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The USS Glacier leaves Mare Island this morning.

Western Dovetail Hosts CMA Professional Certification Program Rollout Event

by Dana Nunes, customer service and inside sales representative,

Western Dovetail (Oct 2011)

What do CMA CEU Credits, Belt Sander Races and a gourmet Mexican Food lunch from an Italian Restaurant have in common? IF you were at the CMA Certification Roll-Out event at the Western Dovetail facility, you would know. On a brisk, clear October morning, CMA Director Dave Grulke, Skip Lauderbaugh from Blum Inc. and Max Hunter from Western Dovetail Inc. launched the first in a series of roll-out events across the Nation. With a major ship dismantling project as a backdrop, nearly 3 dozen CMA members and interested San Francisco area cabinetmakers were treated to a fun and informative day. The morning started with coffee and doughnuts in the upper annex of the Western Dovetail building. located on a now defunct Na y Base in Vallejo CA. While vendors set up their table top display in the vendor area, the morning seminar session was kicked off with a welcome from Dave Grulke. The floor was then handed over to Skip Lauderbaugh, Matt Miller and Brian Joyce from Blum Inc. who gave a very informative presentation highlighting new innovations they have come up with in hinges and drawer slides, including their new Aventos lift up door system. (You can learn more about these exciting new Blum products at www.blum.com).

After the Blum presentation and a brief break for more coffee and doughnuts; Max Hunter, president of Western Dovetail Inc., took a little bit of time to discuss outsourcing and choosing business partners, as well as, establishing your business as a brand. “Everyone has a taste,” said Hunter, “n0 one will pick you if you do not have your own flavor”. Paul Bernardis was on hand from the Woodwork Institute to ensure that everyone left with a copy of the AWS Standards. The morning session wrapped up with Dave Grulke again taking the reins and spending a while taking questions and explaining the benefits of becoming a CMA member and enrolling in the Professional Certification Program. Dave then finished out the morning with a CEU Seminar on advertising and expanding business. As the morning session was concluding, the aroma of lunch started floating around, and all in attendance were invited to enjoy a wonderful buffet. Outside of the seminar room. displays were set up in a mini-trade show style, allowing for interaction between vendors and cabinetmakers in a informative, but informal setting. Vendors exhibiting at the mini-trade show were Blum Inc.; Woodwork Institute: Mount Storm Forest Products; Western Dovetail Inc.; E.B. Bradley Company; Aura Hardwoods; J Swis Sales and Marketing; California  Door; Louis and Company: KIor Machinery;  Christiansen Fasteners; and Hans Brede. In another room, Max and Josh Hunter had their Belt Sander Racer track, and were eager to show off why they are the defending BSRA Champions. Everyone was also given a chance to show off their Belt Sander Racing skills and informal races happened over the course of the rest of the afternoon. Guests were also treated to a tour of the Western Dovetail facility. Max and Josh were proud to lead attendees on a tour of the plant while production was happening. This gave everyone the opportunity to witness the innovation in machinery and crafting by hand that goes into everyone of the drawers that leaves the Western Dovetail facility. As the day wore on and the evening arrived, many were still milling around swapping trade secrets and getting to know their fellow woodworkers in the area. All in all, it was a wonderful day of information, networking and camaraderie and everyone walked away having gained knowledge to help their business prosper in the coming years. Special Thanks to Blum Inc .. Dave Grulke, Max Hunter from Western Dovetail Inc. and Glenn Pope from Glenn Pope Woodworking for making this day a success.

Link to PDF of original article

Western Dovetail, Inc. is almost fully recovered from the economic collapse of 2008.  Since 1993, the company had experienced a solid 15-20% annual growth up until the fourth quarter of 2008.  Sales dropped about 16% in 2009 and another 7.3% in 2010 leaving the company struggling to make ends meet while operating at about half their capacity.  The company cut staff and overhead, reduced salaries, eliminated spending on advertizing and trade shows and trimmed down on inventory. The past 3 years has proven to be very challenging with vendors and banks tightening up and customers going out of business.  Sales efforts were turned inward and the focus shifted to customer retention. Marketing efforts during that period transformed into social networking and internet sales. Western Dovetail did exhibit at AWFS Vegas in July 2011 which proved to be a successful show. By early 2011 business started to pick up and the year finished off about 17% above the previous year.  Now, in 2012, the year to date figures are indicating that this will be a record breaking year at about 20% above last year, most likely exceeding the pre-recession peak.  Currently costs are down and productivity is at an all time high.  All indications point to 2012 being a productive and profitable year for Western Dovetail and their high end customers.

Western Dovetail made the ranks of the Inc 5000 in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, even though sales had declined.  The 2011 figures showed negative growth over a 3 year peroid, so Western Dovetail did not make the list last year, but if 2012 continues to go as well as it has, the company expects to get back on the 2013 Inc 5000. see the Western Dovetail Inc 5000 history here: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/profile/western-dovetail

The Inc 5000 is comprised of the nation’s 5000 fastest growing companies representing the Americas most innovative entrepreneurs. Of the 5000 companies on the list, fewer than 300 are in the manufacturing sector and of those only a small number actually manufacture their goods in the US.

“Western Dovetail has found a niche in the made to order wood component industry, by combining the latest manufacturing technology with age old craftsmanship we can deliver custom made heirloom quality products in real time.” Max Hunter, President, Western Dovetail, Inc.

