Brodart says its Epoch Collection “encapsulates the future of library furniture design.”

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Pennsylvania-based Brodart Co. says it is a leading manufacturer of library furniture, serving customers throughout North and South America. It operates four divisions: automation, book services, contract library furniture and library supplies and furnishings.    

The furniture division, Brodart Furniture, distributes its products through 65 dealers in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and directly to customers through its catalog operation and Web site. It also sells some non-Brodart products. “We call ourselves the library company – that’s our focus,” Vice President of Manufacturing Randy MacKenzie says. “We are focused on our niche. The Brodart brand is strong.”

He estimates 70 percent of the company’s furniture products are sold to K-12 schools, and it is focused on growing its market share in the public library and college arenas. To do this, Brodart is establishing new distributor relationships.

It recently introduced its Epoch Collection and 2be! table line, both contemporary designs geared to the higher end of the market. The 2be! modular series “offers the flexibility of a variety of interchangeable table options,” the company says. “Designed with a modular philosophy, the new table series offers the flexibility of a variety of interchangeable table options. With the clever use of tops, legs and panels, 2be! tables easily adapt to changing demands and new technologies.”

The Epoch Collection combines metal, wood and glass and “encapsulates the future of library furniture design,” Brodart says. “Table legs meet the surface at gravity-defying diagonals, chrome accents mingle with equally pleasing glass and wood counterparts, and positive and negative spaces collide to fashion a style that’s exclusively ahead of its time.”

Design is more important to college and public libraries than to K-12 school library customers, MacKenzie explains. “School libraries are more focused on the durability of the furniture,” he says. “They are dealing with kids, and they’re very interested in quality and durability. In the public library and college markets, they’re more design-oriented. The first thing they focus on is the design. They’re looking for more upscale, designer-oriented products.”  

MacKenzie says customers as a whole have become more demanding in recent years.

“They expect more in terms of the quality, service and delivery,” he says. “They expect lower prices and faster delivery. We’ve cut our lead time close to 50 percent in the past six years, and our on-time delivery has improved dramatically.

“In the past year, we were above 95 percent with on-time delivery. Years ago, we didn’t even measure it; it was so poor. But now, we are much more efficient and offer a lot more options.”

Custom Capabilities
MacKenzie says Brodart is building its custom manufacturing capabilities as part of its effort to increase public library and college business. “We’re focused on our capacity in the factory,” he says. “We’re installing machines that allow us to do one- or two-offs vs. the old, non-flexible equipment.    

"We’ve invested in more flexible equipment and more powerful engineering tools to design furniture and engineer it.

“This will make us more competitive and protect us from overseas competition,” he adds. “A lot of the furniture industry has been lost to places like China, but they can’t service customers with custom furniture with the lead times that are required. You can’t build a library with a custom product order from China and get it in 90 days.”

Brodart operates a 175,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania, which was expanded five years ago and three times since 1993. Brodart Co. employs 950 people, including 180 on the Brodart Furniture staff.