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.