The woodworking industry is experiencing something of a renaissance not unlike the industrial revolution of the turn of the century. The new era of technology and automated machinery has made it possible for woodworkers to outsource various components to specialists across the country. By focusing on exclusively drawer related products, Western Dovetail has become the leader of custom drawer designs and applications throughout the US.

Western Dovetail is the nation’s premiere dovetail drawer company, making custom dovetailed drawers and cabinet accessories for cabinetmakers and woodworkers across the US since 1993. The Western Dovetail facility is on the former Navy Base at Mare Island in Vallejo, California. Max Hunter is the company’s founder, President and CEO, and runs the company with his brother and partner Josh Hunter, VP and COO.

With innovations such as curved front drawers, corner drawers, under-bed storage drawers, recycle pull-outs, file drawers, pantry pull-outs, and more it’s not surprising that this company has managed to grow. All of these products are available in many different wood materials ranging from exotic to the economical, and most options can be ordered in FSC® certified materials with environmentally responsible finishes and materials that can help meet the requirements of LEED certified projects. Most products can be ordered custom made to the exact size required and shipped out in 5-7 days. Please visit www.drawer.com for more information.

I received a message from Mike over the weekend regarding the USS PYRO.  With his permission I have posted for all to see.

From: Mike McCullough
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 3:07 PM
To: Max Hunter
Subject: USS Pyro at the Golden Gate Bridge

Max Hunter:

You may be interested in some photos I took from the Golden Gate Bridge.

Friday morning, sometime after 7 AM, I noticed at your web page http://www.drawer.com/images/webcam/camera_3/stitch/current.jpg that USS Pyro was out of the drydock and tied to the pier North of the drydock.

I checked sometime after 8 AM, and noticed that she was gone.

Drove from San Jose to the Golden Gate Bridge, arriving there at 10:20 AM.

I guestimated that USS Pyro would arrive at the Golden Gate Bridge sometime between 10:30 AM and 2 PM.

The weather ranged from drizzle to light rain.

My original plan was to wait in my car at the GGNRA parking lot, and every five minutes or so get outside and check the area.

It is very likely that I would have seen the ammunition  ship going past Raccoon Strait or rounding Angel Island and had plenty of time to take a leisurely walk to the midspan of the Golden Gate Bridge.

That would end up being not the case.

The weather was somewhere between drizzle and rain.

Since it was impossible to get a view from the GGNRA parking lot, decided to set up base camp at the South tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and use the tower as protection against most of the weather.

The view from the South tower looked like this.

At the South Tower I talked to some workers who earlier was doing some work inside the tower.

Note the writing on the door.

Noticed a Coast Guard patrol boat head to a position which under normal conditions would result in a good photo, but the photo ended up like this.

Soon a tanker came into San Francisco Bay, and the Coast Guard patrol Boat escorted the tanker.

The Coast Guard patrol boat is USCGC Tern.

http://www.uscg.mil/d11/cgcTern/

http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/87wpb.asp

The tanker and USCGC Tern soon faded into the mist.

Later, a container ship entered San Francisco Bay.

Very likely after 11:30 AM, threw the clouds I saw USS Pyro, being towed by a tug from Mare Island to New Orleans to be scrapped.

Until recently ships from the West Coast were towed to Brownsville, Texas to be scraped.

As far as I know USS Pyro is the first West Coast ship to be scrapped in New Orleans.

If you go through http://www.navsource.org you will note that many ships were scrapped on the West Coast, ranging from Washington all the way to southern California.

Several of these ships should have become a museum ships.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/48d.htm

http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w6/west_virginia-ii.htm

http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2007/06/fullbore-friday_22.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saint_Paul_(CA-73)

http://www.ussnicholas.org/fletcherclass.asp?r=44904&pid=44931

http://ussnicholas.org

I could have listed several others.

I have seen ships scrapped at Oakland, Oyster Point, and at Terminal Island.

But for many years, until recently, ships were not scrapped on the West Coast.

Last year  ship scrapping began at Mare Island and at Alameda.

http://www.professionalmariner.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=420C4D38DC9C4E3A903315CDDC65AD72&nm=Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=57D56D7A452E4DB2973146B3BBD19D7A

http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/140814802.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/08142.htm

USS Nokomis should have become a museum ship.

http://www.maritimelibraryfriends.org/Relative%20Bearings/Issue%2015.pdf

http://secure.thelog.com/printer/article.asp?c=105030

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/specials/pearlharbor60/chapter2.html

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Mar/28/ln/ln03a.html

http://hgworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/december-7-1941.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/04/20/BA294377.DTL&ao=all

http://www.ussnokomis.com

When I saw USS Pyro, she was much closer than I would have liked.  Went at a bit faster than my fast walk of four miles per hour to an area just South of the midspan of the bridge.

Was unable to go to the midspan due to some construction.

USS Pyro went under the Golden Bridge at about 11:45 AM.

Before heading home in San Jose, I visited the Strybing Arboretum.

Sincerely yours,

Mike McCullough

10:50am USS Mispillion departure from Mare Island, CA

For more information on the last voyage of the USS Mispillion Click Here

The SS Mispillion sits in the drydock as the water rushes in and it is prepared to disembark on it’s last journey to Texas for recycling.

The SS Mispillion is tugged out to the the Mare Island Straight, the waterway that connects the Napa River to the San Pablo Bay.

The SS Mispillion.

We recently got an email from a representative of veteran crew of the USS Mispillion, a Navy oiler that was in drydock in front of our building. This morning she was floated out into the Mare Island Straight and tied up waiting for her long journey to Brownsville, TX where she will be dismantled.