Madison Cabinets in Austin TX is experiencing its third consecutive year of company record sales. The final numbers aren’t yet in but are expected to be $1.5 million or a little over. In a little over three years Madison has seen roughly 70% sales growth.
Madison builds true custom cabinets from scratch. Many customers tell Madison they were disappointed the other companies they talked to didn’t build full custom cabinets from scratch.
Many companies finish cabinets cheaply using dye sprays and not an actual stain. This is much cheaper and why many cabinet shops, even those representing themselves as true custom cabinet shops, use this method. Madison Cabinets operates differently and the results show.
Because of their continued growth, Madison Cabinets outgrew their old facility in Hutto Texas. The old manufacturing facility was about 5,000 sq. ft., less than half the size of their new custom cabinet manufacturing facility in Leander Texas.
Owner Nathan Sloas says, “This new facility allows us to serve more customers and hire the increased staff we need. We felt like we were working shoulder to shoulder at the old facility. We couldn’t fit any more tools. Hiring people to wait in line to use the tools we had would have been counterproductive.
2014 has been a really great year. Austin never had a big downturn but things seem to now be kicking into high gear and we’re enjoying that.”
The new facility allows Madison to focus on the highest quality. They no longer feel like they have to rush a job out the door to make way for the next job because of the old cramped facility. It’s got a 3,000 sq. ft. shipping area that’s heated and cooled to make sure the cabinets stay in the best shape before getting installed in the customer’s home.
The biggest challenge Madison overcame in 2014 was moving. Tearing down and rebuilding the specialty spray booth was a feat in and of itself. The new facility was formerly used by the State of Texas so didn’t have a certificate of occupancy. The company found out about this right before they were set to move which caused ripples in their customer delivery timeline.
There are 2 new trends at least in the Austin area.
Nathan continues, “When builders call us they want something quick and cheap. They don’t see the value in true handmade custom cabinets. Homeowners don’t want builder grade cabinets. They want something nice and quality. They have the same budgets but they don’t choose to go with the low-end builder grade cabinets.
Houses are selling with these low-end cabinets but when I meet people they are unhappy with those cabinets. It’s shocking to me that people pay the high prices and then are okay with mediocre box store style cabinetry.”
The second trend involves the influx of new people moving in.
Sloas says, “A big portion of our business comes from home offices and entertainment centers. Many people want a better media room, home office or library area where their kids can do homework. I had a recent appointment where he wants shelving for all of his books. Many people are moving from out-of-state and downsizing but they need cabinetry to store all of the stuff they hold dear. It’s fun to see the market change.”
Madison’s cabinetry comes with a 10-year warranty. It’s designed to hold up like the cabinets back in the World War II generation and before. They’re designed so customers don’t have to replace them.
Builder grade cabinetry on the other hand, often has to be ripped out within five or six years because it starts to look dilapidated. They have papered interiors that swell and bubble up when they get wet.
Nathan concludes, “I’m looking forward to our growth. I’m getting to be more of an owner and less of an employee. I can make decisions and not be buried with the day-to-day workload. I can pay attention to how things affect the company as a whole instead of just my work position. We’re continuing to improve our systems and keep the foundation strong to grow upon.”
To learn more about Madison Cabinets, or about custom cabinetry work, visit http://MadCabs.net/. The Madison team places a premium on designing elegant cabinets that fit spaces inspired by individual desires.