Upstate Door

Upstate Door builds (to spec), distinctive exterior and interior stile & rail doors—screen and screen/storm door solutions for entry ways and porches.  Located in Warsaw, New York, it was started in 1999 with used equipment and a rented building.

Situation:

The owner of Upstate door recognized he needed help in many areas.  He consulted with High Tech Rochester and after initial discussions was advised to apply for New York State’s Industrial Effectiveness Program. 

Solution:

HTR helped Upstate Door with the application process for an IEP productivity grant from New York State.  The funds were then set up to finance coaching in three areas:  Sales/Marketing, LEAN production, and overall organizational and strategic planning.

The assistance was paced over a period of two years.  This provided professional coaching and inputs at a rate that the owner could absorb and implement.  A Sales and Marketing plan was created and implemented, LEAN was started, a purchase of a new facility was planned, executed and training provided.

Results:

Upstate Door’s employee head count went from 10 to 19 during this time period.  Sales increased from $500,000 to approximately $3,700,000.  The company moved from cramped rented space to a building they now own and have rented out some space to other companies which has further increased cash flow.