FEI Toledo | November Dinner Meeting | Featuring Sauder Woodworking

New Market Development Methodologies

Learning objectives for the topic “New Market Development Methodologies”

1. Criteria to judge new market ideas
2. Key steps to consider when entering a new market
3. Pitfalls to avoid when diversifying your business

 
Company Profile
Sauder Woodworking Co. is North America’s leading producer of ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture and one of the top ten residential furniture manufacturers in the United States. A significant portion of the furniture is manufactured in Archbold, Ohio — right where we were founded in 1934. Although the town is small (pop. 4,300), our facility is expansive. With some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the world, the facility features nearly 4 million square feet of space, employs about 2,000 workers and houses a wide variety of local and imported materials. Sauder also sources furniture from a network of quality global partners. In addition to RTA furniture, Sauder has also been pursuing new markets to expand its business and diversify. The most significant addition has been the formation of the business division called Sauder Building Products that has a successful line of kitchen cabinets and closets sold into the builder’s channel.
 
Sauder is a privately held, third-generation, family run business. Subsidiaries include: Progressive Furniture Inc., a designer and importer of wood bedroom, dining and accent furniture; and Sauder Manufacturing Company, a leader in church, educational and healthcare seating. With its 2,400 employees, the Sauder family of companies generates sales of over $700 million annually.