The Wood 100: ninth annual report.

WOOD 100 companies post excellent gains in 1997, and look forward to even greater ones in '98 and '99

The results are in, and it's clear that 1997 was a very good year for the members of the WOOD 100. The companies in this report racked up sales of more than $826 million and grew by an average of 31.9 percent - the highest average growth in five years and tied with 1991 for the second highest growth in the nine years of the WOOD 100. The early returns for 1998 also look good, as 78 percent are forecasting double-digit growth. One might think that things couldn't possibly get better for these companies, but 40 percent of them are predicting their "best year ever" in 1999 with an additional 50 percent predicting a "good" 1999. (See chart on page 58.)

In an attempt to uncover the reasons these companies have been and plan to remain so successful, the editors of W&WP asked WOOD 100 executives to. cite the single most important factor in their companies' recent prosperity. The answers were culled from companies both large and small - some with staggering rates of growth and others with more modest rates. The responses to our questions cut across those lines and showed that no matter the size or shape of a company, certain things set the WOOD 100 members apart from the pack.

Thirty percent cited increased productivity - usually as a result of capital improvements such as added plant space or new machinery purchases. The second greatest number, 24 percent, gave the credit to their employees' skills and/or dedication. Still others thought marketing programs (19 percent), new product development (12 percent) and quality control improvements (six percent) had the most to do with their company's growth. Nine of the 100 supplied their own answers, which included customer service, diversification and increased market focus.

Here's a sampling of what we heard.

* James Bonito, CEO of New England Clock (No. 5): "We took over a company that hadn't put any money into equipment and couldn't produce clocks in a reasonable amount of time. We reengineered the product, purchased state-of-the-art equipment and turned it around."

* Richard Nickelson, president of Woodtech Ind. (No. 9): "Our people are our biggest asset, as they have gained experience and shown their unending support."

* Jim Kreber, president of Wooden Mallet (No. 13): "Customers are constantly looking for new products, and with their help, we try to expand our product line to meet their needs."

* Fariba Shaygun, director of sales and marketing for Eurodesign Cabinets (No. 16): "We decentralized a lot of our field control, and made cooperative teams between manufacturing and installation and came up with a formal quality control team."

* Barry Nash, president of N2 Millwork Services (No. 21): We are pursuing more public works projects. Hotels and schools now account for 30 percent of our work."

While things are looking up for these companies, they keep a wary eye on factors that could spell an end to the boom. (See WOOD 100 Firms Share Concerns for the Future, below). Finding and keeping good workers is the chief concern among these WOOD 100 executives. Thirty-five of the 99 who responded listed it as their top concern while 23 named it their second and five their third-biggest concern about the future.

Davids and Goliaths

Part of what makes WOOD 100 unique is the wide variety of sizes of companies. For example, No. 3 Woodcraft Industries, which employs about 1,500, is sandwiched between No. 2 Commercial Custom Cabinet with five employees and No. 4 Southern Architectural Woodwork, which employs 70.

Acknowledgements: Rich Christianson, Barrett Kilmer, Larry Adams, Sam Gazdziak and Chad Sypkens compiled this report with the assistance of Karen Koenig, Helen Kuhl, Dan Aske, Blanca Hernandez and the rest of the W&WP staff.

Additional copies: A limited quantity of copies are available. Phone Blanca Hernandez at [phone] for prices and ordering information.

The 1998 WOOD 100: The Tenth Annual WOOD 100 of fast-growing wood products companies will be published in September 1999. For information on participating, phone Rich Christianson, editorial director, at [phone], ext. 652; fax [phone] or write #400 on the Reader's Service Card.

Not your typical WOOD 100 member

In terms of averages, the "typical" WOOD 100 member has 96 employees and grossed $8.26 million in 1997 compared to $6.26 million in 1996.

Our top-ranked company, Byrne Millwork, is anything but typical and proved remarkably efficient in 1997. It has 24 employees, far fewer than the average of 96, but grossed $6.07 million in sales - not much less than the average of $8.26 million.

President Paidin Byrne is also remarkably prescient, having predicted 400 percent growth in last year's report. The company actually saw sales grow 408.5% - a new record for the WOOD 100. "How did they do that?" one might ask.

"The orders were already in the works," said John Scholl, senior project manager for Byrne Millwork. "We were working day and night to finish them by Labor Day." Scholl credited quality control as the main factor in Byrne's success in 1997, but it sounds like good old-fashioned hard work had something to do with it, too.

WOOD 100 All-Time Top 10

Byrne Millwork's increase of more than 400 percent gives it the
highest sales increase of any company in the nine-year history of
the WOOD 100. Previously, the top company had been Michigan Cutting
Specialists, which posted a 279% increase between 1992 and 1993.

                                                    Year
Company/Location                                  Featured    % Gain

1. Byrne Millwork Inc/New Castle, DE                1998      408.5%
2. Michigan Cutting Specialists/                    1994      279.0%
Shelby Township, MI
3. Wood Cabinet Components/Eugene, OR               1991      273.4%
4. BK Hardwood Ltd./Jenison, MI                     1994      256.4%
5. Monarch Industries Inc./Providence, RI           1994      248.2%
6. Hanson Woodworking Inc./Faribault, MN            1993      207.5%
7. Precision Panel Products Inc./Largo, FL          1994      184.4%
8. Gateway Cabinet/San Diego, CA                    1991      183.6%
9. Evans Cabinet and Door Co./Brenham, TX           1994      177.3%
10. Greenfield Millworks/North Little Rock, AR      1991      175.0%
WOOD 100 on the Web

Proving that the world wide web is not just for hundred-million
dollar corporations, 16 of the WOOD 100 companies have their own Web
page, with at least three more pages currently under construction.
All of the Web sites can be accessed from the WOOD 100 report on
www.iswonline.com

Barbosa Cabinets Inc. (No. 54)            www.barcab.com
Blackhawk Furniture Inc. (48)             www.blackhawkfurniture.com
CNC Industries Inc. (17)                  www.cnc-ind.com
Colonial Craft (75)                       www.colonialcraft.com
Columbia Oak Inc. (85)                    www.columbiaoak.com
Design Fabricators Inc. (24)              www.designfab.com
Designer Doors (42)                       www.designer-doors.com
Eurocraft Corp. (53)                      www.eurocraftcorp.com
Evans Cabinet and Door Co. Inc. (63)      www.bluebon.net/evanscab/
Giffin Interior & Fixture Inc.(84)        www.giffininterior.com
Original Craft Inc.-                      www.kcm.com/stumpy
DBA Stumpy Originals (98)
P.J. Milligan & Co. (71)                  www.pjmilligan.com
Smith & Ron Inc.                          www.royalcabinets.com
DBA Royal Cabinets (40)
Top Drawer Components (43)                www.topdrwr.com
Wisconsin Built (68)                      www.wisconsin-built.com
Zongkers Inc. (79)                        www.zongkers.com

Graybar Batting 1.000

West Allis, WI-based company's WOOD 100 streak extends to nine in a row.

Craig Graybar Furniture Works is nine for nine in the WOOD 100 list of fast-growing wood product companies.

The West Allis, WI, manufacturer of classically-styled custom furniture has averaged more than 26 percent sales growth over the last nine years and is the lone member from that first WOOD 100 class to have earned a spot on each of the WOOD 100 surveys.

Echoing the contest's catch phrase, "Not the Biggest, the Best," Graybar Furniture Works has grown more than 700 percent since 1988 and topped the million dollar mark for the first time in 1997. (See chart this page.) Sales are projected to increase another 20 percent this year.

Consistent growth has been attained in part by the company's pledge to treat "each customer as if he or she were our only client," said company president Craig Graybar in the 1990 survey. As a result, repeat and referral customers make up approximately 80 percent of Graybar Furniture Works' business. To attract new customers, the company has implemented a marketing program that includes radio spots.

"We now emphasize radio advertising directed by each station's demographic match to our customers," Graybar said.

One such radio commercial was heard by an elderly woman who needed to find a company that could repair her antique furniture. As she was praying for guidance, a commercial for Graybar came on the radio. She took the coincidence as a sign of God's will, Graybar said.

With advertising, repeats and referrals and perhaps a prayer or two, all Graybar can say about the coming year is: "Wait 'till (you see) next years' sales."

Qualifying for the WOOD 100

The WOOD 100 was established by Wood & Wood Products in 1990 to recognize the achievements of fast-growing wood products manufacturers. The WOOD 100 slogan, "Not the Biggest, the Best" was coined to encourage the participation of small custom woodworking shops as well as high-production woodworking companies.

The four prerequisites needed for participation in the Ninth Annual Report are:

1. Each company's main business must be the manufacture of solid wood or composite panel products.

2. Each company reported at least $100,000 in annual sales in each year since 1995.

3. Each company enjoyed greater total sales in 1997 than 1996.

4. Each company completely filled out the WOOD 100 qualification form and granted W&WP permission to publish its annual sales figures and other information in this report.

Beyond these shared traits, the 1998 class of WOOD 100 companies runs the gamut in terms of size, product mix, location and theories for their individual success.

[TABULAR DATA OMITTED]

Another View of the WOOD 100

A fair criticism of the WOOD 100 is that it ranks companies of disparaging sizes. Obviously, it is easier for a firm of $300,000 in sales to double its size in the course of a year's time than it is for a company of $3 million, let alone for a $30 million company to accomplish that feat.

In an attempt to level the playing field, here are how the sales growth fortunes of fifty WOOD 100 companies stack up when classified in groups of more comparable size.

An interesting aspect of the WOOD 100 is the number of "millionaires" that were produced in 1997. Comparing year-to-year sales of the 100 companies in this year's survey, 23 companies earned less than a million in 1997, as opposed to 28 companies that reported under $1 million in sales in 1996. The number of companies reporting sales between $1 million and $2.5 million also dropped (19 companies in 1997, as compared to 23 companies in 1996).

The growth came in the higher sales categories. Nineteen companies said they had $2.5 million to $5 million in sales in 1997 as compared to 17 companies a year earlier; 16 companies said they had between $5 million and $10 million as compared to 13; and 23 companies said they broke the $10 million barrier in 1997 as compared to 19 companies a year earlier.

