icookinmykitchen

Woodmode Cabinetry closes it’s doors.

The Cook's Kitchen
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

2000 people, mostly very long term employed, had no notice. Evidently things were rockier than they let on. But this is shockingly sudden, and impactful to the industry.

. https://fox56.com/news/local/wood-mode-in-snyder-county-suddenly-closes

Comments (18)

  • chispa
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Wow. I used Wood-mode last year for my remodeled kitchen and was very happy with the process and product. I used a KD out of LA that had sold Wood-mode for a long time. There were some small glitches which the KD and Wood-mode resolved quickly. Darn, this means when we move I'll need to do a whole bunch of new research if I need to remodel another kitchen. And this affects the Brookhaven line too.

  • chispa
    4 years ago

    This sucks for warranty work too. I had heard stories of Wood-mode being able to make a replacement door for damaged cabinets that had been installed 20 years ago and being able to produce perfect matches.

  • Zalco/bring back Sophie!
    4 years ago

    I wonder what the future holds for the other companies in the same category, like Plain and Fancy and Rutt?

  • Shannon_WI
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    It's a shame, but honestly, I didn't think the company kept up with changes in the market. Their competitors (and I am talking about their peers, not the low-priced alternates) so outdistanced them in current looks, in bang for the buck, and especially in ease of choosing the options. A homeowner would get quite bewildered by the different options at Wood-Mode that seemed to switch with every plan and every re-visit, and the mixing with Brookhaven, and upcharges that seemed to vary by the day, and what was included and what wasn't, that I think many customers threw up their hands and just went elsewhere where it was easier.

  • PRO
    Ryan Patrick
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I've been selling cabinets for 16 years and sold Woodmode/Brookhaven in 17 and 18. I thankfully broke that relationship long ago. I didn't see what all the fuss was about for the money you pay and totally agree that they got left in the dust by their competition. I disliked selling them unless I had to and defaulted to Crystal which was a much easier company to work with and I thought the product was better quality . This has been going on since at least early 2018 as the truck drivers for them we're telling us that Woodmode isn't what it used to be and that they would be moving on, 18 year truck drivers for them. Definitely a major blow to the industry. I feel for the employees and dealers affected. I as a dealer in the industry can't imagine waking up to this and breaking the news to my customers, the calamity.

  • PRO
    Hankins & Associates, Inc. - Kitchens and Baths
    4 years ago

    Shocked and surprised ... but then on the other hand ... not. I used to sell W-M while working for another firm and was a B-H dealer myself years earlier. Their plant, less than a 3-hour drive from me, boasts an impressive 1-mil SF under roof. But, technology-wise ... IMHO, other companies have eaten their lunch. Not sure that W-M employed 'JIT' manufacturing … and I know opted to do much in-house vs. outsourcing. Lumber for example, they have many massive kilns and complete all the processing of most (if not all) of their lumber vs. simply bringing in lumber as to the need. Likewise, they also do much of their own veneer work/pressing in-house. Does their facility “need” to be so big for what they produce? I don’t think so. I’ve visited the plant 2 or 3 times over the years. The people, from the reps through to the factory floor workers are genuine ... nice people. I feel bad for those who have a passion for their craft, whose livelihood (like a rug) has been pulled from beneath their feet. I’d be curious to learn all the specifics as to “why”, but guessing that Individuals at the top, who make the big decisions, opted not to (or were slow to) adapt in the way they build their cabinetry, the machinery they use to produce … and how they market their product. I’ve been in the K&B industry for over 30-years and W-M interestingly was the only company I dealt with (I knew of) that always boasted about sales volume on a “List” basis. Not sure if they still were doing that … but List wasn’t representative of anything. They apparently secured a $9-Mil loan in 2017, but their lender (unsure IF the same lender) was unwilling to continue funding. So we’ll all be watching what’ll happen with W-M. If they’re sold, my guess … it’d only be in namesake. As for the factory, I cannot imagine it wouldn’t be more cost-effective to either merge production of W-M with another larger company … or have some VC’s with deep pockets simply start fresh, building a new factory. Then, sell the property and all the assets, recover what they can. Again … sad … very sad. But, as dealers, we were told long ago … we needed to adapt or fall by the wayside.

  • PRO
    Hankins & Associates, Inc. - Kitchens and Baths
    4 years ago

    Zalco, Rutt has had its share of turmoil over the years with regard to ownership. I think (what?) 4th owner now? Viking owned Rutt (2001), (pretty sure) Berwyn Group owned Rutt, then Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. owned Rutt ... now Birch Investment Partners, LLC. owns Rutt. With so many changes of ownership over the years ... one simply need ask "Why?"

