Wedgewood Cabinetry: A Seasoned Business with a Fresh Approach

Wedgewood Cabinetry, based in Louisville, Colorado, has been manufacturing custom cabinetry and serving as a dealer for national cabinet lines for over 40 years. Providing artisan detail and exquisite customer service was the motto for the company when Sean Crosbie purchased the company from the original owners in 2019.

Like many seasoned companies, Wedgewood Cabinetry had not kept up with technology, replacement of equipment, or training of the employees. Sean, who was determined to keep the company moving forward, began researching lean training and found an article about an Arizona small manufacturer that was able to tap into state grants to help fund support from a local consulting firm. This research led him to find the Colorado equivalent of this type of support, which is how his relationship with Manufacturer’s Edge (ME), part of the MEP National Network™, began.

Manufacturer’s Edge immediately went to work identifying Wedgewood’s needs and goals and created a roadmap that included lean training. The ME team also assisted in obtaining a state grant to help offset the costs of the engagement. “I was pleased when the content experts and trainers came in and didn’t want to take a cookie cutter approach. They customized our program to our specific needs.” 

As part of the roadmap, Manufacturer’s Edge was extremely helpful in determining the sequential role out of the plan and the timing, which allowed the company to continue to produce products and bring in revenues while they were upgrading their processes. With two distinct groups of employees, one group of designers and the other being the production team, it was extremely important for the entire staff to have this common language and understand the goals and benefits of the program.

Looking back over the past year, since the training and new processes have been put into place, Sean and the team have seen significant progress. “The training and the efficiencies that were derived from it helped to turbocharge the change process that was very necessary. We’re achieving our goal of performing our work easier and better rather than faster and cheaper.”  And while some companies don’t see the change have a dramatic impact immediately, Wedgewood has realized significantly improved financial results. In fact, the 40-year-old company recently had its most profitable month ever.

Another benefit that has come from the training that was unexpected was the ability to identify future leaders within the company through the daily huddles. Individuals who might have been passed over previously because they were quiet or introverted are now part of the team and engaging in a meaningful way on a daily basis. “This realization has us now looking at ways to implement a profit-sharing program for our employees.”