TOP GROWTH COMPANIES
'96 sales under $1 million

Commercial Custom Cabinet         +165.8%
New England Clock -
a division of Bonito Mfg.         +103.7%
Skeeles Mfg. Inc.                  +84.9%
The Wood Image Inc.                +82.1%
Your Furniture Designers Inc.      +68.6%
CNC Industries Inc.                +53.3%
Wood Wright Mfg. Inc.              +51.7%
National Woodwork
Manufacturing                      +51.1%
St. Louis Closet Company           +45.6%
CSM Cabinetry LLC.                 +40.8%
TOP GROWTH COMPANIES
'96 sales $1 million to $2.5 million

Woodtech Industries Inc.           +75.3%
Nu-Trend Custom Cabinet Co.        +71.3%
Wooden Mallet                      +62.5%
Whip's Carpentry                   +59.6%
N2 Millwork Services Inc.          +48.7%
Leininger Cabinet
& Woodworking                      +38.1%
Piccini Industries                 +35.2%
LayneCorp Architectural
Millwork Inc.                      +34.1%
Colonial Wood Craft Inc.           +31.6%
Strata Design Inc.                 +20.7%
TOP GROWTH COMPANIES
'96 sales $2.5 million to $5 million

Southern Architectural
Woodwork Inc.                       +107%
Mortensen Woodwork                 +74.2%
White County Mouldings             +40.2%
Ritter Cabinet Mfg.                +39.7%
Professional Installation
Network Inc.                       +39.3%
America's Finest
Woodworking Team                   +28.9%
Gilmore Inc.                       +28.2%
Dimension Millworks                +27.2%
Harbinger Industries Inc.          +21.2%
Bremtown Kitchens                  +19.2%
TOP GROWTH COMPANIES
'96 sales $5 million to $10 million

Fleetwood Industries               +78.6%
Glenn Rieder Inc.                  +46.8%
Design Fabricators Inc.            +44.1%
Lexington Mfg. Inc.                +37.2%
Barbosa Cabinets Inc.              +23.0%
Principle Fixture &
Millwork Inc.                      +20.4%
Office Chairs Inc.                 +20.2%
Hoffco Inc.                        +14.9%
Riss Bros. Inc.                    +11.4%
Paone Woodworking Corp.            +10.9%
TOP GROWTH COMPANIES
'96 sales over $10 million

Woodcraft Industries              +117.1%
Appalachian Wood
Products Inc.                      +57.3%
Eurodesign Cabinets Inc.           +55.3%
Baby's Dream Furniture             +51.5%
Legacy Cabinets L.L.C.             +42.4%
Eagle Industries Inc.              +31.8%
Smith & Roan Inc.
(dba Royal Cabinets)               +29.9%
Blackhawk Furniture Inc.           +27.1%
Northern Contours/
Norcon Hardwoods                   +16.2%
T.J. Hale Co.                      +14.7%

WOOD 100 Firms Share Concerns for the Future

Finding, keeping and training quality employees ranked among the top concerns of the WOOD 100 participants. Employee recruitment and retention was cited by 63 company executives, 35 of which noted it as their top concern. The economy was listed as a top concern by 24 respondents. Some reported that they worry about the economy because it is something they cannot control. "It's when things are very good that companies become complacent," wrote one executive.

Following are selected comments from WOOD 100 participants on how they plan to address their top concerns.

Employee Recruitment/Retention

"Efforts to improve wages and benefits will hopefully help us retain the most skilled employees. Aggressive recruitment at the high school level through school-to-work initiatives will be used."

"We are now offering a better employee benefit package. (We are) recruiting and training from not only classified advertising but also through the Internet and local schools.

"With very low unemployment in our region, recruiting will have to expand geographically. We will also extend training programs and offer incentives for quality, work ethic, attendance and attitude. Plus we will set up employee bonus program for referrals and extend benefits to retain highly valued workers."

Economy

"By working to develop strong relationships now with distributors, we hope that if there is an economic downturn, they will rely on us as a tried-and-true supplier of product."

Top Three Concerns of the WOOD 100

Concerns                               First     Second     Third

Employee Recruitment/Retention           35        23         5
Economy                                  24        13        17
Employee Skills                          16        26        12
Price Cutting by Competition              6         8        20
Wood Quality/Availability                 5         6         9
Health Benefits Costs                     4         3        14
Design Copying                            2         0         4
Workers' Compensation Costs               1         7        10
Finishing VOC Regulations                 1         6         8
Lumber/Composite Panel Costs              1         5         4
Other(*)                                  4         2         2

(Based on 99 responses)

* includes controlled and rapid growth, expansion, productivity, new
market development and finding niche markets

"We will continue to look at diversifying our product lines in order to secure new customers and look at ways to improve our production methods to increase our productivity."

"We have instituted our own apprenticeship program. We hire inexperienced personnel from technical schools or trade schools that have basic woodworking knowledge. It is up to our department heads to recognize employees that exhibit a talent in theft work and to mentor their growth within the company."

Wizards of the WOOD 100

WOOD 100 companies are a bullish bunch by nature, but here's a list of some of the more optimistic predictions for sales increases in 1998, and some early projections for a profitable 1999. Note that none of the firms predicted a "terrible" or "poor" year for 1999

Projected increase in 1998

Dodd Woodworking (No. 34)          +300%
Woodtech Industries (No. 9]         +80%
J.S. Benson (No. 66)                +65%
Mack Studios/Displays (No.95)       +65%
Lexington Mfg.(No.32)               +60%
CSM Cabinetry (No. 26)              +55%
Commercial Custom Cabinet
(No. 2)                             +50%
Design Fabricators (No. 24)         +50%
Designer Doors (No. 42)             +50%
Muscanell Millworks (No. 41)        +50%
New England Clock (No. 5)           +50%
Wooden Mallet (No. 13)              +50%
Barbosa Cabinets (No, 54)           +49%
N2 Millwork Services (No. 21)       +46%
Appalachian Wood Products
(No, 15)                            +40%
Artilex Millwork (No. 51)           +40%
CNC Industries No. 17)              +40%
Custom Wood Furniture
(No. 50)                            +40%

(60 other firms predicted double-digit gains.)

What's ahead for '99?

Everyone is predicting 1999 to be bullish in terms of sales growth. Of the survey respondents, 50 percent said 1999 will be a good year, with an additional 40 percent predicting it to be their best ever.

1

BYRNE MILLWORK INC. New Castle, DE

'96: $1,193,000 Sales '97: +408.5% Est. 1992

'97: $6,067,000 Employees: 24

Architectural woodwork

The phenomenal sales growth experienced by Byrne Millwork necessitated the expansion of the factory floor. The company's plant size has ballooned from 8,000 square feet to 25,000 square feet. In addition, a regional office has been opened in northern New Jersey to enable an expanded client base in the New York City area. Byrne doesn't see either of these as the main contributing factor in the company's success, though. "Quality control is number one. Using AutoCAD, we are able to generate drawings for customer approvals as well as accurate shop drawing for our shop people to follow," said Byrne. One of his ultimate goals is to automate, integrating their CAD system with equipment they are looking to purchase. "We regularly send [the workers] to training seminars and trade shows. This gives them the tools to effectively contribute to the decision-making process," he said.

2

COMMERCIAL CUSTOM CABINET Mechanicsville, VA

'96: $114,000 Sales '97: +165.8% Est. 1994

'97: $303,000 Projected '98: +50% Employees: 5

Commercial casework and millwork

Showing an impressive rise in sales in only one year, owner Gary Carlton sees the constant reinvestment into the company as the biggest factor to its success. "We reinvested most of the profits back in the business, continuously upgrading equipment and by buying, selling, repairing/rebuilding and trading equipment, such as a Schelling panel saw, Ritter boring machines, case clamp, edgebander, and designated boring machines for hinges, drawer fronts and face frames, and nailers," said Carlton. "I believe we could grow at a faster rate if we only had a larger shop, 3,200 square feet, with room to expand."

3

WOODCRAFT INDUSTRIES St. Cloud, MN

'96: $55,772,000 '97 Sales: +117.1% Est. 1945

'97: $121,058,000 '98 Projection: +20% Employees: 1,500

Full line of solid hardwood and engineered wood components for high-volume kitchen cabinet and furniture manufacturers.

Its acquisition of PrimeWood and continued investments in hardwood lumber predrying and kiln drying facilities and engineered-wood manufacturing equipment are what has kept Woodcraft Ind. competitive and in the black, according to Steve Wilhelm. These investments have increased productivity and contributed to the company's overall success since 1995. "Woodcraft Industries implemented a 'shift modeling' operations plan at all facilities that increased base operating hours from 80 to 112 hours per week," said Wilhelm. The additional hours came about by creating different shifts: two 3-day/12-hour work shifts along with a base 4-day/10-hour work shift or a 5-day/8 hour work shift.

4

SOUTHERN ARCHITECTURAL WOODWORK INC. Columbia, SC

'96: $4,645,000 Sales '97: +107% Est. 1983

'97: $9,618,000 Projected '98: Lower Employees: 70

Architectural woodwork and executive and conference furniture

Frank Crachiolo, vice president of marketing and sales for Southern Architectural Woodwork Inc., credits increased demand for high-end architectural woodwork for his company's recent success. "Supply and demand seem to be in better balance," Crachiolo said. "This allows us to offer a very high level of product and service at a price that is fair to us and our customers." Recent purchases include a Heesemann LSM4 sander, a Komo VR-512 CNC router with custom tooling, and custom manufacturing software. The company has developed an in-depth training program and paid for training outside the shop to offset the lack of skills among younger employees.

5

NEW ENGLAND CLOCK - A DIVISION OF BONITO MFG. North Haven, CT

'96: $432,000 Sales '97: +103.7% Est. 1995

'97: $880,000 Projected '98: +50% Employees: 9

Grand, father clocks, gifts

New England Clock has been around since 1828 and had been sold several times before Bonito Mfg. purchased it in 1995. The clocks were fully handmade and there had been no investment in equipment. "The company couldn't produce clocks in a reasonable amount of time and was losing money," said CEO James Bonito. Bonito reengineered the product and partially automated the process. In its first year of owning New England Clock, Bonito topped our survey, and last year it ranked #14. Bonito has added an SCMI Sandya 10 sander in recent years.

6

SKEELES MFG. INC. Columbus, OH

'96: $430,000 Sales '97: +84.9% Est. 1991

'97: $795,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 15

Retail fixtures, displays, countertops, and cabinets in all types of wood, plastic laminates and acrylics

The crucial aspect of SMI's success rests in its manufacturing and sales forces working together, according to vice president of sales Rebecca Skeeles. "This has allowed our sales force to continually learn more, and betters our quality and productivity of fixtures," she said. Skeeles also noted the positive response generated by the company's appearance in last year's Wood 100 (No. 96). The company recently moved into a stand-alone building in Columbus, OH, which has brought nothing but positive things. "This move has helped us because our new plant is more accommodating to our manufacturing needs." In addition, it is located right next to two major highways, providing easy access for its workers.

7

THE WOOD IMAGE, INC. Lithonia, GA

'96: $694,000 Sales '97: +82.1% Est. 1993

'97: $1,264,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 14

Wood displays and fixtures for retail stores, high-end furniture, special trophies and awards

In the past year, with low unemployment across the country, one company that hasn't had problems retaining employees is The Wood Image. According to president and owner Mark Sickler, the secret lies in profit sharing. "Every quarter the employees know I will 'share the wealth.' By now they have a good idea how the quarter went and how the bonus will be affected," he said. Sickler said he believes this helps his workers feel the impact they make on the company and how that affects their bonuses. The Wood Image recently bought a 23-spindle line boring machine, a 30-hp rotary screw compressor with dryer and, as another perk for its workers, a new microwave for the lunchroom.

