Finding a reliable wood manufacturer is not as easy as it might seem. Many wood manufacturing companies also treat other materials besides wood, and they may not have the necessary competency, skills, machinery, and software to create top-quality wooden products.
In this article, you will find some advice to select a reliable partner.
Some characteristics of the best wood manufacturing companies
Wood is a unique material with specific characteristics and needs to be treated perfectly to achieve the best results. Unlike plastic or metal, for example, wood moves and changes constantly depending on its moisture content.
Wood fibers swell as they absorb moisture and shrink as they release it, causing the wood to expand and contract. The type of wood (there are hundreds in nature!) and degree of change in moisture content determine its movements.
When you assemble all parts of a wooden object, such as a firearm or packaging, even the smallest change makes a significant difference.
If all the components don’t fit perfectly, there could be problems in the functionality and durability of the product.
The first and most important characteristic of a reliable supplier is its knowledge of wood
Since it is impossible to make the moisture content of wood constant, a competent manufacturer must consider tolerances when producing custom wood products.
The wood manufacturing company you select must have a deep knowledge of the different types of wood and their specific characteristics. Each type of wood, in fact, has precise tolerances and needs the right machinery to be treated correctly. To ensure precision and quality, great expertise and innovative tools are crucial.
Wood manufacturing companies specialized in wood manufacturing should be your primary choice.
Also consider that if the company produces very different types of custom wood products, it can leverage and exploit innovations and technologies among different industries with a great advantage in terms of innovation and knowledge.
A serious and reliable manufacturer delivers orders as scheduled and respects deadlines
Receiving wooden components late could cause serious problems for the business as well as customers’ complaints.
To understand if the wood manufacturing company is reliable, you should look at its structure and reputation.
If it has modern and innovative machinery, a consolidated process, tailor-made logistic solutions, and its competencies have been demonstrated over the years, it means that it’s trustworthy and solid (also economically).
Moreover, companies that relied on Asian manufacturers are now suffering serious supply chain shortages with extremely negative consequences for their businesses.
Choosing a supplier in your own country—whether in Europe or the U.S.—can be an advantage to avoid uncertainty and delays that could affect production as well as commercial activities.
Another important aspect to evaluate is the eco-friendly approach of the manufacturer
Wood is natural and sustainable, but it has to be collected following strict guidelines for environmental and forestry protection to preserve the natural ecosystem. FSC and PEFC certifications demonstrate this requirement, but not all suppliers adhere to these guidelines.
Sustainable wood manufacturing involves two important aspects:
- the use of wood coming from sustainably managed forests
- the development of sustainable production processes and practices
It means that wood must be collected responsibly, but it must also be managed following environmental protection practices.
Have a look at the video below:
You should therefore rely on a manufacturer that promotes a sustainable wood manufacturing approach while adopting a holistic view that includes products and production processes that are applied at every stage of wood manufacturing from the plant to the firm to the entire supply chain.
If you want to learn more, click here and read our article about the meaning of sustainable wood manufacturing.
Cost-effectiveness is also crucial to make a wise investment
The products you buy from your supplier must be cost-effective, meaning that you must find a balance between high product quality and fair production costs.
The positive aspect of working with wood is that it doesn't require expensive moulds, which take both time and money to modify and it can be modified and reshaped depending on clients' requirements without needing a new mould.
This is especially advantageous when the supplier can produce goods in small lots and only when clients request them without needing a warehouse. It means a greater focus on efficiency and remarkable savings.
The ability to produce partially finished products and complete them based on market demand is also beneficial, as it allows for adaptation to market trends with a greater chance of success.
A reliable wood manufacturer should be ready to cooperate with you and help improve the different aspects of the final product while providing consulting services before moving on to production.
The combination of cutting-edge software, innovative machines, manual and automatic quality control systems, and decades of experience in wood manufacturing allows Minelli to guarantee maximum precision and the highest cost-effectiveness.
If you are looking for a reliable wood manufacturing company, do not hesitate to contact us!
