ReEducate, ReEngineer, ReTool

WMIA Honors Woodworking Industry's 2008 Innovator, Educator and Commitment to Excellence Award Winners

Past Winners

The Woodworking Machinery Association announced the winners of the 2008 Wooden Globes for its Innovator, Educator and Commitment to Excellence through Technology Awards at San Diego’s Paradise Point Resort at its 21st annual Awards dinner.

When welcoming the WMIA’s Board of Directors, guests and media representatives, President Tom Reisert, Edward B. Mueller Company, Inc., said, “I want to acknowledge the pressures of the trend to outsource manufacturing of many products to other countries in the world. However, I feel I also must acknowledge the new trend of a small but growing resurgence of this manufacturing returning to this country.

“These are tough times and some segments of our industry are struggling. However, there are some segments that are moving forward, continuing to do so by Re-Engineering, Re-Tooling and Re-Educating their plants and personnel.” Reisert noted that one of the Wooden Globe Award recipients has adopted the “Three R’s” throughout its operation to better fight the off-shore competition.

Reisert also said he was encouraged by the attendance at the recent IWF Show in Atlanta. “While certainly the quantity of customers was down from previous years, but the quality of customers that attended was excellent, with purpose in mind which was fulfilled by purchasing equipment at the show for their businesses. This was without a doubt a very positive indication that there are many better times ahead for all of us.

“This can and will happen through WMIA’s ongoing commitment to attract and educate people to become highly skilled in the use of the high-technology competitive woodworking equipment we provide.”

In closing, Reisert welcomed the 2008 Wooden Globe winners “who represent most outstandingly the accomplishments still being realized in our industry and the hope and positive expectations we have for our future.”

The 2008 winners are: Innovator, Paladin Industries (Grand Rapids, Mich.); Educator, Madison Area Technical College (Madison, Wis.); Commitment to Excellence through Technology, Jasper Chair Company (Jasper, Ind.) and Custom Cupboards, Inc. (Wichita, Kans.).

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

According to James Madsen, WMIA member and a Stiles Machinery sales engineer, “For 21 years the WMIA Innovator Award has celebrated industry leadership and companies producing innovative, unique commercial wood products by implementing innovative approaches to the manufacturing of wood-based products. A company receiving this award also is one that has integrated high-technology equipment enabling it to increase its profitability and competitiveness in the marketplace.

“Paladin Industries, a family-owned woodworking and panel processing company founded by Larry and Barbara Bell in 1984, has unquestionably satisfied these criteria through its investment in high-technology equipment and innovation in its usage. As a result, it virtually owns its industry niche, that of providing components to the automotive industry, such as robot-sanded solid maple and walnut shift knobs, that most manufacturers neither want to deal with nor have the capacity to produce.“

Noting that the company began with a single spindle router, Madsen said “Today the company encompasses a 54,000-square-foot building that pushes the woodworking envelope with unique router and bander projects with five-axis woodworking jobs requiring elaborate pneumatic clamping fixtures and membrane pressing of very challenging profiles. A single robot with a two-position station has reduced the number of people involved in the knob-sanding process from eight to four, and reduced sanding time from five or six minutes to two.

“The entire process required innovative fixturing, diamond insert, insert router and end-of-arm robot tooling, all conceptualized and designed by Paladin’s Engineering Group and an investment of time and resources typical of the Bell’s and their dedicated team.

Larry Bell, Paladin’s CEO and co-founder, accepted the award.

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

John Park, WMIA member and Delmac, Inc., general manager, announced the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) based in Madison, Wis., as winner of the 2008 Educator Award that honors educational programs that produce trained, motivated and skilled employees for wood product manufacturing companies, especially those are integrating today’s high-technology equipment. Curricula must reflect the needs of today’s marketplace, must not be limited to employees of a single company, and provide hands-on training using high-technology equipment supplied by WMIA members.

Park noted that MATC’s “cabinetmaking and millwork program is dedicated to providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement all facets of cabinetry, furniture and millwork projects, from planning to the finishing details. While they are trained in using traditional woodworking equipment and hand tools, they also receive hands-on training in the latest CNC machinery and software.

