L.E. Smith | Laminate & Countertops

The L. E. Smith Company Visits Formica

The L. E. Smith Company’s 2010 goals include a 25% increase in laminate countertops sales, delighting our customers, and having associates excited about improving their performance. To help move us closer to these goals, Craig Francisco took a group of ten associates to Formica’s Evendale plant in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, May 25th for a tour of their facilities. Upon arrival the team was greeted with a very warm welcome by Formica president Mike Fischer followed by presentations from Todd Vezina and Bill Recinella discussing Formica’s Sales organization and sales operations, as well as the importance of the relationship with L.E. Smith Company in reaching…

Products Added To Company

By Marci Hummel Times Business Editor Good news just keeps coming from L.E. Smith. The Bryan company – which already is one of the largest custom laminate countertop manufacturers in the nation – now is making solid surface countertops as well. Kevin Smith, director of business development, said the company has hired five new employees and anticipates a need for more in the future. L.E. Smith currently has approximately 87 employees. “We’re looking forward to this product expansion as a way to better service our customers who currently multisource their countertops from more than one supplier,” said company CEO and President Laura Juarez. …

L.E. Smith Company Contracts With Switzenbaum & Associates To...

L.E. Smith has contracted with Switzenbaum & Associates to provide laminate countertops for their recently acquired Tyvola Centre apartment complex in Charlotte, NC. Formica 180FX series premium laminate is being utilized throughout the apartment complex. The L.E. Smith Company has partnered with Switzenbaum & Associates to provide measurement, manufacturing, and custom installation of laminate countertops for each unit in the Tyvola Centre complex. In staying consistent with their philosophy of maximizing the end user experience, Switzenbaum opted to upgrade their laminate countertop surfaces using Formica 180FX premium laminate. This provides an aesthetic upgrade and the significantly more durable laminate speaks to the importance of environmental responsibility. Tyvola Centre Apartments…

Lean Manufacturing-The Kaizen Journey

Kaizen Event #3 – Customer Service Department Focus on processes and structure of the daily activities in Customer Service. This 11 person kaizen team was purposely selected because of the diverse backgrounds in our industry. The first step was to exhaustively map the processes used in customer service for customer calls, paperwork flow, order entry, & the many other tasks which customer service is responsible for each day. This mapping exercise, though sometimes tedious, is a critical step in identifying “non –value ad” processes & working to ensure only “value ad” processes remain. Many bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement…

Lean Manufacturing – Principles At Work In The Real World...

The L.E. Smith Company has long been a believer in the fundamental principles of lean manufacturing, however in mid 2009, we furthered our commitment by embarking on a journey to improve each and every functional area of our business through the ongoing practice of KAIZEN. To say that this is a one time event or an activity with a start and end date is to misunderstand the true power of the process. Kaizen is a commitment made every day to engage all of the collective knowledge in our company, openly challenge & improve current practices, & adopt audit processes to ensure that…

C.O.O. Executive Blog To Be Launched 3/15/10

The L.E. Smith Company is excited to launch our COO Executive Blog beginning Monday 3/15/10. The Chief Operational Officer at L.E. Smith, Craig Francisco, will be providing editorial related to the Lean Manufacturing movement occuring in our organization over the past year. We have taken huge strides forward by utilizing the fundamental principles defined in the KAIZEN process. Stay tuned to get an inside perspective on our journey towards achieving sustained excellence!

The Latest In Countertop Design Trends

This year it’s about revolutionary facelifts for some old standbys & doing more with what you already have. This past weekend at the Great Big Home and Garden Expo in Cleveland, “Innovation Avenue” showcased a number of products that live up to the hype. Most noteworthy is the 180FX laminate from Formica Group. This new laminate is the first to replicate granite and marble aesthetics with a 5 foot wide non-repeating sheet , “enhancing variation and veining of exotic” stone. International design expert Jean Michel Gouvreau showcases an incredible kitchen countertop in Antique Mascarello 180FX laminate fabricated by Cabinet S-Top of Medina, Ohio. Click…

L.E. Smith Launches New Website And Integrates Social Media To...

Bryan, OH – February 11, 2010 – L.E. Smith launched an upgraded website and implemented a new marketing and communications strategy that includes social media. The social media approach is centered on the Company Blog, Facebook, & Twitter. After initial research L.E. Smith elected to partner with Ross Johnson, CEO of 3.7 Designs, to consult in the development of the comprehensive social media strategy. 3.7 DESIGNS is a strategic creative company based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. L.E. Smith Director Of Business Development, Kevin Smith, stated “we started initially by understanding who in our industry is already using social media & then…

Parksite Incorporated Acquires Dupont Surfaces Distribution Business...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bryan Ohio (February 5, 2010)- The L.E. Smith Company announces that it has agreed to the terms for acquisition of its DuPont Surfaces Distribution business segment by Parksite Incorporated of Batavia Illinois. The deal involves distribution rights for the Northern Half of Indiana & Ohio, as well as the southern counties of Michigan. Key metropolitan areas are Elkhart, South Bend, Fort Wayne, Toledo, Cleveland, and Akron/Canton. Craig Francisco, COO of the L.E. Smith Company, stated “L.E. Smith and Parksite are working diligently to transition the DuPont Surfaces assets, with the goal of Parksite beginning service effective February 5, 2010”. Francisco…

In 2010, L. E. Smith Celebrates Its 60th Birthday!

Our grandfather, Lawrence Edward Smith, founded The L.E. Smith Company in 1950 with the vision of providing high quality products and brands, delivering the very best service, and creating opportunities for his employees, customers, vendors, family, and community. We’re very proud of our heritage and humbled by the energy and heart our grandfather, father, and uncles invested in manifesting their dream. Today, 60 years after delivering our first order and two generations later, L. E. Smith is still owned and operated by the Smith Family. We have been truly blessed. We believe our success is the direct result of an unwavering desire to be our customers’ preferred…

Blog