the same preheat settings you have been using all year with your other films. When you press it, however, wrinkles show up. After speaking with the supplier, you are recommended to lower your preheat; however, this seems to create a new problem, as the film doesn’t form into the details of the door like you want it to. In summary, this new design doesn’t work well with your existing preheat settings, nor does it perform correctly when you make the adjustments to your settings. So what’s wrong with this vinyl?
The solution may be due to something as simple as the spacing you allow between your components. For the past year, your setup may have been working perfectly for you – your components were close together, but after trial and error you discovered that the longer preheat worked on the vinyls you were using at the time. However, those settings cause the vinyl to wrinkle on the new foil design, and now no longer work. In tinkering with your setup, you try something new and move the component parts slightly further apart, which allows for more film to reach into the profiles. This solves the problem, not only for the new film, but amazingly also for the old films. Additionally, the preheat is able to be lowered by 30 seconds, saving valuable time in your production. The problem was not solved with a typical adjustment in the settings, but rather by an outlying factor that required a little “thinking outside of the box”.
I used the above story to demonstrate how problems in pressing cannot be solely blamed on one variable. A cause and effect relationship exist amongst all the settings, both obvious and hidden, that can really change the nature of pressing. Some may say that there are no perfect settings, no “one size fits all” approach to pressing components - and to that I would agree. The glue, board, film, machine, pressing environment, etc. – they are all contributing variables to the formula that is your production. If you do not have a problem, then your variables are obviously working in your favor; however, if you ever do have a problem, then it’s important to be mindful of all the variables that play a role in your production line, and how they may ultimately be affecting your bottom line.
So by letting yourself see thermofoil component pressing as an art, rather than a science, you can open yourself up to all of the hidden variables that are really impacting your final product.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The beginning...
Its the beginning of a new year and I have decided to create a blog about the industry I love so much, the 3D Laminate Industry. I'd like to tell you my history as it’s relative to what I'm about... I grew up in a small town called Marion, VA, population 8,000 or so. I graduated in 1989 and I struggled in my first year in college. I joined the Air Force at the beginning of 1990.
On my way to basic, an Air Force Captain came up to me and asked where I was being stationed. Now mind you, its rare for an officer to really go out of their way to speak to a young enlisted guy. He recommended that I put in for Japan. He went on and on about how great Japan was and so I did; I put Japan at the top of the list. I was stationed in Japan for four years and worked with Petroleums and on my pool game. I had a lot of great experiences in Japan, I studied the Japanese language, taught English, took night classes and managed to explore Japan and learn more about the culture.
I decided to get out of the Air Force after four years and to go back to college. I decided on the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Yes I can hear you chuckling here.... It wasn't all surfing and scuba diving, although I did my share. In high school I was a C/D student but somehow I graduated with a 3.5 grade average with a degree in International Marketing with a minor in Japanese Language. In my marketing classes I did a few case studies on the Decorative Surfacing Industry. At the time I didn't really connect how the International Marketing, Japanese and Decorative Surfacing would somehow all join together in my future...
Next I started a company called Holdings in Malaysia with some college friends. What an experience! Doing business in a foreign country and dealing with Italy, China, India, Brazil and other countries. The market timing was perfect in the start and we imported granite and marble for flooring and countertops in Hotel and other multi-family projects. I loved the business but decided that I didn't want to live in Malaysia anymore.
I then set my sights for moving back to the US. When I moved back to the US, I relocated to Raleigh, NC (Cary). I saw an ad looking for someone with sales, marketing and Japanese language. When I went to the interview, imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were in the Decorative Surfacing Industry ! Needless to say, I landed the job and I started as a Sales Person for to North America. While working at Ambtra, I was able to combine everything I enjoyed doing. I loved dealing with other countries, loved Japan, loved marketing and thought the Decorative Surfacing Industry was so cool. The idea of adding value to an ordinary surface excites my marketing sensibilities. During my time there I was one of the first guys to target the Store Fixture Industry, was the first to develop a cut roll program and the first to use the term 3D Laminates. (that I know of) At th NeoCon Office show people didn't know what our product was. I cut chips to be sized like Wilsonart’s and put 3D Laminates on the display. Many people remarked "Wow they make 3D Laminates now". Working at Ambtra was such a positive experience. I strongly recommend doing business with them as they are some of the nicest and most sincere group of people you would ever want to meet.
In late 2003' I took the challenge of starting up DACKOR for North America. We physically got inventory in late 2004 so I've been marketing the product for four years as of the start of this blog. Its been a real challenge developing new colors for the market and establishing the initial client base. I won't bore you with the details but we've managed to grow consistently even in a declining market. We've created some hits that have flourished and I do have some more things coming up that I think will do well.
