Every company has a secret weapon behind its offerings, and for eggersmann, its factory-crafted cabinetry has made the German brand an industry mainstay since its founding in 1908. For many, simply seeing the word “factory” might conjure visions of impersonal, rushed mass production, yet eggersmann’s process deftly sits at the intersection of personalized and pragmatic.
“What we’re really talking about is that there is a hybrid environment, where everything just runs through one assembly line with the ability to pull a piece out and [work on it] individually,” explains Evan Soltoff, vice president of operations for eggersmann USA. “[We’re creating the] product that the client is asking for in a more personalized way, but still under the same controls as a factory.”
Though custom millwork can often appear more “custom” than factory-crafted cabinetry, Soltoff points out that the former has its drawbacks. “A millworker is reinventing the wheel each time,” he says. “They must figure out how they’re going to complete a project; most of the time, they try to replicate the physical engineering and precision we have. Sometimes, there’s no evenness to the quality.”
Unlike the linear approach many mass-produced companies use, Soltoff says eggersmann has a “circular design” to its factories. While eggersmann does use robotics to handle a bevy of steps such as cutting, edging, and storing, its craftspeople handle those “bespoke, individual materials and finishes.” Soltoff adds that eggersmann’s factories are well-equipped with air filtration and industrial spraying systems, features many traditional millworkers may not have the physical space to accommodate.
With the process down pat, eggersmann can experiment with new materials—Soltoff likens it to a restaurant sourcing the very best ingredients from around the world—and its clients’ specific needs.
“We’ll pay attention to those small [factors]—like how they’ll get their cheese grinder out of a cabinet—and plan it out in the drawings and design,” Soltoff adds. “I think that speaks to how much we go into the detail.”
Instead of resting on its laurels, eggersmann can use its machine-meets-manpower approach to focus on how the brand can make its cabinetry even better.
“We are always learning,” Soltoff shares. “We’re always working to improve our cabinetry and understand which materials are best suited for certain projects. Our team at the factory has so much care for [their work], and that is so critical.”
Learn more about comparing millwork to custom factory-crafted cabinetry here.
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