Gat Creek Expands – Quality Over Quantity In Hardwood Furniture
Hardwood furniture manufacturer Gat Creek, based in Berkeley Springs, WV, purchases 1.7 million board feet of hardwoods annually in Maple (No. 1 Common), Walnut (FAS), Ash (No. 1 and No. 2 Common), Cherry (No. 1 Common) and White Oak (No. 1 Common) in 4/4, 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4 thicknesses.
Gat Creek’s 40,000 square foot expansion accommodates more materials, equipment and production workers.
Gat Creek recently completed an extensive expansion at their facility. “Like any good business we’re always seeking growth potential,” CEO Gat Caperton explained. “The trials of Covid were tricky for everyone but furniture purchasing increased as people were literally living in their homes full-time. The demand became so prevalent that we knew we needed to accommodate the market.”
“With heavy competition overseas many hardwood furniture manufacturers have downsized or closed operations over the last 25 years,” he continued. “We are honored to be able to grow during this time. Our quality and commitment to it have served us. The increase in orders continued past the Covid era, and we made a business decision because we needed to meet the needs of our customers and our employees.”
Employees have an increasingly clean, safe and modern place to work thanks in part to a new high volume dust collector.
When asked about the inside details of the expansion, Caperton said, “We work with the theory of constraints here and you’re only as fast as your slowest operation. Basically, we paved over all of our parking lots and that gave us an additional 40,000 feet with two buildings. We turned the parking lot into a factory and built a panel shop and added more building space.
We added a second finishing line and previously we had three shipping bays and now we have seven.”
As for efficiency gains that the new equipment implemented, he said, “We’re technology-oriented here. CNC technology makes a difference in everything we do. We were able to add two shifts. In our panel shop we installed an optimized system from Cameron Optimization, which has allowed us to operate four times as fast with half of the labor cost. We’re always looking at ways to increase quality vs quantity.”
Gat Creek is a technology-oriented business. CNC machines take on repetitive tasks and build productivity across the factory.
Gat Creek based in Berkeley Springs, WV, ships made-to-order furniture to retailers and designers across the U.S. and contract manufactured products worldwide.
Evidence of their consistent goal of quality over quantity, Caperton disclosed, “We’re in the process of upgrading our finishing technology in terms of new materials that we haven’t been able to use before because we were at full capacity. From that aspect it’s not a productivity number, it’s a capability expansion. The goal is to improve our finishes and roll out an even better-quality product.”
Gat Creek is focused on providing safe American-made products that will stand the test of time. Capteron said “Providing safe, quality products is who we are. Indoor air quality, the safety of our environment and sustainably managed forests, the health and safety of our workers and our community are priority. Of course, furniture stability is going to be important to us.”
There is no shortage of visitors to the updated factory. Made in America products attract plenty of attention.
Along with safety and quality, the people at Gat Creek place a strong emphasis on artistry, refinement and elegance. Caperton said, keeping the elegance of wood means paying attention when choosing boards from the mill.
The company has invested in an on-site lab and testing processes to assure consumers that Gat Creek furniture meets federal government mandatory product safety standards under the STURDY Act.
“These safety protocols require a significant investment of resources — dedicated test site, certified testing and measurement devices, training staff to perform the 30-plus point checklists and properly capture and submit the data,” Caperton said. “We are fortunate to be located in the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by the beautiful forests that supply our workshop. It’s a source of pride that, through sustainable management, these forests hold more trees today than they did a century ago. Environmentally and economically, our local forests are healthy and thriving.”
A domestic, design-oriented and Lean manufacturer, Gat Creek’s products are built to order in four to five weeks. Caperton noted, “Our production is split between our branded Gat Creek product line that sells through independent retailers and OEM production for large national retailers like Room & Board. We tie great importance to the types of wood we use because they come mostly from the Appalachian region. Our factory is near the geo-center of this region. We treat wood species very much like a brand.”
The company has recently upgraded its finishing technology with the goal of rolling out better-quality products.
Key personnel including CEO Gat Caperton are VP of Manufacturing Gary Meeks, VP of Finance Edward Adams, VP of Marketing and Sales David Petersen, Shop Supervisor Korie Frank, and Shop Operations Lead Mike Snow.
Gat Creek is a member of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., Sustainable Furnishings Council and West Virginia Manufacturers Association.
For more information visit gatcreek.com.
