National Hardwood Magazine - June 2015

Pictured is the original

Pictured is the original barn where Batesville Cabinet had its humble beginnings in 2009. Success Results From Stormy Start At Batesville Cabinet Company By Elizabeth M. Garrett Panola County, MS—In the spring of 2009, Terry Smith found himself unemployed in an economic crisis mirroring the Great Depression. Using half of a 2,900-square-foot barn and second-hand equipment purchased at an auction, Smith figured he could continue building cabinets as a hobby. Smith has turned his hobby into a .5 million business in less than six years. Located in Panola County, MS, on 40 acres, Batesville Cabinet Company manufactures custom cabinets and specialty items using No. 1 and No. 2 Grade lumber with a 13/16-inch thickness. The company purchases over 150,000 board feet annually of Hardwood species including Maple, Clear Alder, Knotty Alder, Cherry, Oak, Hickory and Knotty Hickory, as well as softwood, 1x12 pine. The original barn still stands, although five large buildings have been added for a total of 28,000 square feet. Smith plans to add another 5,000 square feet to the door production department this year. Upgrading and adding new equipment will also be a priority. The list includes another door machine, an automated CNC machine and Stacks of Maple lumber direct from the sawmill are pictured. an upgraded paint system. The company stores 4,000 board feet a week purchased from a sawmill and lumber/plywood supply business. Already kiln-dried, the lumber’s moisture content is six to eight percent. 14 JUNE 2015 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

Handcrafted stiles are made for doors and rails at Batesville Cabinet. Father-son duo, Phillip and Chris Garrett, have worked with the company since its inception. Phillip’s skilled craftsmanship can be seen in custom vent-a-hood cabinets and specialty items. Chris serves as quality control and sales representative. Hundreds of drawers are made daily in the drawer box department. “I never will forget our meager beginning,” Smith said. “During a week when tornadoes were raging across the Mid-South, five of us, all unemployed, started the first day with a prayer in that old, metal barn. The weather was so bad we had to evacuate several times over the course of a few days. Not only did we survive the tornadoes, we ended the first year with 0,000 in revenue during a bad economy.” Smith attributes the company’s success to providing customers high quality cabinets and specialty pieces tailor made to accommodate their lifestyles. Co-owned with his brother Michael, Smith said, “As a custom shop, customers can get anything they want that’s in line with our services. For example, right now we are building a hand- Office administrator Marvin Smith oversees purchasing. Please turn to page 46 “ As a custom shop, customers can get anything they want that’s in line with our services. For example, right now we are building a handcrafted farm table with benches for one customer. If our customers want it, we do our best to provide it with the best quality craftsmanship possible. “ —Terry Smith, Batesville Cabinet Company Batesville Cabinet is co-owned by brothers Michael (left) and Terry Smith (right). JUNE 2015 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 15