I must admit that I have had support from some key people to get to this point. But imagine the affect that other’s had in my life. If that Captain had never approached me in the airport my life would probably have been so different. Its interesting how small chance circumstances can alter your life.
At the beginning of this year I decided to create a blog discussing the 3D Laminate industry. I feel like I have a unique and international perspective on our business. Over the past years I have been apart of selling over $100 million in Decorative Surfaces, lived in various countries and upstarted several foreign Decorative Surface factories entrace into the US market. I have also done independent consulting to some nationally known Decorative Surfacing brands. In addition, I've helped numerous companies with their press settings and with improving their high gloss components by elleviating or reducing orange peel and wrinkles. Over the past ten years I have also worked with various national Office Component manufacturers to create new lines or with Store Fixture chains, restaurant chains and multi family housing developers.
Throughout our days we are flooded with news and information (mostly useless). I don't proclaim that these blog posts will change your life but I think it would be easy for you to gain something of value. And please be sure to give me support by emailing me if you see something useful. Your feedback is important.
On my way to basic, an Air Force Captain came up to me and asked where I was being stationed. Now mind you, its rare for an officer to really go out of their way to speak to a young enlisted guy. He recommended that I put in for Japan. He went on and on about how great Japan was and so I did; I put Japan at the top of the list. I was stationed in Japan for four years and worked with Petroleums and on my pool game. I had a lot of great experiences in Japan, I studied the Japanese language, taught English, took night classes and managed to explore Japan and learn more about the culture.
I decided to get out of the Air Force after four years and to go back to college. I decided on the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Yes I can hear you chuckling here.... It wasn't all surfing and scuba diving, although I did my share. In high school I was a C/D student but somehow I graduated with a 3.5 grade average with a degree in International Marketing with a minor in Japanese Language. In my marketing classes I did a few case studies on the Decorative Surfacing Industry. At the time I didn't really connect how the International Marketing, Japanese and Decorative Surfacing would somehow all join together in my future...
Next I started a company called Holdings in Malaysia with some college friends. What an experience! Doing business in a foreign country and dealing with Italy, China, India, Brazil and other countries. The market timing was perfect in the start and we imported granite and marble for flooring and countertops in Hotel and other multi-family projects. I loved the business but decided that I didn't want to live in Malaysia anymore.
I then set my sights for moving back to the US. When I moved back to the US, I relocated to Raleigh, NC (Cary). I saw an ad looking for someone with sales, marketing and Japanese language. When I went to the interview, imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were in the Decorative Surfacing Industry ! Needless to say, I landed the job and I started as a Sales Person for to North America. While working at Ambtra, I was able to combine everything I enjoyed doing. I loved dealing with other countries, loved Japan, loved marketing and thought the Decorative Surfacing Industry was so cool. The idea of adding value to an ordinary surface excites my marketing sensibilities. During my time there I was one of the first guys to target the Store Fixture Industry, was the first to develop a cut roll program and the first to use the term 3D Laminates. (that I know of) At th NeoCon Office show people didn't know what our product was. I cut chips to be sized like Wilsonart’s and put 3D Laminates on the display. Many people remarked "Wow they make 3D Laminates now". Working at Ambtra was such a positive experience. I strongly recommend doing business with them as they are some of the nicest and most sincere group of people you would ever want to meet.
In late 2003' I took the challenge of starting up DACKOR for North America. We physically got inventory in late 2004 so I've been marketing the product for four years as of the start of this blog. Its been a real challenge developing new colors for the market and establishing the initial client base. I won't bore you with the details but we've managed to grow consistently even in a declining market. We've created some hits that have flourished and I do have some more things coming up that I think will do well.
I must admit that I have had support from some key people to get to this point. But imagine the affect that other’s had in my life. If that Captain had never approached me in the airport my life would probably have been so different. Its interesting how small chance circumstances can alter your life.
At the beginning of this year I decided to create a blog discussing the 3D Laminate industry. I feel like I have a unique and international perspective on our business. Over the past years I have been apart of selling over $100 million in Decorative Surfaces, lived in various countries and upstarted several foreign Decorative Surface factories entrace into the US market. I have also done independent consulting to some nationally known Decorative Surfacing brands. In addition, I've helped numerous companies with their press settings and with improving their high gloss components by elleviating or reducing orange peel and wrinkles. Over the past ten years I have also worked with various national Office Component manufacturers to create new lines or with Store Fixture chains, restaurant chains and multi family housing developers.
Throughout our days we are flooded with news and information (mostly useless). I don't proclaim that these blog posts will change your life but I think it would be easy for you to gain something of value. And please be sure to give me support by emailing me if you see something useful. Your feedback is important.
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