From Manual to Automated. Scaling Production 30% in Three Months with Finishing Automation

For more than two decades, Dean Cabinetry built its reputation on craftsmanship, quality, and strong customer relationships. But as demand increased, the Connecticut-based cabinet manufacturer faced a challenge familiar to many growing shops: how to scale production without sacrificing quality or overextending their workforce.

The answer came through finishing automation. And the results were immediate.

Within just three months of implementing an automated finishing line from Superfici America, Dean Cabinetry increased weekly production by 30 percent. Even more impressive, they surpassed an ambitious internal goal ahead of schedule.

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A Company Built on Craftsmanship

Dean Cabinetry has been serving customers for over 25 years. For much of that time, automation was not part of the plan.

“We were always like, no automation,” explains Kevin Dean. “About three years ago, we purchased a CNC machine, and it took us about a year, but we came to realize the true impact of automation.”

That first step opened the door to new possibilities. Once the team saw how automation improved efficiency and consistency in machining, the next logical step became clear. Finishing.

“What’s next was the finishing line for us, and we are really starting to see the impact of that automation,” Kevin says.

To support the new equipment and future growth, Dean Cabinetry moved its operations from Bolton, Connecticut to a larger facility in Manchester.

The Challenges of Manual Finishing

Before automation, finishing was one of the most labor-intensive stages of production.

Owner John Dean explains that the decision to automate was driven by three major factors.

• Schedule.

• Quality.

• Manpower.

“It’s very difficult to find people in today’s day and age that can work eight hours sanding, finishing, and spraying,” John says.

Manual finishing also introduced natural variability. Human fatigue, inconsistent application, and unpredictable scheduling made it difficult to maintain a steady production flow.

“You have human error. You have ups and downs. You have good days and bad days,” John explains.

An automated finishing system offered a way to stabilize the process while increasing output.

Automation Without Replacing People

One of the biggest concerns when introducing automation is the impact on employees. Dean Cabinetry approached the transition with a clear commitment to its team.

“We had staff that we were committed to,” John says. “There was uncertainty in their minds about what their future looked like.”

Instead of replacing workers, the company chose to elevate them. Automation allowed the same finishing crew that previously sprayed everything by hand to operate a far more advanced system.

“We’ve actually got the same exact crew,” Kevin explains. “We used to spray everything by hand.” The philosophy was simple. If you level up the machines, you must level up the people as well. “You have to level up your machines, you also have to level up your people,” Kevin says. “We’ve invested in those people at the same time that we’ve invested in this machine.”

Immediate Gains in Quality and Throughput

The impact of the automated finishing line became clear almost immediately.

Before automation, roughly 80 percent of parts passed quality inspection on the first pass.

With the Superfici automated spray line, the team is now consistently achieving around 90 percent first-pass quality, with some projects reaching 96 percent.

At the same time, production output increased significantly.

Before automation:

• About 3 kitchens per week

• Roughly $70,000 in cabinetry production

Just three months after installation:

• About $90,000 per week

And the growth didn’t stop there.

Surpassing the Goal Ahead of Schedule

During the interview, Kevin shared an ambitious target.

“We’re estimating that by about October we’re going to be able to do $130,000 a week.”

But the team didn’t wait that long.

Dean Cabinetry surpassed the goal early, producing $131,000 worth of cabinets in the last week of September.

For a company that had only recently implemented automated finishing, the milestone demonstrated just how powerful the system could be.

“It’s great for our customers, it’s great for our team,” Kevin says. “It’s really, really powerful, and just not quite possible without automation.”

A New Kind of Bottleneck

Ironically, the biggest challenge today isn’t finishing. It’s keeping up with the capacity of the finishing line.

“The hard part now is feeding the machine,” Kevin says. “It can handle a lot more than we can currently give it.”

But for a growing manufacturer, that is exactly the kind of problem you want.

The system was designed with flexibility in mind. The team can run it at full speed during peak production, or power it down when workloads slow.

“When it’s running, it’s great,” John says. “We can turn it off and turn it on tomorrow. You can’t do that with employees.”

Preparing for the Future

For Dean Cabinetry, finishing automation was not just about speed. It was about building a scalable operation that could continue growing without compromising quality or overburdening their team.

The results speak for themselves.

• Higher quality.

• Greater consistency.

• 30 percent growth in just three months.

• And a production milestone achieved ahead of schedule.

For companies facing similar growth challenges, John offers simple advice.

Be ready.

“You really need space,” he says. “If you’re going to run this machine, this thing’s going to put out some stuff.” But if you prepare the right way, the payoff can be transformative.

“Finishing automation is critical for our future in terms of quality and consistency.”

See the Results in Action

Dean Cabinetry’s rapid growth shows what is possible when the right automation and the right team come together. Watch the full testimonial video to hear directly from Kevin and John Dean about their experience implementing automated finishing.

If you are exploring ways to increase throughput, improve finish consistency, and scale your operation, connect with your local Superfici America sales representative to learn how an automated finishing system could help transform your production.

Watch the video and contact your local representative to get started.