8

FLEETWOOD INDUSTRIES Reading, PA

'96: $8,487,000 Sales '97: +78.6% Est. 1969

'97: $15,155,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 85

Custom store fixtures

The secret to Fleetwood's success isn't achieving customers' expectations, it's overachieving them, according to Mindy Gehris. "As a company, we strive to exceed our customers expectations in every way," Gehris said. To accomplish this, Fleetwood provides a customer service staff to ensure service and communication, along with prototype and full roll-out production in a "creative and quality manner," added Gehris. A full online computer scheduling system helps to guarantee prompt delivery. It is also these types of services that Gehris sees as the path to continued success. "We will survive any economic problems because we are a quality company," said Gehris.

9

WOODTECH INDUSTRIES INC. Lake City, FL

'96: $1,092,000 Sales '97:+75.3% Est. 1989

'97: $1,914,000 Projected '98: +80% Employees: 32

Architectural millwork, including office interiors, woodwork and plastic laminate casework, schools and medical casework

Woodtech Ind. is owned and operated by Dale and Richard Nickelson, who have a combined 27 years experience in the architectural woodworking field. The owners credit the company's success to its employees' skills and dedication. "Our people are our biggest asset, as they have gained experience and shown their unending support for the owners in helping us to be a success," said Richard Nickelson, president. Woodtech's projects provide the clearest example of its accomplishments. Among its most recent are the renovation of the Jacksonville City Hall in Jacksonville, FL, and the Broward/Gilchrist Hall Renovations for Florida Sate University in Tallahassee.

10

MORTENSEN WOODWORK Union City, GA

'96: $4,995,000 Sales '97: +74.2% Est. 1987

'97: $8,699,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 100

High-end architectural woodwork including wall panels, trim, pre-finished and plastic laminate casework, and commercial furniture

A new Komo CNC router has expanded capabilities at Mortensen and allowed it to be more efficient in production runs, according to sales and marketing manager Greg Kasten. The resulting increase in work made necessary the addition of two new finishing booths and an enlarged assembly room. "Each department has been forced to produce more work without sacrificing quality," Kasten said.

11

NU-TREND CUSTOM CABINET CO. Des Plaines, IL

'96: $1,004,000 Sales '97: +71.3% Est. 1983

'97: $1,720,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 14

Architectural woodworking including custom cabinetry and furniture

While not expecting 1998 sales to exceed those of 1997, Nu-Trend president Kevin Mack is still smiling over predictions that Nu-Trend will have its best year ever in 1999. To meet expected demand, Mack has added a 5-station computer network which is used in virtually every area of his business. Mack believes, though, that computers were not the main reason for the company's growth. "We took an extremely proactive approach with our management team," he said. "In effect we are trying to control how our customers work with us, as opposed to how they want to work with us. We set the guidelines and give them the responsibility to perform."

12

YOUR FURNITURE DESIGNERS INC. Garnerville, NY

'96: $622,000 Sales '97: +68.6% Est. 1988

'97: $1,049,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 8

Laminated panels, office furniture, components, kitchen cabinets, cases

Jose Mata, president of Your Furniture Designers Inc., knows it's hard to find people proficient in both cabinetmaking and working with computers. "We try to educate our employees, teaching them the technical use of hardware," Mata said. "We have safety and computer trainings every time we get a new machine." Among those new machines are a Holz-Her edgebander and a CNC Rover 20 from Biesse.

13

WOODEN MALLET Aberdeen, SD

'96: $1,008,000 Sales '97: +62.5% Est. 1975

'97: $1,638,000 Projected '98: +50% Employees: 16

Literature displays and magazine racks, solid oak coat and hat racks, luggage racks and miscellaneous products for the hospitality industry

Over the years, new product development has stood out as the biggest reason for Wooden Mallet's success, according to president Jim Kreber. "Customers are constantly looking for new products and, with their help, we try to expand our product line to meet their needs," he said. When a company puts out new products, it becomes inevitable that copycat products arrive on the market at lower costs than the original. To remedy this, Kreber uses a strategy that satisfies both his company and the consumer. "We try to keep our production costs down which allows us to keep our prices low, thus discouraging product copying by our competition."

14

WHIP'S CARPENTRY Burlington, Ontario, Canada

'96: $1,945,000(C$) Sales '97: +59.6% Est. 1981

'97: $3,104,000(C$) Projected '98: +35% Employees: 13

Store fixtures, closet organizers and office furniture

"By updating all of our equipment we were able to improve our quality and productivity," said Mike Lycklama. The company's purchases include a Homag edgebander, RBO handling equipment, Biesse Techno Logic through feed drill, Biesse dowel inserter, Giben Prismatic SPT 101 saw and a Morbidelli point-to-point. Lycklama feels that keeping on top of the latest technology is the best way to increase productivity and combat price cutting by competitors.

15

APPALACHIAN WOOD PRODUCTS INC. Clearfield, PA

'96: $17,255,000 Sales '97: +57.3% Est. 1987

'97: $27,135,000 Projected '98: +40% Employees: 303

Hardwood kitchen cabinet doors, drawer fronts, door framing and cabinet framing

Customer service has been integral in the success of Appalachian Wood Products, according to company president Dennis McCahan. "I know our customer service has contributed the most to our success. We do our best at all times to meet our customers needs; we care." The company plans to increase its starting wage and start employee benefits earlier. "We usually lose our employees within their first year," McCahan said. "We seldom lose any after that." Appalachian has added widebelt sanders and a moulder to its shop in recent years.

16

EURODESIGN CABINETS INC. Chino, CA

'96: $14,417,000 Sales '97: +55.3% Est. 1981

'97: $22,396,000 Projected '98: +34% Employees: 330

Manufacturing and installing European kitchen, bath, etc., for residential housing

Eurodesign Cabinets Inc. is continually looking to increase efficiency by increasing automation. The company's recent purchases include two IMA European finishing lines, two automatic sanders, a melamine press, a veneer press, door assembly system and a CNC router. In all, the company has spent more than $1.7 million on new machinery over the last two years. A new quality control program, implemented with the cooperation of the manufacturing and installation departments, has further increased efficiency, according to director of sales and marketing Fariba Shaygan.

17

CNC INDUSTRIES INC. Houston, TX

'96: $458,000 Sales '97: +53.3% Est. 1992

'97: $702,000 Projected '98: +40% Employees: 10

Manufacturer of components in wood and plastic for the kiosk and mobile work stations market

CNC Industries recently added a new assembly department which allows it to fill the gap between component manufacturing and finished product. The company is also reaping the benefits of diversification. "Our push to diversify in the past, and our broad manufacturing background, give us the ability to produce precision made turnkey products for our customers," says president and CEO Eric Eilers. To furnish this new department, CNC purchased a Komo 1605 and small hand tools. Eilers is combating his chief concern, employee retention and recruitment, by cross-training and sending employees to classes.

18

WOOD WRIGHT MFG. INC. Milton Freewater, OR

'96: $675,000 Sales '97: 51.7% Est. 1989

'97: $1,024,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 15

Cabinet and furniture manufacturing for OEM 

Dan Tomczek, president of Wood Wright Mfg., has seen his company nearly double in size since 1995 and pass the $1 million mark for the first time in 1997. "We have developed an accurate productivity tracking system that is updated to facilitate employees' ability to see how production is doing," Tomczek said. Tomczek hopes to institute on-the-job training as well as class time during work hours to improve new employees' skills and make sure his company continues to grow.

19

BABY'S DREAM FURNITURE Columbus, GA

'96: $11,540,000 Sales '97: +51.5% Est. 1992

'97: $17,488,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 259

Assemblers and manufacturers of baby furniture

Adding new crib and case goods finishing systems has helped Baby's Dream Furniture grow by nearly $10 million since 1995, according to CEO Fereyoon Felfeli. Additional purchases include a planer, profile grinder, moulder and tenoner. To help the company stay competitive, Felfeli is urging supervisors to "take a hands-on approach to the unskilled employee by devoting as much training time as is needed to make them productive employees."

20

NATIONAL WOODWORK MANUFACTURING Bethlehem, PA

'96: $632,000 Sales '97: +51.1% Est. 1985

'97: $955,000 Projected '98:+15% Employees: 9

Custom fabrication for commercial and institutional applications

National Woodwork's business philosophy had the biggest impact on the recent expansion of the company, according to president Christine Merrigan. "We are competitive, responsive and eager to exceed our customers' expectations," she said. To help along this recent growth, National bought an Ingersoll Rand air compressor and over-head router to allow more options for work flow, which often leads to less time for set-up/breakdown, according to Merrigan. A new dust collection system was also implemented to help keep the shop cleaner and more environmentally friendly.

21

N2 MILLWORK SERVICES INC. Vacaville, CA

'96: $1,843,000 Sales '97: +48.7% Est. 1992

'97: $2,740,000 Projected '98: +46% Employees: 35

Manufacturers of retail store fixtures, commercial cabinetry, mouldings and architectural woodwork

Though N2 has a healthy share of work, it is always looking for more through diversification of its client base, according to president Barry Nash. "We are pursuing more public works projects. Hotels and schools now account for 30% of our work," said Nash. To attract these new customers, the company has begun to offer more products including laid-up goods and solid surface counters. Not only is the company looking for new ways to attract customers, it is also looking for new ways to attract employees. "We are now recruiting and training from not only classified advertising, but also through the Internet and local schools," Nash said. N2 is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the Wood 100 survey.

22

GLENN RIEDER INC. Milwaukee, WI

'96: $5,283,000 Sales '97: +46.8% Est. 1965

'97: $7,754,000 Projected '98: +15-20% Employees: 50

Manufacturers, finishers and installers of premium and custom-grade woodwork and laminate

Instead of resting on its laurels, Glenn Rieder Inc. diversified its customer base to keep its sales growth in motion. "GRI's sales/estimating department changes direction when necessary to attract projects in growing markets. We are capable of bidding projects from $50,000 to $10 million in size in the hospitality, corporate and casino markets," said office manager Maria Roloff. After winning a bid, Rieder relies on its staff to meet whatever needs arise. "The highly skilled tradesmen complete premium-grade work while other craftspeople work on less advanced work," Roloff said. "This allows GRI to diversify by taking on all types and sizes of projects in numerous markets." GRI returns to our survey after a one-year hiatus.

23

ST. LOUIS CLOSET COMPANY St. Louis, MO

'96: $963,000 Sales '97: +45.6% Est. 1991

'97: $1,402,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 32

Designers, manufacturers and installers of custom closets and organizational systems for both residential and commercial uses

Jennifer Williams opened St. Louis Closet Co. in 1991 to provide the market with affordable, floor-based closet systems. Since 1995, the company has purchased an Altendorf F-90 sliding table saw, a Ritter boring machine and a Holz-Her 1441 edgebander and has added a larger showroom and manufacturing space. These improvements allowed the company to continue to grow and this year a new location was added in central Missouri. Williams' top concern is price cutting by competitors, but she plans to offset that with continued quality and service. St. Louis Closet Co. appears for the fourth consecutive time in the Wood 100.

