Makers of Home Remodeling Products Say They’re Ready to Ship
Tile, countertop, lighting and flooring firms we spoke with say they’re prepared to meet demand despite the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has been challenging for businesses, but with some states lifting their shelter-in-place orders and others outlining plans to do so, we can begin to look ahead. We recently spoke with several manufacturers of residential products and materials to find out how the global pandemic has affected their supply chains, including where things stand now and what they expect for the months ahead.
The good news is that suppliers we spoke with say they’re stocked up and ready to meet demand when the home remodeling market bounces back.
The good news is that suppliers we spoke with say they’re stocked up and ready to meet demand when the home remodeling market bounces back.
New York Cabinetmaker Waits for Restrictions to Ease
Leland Thomasset owns Taghkanic Woodworking and Pawling Closet Co., two cabinetmaking businesses in Pawling, New York. The statewide shutdown does not exempt construction, and his business is considered nonessential. Because of that, Thomasset can’t have his workers in his shop. He paid his employees to stay home for 3½ weeks until he finally had to furlough them.
Just before New York state shut down because of the pandemic, Thomasset had heard from fellow members of the Cabinet Makers Association that they were “already having problems sourcing sheet goods — plywood, hardwood, veneers, panels for doors,” he says. These are the materials Thomasset uses to make cabinets.
So he decided to buy materials ahead for all the jobs in his pipeline that seemed likely to happen. “We just spent money we didn’t even have yet and ordered everything we could possibly need,” he says. “We don’t like to do that — we run just-in-time,” he says.
Stocking up is one of several moves Thomasset made to be ready to leap back into business, so that when his team is free to work again it will have the materials to fill orders. Meanwhile, he’s been meeting with potential customers on Zoom, updating his profile on Houzz, working on drawings and assembling orders alone.
Leland Thomasset owns Taghkanic Woodworking and Pawling Closet Co., two cabinetmaking businesses in Pawling, New York. The statewide shutdown does not exempt construction, and his business is considered nonessential. Because of that, Thomasset can’t have his workers in his shop. He paid his employees to stay home for 3½ weeks until he finally had to furlough them.
Just before New York state shut down because of the pandemic, Thomasset had heard from fellow members of the Cabinet Makers Association that they were “already having problems sourcing sheet goods — plywood, hardwood, veneers, panels for doors,” he says. These are the materials Thomasset uses to make cabinets.
So he decided to buy materials ahead for all the jobs in his pipeline that seemed likely to happen. “We just spent money we didn’t even have yet and ordered everything we could possibly need,” he says. “We don’t like to do that — we run just-in-time,” he says.
Stocking up is one of several moves Thomasset made to be ready to leap back into business, so that when his team is free to work again it will have the materials to fill orders. Meanwhile, he’s been meeting with potential customers on Zoom, updating his profile on Houzz, working on drawings and assembling orders alone.
Surface Manufacturers and Fabricators Say They’re Open for Business
Manufacturers and fabricators of products used for countertops also say their supply chains are open and their facilities are operational, with safety precautions for workers in place.
Engineered quartz manufacturer and fabricator Cambria is continuing work at its processing facility in Le Sueur, Minnesota, and fabrication continues at the firm’s five fabrication facilities throughout the U.S., says Eloise Goldman, Cambria’s vice president of public relations. “Our supply chain is secure, inventory levels are full and orders continue to be met,” Goldman says.
Surface fabricators tell the same story. “There aren’t going to be any huge shortages right now,” says Amy Miller, executive director of the International Surface Fabricators Association, a trade organization of fabricators in 13 countries who work with engineered quartz, solid surface and sintered stone. “The biggest concern about a cluster is how many manufacturers exist in Italy. Even those manufacturers that I’ve spoken to weren’t shut down for that long.”
Manufacturers and fabricators of products used for countertops also say their supply chains are open and their facilities are operational, with safety precautions for workers in place.
