WHERE ARE OUR VISIONARIES?

Once upon a time I looked at the editorial page of the newspapers and thought "How interesting it would be to write editorials for the paper."

Because of that, I fell into the trap of believing that writing commentaries on our industry would be a piece of cake.

But when writing for the paper, you donít really have to worry about who you offend. In fact most editors seem to operate under the assumption that the more offensive the editorial page, the better.

So when I first had the idea of writing these, I thought that writing one once a month would be pretty easy. After all, there are many subjects in our industry about which to write.

But soon I realized that most of the things I wanted to say were pretty controversial. In reality, too controversial.

So months went by when I wrote nothing because the subjects I had on my mind were too controversial.

But then on the other hand, I have no idea whether anyone is even reading my comments.

Regardless of all of that, it has finally come to the point that I have to express my thoughts whether they offend or not, so here goes.

The Chinese problem has been with us now in a big way for four or five years. In the beginning, I thought it would be a wake up call to the case goods industry that would result in a desperate rush to modernize.

To my consternation, not one single company has done anything more than short term patching.

Purchasing a CNC router or moulder or even a rip first system is not in itself enough. Purchasing a CNC router is still routing. It is still doing the same thing we have been doing for 100 years, only a little faster and better. So the plan under which most of this equipment has been purchased, has resulted in the purchaser producing more product in a shorter time at less cost, but nevertheless it is still the same product that does not sell. So the sales problem is compounded rather than resolved.

The case goods industry needs a new concept of how furniture is to be marketed, made and delivered to the buyer and the goal should be to deliver it within 7 calendar days from the date of purchase.

The kitchen cabinet manufacturers are doing just that.

Andersen Windows has a special division that ships in five days special order, special sizes that are not available from stock.

The case goods industry needs to create a manufacturing process where not only will the furniture be delivered in 7 days or less, but one that allows the customer to have any combination of items, any color in the brochure, etc. In other words, special order one of a kind.

The design and construction of such a plant will take a person or a group of people with vision, courage and money. I have not seen any such person or group in the case goods industry.

He who designs and builds such a plant will have to start from the ground up; designing the plant around the concept of special orders to be shipped in 5 days. Special machines will be required and there are several manufacturers of machinery who are capable of building machinery to the purchaserís specifications.

This is not a problem that will be solved by putting a CNC router in a dark corner on the second floor.

Men of this caliber are to be found in the cabinet industry and the building materials industry, but they do not exist in the case goods industry.

That is why the Chinese are only a part of the problem. The larger part of the problem is to be found within the case goods industry.

Or perhaps it is better said that the problem is what can not be found in the case goods industry:   That is, a bold visionary.

Claude S. Sutton, Jr.