Sessions

Every custom cabinetmaker must continually strive to improve productivity and to increase its value to the customer in order to survive in this day of intense competition. Now, during the current housing slow-down, is the very time for every cabinetmaker to begin the process of re-engineering its company into a lean manufacturer. This session presents the proven essentials and a very practical roadmap to the future success for your company – whether large or small!

You will:

• Finally understand what ‘lean’ is
• See why lean is essential for your shop
• Learn what makes a lean Custom Cabinetmaker
• Learn how to explain lean to your employees
• Understand how to implement lean in your company
• Lean the key to improved profitability and service

Many people complain that their finishing department is a production bottleneck or that it never seems to make any money. This session will look at some key elements, both in and out of the spray room that impacts a company’s profitability. It will emphasize that spreadsheets as well as spray guns are both important tools in the finishing process and that communication is the key to a healthy bottom line.

Some of the session topics include:

• Developing a team approach to your finishing system
• Educating your customer to improve your bottom line
• Your estimating system – does it really work?
• Developing solutions and implementing change

With more than 29 years in the trade, including 22 years as a business owner, Eric C. Lehmann, CKD of Innovative Wholesale Fabricators of Long Island, NY, has developed systems to "make money, not just cabinets." He will draw upon his wealth of experience to share this concept in a straight-forward, common-sense approach. He will force you to rethink how you do business from how you handle orders through shop layout and efficiency. By attending this session, you will learn how to grow your business -- and your profits -- without additional workers.

While many companies in the woodworking industry are realizing the benefits of CNC equipment, we will explore new ways and concepts to get even more from these powerful automation tools.  This fast paced, high-impact session will challenge your company to “Get Out Of The Box” and get more from your CNC.

• Beyond Boxes
• Advanced Performance Algorithms
• Lights Out Production
• Converting Buyouts To Production
• New Profit Centers

Tired of having to be reactive to the day to day problems in your business? Learn how to be proactive in how you approach ownership, employees, customers, vendors and market conditions. Learn simple, systematic and proven methods on how to gain control of your company and profitability. Get two perspectives to the how and why analyzing your current operation, creating a plan, taking action and measuring results is the key to your prosperous future.

This in-depth fast paced session is designed to educate the attendees on the different coating options available to them. Nitrocellulose lacquers, pre-catalyzed and post catalyzed lacquers, conversion varnish, water bornes, polyesters and UV curable coatings are all discussed. The component features and benefits, problem solving and properties of these different coatings are also covered. This session provides an excellent opportunity to learn more about the available options of wood coatings on the market today.

How to navigate the transition including

• Recognizing and understanding the differences between residential and commercial work
• Finding and winning commercial contracts
• Preparing commercial estimates and proposals
• Setting up paperwork systems to deal with commercial requirements
• Reading and understanding commercial contracts
• Avoiding common problems and pitfalls
• Question and answer

With two seasoned marketers, you will hear and see strategies, philosophy and real life examples of how to market and advertise your business. This “college education in an hour” touches on nearly every form of marketing and advertising, discussing specifics and providing many workable ideas for just about any size or type of shop.

You’ll take home—A better understanding of how to buy advertising to achieve maximum results A method to focus your efforts on the kind of clients you want to have A workable lead tracking system to help you determine which ads work best A number of outstanding examples to apply to your business A common sense method to pave the way to closing the sale Many more answers than questions on where to start and fine tune your approach to marketing and advertising

The green movement is sweeping America, presenting cabinet manufacturers, builders, and the entire woodworking industry with a great opportunity. However, there is much confusion about the many green programs, how they work, and how a company can get involved. This fast paced session will provide you with important information on these topics:

• Forest Certification Programs
• Green Building Programs
• Formaldehyde Regulations
• Certified Product Programs
• New Products for Green Building
• How to Develop YOUR green strategy

You will leave this session with the tools to understand the green movement and how it applies to your individual business. Each attendee will receive a CD that includes the presentation and a reference appendix with detailed information on every aspect of the green movement relating to wood.

We are all aware of the common justifications for outsourcing. A few of those justifications are as follows:

• Take advantage of cost savings
• Increase business volume
• Increase variety of product offering
• Get access to specialized products and services
• Concentrate on our core business
• Improve our lead times
• Improve customer satisfaction

A more relevant line of justification might be to question if it is more, less or equally profitable to outsource. In this seminar we will attempt to demonstrate methods to determine if outsourcing is justified and provide financial models to support that justification. We all outsource on some level, even if it only includes our functional hardware (i.e., hinges, drawer guides, etc.), but the question we must answer needs to be: “Is outsourcing the most profitable thing for us to do?”

The implementation of CNC technology continues to grow wide acceptance in the woodworking industry.

In order to fully achieve positive results one must completely understand the requirements and investments which must be made, the challenges one will encounter and the benefits which can be expected to achieve with this exciting technology.

The session will review each of these aspects of the technology curve and is designed to provide the entry level customer a full understanding of the process and benefits.

Many businesses have varying degrees of success in networking. We will discuss methods begin to enhance your position in your market through networking. In addition, we’ll explore where to find opportunities to network, in both formal and informal arenas, and how to develop a nearly inexhaustible source of new networks and referrals.

Rick and Dave's companies worked together on a good sized commercial project outside of both firms usual market geography. That relationship would have never begun without networking. You'll hear that networking success story and others to inspire you to get started with new zeal and real, nuts and bolts methods.

How to develop, retain and strengthen working relationships design and architectural professionals that will profit your company.

• Determining which of these individuals are a good fit
• Determining which ones are NOT a good fit
• Developing long-term professional relationships with architects and designers can help strengthen your business and your business standing in the community. Determining which design professionals fit your business model, nurturing them, training them and exceeding their expectations should be a goal of your business.

Real life information and perspectives on what it takes to succeed in the custom cabinetry and woodworking industry. What causes ups and downs in sales? Who should you hire? Do you know what your customers really want? Learn how to greatly increase production in your shop without buying any new equipment and how to budget to create a growing business. Whether you build residential or commercial, or sell retail or wholesale these are proven methods that put you in control of your business success.