  • Zalco/bring back Sophie!
    4 years ago

    Hankins, do you know "why" all the turmoil? Seems to me there are plenty of customers.

  • GreenDesigns
    4 years ago

    People want cheap. It’s been that way for a while. No one wants to spend 60K on furniture like cabinets anymore. The next owner will just rip them out and put their version of whatever they like in a home.

  • PRO
    Hankins & Associates, Inc. - Kitchens and Baths
    4 years ago

    Zalco, "Why" ... why was Rutt sold so many times? Simply ... I don't think any of the early buyers/owners were making money (unsure about now). Being busy, having customers doesn't necessarily equate to 'making money'. If you're a large national brand offering "custom" ... you've got to have the right dealer base to sell your product ... then ... have a well-tuned facility that can produce cabinetry efficiently, making the margins necessary to sustain the shop. I think producing custom is perhaps a little easier for the smaller organization (shop) than the bigger manufacturers. Especially more difficult for those who've not adapted, making capital investment in equipment and getting the right people to run it. GreenDesigns is (IMHO) 'somewhat right'. While I disagree that people want "cheap" ... people do want quality for the appropriate investment. Plus ... there still ARE homeowners who DO want quality furniture-like cabinetry and aren't shy about investing $60k just in cabinetry. These buyers aren't thinking about selling ... or the next owner 'ripping them (the cabinetry) out.' I personally also believe the waters these days are Waaay muddier than they used to be 20+ years ago -- with regard to "what's available" to the homeowner. Too many choices (bad choices) have muddied our industry waters. I think some older, established manufacturers just didn't keep up with changing times, styles, manufacturing practices and technologies. That said, you've then got the investors who think they'll make a killing owning a cabinet company ... then learn the hard way ... many dollars later. Just my $0.02.

  • Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
    4 years ago

    I wonder if the higher end of the middle, like Wood Mode, Crown Point, Kennebec, Plain&Fancy, Rutt, et al will go the way of the dodo leaving the market to the low end and the Christopher Peacocks of the world.

  • GreenDesigns
    4 years ago

    Rita, that is exactly what is happening. People in the middle are removing quality from their criteria when shopping if they can get something at half the cost that cosmetically resembles what they want.


    People at the upper end never worried about costs, and will continue to not worry about costs. The low end has always wanted the low end, but never has there been so many choices on that front to satisfy the low end apartment maintenance, flippers, and builders. That end of the market is exploding, and has been, ever since the first flat pack Chinese cabinet hit the shores here.

  • M Miller
    4 years ago

    This may sound silly, but I watch the TV show Shark Tank all the time. They say very frequently on that show that too many sku’s are the kiss of death for companies, especially struggling companies. I wonder if that contributed to the problems Wood-Mode had. They had a vast amount of sku’s, and the cost of all that inventory to keep all those sku’s available may have been a contributing factor to their demise.

  • Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
    4 years ago

    FWIW, I am a very happy Crown Point customer. I wish your company, and others like it all the best. Ironically, my second choice was Wood Mode.

  • PRO
    Hankins & Associates, Inc. - Kitchens and Baths
    4 years ago
    M.Miller, IMHO... a cabinet manufacturer that Doesn't simply pump out stock sized boxes (i.e. Wood-Mode) in a few flavors is vastly different than a company that makes (as you noted) a few SKUS. Even the "Sharks" wouldn't be buying their cabinetry from a manufacturer with a limited offering. I just think that W-M was perhaps just poorly managed, trying to sell in 2011 (perhaps earlier)... then received financing in 2017 (band-aid?). Guessing maybe the wheels were falling off long before 2011. Overhead kills, interest on loans can be the nail to the coffin if you don't change how you operate... "adapt" properly. As I noted earlier... while not completely surprised, it's still a surprise and somewhat hard to believe. With 32-years in the industry, there are things you believe will remain a constant... Wood-Mode was one of them. If the creditors have any say... I do believe the name will be bought and live on. Hopefully whoever carrys that torch will do it right... do it well. As others have mentioned, I feel for the dedicated employees at W-M who hung in there beyond the fruitful years.
  • PRO
    Crown Point Cabinetry
    4 years ago

    @Rita: Thank you for the kind words. And we are glad you are a happy client! We wish you the best!

  • live_wire_oak
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    It's such a shame. Modernization of production processes has to be part of any manufacturing company's survival strategy. Aligning yourself with old world hand crafting is well and good if you can charge enough to own that payroll. Otherwise, you'd better have some robots spraying your doors. Woodmode was not able to make that value for the cost price leap. And they were not cheap. Just not next level luxury level star name costly that it would have taken to make it through.

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