“MATC is nationally recognized as a leader in training. Recognizing that students learn at different rates, it offers an innovative self-directed curriculum that enables open enrollment unlimited by structured quarters or semesters. Students learn theory and process outside of class through WoodLINKS USA web-based media and digital video with lab time dedicated to practice and demonstrating proficiency to instructors. In 2010 it is anticipated the program will go to a 45-week curriculum.

“MATC maintains an active relationship with more than 25 woodworking industry companies in the area to obtain career opportunities for its students.”

Patrick Molzahn, MATC’s cabinetmaking and millwork program director – as well as a member of the Woodwork Career Alliance board, the AWFS Education Committee , and WoodLINKS USA’s state and national boards – accepted the Award.

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

In the fourth year since WMIA’s Commitment to Excellence through Technology Award was established, for the first time there were two winners. Both are companies that have demonstrated consistent growth in their market segments and attribute their on-going history of investing in WMIA-member-supplied high-technology equipment to contributing significantly to their respective success and profitability.

Jerry Hilgefort, WMIA member and president of Hilgefort Woodworking Machinery Co., said, “In my 40 years of selling woodworking machinery, I have yet to find another firm with the philosophy and commitment to improving its competitiveness in the marketplace than the Jasper Chair Company.

“It was founded in 1921, survived the Great Depression and grew to be a leader in the solid wood seating arena, supplying libraries, schools and the restaurant industry. During the past 15 years its management has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to improve and provide a consistent quality standard, increasing productivity while strengthening interaction and cooperation among its 95 employees. Its facility now consists of 23,000 square feet of lumber processing areas, a 185,000 -square-foot manufacturing area, and 38,000 square feet of warehouse capacity. It produces more than 130,000 units annually.

Hilgefort said, “Through prudent capital investments in innovative and high-technology equipment in virtually every department – from the lumber yard through finishing – Jasper Chair thrived and continues to achieve its goals of growth and profitability in a challenged industry. Many of its CNC woodworking machines were the first to be installed in the region and even the country.

“This truly unique company continues to improve its position in the marketplace through its capital investments in high technology equipment. In other words, through its unequivocal to commit to excellence through technology, to maintaining its stable and loyal workforce, and to not resorting to imported wood components in its products” The award was accepted by Jeff Barth, Jasper Chair’s vice president.

Brian Stiles, WMIA member and Stiles Machinery sales engineer, noted that in WMIA President Tom Reisert’s opening remarks he noted that one of the Wooden Globe recipients has taken the “Re-Engineering, Re-Tooling and Re-Education” message to heart. “The second winner of the Commitment to Excellence through Technology Award is Custom Cupboards Inc.

“The company was founded in 1981 by brothers Dan and Ron Henry to design, build and sell custom kitchen and bath cabinetry. From starting in a 2,000-square-foot building outfitted with Dan’s personal tools – a table saw and a radial arm saw – the company grew until it is now housed in a manufacturing facility comprising 217,500 square feet. The vertically integrated facility produces approximately 385 framed cabinets a day in two shifts with 175 door combinations available in 850 standard colors and eight different wood species.

“Custom Cupboards has embraced WMIA’s ‘Three Rs’ in every aspect of its operations. It has Re-Engineered its processes as well as its products. Recent solutions include a custom factory software system that has helped it become one of the first wood products manufacturers to use an RFID tagging system which tracks parts through the factory as well as drive specific processes such as set-up, quality control and packaging. It focuses on continuous improvement to streamline operations and reduce work in process.

"The company has Re-Tooled extensively, integrating high technology machinery throughout its departments to produce and better, faster and more repeatable product. It recently purchased a custom frameface assembly system which will use vision scanning to detect part placement and use tandem robots to glue, pocket drill and screw each joint until the frame is complete. It will be one of the most advanced systems in place in our industry.

“The company is equally committed to Re-Education, employing a “Learning and Talent Development Specialist. It has upwards of 15 training courses such as Leadership, Employee Motivation, Problem Solving and Conflict Management and Time Management. The courses give management hands-on access to workforce development as well the review of each employee’s process. In addition, vendors or outside consultants with particular expertise in such subjects as green business practices, marketing and lean manufacturing often are brought in to train employees.

“Custom Cupboard continues to build a foundation that ensures they have capable employees, productive equipment and advanced systems that contribute to the company’s continued viability in the marketplace.”

Lance Johanson, Custom Cupboard’s vice president of operations, accepted the Award.

Past Winners