We pride ourselves on our ability to be nimble at Cascade and not stick with things like grades just because it has “Always been that way.” We recently changed our grades, which might be a great fit for all or part of your Alder needs.
To fully explain the change, we must start with Superior and work our way down. In Superior, there is a percentage of boards that, while they make the grade, prove quite frustrating to domestic distributors and manufacturers. The boards have knots in the side one-third to one-half and are offset, meaning they are on opposite edges at opposite ends of the board. This makes it impossible to get a long-length Superior rip from the board. So, about two years ago, we started pulling these boards from our Superior, even though they have the required 83-1/3% clear in 3” x 6’ or 4” x 3’ cuttings. We put these boards into a grade called Superior Value and have seen some success in marketing this grade. However, with its large Superior cuttings and Cabinet backs, Superior Value is essentially a second high-yield cut-up grade, as we already had our two-face Cabinet grade for the same application. To keep the mill managers and accountants happy, we reduced a SKU by combining the two grades due to this shared market application. Cabinet has a 3” x 3’ or 4” x 2’ clear two-face rule, so combined, we are getting a product that averages well over 75% clear on average.
A cabinet manufacturer that uses this grade instead of Superior should find it works great, except for large refrigerator panels and crown mouldings. And since it is aggressively priced at well under half of Superior, cabinet parts costs can decrease significantly. Finally, we recognize that labor costs are becoming more and more of an issue, which is why some manufacturers stick with Superior. With the average yields initial customers are getting with this product, many are finding the small increase in labor costs and slight impact on throughput are far offset by the savings on lumber cost.
The key is for us; grades don’t have to be stagnant. By having our proprietary grading system, we can react to market changes and make grades that fit with current costs and styles. If you want to see the difference that Cabinet Plus (CBP) can make in your or your customers’ parts cost, talk to your Cascade representative about getting a unit or two. We are convinced that a high-end cut-up grade like Cabinet Plus, sold by well-trained field salespeople who understand a customer’s costs and processes, can be the third leg of the Alder stool at distribution, alongside Superior and Premium or Rustic.