24

DESIGN FABRICATORS INC. Lafayette, CO

'96: $9,495,000 Sales '97: +44.1% Est. 1986

'97: $13,683,000 Projected '98: +50% Employees: 205

Custom commercial fixtures, retail store fixtures, architectural millwork, 3-D graphics

Bob Coleman, principal of Design Fabricators, is enthusiastic when talking about what makes his company successful. He places the spotlight on his workers and praises their contributions. "They say they are committed to serving our clients, producing quality work, and being the best fabricators of retail environments; and they deliver the results," said Coleman. Looking toward the future, Coleman predicts 1999 will be the company's best year ever. Recent equipment purchases included: CNC panel saws, a CNC machining center, a CNC boring and dowel inserting machine, and an enhanced computer network.

28

LEGACY CABINETS L.L.C. Eastaboga, AL

'96: $11,915,000 Sales '97: +42.4% Est. 1994

'97: $16,966,000 Projected '98: +10-15% Employees: 175

Manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom cabinets

"We are a new company; therefore, we are just getting out into the market with our product," says Legacy Cabinets president Rodney Suggs. Legacy recently purchased 60,000 square feet of extra space and added equipment such as a CNC router and a paint line. The company has grown 259% since 1995 and plans to stay strong through diversification. Legacy was the number 5 company in last year's survey.

26

CSM CABINETRY LLC. Wallingford, CT

'96: $566,000 Sales '97: +40.8% Est. 1995

'97: $797,000 Projected '98: +55% Employees: 15

Commercial millwork and casework projects for general contractors and commercial clients

While difficult for member Chris Migliaro to pinpoint one factor that makes CSM a success, he was able to narrow the field down to organizational structure and employee dedication. The company allows for each member to have his own space to work and responsibilities. "Each partner can

concentrate on his area of expertise and responsibility with limited involvement, at least, in the other areas," Migliaro said. According to Migliaro, this has helped the company by allowing the client support service to build very strong relationships. The dedication of its employees has helped CSM meet deadlines since its inception. "We can say that we have never been late in completing a project since 1995, with most of that honor being attributed to our employees," he said.

27

WHITE COUNTY MOULDINGS Cleveland, GA

'96: $3,370,000 Sales '97: +40.2% Est. 1988

'97: $4,725,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 40

Fingerjointing, S4S, gangripping, resawing and gluing, mouldings

By modernizing their equipment, sales manager Kellin Dobbs said White County Mouldings has increased production and profits. "The name of the game is to produce high-quality products in the most efficient manner," he said. In addition to the purchases of several machines, including a third Weinig moulder, employee training and an additional shift have contributed to an increase in White County's production. To keep the workers' morale up, Dobbs said, "We continually award employees for top performance and efficiency within their departments." This is White County's third consecutive appearance in the Wood 100.

28

RITTER CABINET MFG. INC. Tumwater, WA

'96: $4,216,000 Sales '97: +39.7% Est. 1973

'97: $5,892,000 Projected '98: (lower) Employees: 45

Commercial and institutional casework and fixtures

Owners Scott and Susan Ritter of Ritter Cabinet Mfg. credit a new edgebander and constant maintenance and upgrading of existing equipment for the company's increased efficiency and sales. "We are growing in sales while maintaining the same number of employees due to the type of equipment we add - and just as important, the systems we have implemented," said president Scott Ritter. "A quality product and service keep our customers returning." The company is celebrating 25 years in business this month.

29

PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION NETWORK INC. Irving, TX

'96: $3,695,000 Sales '97: +39.3% Est. 1992

'97: $5,148,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 40

Wood store fixtures, retail store fixtures, counter systems, permanent point-of-purchase displays, contract cutting, edging, drilling and assembly Sales director Harry Frnka sees only one main problem for the continuing growth of Professional Installation Network: the unemployment rate. "With very low unemployment in our region, recruiting will have to expand geographically." While finding the employees may be difficult, keeping them won't be, according to Frnka. "We extend training programs, offer incentives for quality, work ethic, attendance and attitude. We also set up employee bonus program for referrals and extend benefits to retain highly-valued workers," he said. Recent machinery purchases include: two Weeke machining centers, a Homag edgebander and a Ligmatech case clamp from Stiles Machinery, a Koch dowel insertion center and a high-production lamInating line.

30

C.M. WOOD WORKS Deerfield, IL

'96: $185,000 Sales '97: +38.4% Est. 1984

'97: $256,000 Projected '98: +15-20% Employees: 4

Custom entertainment centers, kitchens and casework for residential and commercial applications

Chris Mazurk, owner of C.M. Wood Works, says the new Holz-Her point-to-point he bought recently has been instrumental in helping his business to grow. "The accuracy and flexibility of the machine were the keys behind the decision to purchase the point-to-point," Mazurk said. C.M. also purchased a case clamp, new vacuum system and Cabinet Vision software. Future plans including implementing a bar code system using Cabinet Vision software.

31

LEININGER CABINET & WOODWORKING Lexington, KY

'96: $1,264,000 Sales '97: +38.1% Est. 1950

'97: $1,745,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 20

Custom manufacturer of architectural woodwork and casework with approximately a 70/30 split between commercial and high-end residential. Products include cabinets, both wood and P-lam, custom doors and windows, mouldings, trim, desks, fixtures, countertops, etc. "We have increased the speed at which we can produce large runs of cabinets," said Leininger vice president Jim Leininger. With the economy in an upswing, the company has been able to successfully bid for large jobs and meet the schedules required to complete the projects. The company is currently operating at full capacity and is looking to expand its assembly operations by 16,000 square feet. "We're right at the point that if we had more space we could tackle bigger projects," Leininger said.

32

LEXINGTON MFG. INC. Minneapolis, MN

'96: $5,730,000 Sales '97: +37.2% Est. 1958 '97: $7,860,000 Projected '98: +60% Employees: 87

Contract manufacturer and OEM supplier specializing in office furniture, seating components, cabinet components, etc.

Lexington Mfg. began in the late 1950s when George Dimke began building architectural panels in his garage. Today it's a $7.8 million company with 87 employees and making its sixth appearance in the Wood 100. Marketing manager Bill DeWitt says a new market focus is behind Lexington's strong showing in 1997. "Through market focus and the development of strategic relationships with customers and vendors, we have been able to improve and expand our core competencies."

33

PICCINI INDUSTRIES Suffern, NY

'96: $2,426,000 Sales '97: +35.2% Est. 1989

'97: $3,280,000 Projected '98: +35% Employees: 36

Casework for schools, hospitals, law and corporate offices

The shop supervisor at Piccini Industries believes in consistently training and educating employees, according to vice president Richard Piccininni. "This has enabled our production to grow tremendously and we have extremely low turnover," Piccininni said. The company is scheduled to move into a new 21,000-square-foot facility later this year and recently purchased a new line boring machine, case clamp and dowel inserter.

34

DODD WOODWORKING Ashland, MA

'96: $448,000 Sales '97: +34.4% Est. 1987

'97: $602,000 Projected '98: +300% Employees: 7

Designers, builders and installers of unique custom cabinets

Timothy Mutrie, vice president of operations for Dodd Woodworking, says organization and quality control are his first priorities. With this in mind, he talked his woodworking partners into hiring an operations manager to take care of the business side of the company. Mutrie says he has enjoyed watching and participating in the expansion of the company. "It's been an exciting experience," he said.

35

LAYNECORP ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK INC. Kingwood, TX

'96: $1,656,000 Sales '97: +34.1% Est. 1984

'97:$2,220,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 40

Manufacturer and installer of custom commercial casework and architectural woodwork. Designer and manufacturer of retail displays and fixtures

Predicting the company's best year ever, LayneCorp vice president Don Looney looks to past additions to the company to make it a continuing success. "The addition of a CNC machine center, beam saw and material handling equipment with CAM interface has greatly reduced manual handling of raw materials, parts and finished goods. It has increased productivity 30% to 40% and has greatly reduced errors and waste," he said. Upgrades are also planned for the employee benefits package as are increased background checking and substance abuse screening.

36

GRANT'S WOODSHOP INC. Charlotte, MI

'96: $739,000 Sales '97: +33.3% Est. 1975

'97: $985,000 Projected '98: +5% Employees: 12

Custom production CNC routing

Grant's Woodshop is appearing in the Wood 100 for the third time in four years. A new CMS router has increased efficiency, says owner Don Grant, and a Northwood CNC router purchased a few years ago is now running around the clock. Grant, like many others in his position, is concerned about the lack of woodworking skills among younger workers. "Unemployment is low. We're just taking it as it comes," he said.

37

EAGLE INDUSTRIES INC. Bowling Green, KY

'96: $25,362,000 Sales '97: +31.8% Est. 1993

'97: $33,439,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 500

Oak entertainment centers, hutch buffets, curios, book shelves, desks, file cabinets, bedrooms

Eagle Industries Inc. significantly expanded its product line this year with the addition of an imported line of products (including desks, office chairs and dining tables and chairs) and a domestically manufactured line of curio cabinets. The company continued to expand its manufactured lines of home office and home entertainment products. Eagle increased its presence in the Southwest and Northwest regions of the country, while continuing to add customers in its existing markets. To keep up with increased demand, the company expanded its facilities by 60% and purchased additional automated production equipment including a rough mill optimizing system, CNC double-end tenoner and an angular panel system. The investments will help Eagle "keep its prices low by continually improving efficiency and quality in our manufacturing processes," company CFO Bill Garrison said.

38

COLONIAL WOOD CRAFT INC. Bristol, CT

'96: $1,234,000 Sales '97: +31.6% Est. 1977

'97: $1,624,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 18

Architectural cabinetry and millwork for schools, town halls, churches, libraries, etc.

Colonial president Bruce Schultz feels the company's recent success is due in part to the addition of new equipment to do some of the work previously done by employees. The company added new Cut-Rite optimization and labeling software, as well as a new sliding table saw, an SCMI Tech 90 point-to-point, and an Auto CAD 14, which have increased its productivity and sales. "Using machine operators, instead of cabinetmakers, to do all machining allows the cabinetmakers to do custom work and final fitting," said Schultz.

39

CNT FIXTURE CO. INC. Pittsburgh, PA

'96: $1,811,000 Sales '97: +30.4% Est. 1987

'97: $2,362,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 27

Manufacturers of modular and linear display cases for jewelry retailers, credit counters and front window displays

CNT's general manager Richard Rhoads likes to keep all parts of the company's operation in-house in an effort to keep costs down. "We do not outsource or sub-contract any portion of the work, but produce everything in-house," said Rhoads. "We can say that many styles of our cases cost the same today as they did 8 years ago." Production capacity was improved with the recent purchases of a 157,000-square-foot facility, a CNC router (its third), a Holz-Her vertical panel saw and line boring equipment.