Engineered quartz manufacturer and fabricator Cambria is continuing work at its processing facility in Le Sueur, Minnesota, and fabrication continues at the firm’s five fabrication facilities throughout the U.S., says Eloise Goldman, Cambria’s vice president of public relations. “Our supply chain is secure, inventory levels are full and orders continue to be met,” Goldman says.
Surface fabricators tell the same story. “There aren’t going to be any huge shortages right now,” says Amy Miller, executive director of the International Surface Fabricators Association, a trade organization of fabricators in 13 countries who work with engineered quartz, solid surface and sintered stone. “The biggest concern about a cluster is how many manufacturers exist in Italy. Even those manufacturers that I’ve spoken to weren’t shut down for that long.”
Tile Manufacturer Benefits From Trade Show Prep and Global Locations
Two tile manufacturers — Emser Tile and Daltile — told Houzz that their products are available.
As a business with operations in 20 countries, Emser Tile, headquartered in Los Angeles, was paying close attention to Wuhan, China, when the coronavirus was first spreading. “Basically we were preparing for a possible outbreak,” says Mark Seal, vice president of supply chain at Emser. “We did not expect the situation to get so serious.”
Though it has faced factory closures, a few things have helped the company’s inventory position during the pandemic. First, The International Surface Event (TISE), the biggest trade show for the floor covering, stone and tile industries, took place in late January in Las Vegas. “We were launching a lot of new product because we were coming out of Surfaces,” Seal says. “We were in a good inventory position going into COVID-19.”
Second, Emser has facilities in multiple countries, which has helped it stay agile during the pandemic. “We’ve always been very focused on diversity and using multiple countries to be part of our supply chain,” Seal says.
Employees have been putting in long hours to keep products moving through the supply chain, he says, and in an industry built on accurate forecasting, it’s hard to predict the future with any degree of certainty. But Seal has been pleasantly surprised by demand. “We’re not seeing a huge drop-off in business at the moment,” he says. “We’re probably in the 7%-to-10% range down. We were expecting far worse.”
And Daltile, which manufactures and distributes porcelain and ceramic tile and natural stone, launched a new curbside pickup program for pros during the pandemic. Pros can go to one of the brand’s more than 250 sales service centers and collect product safely without having to get out of their cars.
Two tile manufacturers — Emser Tile and Daltile — told Houzz that their products are available.
As a business with operations in 20 countries, Emser Tile, headquartered in Los Angeles, was paying close attention to Wuhan, China, when the coronavirus was first spreading. “Basically we were preparing for a possible outbreak,” says Mark Seal, vice president of supply chain at Emser. “We did not expect the situation to get so serious.”
Though it has faced factory closures, a few things have helped the company’s inventory position during the pandemic. First, The International Surface Event (TISE), the biggest trade show for the floor covering, stone and tile industries, took place in late January in Las Vegas. “We were launching a lot of new product because we were coming out of Surfaces,” Seal says. “We were in a good inventory position going into COVID-19.”
Second, Emser has facilities in multiple countries, which has helped it stay agile during the pandemic. “We’ve always been very focused on diversity and using multiple countries to be part of our supply chain,” Seal says.
Employees have been putting in long hours to keep products moving through the supply chain, he says, and in an industry built on accurate forecasting, it’s hard to predict the future with any degree of certainty. But Seal has been pleasantly surprised by demand. “We’re not seeing a huge drop-off in business at the moment,” he says. “We’re probably in the 7%-to-10% range down. We were expecting far worse.”
And Daltile, which manufactures and distributes porcelain and ceramic tile and natural stone, launched a new curbside pickup program for pros during the pandemic. Pros can go to one of the brand’s more than 250 sales service centers and collect product safely without having to get out of their cars.
