Millwork 360 is a family-run business specializing in custom mouldings, millwork, and interior and exterior doors. For such a relatively new business—the team opened doors in 2010—they have a remarkable track record and will end 2016 with over $10,000,000 in revenues. An impressive feat for anyone.
State-of-the-Art Equipment and Skill
Accommodating such significant growth in a relatively short time span requires diligent planning and careful investment of funds. The team has invested in over $3,000,000 in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, including two Weinig Powermat 600 moulders, a Powermat 1200 moulder, a ten-foot TigerStop, and a CNC router that automates door component manufacturing. The new equipment will allow Millwork 360 to double their output without additional labor. This will help them achieve their goal: to be the most reliable and quality manufacturer of building products in the Southeastern region.
Expansive growth has also required the Millwork 360 team to seek out a large enough space to fit their operation. They currently operate in an 80,000-square-foot facility in Tampa Bay, Florida, with their 46 employees.
TigerStop had the pleasure of speaking with Jamie Burge, chief financial officer, who adeptly described the company’s climate. Millwork 360 is licensed by the Architectural Woodwork Institute as a Quality Certification Program (QCP) manufacturer of premium-grade mouldings, premium-grade stile and rail doors, and factory finishing as of mid-2016. “The certification process is extremely rigorous and allows us to convey to our customers that we are serious about quality, workmanship and craftsmanship,” explains Jamie. Millwork 360 is also licensed by Intertek to manufacture fire-resistant doors and frames.
Superior Quality
The company’s success has not gone unnoticed. Over the past few years, the accolades have been stacking up one after another. Millwork 360 was recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal‘s “FAST 50” list, which honors companies with the highest revenue growth over a three-year time period. They also made the Florida Fast 100 List, which covers fast-growing companies across the entire state.
Other recognition and awards include the 2016 “Zero Lost Time Award” for Safety by the AWI, Woodworking Network’s “Wood 100” list (2014–present), Wood Products’ “Wood 100” list for 2014 and 2015, and our production manager, Ben Williams, was recently nominated for the Woodworking Network’s “40 Under 40” list. This year, finalists from the “40 Under 40” list were honored at the annual International Woodworking Fair (IWF) located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Zero Waste
Millwork 360 strives to have zero waste by using lean manufacturing principles. “Our mouldings are scanned for defects with state of the art [sic] equipment, and as a result, are manufactured with minimal to no waste,” explains Jamie. “All of the lumber that does not meet quality standards is re-manufactured into finger joint door cores, and remaining scrap is ground into horse bedding for local horse farms. We emphasize quality work and craftsmanship over total output, which we continually receive positive feedback from customers about.”
It makes perfect sense that 360 Millwork sought out TigerStop equipment to add to their lean manufacturing repertoire. TigerStop is known for equipment that helps reduce waste—in the form of scrap and in the form of time (one of the Seven Deadly Wastes of lean manufacturing). And as the great American industrialist, Henry Ford, once said, “Time waste differs from material waste in that there can be no salvage. The easiest of all wastes, and the hardest to correct, is this waste of time, because wasted time does not litter the floor like wasted material.”
“Before investing in an automated stop,” Jamie told us, “our employees would spend lots of time on drilling holes, then moving the clamp and stop, then drilling a new hole, and on and on.”
This proved to be a time-consuming process and quite expensive. “Now, the TigerStop drills holes and moves down the stiles automatically, allowing for significantly decreased labor costs while improving accuracy. This machinery allows us to perform these tasks 4–5 x’s faster than before. We LOVE our TigerStop!”
To learn more about how TigerStop equipment can save you time, visit our Products page.