40

SMITH & ROAN INC. DBA ROYAL CABINETS Pomona, CA

'96: $15,483,000 Sales '97: +29.9% Est. 1984

'97:$20,121,000 Projected '98: +30% Employees: 500

Manufacturers and installers of cabinetry for new home developers and for retail home centers

Royal Cabinets' growth can be partially attributed to its recent purchase of a production facility in Mexico. "With the acquisition of the facility in Tijuana, Mexico, the company is able to combine the cost-effective labor pool available there with productivity improvements generated by the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment over the last three years," CFO Gus Danjoi said. The Mexican plant also helped solve one of the problems Royal Cabinets had in employee retention. "[in Tijuana], we are able to offer an above-average compensation package yet remain competitive overall," said Danjoi. Last year, Smith & Roan was ranked #37 in the Wood 100.

41

MUSCANELL MILLWORKS INC. Cortez, CO

'96: $266,000 Sales '97: +29.7% Est. 1986

'97: $345,000 Projected '98: +50% Employees: 7

Manufacturer of premium-length, precisely milled plank flooring and decorative wooden boxes using domestic burlwoods

"We do not have a large advertising budget to spend on flashy literature or color ads for our flooring at this point," said secretary/treasurer Karen Harbaugh. "Our best advertising is the consistent high quality of our floors, produced by employees who are skilled and conscientious." In the event of an economic downturn, Harbaugh said she hopes customers will continue to choose Muscanell first. "By developing strong relationships with distributors now, they will rely on us as a tried-and-true supplier of flooring," she said. To increase productivity, Muscanell has purchased a number of machines including a custom-made end matcher, chop saws and scissor lifts. This is Muscanell's second appearance in the Wood 100.

42

DESIGNER DOORS INC. Burghill, OH

'96: $394,000 Sales '97: +29.4% Est. 1985

'97: $510,000 Projected '98: +50% Employees: 16

Manufacturer of solid hardwood interior and exterior raised-panel doors, specializing in interior doors

Since early 1995, Owner Ron Seidle Jr. and Designer Doors have dropped the rest of their millwork products, including mouldings, boards, stair parts and have gone completely to doors. "Our production is now totally geared to interior doors, with some additional production in exterior doors and out plant is laid out specifically for door production," Seidle said. And the door business seems to be working quite well. Predicting the company's best year ever, Seidle recently purchased more shapers with power feeders, conveyer systems and other items to increase the efficiency in production, as well as computers in the office with parts lists printed for the plant.

42

TOP DRAWER COMPONENTS INC. Gilbert, AZ

'96: $1,186,000 Sales '97: +29.0% Est. 1989

'97: $1,530,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 29

Dovetail drawer boxes

Two years ago, Top Drawer Components president and owner Brian Emerson took a look at the direction of his company: "In order to grow, we needed to identify the areas where we were most successful, and concentrate on them," he said. This philosophy has translated into steady growth and has landed the company in the Wood 100 each of the last three years. With an eye on future growth, Top Drawer purchased a Holz-Her Genesis 2 edgebander and two Omec dovetailers. Like many of his colleagues, Emerson is concerned with employee recruitment and retention and plans to develop an improved training program and implement an incentive-based bonus program.

AMERICA'S FINEST WOODWORKING TEAM INC. Lexington, KY

'96: $2,796,000 Sales '97: +28.9% Est. 1994

'97: $3,605,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 40

Custom high-end painted, natural wood and laminated store fixtures, custom case goods for offices, labs and schools

In a very competitive market, a company needs people it can rely on and trust to do a good job, according to company president Bill Katz. "When it gets crunch time, we can count on the workers to stay until the job is done," he said. To aid in production, Katz recently purchased a CNC panel saw and a CNC router and expanded its engineering department. "We produce very high-quality, high-tech finishes using polyesters and polyurethanes," Katz said. The company ranked #2 in the 1997 survey.

45

GILMORE INC. Grand Rapids, MI

'96: $3,328,000 Sales '97: +28.2% Est. 1983

'97: $4,266,000 Projected '98: +10-15% Employees: 60

Wooden office furniture

Planning for his best year ever in terms of sales, company president Scott Gilmore looks forward to the future, especially when he recalls who he has on his side. "We have a really excellent core group of skilled craftsmen who are dedicated and motivated to make a quality product," said Gilmore. But Gilmore, like many in the business, is concerned with the lack skills in younger woodworkers. To combat this problem, Gilmore Inc. has instituted more in-house training and development than in the past and is working with schools to attract skilled workers.

46

R.D. COOK CO. Columbia, OH

'96: $695,000 Sales '97: +27.5% Est. 1977

'97: $886,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 10

Commercial and residential cabinets, counters and furniture

R. Dan Cook of R.D. Cook Co. says the biggest challenge facing his company is finding and retaining new woodworkers. "We have instituted an apprenticeship program where we teach the principles of cabinetmaking," Cook said. "We found that using 'experienced' help was a problem as we do everything in metric and people who were already trained did not want to make the switch." This training has paid off in increased efficiency and better quality products produced at a lower cost. The company is also investing in machinery through recent purchases of a Castle floor mounted pocket screw machine, a Morbidelli U-550 point-to-point boring machine and an Ayen dowel shooter.

47

DIMENSION MILLWORKS San Antonio, TX

'96: $2,948,000 Sales '97: 27.2% Est. 1980

'97: $3,749,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 45

Custom millwork and corporate and commercial interior doors

The addition of overhead routers, a Holz-Her edgebander and Pattern Systems software in recent years have increased production and allowed last year's list topper to remain strong. A new 60 to 90 minute fire-rated door is an improvement over previous 20 minute fire-rated ones, and is another reason for Dimension's continued success, according to the company.

48

BLACKHAWK FURNITURE INC. Riverside, CA

'96: $19,790,000 Sales '97: +27.1% Est. 1983

'97: $25,155,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 290

Contemporary and traditional bedroom furniture

After 12 years of building a reputation as a supplier of midline contemporary oak bedroom furniture, Blackhawk introduced a midline traditional dark oak collection, which has expanded to become over 30% of its sales, according to president and CEO William Jahn. "Blackhawk closely monitors economic and style trends and continues to develop new products and open new accounts, while nurturing existing business," Jahn said. The company's recent machine purchases include a Doucet electronic operator 60-section clamp carrier, a Mereen-Johnson double-end tenoner, a Viet Italia Challenge 321 widebelt sander, a C.R. Onsrud inverted router and an Adwood-Cehisa edgebander.

49

WESTHAMPTON WOODWORKS INC. Westhampton Beach, NY

'96: $209,000 Sales '97: +26.8% Est. 1990

'97: $265,000 Projected '98: +25-30% Employees: 2

Custom cabinetry to builders, architects, designers and individual clients Marc Rothenberg and his wife are the only two employees of Westhampton Woodworks - and he likes it that way. After leaving a job on Wall Street, Rothenberg took his woodworking hobby and created a business that has grown beyond his imagination. "My biggest trouble, though, is getting quality wood," he said. Originally receiving high-quality, 8-foot cherry wood, the shipments have been coming later, quality is lower and the stock is usually shorter than before, according to Rothenberg. He adds that he will continue to look for better quality lumber because "I'm in a high-end business, and the product must be perfect."

50

CUSTOM WOOD FURNITURE INC. Newton, NJ

'96: 660,000 Sales '97: +26.1% Est. 1989

'97: 832,000 Projected '98: +40% Employees: 18

High-quality custom designed office fit-ups

In a highly competitive market such as architectural furniture, companies have to stand out to be noticed. While not the top company in the field, company president John Kweselait said he believes his custom wood furniture is winning its fair share of the pie. "We have several strategies in place which will help us land an even greater portion in the upcoming year," said Kweselait. Those plans include expanding their recent entrance into the area of custom lab furniture such as epoxy resin tops. CWF has also grown through its relationships with architects such as Arthur J. Sikula & Assoc., who specializes in liturgical architecture. This is CWF's third appearance in the Wood 100.

51

ARTIFEX MILLWORK INC. Wyoming, MN

'96: $1,141,000 Sales '97: +25.4% Est. 1993

'97: $1,431,000 Projected '98: +40% Employees: 25

Custom commercial furniture, architectural millwork and store fixtures

Artifex Millwork, who ranked 4th in the 1997 Wood 100 survey, continued to grow in 1997 with the addition of a new 20,000-square-foot facility, including a 1,900-square-foot finishing room. General manager Greg Richels gives most of the credit to the staff, however. "We have a good team that has contributed greatly to the company's growth, both production and management staff," he said. Richels also attributes open communication, which has "helped us meet both our clients' and employees' needs," as a factor in the company's success.

52

IWP DISPLAYS & COMPONENTS Bloomington, MN

'96: $1,728,000 Sales '97: +24.5% Est. 1981

'97: $2,152,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 40

Engineers and manufacturers of wood and plastic components; subassemblies for the store fixture, point-of-purchase display and furniture industries

In an effort to make productivity gains in both their shop and office, company president Conrad Egan and IWP made several important moves. First was the addition of 15 new employees and advanced equipment including a CNC panel saw and CAD/CAM software. The company also implemented a new marketing program. "We continue to penetrate new markets through the use of awareness-building marketing programs. This strategy has helped feed our growing production capacity," he said. The plans for growth have come nowhere near to a close, though. In the future, IWP hopes to establish a presence in profitable, new market segments and identify new business opportunities among current customers. MP is making its second consecutive appearance in the Wood 100.

53

EUROCRAFT CORP. Elkhart, IN

'96: $4,081,000 Sales '97: +23.9% Est. 1989

'97: $5,056,000 Projected '98: +5% Employees: 40

Manufacturers of standard and custom trading desks 

Establishing themselves as a contender in both domestic and international markets, Eurocraft's vice president, David Gruber, attributes their success to a marketing program that spanned both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. "Eurocraft began marketing its line of trading desks direct to dealers and end-users in July 1995, through showrooms in both London and New York," said Gruber. Gruber also credits "rapid engineering, prototyping, manufacturing and installation coupled with high quality and moderate cost," for Eurocraft's success.

54

BARBOSA CABINETS INC. Tracy, CA

'96: $6,826,000 Sales '97: +23.0% Est. 1978

'97: $8,399,000 Projected '98: +49% Employees: 120

Suppliers of face-frame and frameless cabinets, unfinished and prefinished, to contractors of multi-family tract homes and custom homes; suppliers of plastic laminate and solid surface countertops

President Ron Barbosa started with only one salesman, but with a booming economy, he has added two more salesmen and increased his market area. "We started a push towards larger, more well-established builders doing several tracts of homes at a time," said Barbosa. "Our reputation for on-time delivery got our foot in the door with many of [the builders]. But our after-the-sale service and warranty work has convinced many builders to give us several, if not all, their tract work." With this continued growth, though, Barbosa is preparing for the next recession. "We have seen the economy go from good to very bad three times in the last twenty years," he said. In preparation, the company is maintaining controlled growth and attracting solid-based companies for which to work.