Domestic Supply Chain Protects a California Lighting Manufacturer
Production continues at the 20,000-square-foot Cerno lighting manufacturing facility in Aliso Viejo, California, where nine employees are continuing work at an appropriate social distance. The company’s founders — childhood friends Bret Englander, Daniel Wacholder and Nick Sheridan — have furloughed about half their workforce due to the impact of the pandemic, a painful decision for the founders, Englander says.
“Our sales are down, like most,” says Englander, the company’s director of sales and marketing. “We’re not shipping the volume that we normally are shipping.”
But access to the materials for Cerno’s lighting products has continued. “All of our raw materials — your metal, your lumber — are all North American-based,” Englander says. “That supply chain has not been too disrupted.” Even electronic components that Cerno sources from overseas have been OK so far, he says.
Production continues at the 20,000-square-foot Cerno lighting manufacturing facility in Aliso Viejo, California, where nine employees are continuing work at an appropriate social distance. The company’s founders — childhood friends Bret Englander, Daniel Wacholder and Nick Sheridan — have furloughed about half their workforce due to the impact of the pandemic, a painful decision for the founders, Englander says.
“Our sales are down, like most,” says Englander, the company’s director of sales and marketing. “We’re not shipping the volume that we normally are shipping.”
But access to the materials for Cerno’s lighting products has continued. “All of our raw materials — your metal, your lumber — are all North American-based,” Englander says. “That supply chain has not been too disrupted.” Even electronic components that Cerno sources from overseas have been OK so far, he says.
Plumbing Manufacturer Waits for Future Impact
Brad Callahan, senior director of marketing for Pfister, maker of plumbing fixtures, says Pfister’s factories in China went through the same shutdowns other manufacturers experienced after the Chinese New Year in late January. But he expects the supply chain to be healthy this month with inventory levels returning to 100%. The current challenge Pfister faces is a reduction in demand.
Unlike paint, which homeowners might purchase and use themselves while they shelter in place, plumbing is often an improvement homeowners don’t want to handle themselves. On the retail side, Pfister has seen a consistent drop in demand during the pandemic. Though surprisingly, “Last week seemed to be an anomaly. We saw a strong surge in demand,” Callahan says.
On the wholesale side of the business, Pfister hasn’t yet seen a hit, but Callahan thinks that’s because builders and some remodelers are still moving ahead with projects that were already financed.
Projects that haven’t yet been financed, on the other hand, are on hold as homeowners shelter in place and remain financially conservative. Builders, too, are waiting to see what comes next. “We are seeing projects that weren’t financed or fully committed to get paused until the builder better understands the reality of this new market,” Callahan says.
He therefore expects the impact of the pandemic on Pfister to become more clear in a few quarters — as the delay in project starts from builders starts to show up in its sales numbers.
“What’s tough to understand is where these builders will come out on the other end,” Callahan says.
Some Makers Report a Recent Uptick in Calls or Orders
Still, the uptick in purchasing plumbing materials through Pfister’s retail segment is an unexpected bright spot in an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Thomasset, the New York cabinetmaker, says he wasn’t doing any bidding on projects for a month. Then last week and this week he started hearing from a few contractors. “I’ve done some bidding — yesterday a job that’s a couple hundred thousand [dollars] in cabinets,” he says.
And Michael Martin, president and CEO of the National Wood Flooring Association, also saw a recent increase in inquiries and business among association members within the hardwood flooring industry. “Many of our contractors and manufacturers reported an uptick in calls or orders over the last week, but prior to that had experienced some slowdown in business,” Martin says.
Armstrong flooring CEO Vermette hopes the country’s shelter-in-place orders will result in a positive outcome that could lead to more remodeling projects. “I think there’s a new appreciation for their homes, spending so much time there,” he says. “It is their shelter.”
Tell us: What has been your experience in sourcing products and materials during the pandemic? Share in the Comments.
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Brad Callahan, senior director of marketing for Pfister, maker of plumbing fixtures, says Pfister’s factories in China went through the same shutdowns other manufacturers experienced after the Chinese New Year in late January. But he expects the supply chain to be healthy this month with inventory levels returning to 100%. The current challenge Pfister faces is a reduction in demand.
