Kitchen manufacturers provide the materials, design and finishing touches that make cabinets work in a functional way. The cabinet industry claims about $16 billion of the U.S. forest products market, according to the Ohio-based research firm Freedonia Group. Its repair and remodeling segment is projected to account for a large portion of that share in the years ahead. Wood is the most popular material, followed by thermofoil (a resin that permanently hardens after heat-curing) and melamine (formed when melamine reacts with formaldehyde). Cabinets may be face-frame or frameless in construction, each with its advantages.
Cabinet makers reacted nimbly to shifting trends in the marketplace in recent decades, adding production plants and improving manufacturing processes. They have been able to compete with more-commonly used laminates and metals, while keeping up sales to consumers who want the look of natural wood.
Manufacturers that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) can be assured of receiving raw materials from well-managed forests and meeting a wide range of environmental and social standards. These include avoiding clearing old-growth forests, paying fair wages and treating workers with dignity, and using environmentally friendly wood finishes.
While white thermofoil cabinets still claim the biggest portion of the residential market, they have been losing ground to darker woods and more contemporary finishes. A few tone-on-tone white designs have popped up, as have glazes on woods and the use of glass doors in residential designs.
Foremost, one of the largest cabinet manufacturers, began as a small cabinetry company in 1987. Its product line includes furniture, flooring and lighting lines as well as cabinets. Its designers know the products they represent well and play a dual role as designer and dealer. Its showrooms showcase these lines and give clients a one-stop experience.