A Tribute to Two of Our Old Friends and Valued Customers - Two Great All-Time Members of our Industry

A man of great business and mechanical skill, Ben Kafka somehow managed to start his business in the depression year of 1933, with no money, and make a go of it. An immigrant from Poland, he began sweeping floors at the old Carlow and Gilger Co., Los Angeles, for $16.50 per week, learning about the woodworking machines until he was able to hone his remarkable talents with machinery and establish his own, still successful business, Main Sash & Door, Los Angeles.

Working as a team with his son, Allan, Main manufactures detail millwork, with the majority of their sales to building contractors and wholesalers. Constitutionally unable to sit at a desk for long, Ben Kafka,67, is most often in the plant, operating one of Main's woodworking machines.

A man with a life-long appreciation of machinery, he has no plans to slow down, or retire, preferring to continue applying his deft touch to product Main's quality products.

Beginning with the old Bufflen Door Co. in Tacoma, Wa., in 1921,Earl Arnold began his long career, gaining experience and growing until today he is practically a walking encyclopedia of millwork knowledge.

As the superintendent of M and A Sash and Door Co., Harbor City, Ca., he works an 11 hour day, doing all pricing, quoting and sales work as well as being an efficient general manager of the plant and office. Their main products are wood sash, detail doors and louvers. Despite his 71 years and recent hip surgery, Earl has no plans to retire.

It takes considerable ability to survive in the millwork business and Earl has hash marks aplenty from his 53 years in the business. As he notes in quiet reflection, "ol all the 14 firms l've yvorked with over the years only this one (M and A) is still around, it's quite a business."

And he is quite a millwork mant