Stone People: All in the Surfaces
In much the same way, the solid-surface part of the operation creates its edges with the help of a V-grooving machine, a process O’Koon says is both quicker and better than gluing a strip on to make the front edge.
In the stone shop, the company runs two Marmo Meccanica edge machines and CNC machines from both Intermac and Louisville-based Northwood Machine Manufacturing Co.
Click photo to enlarge“The first CNC we got was an Intermac,” O’Koon says. “The second is from Northwood and the advantage of that, obviously, is if we have a problem with it we can have a technician here in a couple hours.”
The company currently employs 80 people, with about half of those working in the shop, and the rest spread through the office, in sales, making deliveries and handling installations.
O’Koon says his customer base ranges from the person buying a bathroom from one of the Big Box stores to developers to commercial projects. In fact, one of his big commercial jobs right now is a laboratory going up in the Cincinnati area.
“Just about anyone who runs a business or has an office is going to need some kind of countertop, whether it’s a tabletop or a reception desk, a conference table or a work surface,” he says. “And, depending on their budget, it can be anything from a laminate to stone to a combination.”
It’s that ability to offer a variety of different options that helps make Cardinal Kitchens so popular with designers and kitchen and bath shops.
“In a home they might put a laminate top in the laundry room, Corian tops in the bathrooms and granite in the kitchen,” O’Koon observes. “That’s our concept and we definitely promote it.”
About the only thing O’Koon doesn’t want to be when it comes to countertops is the low-price leader in his market.
Click photo to enlarge
“I want to give good value for a fair price,” he says. “I think it’s time for all of us to get our prices in line with escalating expenses so we can get back to being reasonably profitable. That doesn’t mean gouging anybody, but it’s been tough to make a profit, keep the doors open and get some volume.”
Still, O’Koon feels fortunate that after more than 40 years in the countertop business he has Cardinal Kitchens about where he wants it to be.
“We’ve tweaked things over the years to where we provide an excellent product and excellent service,” he concludes. “I think people enjoy working with us and want to work with us. The only reason maybe somebody isn’t working with us is because they’ve had success with another company – or price.”
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