WoodDigest.com |

Jerry Hoey didn’t know he was heading in the direction of “Lean” manufacturing when he sought out a consultant to help get his small cabinet business on track and ready to move into a new manufacturing facility.

He just knew he needed to make significant changes in the way he did business and fabricated his high-end custom cabinets. Unlike some men who don’t like asking for directions, Hoey had no qualms about seeking help.

The Jacksonville, Fla. cabinetmaker had known for a long time that, despite the fact that his business was doing well and he had a very good reputation among architects, interior designers and high-end custom home builders in the Jacksonville area, that it was time for a major makeover. Hoey’s vision was to relocate the company approximately one mile down the road and double the floor space to approximately 10,000 sq. ft.

At the “old” shop, plant layout was haphazard. Work flow was disjointed. The dust collection scheme needed significant rewickering. And, as even Hoey would admit, the plant “was a mess.”

Beaches Woodcraft is a family business that also includes Jerry’s son and Jerry’s brother. The business model is based on designing, manufacturing, finishing and installing high-end residential custom cabinetry.

At the 2004 International Woodworking Fair (IWF) in Atlanta, Hoey met with Lignum Consulting, Inc., a Charlotte-based firm focusing on the secondary woodworking industry. The main contact was Lignum president Eberhard Reyer (a consulting editor to Wood Digest).

“At the time, I thought only large companies hired consultants and contracted to have major plant redevelopment,” says Hoey. “But that turned out not to be the case. We were able to work out a plan where Lignum would provide certain consulting services for a specified cost. We wanted to move into the new plant in 18 months, so we had to move fast.”