IKMX Magazine_Vol.indd

record R Mathis Brothers
Refurnishing the Furniture Giant
How Interlake Mecalux and Mathis Brothers combatted the
elements and refurbished the furniture company’s operations.
by Annie Newby
58 •interlakemecalux• NEWS
Mathis Brothers R
Y
record
ou could say furniture is in Bill
hemoth to his sons, Larry and Bill.
started working at the family fur-
and Larry Mathis’s blood. You
The brothers became the owners
niture store. “I don’t recollect not
could also call them the Mathis
and operators of 410,000 square
coming to the business,” Bill re-
Brothers, but they would dispute
feet of warehouse in Oklahoma
plied (my emphasis). As boys they
that. “So many people think we
City. Fast forward 25 years and
spent their weekends and summers
are the Mathis Brothers, but we
the brothers have expanded the
at the store mowing the grass, op-
are not the original Mathis Broth-
empire to Tulsa, Oklahoma; Indio,
erating soda machines, and clean-
ers,” Larry said in a 2006 inter-
California; and Ontario, California
ing
view with News OK.
and have attained a spot on Furni-
tasks that were perhaps made up
ture Today’s Top 100 Retailers list
for by the budding of their media
at number 21.
careers. Bill became the star of the
In fact, the first Mathis brothers
were their father, Don, and their
the
trash
cans—mundane
furniture commercials at the age of
uncle, Bud, who started the family
A sprawling warehouse and a
14, shortly followed by Larry, and
business in 1960 in Oklahoma City.
decades-old
business
the two brothers were the face of
Just seven years later, in 1967, Don
might be a daunting endowment
Mathis Brothers for decades. Only
Mathis bought his brother’s por-
for most, but not for Bill and Larry
recently have they stepped down
tion of the company. Then in 1988
Mathis. A local newspaper asked
in favor of younger spokespeo-
Don bequeathed the furniture be-
the brothers when it was that they
ple—their own children.
furniture
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record R Mathis Brothers
“When our car turns in the park-
stepped up to the plate. Inter-
ing lot, crosses that asphalt,
lake Mecalux would help Mathis
we look around: it seems like
Brothers expand their showroom,
home,” Larry said of coming in
revamp their warehouse, and revi-
to work. Mathis Brothers really
talize their distribution processes.
is the quintessential family busi-
60 •interlakemecalux• NEWS
ness. It only makes sense, then,
IRONING OUT THE DETAILS
that when the family enterprise
An expansion project for any busi-
needed to expand its Tulsa ware-
ness is good news, and it certainly
house, another family company
was for Mathis Brothers. The com-
Mathis Brothers R
record
pany had spread into Tulsa from
Oklahoma City in 1993, and in the
spring of 2012, they were itching to
expand their showroom. Expanding
the showroom also meant expanding
the warehouse to house more pieces
for the showroom. But as Mathis
Brothers General Manager of Retail
Sales, Brad Woessner, pointed out,
the furniture company quickly realized they had to change their plan.
“The original thought process of
the expansion was to have enough
warehouse capacity to service the
additional showroom space. Then
as we began adding more stores we
adjusted the showroom [size] and
expanded the racking capacity.”
At 140,000 square feet, the new Mathis Brothers
showroom is unmatched in Oklahoma.
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record R Mathis Brothers
Though the showroom had started
The result is a 100,000 square
have the largest selection of fur-
out as the top priority, warehouse
foot expansion. The expansion in-
niture in the state of Oklahoma,”
storage soon caught up. As more
cludes 60,000 square feet for the
said Woessner. “It will range from
and more Mathis stores popped up
warehouse and 40,000 allocated
high end to moderately priced
in the Tulsa area, the warehouse,
as part of the showroom addi-
furniture.” Overall, the project
which serves as a distribution cen-
tion—the rest of the showroom
doubles Mathis Brothers’ storage
ter for all the Tulsa stores, saw in-
space coming from the original fa-
capabilities, establishes a show-
creasing demands.
cility. “The Mathis showroom will
room unparalleled in the furniture
62 •interlakemecalux• NEWS
Mathis Brothers R
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TECHNICAL DETAILS:
Type of Rack: Bolted Selective Pallet Rack
Installation height: 36 feet
Number of beam levels: up to 9
Storage Area: 100,000 sq. ft.
Max beam capacity: 9,370 lbs.
Storage capacity:
55,000 items
Layout: combination of 2-deep and back-to-back
just what Mathis Brothers needed.
Interlake Mecalux Selective rack
Interlake Mecalux Selective Pallet
was also chosen because Mathis
Rack was the unanimous choice.