55

NEW HAMPSHIRE WOODEN CLOTHES DRYER CO. Hampstead, NH

'96: $204,000 Sales '97: +21.6% Est. 1979

'97: $248,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 6

Wooden clothes dryers

After a down year in 199, this "$250,000 More, Pop and Sons" company - as vice president Don Reese calls it - saw sales increase dramatically in 1997. So much so that "now sales are increasing too quickly," said company vice president Don Reese. "Pendulums tend to swing beyond our expectations," Reese said. To avoid growing beyond manageability, the company plans to maintain quality and delivery for its existing customers, while limiting new customers.

56

HARBINGER INDUSTRIES INC. Minneapolis, MN

'96: $3,736,000 Sales '97:21.2% Est. 1982

'97: $4,527,000 Projected '98: Lower Employees: 55

Full service secondary wood products manufacturer, specializing in fixtures for retail and banking, corporate furniture and tenant fit-outs

President Michael Quirk places high emphasis on what he feels is the backbone of Harbinger - the employees. "Without the 'can do' attitude and creative problem-solving of the workers, all the infrastructure improvements would be for naught," he said. So to reward Harbingers' most valued assets, the company has implemented bonuses to new employees, paid education, a benefits package which includes 401K and profit sharing, as well as employee appreciation events. Quirk added, "It is our people that put the 'success' in successful!"

57

STRATA DESIGN INC. Traverse City, MI

'96: $2,363,000 Sales '97: +20.7% Est. 1988

'97: $2,853,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 27

Plastic laminate casework and countertops for hospitals, laboratories, schools; solid surface fabrications for banks, hospitals, restaurants; laminate store fixtures; and OEM components

Charles Cady, president of Strata Design, likes to take a hands-on approach to customer service. By treating each customer individually, Cady feels the company's service and sales will increase. "We accomplish this service through frequent reviews with our customers of their individual jobs-in-progress and our overall progress in managing their needs," Cady said. In addition, Strata is sure to update its customers and prospects with its manufacturing and management improvements so "they can utilize our new services as they become available," Cady said. Strata has grown consistently in recent years, and appears in the Wood 100 for the third consecutive year.

58

PRINCIPLE FIXTURE & MILLWORK INC. Wyoming, MN

'96: $7,275,000 Sales '97: +20.4% Est. 1987

'97: $8,762,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 65

Store fixtures, architectural millwork and wood products

Restructuring has been a key element to the continued success and increased productivity of Principle Fixture & Millwork in the past year. "By changing the organization of the plant to a team-based environment, productivity has increased 12% as measured by sales per employee," said company president Craig Johnson. And with a staff of 65 employees, that means a healthy rise in sales due to a single change in the company. To keep productivity high, Johnson recently hired work teams in the plant and office and purchased a Rhodes paint line, Buetfering sander and Weeke point-to-point boring machine.

59

OFFICE CHAIRS INC. Santa Fe Springs, CA

'96: $6,079,000 Sales '97: +20.2% Est. 1974

'97: $7,304,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 70

Office seating and reception room tables;fabric, leather, and wood chair coverings, and ergonomic chairs

Donald Simek, executive vice president of Office Chairs Inc., credits the addition of new chair lines and a move into high end products for the company's growth in recent years. "With chairs, you must manufacture and sell new styles as fast as possible before you are copied," Simek said. The company recently moved into a new facility and purchased a 20-spindle boring machine and chops saws. Office chairs has been one of the Wood 100's most consistent performers, appearing in eight of the nine surveys.

60

BREMTOWN KITCHENS Bremen, IN

'96: $3,324,000 Sales '97: +19.2% Est. 1979

'97: $3,963,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 66

Custom kitchens, commercial cabinets, stock kitchen cabinets and van conversion parts

Bremtown Kitchens appeared annually in the Wood 100 between 1991 and 1996. In 1996, the company grossed more than $10 million in sales and employed 120. This year, a downsized Bremtown makes its return to the survey. Dennis Yoder credits a new marketing program for the company's profitable year. "We have established a very aggressive approach to become a dealer-based company," Yoder said.

61

HARMONSON STAIRS Mt. Laurel, NJ

'96: $2,120,000 Sales '97: +18.6% Est. 1985

'97: $2,515,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 36

Custom-built stairs and railings

Preparing for its best year ever, Harmonson Stairs has implemented programs for its workers to ensure their continued diligence on the production floor, according to president Bart Withstandley. "We instituted a gain-sharing plan for the employees that rewards increased productivity and creates incentives to decrease material costs and per unit labor costs," Withstandley said. With its increased productivity, Harmonson intends on broadening its geographic market. The company also purchased a Weinig Profimat 23 moulder during the past year.

62

EASTLAND INDUSTRIES LTD. Minto, NB, Canada

'96: $4,680,000 ($S) Sales '97: +18.0% Est. 1969

'97: $5,524,000 (C$) Projected '98: +5% Employees: 65

Framed and frameless construction kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and postformed countertops

In the past year, Eastland has developed and distributed a new informational brochure showcasing the eight kitchen styles it manufactures. This new marketing plan has helped the business a great deal, says general manager Eric DiCarlo. Each description has photos showing numerous colors and styles the company offers. Eastland recently purchased an extra delivery truck, dovetail drawer making equipment and downdraft sanding tables. In the future, DiCarlo will continue to, "follow the economy and adjust to changes as they occur." Eastland also appeared in last year's Wood 100 survey.

63

EVANS CABINET AND DOOR CO. INC. Brenham, TX

'96: $2,309,000 Sales '97: +17.5% Est. 1991

'97: $2,713,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 42

Custom wooden cabinetry and plastic laminate cabinetry for residential and commercial projects; custom raised- and flat-panel cabinet doors

General manager Joe Hickl credits increased productivity for Evan's success in recent years. "Machinery, processes and pricing are modified as needed to keep a margin of profit in the jobs we sell. Our panel saw was upgraded and our sanding operations have been improved by adding a new widebelt sander and an orbital sander," he said. With these steps taken to improve production, additional steps also are being planned to increase sales. "New marketing materials are being produced and efforts to work with additional sales representatives will expand our market area," said Hickl.

64

NORTHERN CONTOURS/NORCON HARDWOODS Fergus Falls, MN

'96: $16,184,000 Sales '97: +16.2% Est. 1992

'97: $18,807,000 Projected '98: +15-20% Employees: 200

Component manufacturing focusing on the cabinet and furniture industries

President Michael Rone of Northern Contours/Norton Hardwoods knows who comes first in the company: the customers. "We are a service company, supplying our customers with a variety of components," said Rone. And Rone has seen commitment from his employees when dealing with customers. So much so that the company has been able to buy several new machines for the wood and thermofoil divisions, such as rip- and cross-cut saws and a Wemhoner membrane press. "Our employees work hard to listen and respond to our customers needs. New equipment will only assist in the process," Rone said.

65

A.J. STAIRS INC. Lakewood, NJ

'96: $2,425,000 Sales '97: +16.1% Est. 1980

'97: $2,816,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 35

Stair manufacturer from box basement to curve stairs, custom wood railings and special millwork

The secret to customer satisfaction and continued growth at A.J. Stairs is treating each job as if it were for the employee's own use, according to vice-president of production Edward Hasse Jr. "We encourage our employees to do this so our clients receive a 'top of the line' product," he said. Those products range from simple box stairs to 90 [degrees]-curved stairs, to spiral staircases. "All material is carefully color and grain matched to guarantee perfection in each stair," said Hasse. A.J. Stairs recently purchased a Thermwood CNC router and instituted a safety awareness program and monthly meetings.

66

J.S. BENSON WOODWORKING AND DESIGN Brattleboro, VT

'96: $442,000 Sales '97: +15.8% Est. 1978

'97: $512,000 Projected '98: +65% Employees: 8

Manufacturer and designer of high-end mahogany windows and doors

Research and development is a vital component to J.S. Benson Woodworking and Design's success: "R&D has and continues to pay huge dividends," said general manager Steve Benson. "We have designed proprietary counterbalance and weatherstripping systems unique to our company, as well as door construction utilizing welded aluminum box tube cores. Our product sells itself," Benson said. With an eye on continued growth and with the perceived lack of skills among younger woodworkers, recruiting of new employees has become a national search. "We are recruiting from around the U.S. now, but fortunately Vermont is perceived as a good place to live."

67

ISLAND WOODCRAFTS LTD. Wanchese, NC

'96: $1,732,000 Sales '97: +15.55% Est. 1973

'97: $2,001,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 20

Custom cabinets, home entertainment centers and furniture pieces

Serving building customers ranging from first-time home buyers to multi-million dollar estate owners, president Clifford Granitzki takes everything in stride when selling. He looks to the heart of what makes his company work and, in turn, makes it successful. "Ours is a family business with three brothers and one sister actively involved and our parents, now retired, who taught us to treat each job as flit was our own," Granitzki said. By opening a second showroom and an additional office at its plant, Island Woodcrafts looks to the future with wary eyes on expansion. "We are located on a string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina and rely heavily on people building second homes," Granitzki commented. "There is only so much land to build on so we are continually trying to expand to the mainland."

68

WISCONSIN BUILT Deerfield, WI

'96: $4,044,000 Sales '97: +15.54% Est. 1988

'97: $4,670,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 50

Retail store fixtures, banks, hotels

Wisconsin Built, 1997's #8 Wood 100 company, has seen continued increases in sales. President Jeff Ball attributes the company's success to its marketing program that includes a new Web site. "We added a Web site, with pictures of some of our installations," Ball said. "I feel it is better than a brochure to send out." Ball also added a Giben rear-loading panel saw and a Doucet return conveyer to its arsenal of equipment.

69

HOFFCO INC. Wood Lake, MN

'96: $6,286,000 Sales '97: +14.9% Est. 1983

'97: $7,222,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 115

Wooden kitchen cabinet accessories

Steady growth within Hoffco's existing customer base accounts for nearly all the company's sales increases in recent years, according to sales manager Doug House. The company has been successful at getting some of its large OEM accounts to take on a greater variety of products. "We've helped them fill in some of their holes," House said. Hoffco improved its efficiency by adding a new Weeke CNC machining center from Stiles Machinery along with new software for operating the system and a new bar code for tracking labor. Hoffco has appeared in each of the past four Wood 100s.

70

T.J. HALE CO. Menominee Falls, WI

'96: $15,819,000 Sales '97: +14.7% Est. 1950

'97: $18,147,000 Projected '98: +16% Employees: 130

Custom store fixtures and interiors, rollout specialist capable of high-volume work requiring sophisticated logistics coordination.

