Father and son — Raymond James and his son Brandon go over project plans. They use Cabinet Vision software to create designs after getting basic layouts.
an Omal HBD 1300 boring, gluing and dowel machine, a Bonacin Closer N2500 FMC 30-inch case clamp and a Mayer PS9Z 105 3800 beam saw.
To learn how to use their CNC equipment they went to North Carolina for a week of training. When their beam saw was installed, trainers came to the shop. “This equipment is easy to use once it’s all programmed,” says James' son, Brandon, who has taken a lead role in the new technology. They bought all their equipment from Delmac Machinery Group. They were introduced to them by Marco Canducci, a consultant headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. James gives credit for his efficient, organized shop to Canducci.
“He’s never sold us any equip-
Investment in the future — James started buying automated equipment like the Busellato Jet Optima CNC machining center before the economy tanked. He says that has helped him compete in tough times.
When you first pull up to the James Cabinet Shop in Matthews, Ga., you see a tidy, well-kept yard and attractive brick home with an inviting pond out back that fits well with several buildings, hinting at the fact that not everything here is about manufacturing.
Owner Raymond James grew up in the house across the road and now lives in a house he built next to his shop. Originally his family farmed 1,200 acres, but James’ father also did home construction. Early on James helped with remodeling work. “I told my father that if he would buy me a nail gun and a Tech Saw I would start building cabinets for him,” says James. “That’s basically how
James’ first shop was 24 feet by 40 feet in a space formerly used for mechanical supplies. James started to hire men to work in the cabinet shop, and eventually ended up with six employees. James built all the buildings he uses for his work, and has dealt with the challenges arising from his business for over 30 years.
The shop went from residential to commercial some 15-18 years ago and recently added CNC automation to the 6,500-square-foot operation. James says they’ve had the opportunity to go a lot bigger, but they decided instead to stay the same size and simply do what they could do and still be satisfied.
ment we didn’t need and has really helped our company to get where we are,” says James. “I don’t care how good a piece of equipment you might have, it is no better than the support and tech support or service you are receiving,” adds James. “That’s the thing with Marco Canducci and Delmac: their support is a critical link in completing the package.”
Managing resources
Brandon recently graduated from Georgia Southern University in Statesville, Ga., with a degree in construction management. What he found most useful in his course work was learning how contractors deal with subcontractors. But one of the most valuable lessons he’s learned from his dad, is that when you come into money it’s important not to just blow it: you must be very careful and be ready. The recent economic downturn hit the construction industry especially hard — and fast.
“The old saying, ‘make hay while the sun’s shining and then save it for a rainy day’ has turned out to be good advice in these tough times,” says Brandon.
When the economy went down they were still able to hold their own. “We have some good contractors who know us, and we’ve done work for them in the past. We keep our quality consistent and keep our price down as much as we can,” says James. “We’re Christian people and don’t cheat anybody out of anything and we’d rather give than take from anybody. I give people their money’s worth and always do something extra for my customers, whatever that might be. It’s a small way of saying ‘thank you’ and is something we’ve always tried to do.”
Despite the economic slowdown, they’ve been able to avoid laying anyone off, although they have cut back on the usual 40 hours per week.
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