The survey differs from the US Department of Commerce Census of Manufacturers by including all producers of millwork, not just those for which millwork is the principal activity. Cabinets were the most common non-millwork products. Mouldings were dominant in terms of frequency of being listed as a product, frequency of being listed as the principal product line of a respondent, and as a percent of total sales. Part of this difference may be that many moulding producers reached by the survey may be classified as sawmills and planing mills by the Census. Windows and stairs were essentially tied for third place in share of sales, but stairs wer much less frequently listed as the principal product line.
Large establishments are more likely to produce commodity products.
When asked to rank the importance of 25 factors that could influence product success, the 11 factors rated very to extremely important. Several of these can be summarized as the ability and willingness to work with the customer and produce and deliver what is needed when it is needed. All of these combine to affect the company reputation, which received the top ranking. Factors such as gathering market information, adverstising, brand name, etc., were in the bottom half of the 25 factors. Mouldings and doors are the most commonly exported products.