Brothers was hoping to reduce
When asked why IKMX rack was
damage done to furniture. Fur-
recommended for the installation,
niture damage is likely the larg-
Greg Young, Managing Partner of
est thorn in the side of furniture
Russell Industries, laughed and
makers, retailers, and distributors.
replied simply, “Because we like
Furniture is bulky, heavy, awk-
[Interlake Mecalux]!” Enough said.
ward, and not easy to ship. There
are seemingly endless opportu-
As for why Selective was the best
nities for damage, which means
way to go? “The benefit of [Selec-
there are just as many opportuni-
tive] rack is the unlimited options
ties for dissatisfied customers. In
you have in storing merchandise,”
fact, in a 2011 review by the U.S.
Woessner explained. “It gives you
Better Business Bureau (BBB), re-
flexibility to adjust as furniture
tail furniture ranked 9th for most
styles evolve.” Not only that, but
customer complaints. Of the more
business, and sets the tone for a
Selective aptly provides greater se-
than
bright future.
lectivity than a lot of rack systems.
against furniture retailers that
And since Mathis Brothers stores
year, it is estimated that 20 per-
Among these other goals was the
all different models, shapes, and
cent were over broken or damaged
need to improve and upgrade their
sizes of furniture, as opposed to
furniture. Selective, with its many
rack. Russell Industries, the distrib-
storing much of the same item, be-
uprights and high load capacities,
utor, and Southern Material Han-
ing able to access each particular
is a structural colossus, and can
dling Company, the supplier, knew
piece is extremely important.
play a part in protecting against
13,000
complaints
filed
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this damage. “They felt more
the IKMX Selective rack, Mathis
comfortable going with this,”
Brothers’ furniture isn’t going
Young commented regarding the
anywhere—except to customers.
choice of IKMX Selective rack.
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A
Dealing with Damage: How
Much Are You Willing to
Spend to Save?
For extra support, Russell Indus-
LITTLE BIT OF THAT
tries also provided particle board.
As for fitting the new warehouse
Selling furniture means transport-
The wooden slabs nestle in be-
with rack, Mathis Brothers “pretty
ing furniture. Transporting furniture
tween the beams, providing “a
much knew what they wanted,”
means tackling the logistics of mov-
smooth surface to slide multiple
said Terr y Milan, Allied Sales
ing hundreds of pounds of wood and
furniture products back and forth,”
Manager at Southern Material
upholstery, ideally without damaging
said Young. Between this and
Handling. “They had 100,000
it. This is no small undertaking. And
certainly not one furniture stores
“We had amazing support from Interlake
take lightly.
and Southern Material. If we had a question
“The slightest scratch can cause the
or concern they were on premises or
Robert Masters, Senior Vice Presi-
here in minutes.” – Woessner
64 •interlakemecalux• NEWS
customer to refuse the delivery,” said
dent of Manna Freight Systems, in
Mathis Brothers R
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“The benefit of [Selective] rack is the unlimited options you
have in storing merchandise,” Woessner explained. “It
gives you flexibility to adjust as furniture styles evolve.”
square feet of warehouse and
shelf and the height of the shelf is
but the construction of the new
they knew how much they want-
different,” noted Milan.
warehouse was behind schedule…
ed to fill with rack.” The job of
significantly. What do you do with
SMH and Russell Industries, then,
The racking, then, is as diverse as
160 tons of homeless steel rack?
was to figure out how to maxi-
the stored products. The installation
“It has been interesting,” laughed
mize that space with rack.
features some back-to-back, some
Tim Crow, Mathis Brothers’ Tulsa
double deep, and beam lengths
Warehouse Manager.
Designing rack for furniture is un-
ranging from 84” to 144”. And all
like designing rack for standard,
of this is mingled together. From
Young blamed weather for the
palletized goods. All the various
one row to the next, the rack can
building delays and explained
dimensions, weights, and heights
have vastly different dimensions.
how they overcame the inconve-
have to be assessed and rack or-
nience. “We had to store some of
ganized to suit all of these dis-
MAKING IT WORK
the rack outside. We had to cover
parities. Mathis Brothers stores
Pick the rack: check. Design the rack:
it, and of course we had to move
a wide variety of products—from
check. Install the rack: pending.
it a couple times before we could
boxed goods to upholstery to mat-
start moving the rack in [the fa-
tresses. “Depending on which one
The collaboration met its first hur-
cility].” Ramps were built to off-
they’re [storing], the depth of the
dle when the rack arrived on time,
load freight so that it would avoid
an interview with Inbound Logistics.
the manufacturers, carriers, ware-
Once furniture is damaged, it is either
“Worse,” he continued, “a consign-
houses, distributors, and retailers.
costly and time-consuming to repair
ee may refuse a 10-item shipment
ShockWatch, Inc. conducted a study
and then reship, or it is impossible to
because one piece is damaged.” In
that proved such programs typically
mend. In which case, the cost of the
fact, returns account for 20 to 25
reduce damage by 30-70 percent.
damaged piece is simply absorbed.
