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DecravMold
of Oklahoma City is the latest company to become part of Woodgrain
Millwork, Inc. of Fruitland, Idaho. (See related article in April
2002 SHELTER, page 16.) DecravMold,
with a 47,000 square foot manufacturing facility, manufactures wood
mouldings and has approximately 100 employees. The Agee family
founded Agee Products more than 50 years ago; originally, the
company manufactured not only mouldings but also wooden shutters and
sold primarily through two-step distributors. Bill Kay (hence the
name Kay-Wood) bought the company from the Agee family in the early
1980s. It was later purchased by Mike Ellis in 1987. In March of
2002, Woodgrain Millwork, one of the world?s largest producers of
mouldings and interior doors, purchased the company.
Asked why Woodgrain
decided to purchase DecravMold,
Alex Mohr, Corporate Marketing Manager for Woodgrain, said, ?This
acquisition fits well into Woodgrain?s strategy because of the
synergy we will create through increased wood utilization of
value-added products. It compliments the company?s existing
millwork products.?
DECRAvMOLD
PRODUCTS
DecravMold?s
product lines include embossed and adorned rope and dentil patterns
of crown, base, case and chair rail mouldings. The Block Shop, the
company?s ?no miter system,? is a selection of rosette, base,
chair-rail and plinth blocks that offer the consumer a method of
installing all types of mouldings without difficult mitering and
coping cuts.
According to Mohr, with
The Block Shop, customers can install trim around windows, doors and
ceilings and floors. The blocks are considered ?generic? and can
also be used with commodity moulding.
According to the
company, DecravMold
has successfully marketed The Block Shop to the do-it-yourself
customer by using brochures, point-of-purchase displays,
instructional videotapes and ?how-to? clinics held in retail
stores.
The company?s newest
products are turned-rope mouldings and dentil mouldings that are
sold separately as well as on pre-assembled pieces of decorative
mouldings.
?The company?s
product line of pine and oak mouldings are different from commodity
mouldings in that they have added value and are sold in an 8-foot
piece. The added value consists of embossed wood, scalloped edges,
crown mouldings with rope or dentil mouldings as well as the product
packaging,? said Mohr.
Asked if DecravMold
is going to be debuting any new products, Mohr said the company is
in the process of completing a line of oak flooring trim for
transitioning between wood or synthetic wood flooring and tile,
carpet or vinyl flooring products.
MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
?Ninety percent of
our mouldings are embossed using a method of heat and pressure. Five
percent are applied with accent pieces to create the adorned
patterns, and the remaining 5 percent are plain, which are produced
using general-milling techniques.?
To make its products,
DecravMold?s
majority of equipment is standard molders and shapers, but the
decorative processes are done using custom-built machinery. The
company doesn?t use any type of software in the manufacturing
process. However, scheduling, shipping and operations take full
advantage of today?s technologies, said Mohr of the manufacturing
process.
COMPETITIVE EDGE
What is DecravMold
doing differently than its competitors? ?Most decorative millwork
manufacturers offer high-end architectural type mouldings. DecravMold
offers the same type of products but at a significantly lower cost.
We concentrate on customer service and delivering products on time
and complete. We also offer an expanded special order program and
strive to lead the industry in point-of-purchase materials,? said
Mohr.
INDUSTRY TRENDS
With today?s
television programs focused on the do-it-yourselfer, DecravMold
believes the industry is going to gain a new following among
project-oriented customers, especially female shoppers and
first-time users. ?Products will need to be of a high quality and
easier to use to meet the demands of today?s and tomorrow?s
consumer. We have already begun to address this new trend by
offering high-quality decorative moulding products and The Block
Shop ?no miter system? which makes installing all types of
mouldings easy,? said Mohr.
DecravMold
who currently distributes its products through home centers,
independent retailers and two-step millwork distributors, has earned
the status of being one of the major decorative moulding producers
in the nation, said Mohr. The acquisition by Woodgrain will enable
DecravMold to increase
its market share and customer base both nationally and worldwide.
According to Mohr, ?DecravMold?s
success can be attributed to the emphasis on customer service. In
addition to selling a quality product at a good price, the company
believes in doing ?whatever it takes? to make its customers
happy.?
With its ?What ever
it takes? slogan, we can look to see more from the newest addition
to the Woodgrain family.
Samantha Carpenter
is the editor of SHELTER magazine.
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