In order to make quality products, you need quality workers, according to president/COO Reed Felton. "Employees skill and dedication have led to increased productivity. This is where the pig eats the cabbage," he said. "Our employees have done a wonderful job 'tweaking' our expectations and continually finding new solutions to old problems and challenges." In the future, Felton plans to "pursue each and every avenue to recruit and retain employees," in order to maintain his company's competitive advantage.

71

P.J. MILLIGAN & CO. Santa Barbara, CA

'96: $2,804, 000 Sales '97: +13.9% Est. 1991

'97: $3,195,000 Projected '98: +15-20% Employees: 55

Manufacturers of cabinetry and furniture specializing in functional reproductions of European and Early American antiques

Coming off a strong 1997, P.J. Milligan & Co., who make its third straight appearance in the Wood 100, isn't ready to slow down its pace any time soon. "We are continually expanding our vendor pool to guarantee the highest quality material at the most competitive pricing," said CFO Ken Sterling. P.J. Milligan has attributed its success over the years to new product development and new machine purchases. Most recently, the company purchased a CNC routing/machining center which has increased output without increasing payroll. "All of our productivity revolves around it," Sterling said. In addition, the company has implemented new material handling and production systems including optimization and CAD/CAM.

72

E-Z KITCHENS INC. Madison, TN

'96: $525,000 Sales '97: +13.9% Est. 1987

'97: $598,000 Projected '98: +12% Employees: 8

Cabinet refacing, custom cabinets and counter tops

E-Z Kitchens recently implemented a new marketing program which includes upgraded sales kits and printed matter as well as an increased effort in getting referrals from existing clients. "We don't have to sell price as much as service and product," said company president Earl Zey. The marketing efforts were supplemented with the purchase of a Williams and Hussey planer/moulder, Apollo sprayers and HVLP finishing guns. Zey expects his company to continue growing by continued emphasis on quality materials and repeat/referral business. Last year, E-Z Kitchens came in at #62 the Wood 100.

73

CASEWORX INC. Redlands, CA

'96: $3,436,000 Sales '97: +13.7% Est. 1992

'97: $3,907,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 38

Institutional and commercial cabinetry and custom radiused counters

Over the past two years, Caseworx has purchased a Homag edgebander from Stiles Machinery, a Striebig vertical saw from Colonial Saw and a second Morbidelli point-to-point from Tekna Advanced Technology. But Caseworx president Bruce Humphrey feels it's the employees who deserve most of the credit for the company's growth. "Quality people can't be bought like a piece of equipment," Humphrey said. "They must be found, trained, mentored, allowed to fail, given responsibility and authority, praised, rewarded, listened to and truly cared about." Humphrey predicts another strong year in 1998 and possibly a third straight appearance in the Wood 100 next year.

74

ARCHITECTURAL CABINET TECHNOLOGIES INC. Long Beach, NJ

'96: $396,000 Sales '97: +13.4% Est. 1986

'97: $449,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 7

Commercial fixturing/casework, millwork with a balance of solid wood, veneers and HPL, store and residential fixtures, bars, lobby wall panels, elevator common areas and architectural woodwork

Paul Casale, president of Architectural Cabinet Technologies, has always thought that his business has opened new doors for him. Through referrals from other satisfied customers, the company has been constantly sought after by potential clients. Casale says that the company's increased productivity can be attributed to "new and improved customers." "By new and improved I mean our shift from residential to more commercial work, where the customer has a better understanding of custom manufacturing," said Casale. He also says that the scope of these projects is much larger and usually calls for repeat performances. All this new business also means more work for Edison Finishing, which receives 90% of all ACT's outsourcing.

75

COLONIAL CRAFT Roseville, MN

'96: $26,315,000 Sales '97: +13.0% Est. 1965

'97: $29,730,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 258

Hardwood architectural mouldings, door and window grills, picture frame mouldings and component parts

While Colonial's expertise in prefinishing was limited for the past 30 years, that is no longer the case. "Due to the dedication of our employees, we have successfully introduced prefinishing for a major customer," said marketing and communications manager Jeanne Germain. This switch into the prefinishing aspect of manufacturing came from what Germain said was a chance to meet the changing needs of customers; Colonial Craft also developed a new machine to meet those changing needs. "Our own team of process developers invented a customized loading system for these machines for which a patent is pending," Germain said. Colonial Craft is a regular member of the Wood 100. During the past year the company opened a third facility in Alabama.

76

CRAIG GRAYBAR FURNITURE WORKS LTD. West Allis, WI

'96: $905,000 Sales '97: +12.9% Est. 1982

'97: $1,022,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 25

Custom builders of classically-styled furniture.

Craig Graybar Furniture Works holds the distinction of being the only company to appear in all nine Wood 100 surveys - and shows no sign of slowing down. A new marketing program has contributed to the company's success. "We now emphasize radio advertising directed by each station's demographic match to our customers," said Graybar. "By tracking all of our advertising, including print media, I have found the best use of our advertising resources, thereby increasing our sales over our targeted 20% growth figure." Improvements were also made in finishing. "We have found a new pre-cat lacquer that meets our standards, is acceptable environmentally, and has a high-solids content," Graybar said.

77

CREATIVE SEATING & FIXTURES Baxter Springs, KS

'96: $1,484,000 Sales '97: +12.1% Est. 1996

'97: $1,663,000 Projected '98: +20% Employees: 35

Tables, chairs, booths, laminated cabinetry for restaurants and retail stores

After purchasing the company in 1996, owner Michael Bell knew what he had to do to make the company competitive. "The company had a very limited customer base and poor upper management. We replaced the management team and gave more responsibilities to the ones we kept," he said. The result was a noted rise in sales from the time Bell took over. In the future, Bells says, "We will continue to look at diversifying our product lines in order to secure new customers and look at ways to improve our production methods in order to increase our productivity."

78

W.W. WOOD PRODUCTS INC. Dudley, MO

'96: $10,816,000 Sales '97: +11.5% Est. 1978

'97: $12,059,000 Projected '98: +18% Employees: 185

Kitchen cabinets

W.W. Wood Products is predicting nothing but good things in its future, said company president Ron Wunderlich. The firm is adding a 50,000-square-foot expansion to its present 170,000-square- foot plant. In addition, the company has continued new product development to stay one step ahead of the pack. "We have been adding new products to our line and improving on quality without any price increases to our customers," said Wunderlich. With all this expansion and improvement, Wunderlich remains wary of economic cycles. "We are trying to be careful not to overextend while the economy is good," he said. This is W.W. Wood Products' fourth consecutive Wood 100 appearance.

79

ZONGKERS INC. Omaha, NE

'96: $788,000 Sales '97: +11.5% Est. 1990

'97: $879,000 Projected '98: +25% Employees: 12

Hand-crafted custom wood residential and office furniture

Launching a nationwide marketing program, Zongkers' vice president Dan Zongker hoped to take the nation by storm and leave nothing but profits in the program's wake. "We have opened new markets along the East Coast and expanded our customer base in the Midwest," he said. Zongkers has added government furniture contracts to its customer base and created a Web site for potential customers to learn about the company. The company's biggest concern, however, is employee recruitment and retention. "The Omaha area has the lowest unemployment rate nationally, with 1.6%, and keeping employees can be difficult at times," Zongker said. Alphabetically, Zongkers is always at the bottom of the Wood 100 list, but has ranked #83, 14, 47, and 41 since 1994.

80

RISS BROS. INC. Blackhawk, SD

'96: $5,809,000 Sales '97: +11.4% Est. 1948

'97: $6,470,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 96

Manufacturers of hospitality furniture, residential kitchens, countertops, commercial casework, gaming fixtures, and marble fabrications

With unemployment at an all-time low in the Blackhawk, SD, area, Riss Bros.' president Joseph Riss looks to his current employees to bear extra responsibility. "With unemployment at 2% in our area, it is very hard to find quality help, so our training program is extra long," he said. But with a rising economy, Riss hopes to continue to promote the Riss name as a synonym for quality work. "We are best known for our ability to design and manufacture. Letting the market know what else we have to offer is the problem," Riss added. The 50-year-old company is appearing in its fourth straight Wood 100.

81

MILL-RITE WOODWORKING CO. INC. Pinellas Park, FL

'96: $4,750,000 Sales '97: +11.3% Est. 1986

'97: $5,285,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 73

Full service manufacturer of custom architectural millwork and custom plastic laminate and/or wood casework

As Mill-Rite grows, so do the size and needs of its customers, according to Meg Lashley, vice president of business development. "In the early years of Mill-Rite, a large project was the $100,000 contract. Today, our typical project size is in excess of $500,000." Recently, the company signed its largest contract to date - Tampa Stadium, in Tampa, FL. Lashley lists employee skills as her biggest concern for the future. The company, which appears for the third straight time in the Wood 100, has instituted an apprentice system and has been hiring personnel from vocational and trade schools to counteract the shortage of experienced woodworkers.

82

PAONE WOODWORKING CORP. Philadelphia, PA

'96: $9,656,000 Sales '97: +10.9% Est. 1967

'97: $10,711,000 Projected '98: N/A Employees: 65

Architectural millwork including custom millwork and cabinetry

The technological revolution that has swept the nation also has hit Paone Woodworking, a four-time Wood 100 participant. Paone recently purchased two Giben panel saws, a Morbidelli 504 point-to-point boring machine, an Ott edgebander and a Gannomat boring and automatic dowel inserting machine. The company also updated its office systems. Increased productivity in the office and factory have been the result, according to purchasing manager Michael Paone. Increased productivity was also attributed to the outsourcing of items not conducive to the operation, such as trucking and installation.

83

BRUEWER WOODWORK MFG. CO. Cleves, OH

'96: $10,932,000 Sales '97: +9.6% Est. 1962

'97: $11,979,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 75

Millwork, architectural casework, retail store fixtures, roll out programs

Ralph Bruewer of Bruewer Woodwork Mfg. Co. has a simple but effective marketing strategy: "Let your work sell itself." Since appearing at #56 in the last Wood 100, the company has added six employees and 80,000 square feet of space. Recent equipment purchases include a CNC machining center and CNC panel saws.

84

GIFFIN INTERIOR & FIXTURE INC. Bridgeville, PA

'96: $11,268,000 Sales '97: +9.2% Est 1980

'97: $12,307,000

Projected '98: N/A Employees: 140

Custom display fixtures, showcases, cashwraps, retail perimeters, furniture, desks, conference tables, hospital casework, mouldings, architectural millwork, residential built-in units and solid surface products

With the recent purchase of several machines including a Holzma HPP 81 panel saw, Weeke BP-12 machining center, and an additional Holz-Her edgebander; and an addition to the company's building and continued upgrading of existing systems, Giffin Interior has given its workers the tools needed to build the company. "Our employees continue to increase their skill levels and demonstrate that theft work is more than just a job," chairman and CEO Gordon Giffin said. The company has also completed a management reorganization with resounding support from its employees. "The support and dedication has been tremendous throughout the organization," Giffin said. The company ranked 13th in the 1997 Wood 100 survey.