percent of sales. The cost of this
They also determined that most
Neither scenario is ideal. By investing
slip-up is almost incalculable, both in
damage occurs during loading and
more in packaging and also inspect-
dollars and time lost. Not to mention
unloading, and is in fact not caused
ing goods thoroughly before delivery,
customer satisfaction.
by the freight carriers as much as by
companies can largely protect their
dealer mishandling. Dealers often
product and their wallets. This kind
But how to ensure the safety of your
remove protective packaging when
of preemptive strategy is just what
furniture en route? Many compa-
trying to fit furniture into smaller
Mathis Brothers was after when they
nies are investing more money, even
trucks, thus making the pieces more
switched from their old rack to the
just a few extra dollars, in packag-
vulnerable to damage. By monitoring
new IKMX Selective Rack. They trust
ing. A few bucks up front can save
the entire course a piece of furniture
the sturdiness of IKMX rack. They
hundreds on the back end. Another
travels, with the help of technology,
trust it will keep their furniture dam-
solution is to establish a comprehen-
problem points can be pinpointed
age-free. They trust it will help keep
sive monitoring program involving
and remedied.
their customers happy.
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construction. Basically the whole
was going to be so they could put
ent areas of the warehouse, and
crew worked together to mini-
the lights and sprinklers in the
sometimes we had to work at
mize the problem. “[We were] just
right place.”
night.” It was a process that required, as Young put it, “lots of
working with the general contractor on a daily basis to stay out of
On top of installing the Interlake
their way and [for them to] stay
Mecalux Selec tive Pallet Rack,
out of our way,” said Young.
Mathis was moving some cantile -
“And [Mathis] needed to be able
communication.”
ver rack from the old warehouse
to pick orders and receive mer-
While managing this obstacle, the
into the new one. Navigating the
chandise all through this,” Milan
team had countless other duties
sprinkler systems with this rack
pointed out. “It involved daily
to stay on top of. Not the least of
proved more complicated. “The
working together not to disrupt
which was assuring that the sprin-
sprinklers had to be removed
the process.” Which, all in all,
klers and lighting would align
from the cantilever in the old
they did successfully. “Mathis was
with the rack once it was in place.
warehouse so they could move
great to work with,” said Milan.
“Well, the first thing is that the
that in the new warehouse.
feed lines for the sprinkler system
When we put the cantilever in
Once all the construc tion was
had to line up with the flues of
the new warehouse, they had to
completed, it was time for the
our back to back racking,” said
put the sprinkler system back in
rack to make its way into the
Milan. “And they were wanting to
the cantilever rack,” Milan said.
new facilit y. “There were a couple of changes in the layout as
have the feed lines installed prior
to the racking. We just had to get
Young added, “We had to switch
we star ted put ting the rack up,
them lined up on where the rack
back and for th bet ween dif fer-
that Mathis Brothers requested,
66 •interlakemecalux• NEWS
Mathis Brothers R
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and we accommodated,” noted
did not af fec t the materials list,
tial. “It’s a big projec t,” Young
Milan. They were what he called
but simply the layout. “It was a
mused, indicating that there are
“configuration” changes. Hav-
head-scratcher,” recalled Milan,
bound to be hiccups and ob-
ing reviewed the dif ferent t ypes
“but we were able to do that.”
stacles. It’s really all about how
of furniture they were going to
The projec t is ultimately a testa-
you face them, and if you are
be storing, and adjusting to the
ment to what organization, team-
able to work as a team. “We had
ever-changing
improving
work, and the countr y’s top pro-
weekly meetings where we had
business climate, Mathis deter-
and
vider of steel rack can accomplish.
amazing suppor t from Interlake
mined that they needed more of
and Southern Material,” recalled
a cer tain t ype of rack than they
Interlake Mecalux, Southern Ma-
Woessner. “If we had a question
had originally planned. “There
terial Handling, Russell Indus-
or concern they were on premises
were some rows that were double
tries, and Mathis Brothers came
or here in minutes.”
back-to-back and they changed a
together
couple of those and added anoth-
furniture icon’s distribution pro-
Upon wrapping up this projec t,
er aisle.” Luckily the alterations
cesses and to optimize its poten-
Crow reflec ted on what is to
to
revolutionize
the
Overall, the project doubles Mathis Brothers’ storage
capabilities, establishes a showroom unparalleled in the
furniture business, and sets the tone for a bright future.
come for Mathis Brothers. “We’re
expanding as much as we can, as
much as the economy allows us,”
he said. And the economy seems
to be accommodating. An expansion of the Oklahoma Cit y warehouse is already in the works.
The dif ferent par ties will reunite
for a projec t three times the size
of the Tulsa expansion, featuring
all IKMX Selec tive rack. Interlake
Mecalux rack has “improved [our
processes] tremendously,” Crow
said, so they will keep this nex t
projec t in the family.
“We make decisions based on
[the question], ‘How would the
best furniture store do it?’” said
Woessner. In terms of storage
and expansion, that means par tnering with Interlake Mecalux.
•
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