a dealer network that serves both the new home construction and remodeling markets with the higher-end MasterSuite®, MultiSuite®, and ExecutiveSuite® lines. For those ready to tackle a project themselves, there is the easier to install adjustable ShelfTrack® line, as well as several iterations of modular storage systems that are available via large home retail stores. In addition to producing ClosetMaid wire shelving at the state-of-the-art facility in Ocala, FL, the company manufactures wood-based panel products in Grantsville, MD, Reynosa Mexico and Chino, CA. They also maintain tight controls over a broad network of domestic and worldwide suppliers. ClosetMaid is a big name that holds a significant share of the market. A look at the company’s recent business trends, as well as where it is investing future efforts, can provide insights to the industry as a whole. According to Scott Davis, director of product management and design engineering for ClosetMaid, the company’s opening-point general living products did really well coming out of the 2008-2009 recession. As the economy shifted into recovery, and then growth, more design-driven products gained. “We are starting to see a big uptick in the wood products side of the business,” says Davis. “There was pent up demand for remodeling and refreshing the homes, and we definitely saw that. Especially with HGTV and the DIY network, storage and organization is pretty trendy, and we think we are in a great position where we stand with our dealers and retail channel partners to capitalize on that.” Designing for the Future with Materials and Technology
ClosetMaid ships millions of linear feet of product per year, but staying relevant across price points is more than economy of scale. Design also plays a crucial role. “We use materials that drive more value for the consumer, and design products that look more like furniture. Our trend is to go a little more upscale with some of the finishes we are using,“ says Davis. Very precise material specification is the key to delivering big volume of quality product without compromising the high value proposition that the ClosetMaid brand is known for. An example of this is the DIY retail lines, which according to Davis are the bread and butter of the wood products category. Design-wise, added molding and trim give the product more of a custom built-in look. To achieve this ClosetMaid manufactures the panel products utilizing low-basis weigh papers. “It is a great product, and really from our perspective, that is where there has been a lot of innovation,” says Davis. “We are getting into embossed papers where you can actually feel the woodgrain texture. These papers have great scratch resistance, great durability and are visually spectacular.” ClosetMaid sources the molding components from outside suppliers and specifies the same paper in a different gram weight, so everything matches perfectly. As the product lines tier up, thicker foils or specialty finishes that enhance wear and chemical resistance are specified. “That is really where a lot of interesting changes are happening in the paper side of the business,” says Davis. “We are really excited about where that market is going because it can definitely provide a much higher quality of product still at a pretty affordable price point for the consumer.” The highend dealer lines also use TFL panels that are sourced from suppliers and processed in house. And Davis says the company is beginning to use some 3DL for MasterSuite components, though the material has not yet made it into the mainstream lines.
SandP_Q2-2013.indd 21
surface&panel
Q2 2013
21
5/28/13 10:19 AM