85

COLUMBIA OAK INC. Columbia, MD

'96: $2,076,000 Sales '97: +8.8% Est. 1982

'97: $2,259,000 Projected '98: Lower Employees: 34

Wood household furniture

Columbia Oak has gone digital with the purchase of a new Holzma HPP 81 CNC panel saw, a Jonsdorf CNC Unidrill and an Accusystem dowel inserter. "Our employees are getting the hang of operating our new CNC equipment," said general manager Al Dargis. Dargis said he realizes that the reason there is not greater productivity is the "lack of larger runs," but that is a problem Columbia hopes to rectify in the future by cutting prices to increase volume.

86

THE KELLER MFG. CO. INC. Corydon, IN

'96: $55,292,000 Sales '97: +8.7% Est. 1895

'97: $60,126,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 740

Manufacturer of solid wood dining and bedroom furniture, made of red oak, white oak and cherry

Vice president of finance Danny Utz said he believes that new product development is best to keep consumers and dealers buying their product. "The dealers know we only introduce products that have tested well and know the research is over," Utz said. Utz's plans for the future include instituting new employee programs. "We plan to have better training programs to instruct quality and safety. We also hope to improve benefits, including: profit sharing, retirement plan, health care, and holiday pay," he said. Among the successful lines for this four-time Wood 100 member are: Chestnut Creek, Sunset Bay and Cherry Legends, Utz said.

87

PARENTI & RAFFAELLI LTD. Mount Prospect, IL

'96: $19,008,000 Sales '97: +7.9% Est. 1950

'97: $20,503,000 Projected '98: +10% Employees: 140

Commercial and residential custom free-standing and architectural millwork, casework and furniture

Over the past two years, Parenti & Raffaelli has purchased a Heesemann sander, a single spindle tilt shaper, a straight line ripsaw and a CNC router. "Our procurement of new and advanced technological machinery has increased our productivity," said senior vice president Donald Parenti. "We feel we must think about ways to cut labor hours without compromising our end product. We feel we are working toward that goal through the new machinery." This is the company's third appearance in the Wood 100.

88

HIRD/BLAKER INC. Bronx, NY

'96: $16,036,000 Sales '97: +7.8% Est. 1974

'97: $17,290,000 Projected '98: +27% Employees: 100

Architectural woodwork and custom furniture, paneling, doors and frames, trim, cabinets, counters and work stations

Predicting its best year ever at $22 million, Hird/Blaker president Cliff Blaker said the company will not rest on its laurels. "We must continue to focus on customer satisfaction, quality control and delivering value-added products and services at competitive prices," he said. Blaker is also keeping an eye on the economy. He adds that if the New York City metropolitan area economy stays healthy, the company will prosper. Should the economy falter, "We will continue, but profits will be leaner," he said.

89

THE WOODWORKS East Dubuque, IL

'96: $310,000 Sales '97: +7.7% Est. 1978

'97: $334,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 7

Kitchen and bath cabinets

Customer service is a main reason for Woodworks' success, according to owner Bill Siemen. During the past year, the company has purchased additional shapers and table saws to help produce a quality product quickly and efficiently. "[The employees] have learned that quality is our number one concern. Therefore, we have many satisfied customers that spread the word about our company, which in turn has eliminated our advertising budget," Siemen said.

90

COX INTERIOR INC. Campbellsville, KY

'96: $43,098,000 Sales '97: +6.8% Est. 1983

'97: $46,037,000 Projected '98: +15-20% Employees: 544

Manufacturer of trim, mouldings, millwork, stairs, stair parts, and mantles

Cost accountant Mike Helm attributes Cox Interior's success to the skill and dedication of its employees: "We don't need a quality control department - everyone here does that job." Helm plans to continue placing high emphasis on recruitment and training of employees in the future. And once they are [rained, the company plans to expand employee benefits to retain them. Cox recently purchased new planers, ripsaws and fingerjointers. Cox was ranked #78 in the 1997 Wood 100.

91

MICHIANA LAMINATED PRODUCTS INC. Howe, IN

'96: $1,106,000 Sales '97: +6.7% Est. 1981

'97: $1,180,000 Projected '98: +15-20% Employees: 15

High and low pressure laminated components, fixtures and case goods for the retail, educational and office furniture markets

Michiana president Michael Sutter is pleased with his company's 1997 results. "Productivity for our company increased nearly 7% due to a stabilized workforce, increased skill levels and continued improvement of equipment," Sutter said. Having workers that know what they are doing is definitely an asset, but having them on the job is just as important. Sutter commented, "Loss time due to absenteeism or injury was at 0.006%of total time scheduled. This phenomenally low rate was the driving force behind our increased productivity and profit."

92

PLATO WOODWORK INC. Plato, MN

'96: $9,650,000 Sales '97: +6.3% Est. 1893

'97: $10,254,000 Projected '98: +15% Employees: 130

Custom residential cabinetry

Through a high degree of flexibility With its door styles, finishes and specifications, Plato Woodwork has taken control of its future and has seen an increase in sales. Mark Krueger, vice president of marketing, said, "We feel our line of products have a reasonable broad market appeal." To continue making this line of products, employee recruitment and retention have become crucial for Plato. "We are doing more training and are implementing a gain-share program, working on employee recognition programs, and will be hiring a human resources person," Krueger said. Recent purchases include a new finishing line with drying ovens and computers for the shop floor.

93

B & L CABINET AND SUPPLY Gladwater, TX

'96: $1,455,000 Sales '97: +5.8% Est. 1965

'97: $1,540,000 Projected '98: +8% Employees: 18

Custom kitchen and bath cabinets for new construction, raised panel doors

B & L Cabinet and Supply is making its second consecutive appearance in the Wood 100, having held the #32 spot last year. With the recent addition of several salesmen to the staff, B & L vice president Larry Allen has seen nothing but good things come out of the company. While sales didn't increase dramatically, Allen still noticed a change. "Our productivity has increased because of the dedication of our employees toward productivity, quality control and cutting our waste factor on materials," he said. Allen says that the company plans to buy new computerized equipment that will take fewer workers and provide better benefits for its employees.

94

MACK STUDIOS/DISPLAYS INC. Auburn, NY

'96: $2,874,000 Sales '97: +5.5% Est. 1964

'97: $3,031,000 Projected '98: +65% Employees: 34

Complete retail environments, custom displays, signage and graphics, and architectural woodworking

According to director of operations Kim Warren, Mack Studios/Displays Inc. owes its growth to its emphasis on new product development. "We have grown from a manufacturer of primarily trade show displays to a company that now specializes in compete retail environments," she said. Mack still hasn't given up its roots though, as it maintains happy trade show clients while expanding the business, according to Warren. One problem Warren has had is finding people to do the job. "We have set up a recruiting program and are building relationships with school and employment agencies within central New York," said Warren.

95

A & K MILLWORK LTD. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

'96: $8,226,000 (CS) Sales '97: +5.4% Est. 1971

'97: $8,674,000 (C$) Projected '98: +7% Employees: 85

Architectural millwork, institutional furniture for the healthcare and hospitality industries and store fixtures

Like many other companies in the Wood 100, A & K Millwork attributes its increased sales to expanded production capacity. In the past two years, the company has purchased a new panel saw, edgebander, web press and case clamp. A & K also expanded operations into a new building, which doubled the plant size to 85,000 square feet. According to controller Allan Wainwright, "The building space has allowed for efficient plant layout and increased productivity."

96

DESIGN LINE CABINETS INC. Sauk Rapids, MN

'96: $7,572,000 Sales '97: +5.3% Est. 1957

'97: $7,971,000 Projected '98: Lower Employees: 125

High-end custom made kitchen, bathroom and other furniture

A blazing inferno completely destroyed Design Line's plant and office in December 1997, yet after only 78 days, the company began shipping orders again. "I think this is a great stow of a company's determination to keep going, even after everything was destroyed," said Bill Vennes, marketing associate. A new 80,000 square foot plant with $1.8 million worth of state-of-the-art woodworking and finishing equipment was built and moved into by June 26.

97

VALLEY CITY MANUFACTURING CO. LTD. Dundas, Ontario, Canada

'96: $20,058,000 (C$) Sales '97: +3.7% Est. 1884

'97: $20,793,000 (C$) Projected '98: +35% Employees: 130

Architectural woodworking including corporate/institutional, laboratory, case goods, specialty seating and furniture

Rather than trying to be "all things to all people," Valley City has become selective in choosing the architects it works with. Company president Robert Crockford says Valley City's prospecting technique helps the company find architects who are trying to provide that same level of quality, thus enhancing the reputation of both. Learning to say "no" to jobs that do not meet Valley City's standards has been tough, according to Crockford, but worth it in the long run. The company has appeared in each of the last four surveys and recently purchased a Biesse Rover 346 machining center and a Holz-Her edgebander.

98

ORIGINAL CRAFTS INC. DBA STUMPY ORIGINALS Kingsville, MO

'96: $520,000 Sales '97: +3.3% Est. 1978

'97: $537,000 Projected '98: Lower Employees: 8

Wood souvenirs, wood and wire puzzles, the Horseshoe Puzzle, twig pens and pencils, and pocket toothpick holders

To produce its eclectic group of products, Original Crafts needs machinery that is flexible yet fast. These machines are often custom made according to company specifications. "The machines we use at each work station are designed for us," said company vice president Ramona Cook. "We continually improve each area to speed up production and make sure they are safe for the employees." In addition, Original Crafts has taken to outsourcing some products. "This year, we've had more of our products come in cut to size," said Cook. "It saves time and blades while we gain accuracy which is essential when we assemble and print." This year marks Original Crafts' fifth appearance in the Wood 100.

99

KENT AND FULLER CABINETS Muscle Shoals, AL

'96: $930,000 Sales '97: +2.9% Est. 1973

'97: $957,000 Projected '98: +4-5% Employees: 13

Custom-built cabinets, solid surface tops, mouldings

Although this year's Wood 100 shows many companies worried about finding or retaining skilled woodworkers, Kent and Fuller isn't among them. "We have low turnover and don't spend a lot of time training people," said owner Roger Fuller. "Most of our workers have been here eight years or more and know what to do." Among the company's new purchases is a new kiln.

100

JANIK CUSTOM MILLWORK Hodgkins, IL

'96: $365,000 Sales '97: +2.7% Est. 1987

'97: $375,000 Projected '98: +5-7% Employees: 7

Custom mouldings, cabinets, doors and windows

Janik Custom Millwork's sales have grown over the past two years without the addition of any new machinery. Instead, the company concentrates on customer satisfaction, which generates repeat business, according to company vice president Ed Janik.