Unlike paint, which homeowners might purchase and use themselves while they shelter in place, plumbing is often an improvement homeowners don’t want to handle themselves. On the retail side, Pfister has seen a consistent drop in demand during the pandemic. Though surprisingly, “Last week seemed to be an anomaly. We saw a strong surge in demand,” Callahan says.
On the wholesale side of the business, Pfister hasn’t yet seen a hit, but Callahan thinks that’s because builders and some remodelers are still moving ahead with projects that were already financed.
Projects that haven’t yet been financed, on the other hand, are on hold as homeowners shelter in place and remain financially conservative. Builders, too, are waiting to see what comes next. “We are seeing projects that weren’t financed or fully committed to get paused until the builder better understands the reality of this new market,” Callahan says.
He therefore expects the impact of the pandemic on Pfister to become more clear in a few quarters — as the delay in project starts from builders starts to show up in its sales numbers.
“What’s tough to understand is where these builders will come out on the other end,” Callahan says.
Some Makers Report a Recent Uptick in Calls or Orders
Still, the uptick in purchasing plumbing materials through Pfister’s retail segment is an unexpected bright spot in an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Thomasset, the New York cabinetmaker, says he wasn’t doing any bidding on projects for a month. Then last week and this week he started hearing from a few contractors. “I’ve done some bidding — yesterday a job that’s a couple hundred thousand [dollars] in cabinets,” he says.
And Michael Martin, president and CEO of the National Wood Flooring Association, also saw a recent increase in inquiries and business among association members within the hardwood flooring industry. “Many of our contractors and manufacturers reported an uptick in calls or orders over the last week, but prior to that had experienced some slowdown in business,” Martin says.
Armstrong flooring CEO Vermette hopes the country’s shelter-in-place orders will result in a positive outcome that could lead to more remodeling projects. “I think there’s a new appreciation for their homes, spending so much time there,” he says. “It is their shelter.”
Tell us: What has been your experience in sourcing products and materials during the pandemic? Share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
See more from our Resilience series
Learn about Houzz Pro business software
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
The head of the biggest manufacturer of resilient flooring in the U.S. says the pandemic closed down its manufacturing facilities in Asia earlier this year. “Our operations were pretty much shut down for the month of February in Asia,” says Michel Vermette, CEO of Armstrong Flooring, which is headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Now, with China past its lockdown, those facilities are operating again.
Armstrong makes resilient flooring, including luxury vinyl tile used in residential remodeling, and has plants in China and Australia, as well as California, Illinois, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. At this point its facilities across the globe are up and running, albeit with pandemic-related safety precautions in place to protect workers.
The pandemic in China also closed down wood flooring factories there earlier this year, says Craig Dupra, chairman of the National Wood Flooring Association, which represents hardwood flooring manufacturers, distributors, retailers, installers, importers and exporters.
These closures were difficult for American producers of hardwood, who sell 20% to 30% of their wood to China, “because that’s where all the flooring mills are,” Dupra says. The trade war had already hurt American hardwood producers over the last two years, so they were especially vulnerable when the pandemic hit and caused them to lose their Chinese customers, he says.
“The global supply chain is like a Swiss watch,” Dupra says. “You only need to dump a tiny bit of sand into it and it doesn’t work right.”
But the hardwood factories in China are up and running again. And most states in the U.S. have deemed construction an essential service throughout the pandemic, allowing work to continue. Even those states that didn’t initially exempt construction from their shutdown orders are beginning to ease restrictions.
“So far we haven’t had any vendors tell us that they can’t produce the product that we need,” says Dupra, who in addition to his role as chair of the trade association also owns Revel Woods Hardwood Flooring.
While no one knows what will happen in the next phase of the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturers of products used in residential remodeling and design projects — including cabinetry, flooring, countertops, tile and plumbing — say they remain ready to meet demand.