Public Furniture Project Report
Harry W. Watt, NCSU Wood Products Extension
March 25, 2013
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited
from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint
of discrimination, write USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA
is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Introduction
In the US there is a large public furniture market that uses wood, metal and plastic in schools and public
buildings for furnishings. Since the 1960’s there has been a replacement of wood furnishings by metal
and plastic furniture in classrooms and a reduction of wooden furniture and millwork in public buildings.
This reduction of wood markets for furnishings and construction materials has reduced sales and
profitability of wood shops capable of providing products for public furniture markets. Given the decline
in housing markets since 2006, local wood shops should consider researching public furniture markets in
order to maintain sales, profitability and employment of their workforce.
In the past schools contained
large amounts of wooden furniture
Wood furnishings contributes
to a good learning environment
Wood school furniture can be
modernized with innovative designs to
meet the needs of today’s students
Public furniture includes the service desks in public administrative buildings, classroom and library
furniture in schools, public library furniture and the furniture that fills staff offices in schools and public
buildings. Overall, the greatest amount of purchasing furnishings occurs when new buildings are
constructed. One school district in North Carolina reported their facility managers use a budget figure
of $4,500 per classroom for student desks, bookcases and teacher desks when a new school is built, thus
showing a sizeable expenditure for school furniture.
Wood is the best material for public furniture items as it offers local shops an opportunity to compete
with distant manufacturers. This is true because small wood shops can use local and regional lumber
and plywood to produce furnishings using a wide range of equipment that can provide the same
function as items made of plastic and metals made in large factories.
This project has two sponsors, the USDA US Forest Service Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Princeton,
West Virginia and the Wood Products Extension Department at North Carolina State University. The
Forestry Services Lab researches hardwood markets and undertook this project to better understand the
potential to grow markets for local wood shops using local and regional wood species. The USFS
Forestry Service Lab provided the funding for this project.
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The Wood Products Extension Department at North Carolina State University supports the wood
industry of North Carolina and undertakes research projects that promote the US wood products
industry. The Wood Products Extension Department is active in assisting individual wood products
businesses to improve their businesses and also promotes the use of US wood species. NCSU WPE
performed the field work of this project.
This project supports the economic growth of US communities by supporting local wood shops to
become better competitors in public furniture markets. Wood shops contribute strongly to the local
community by being buyers of locally produced lumber and plywood products, its employment of local
citizens and the payment of property, generation of sales and income taxes to state and local
governments.
The world is currently experiencing increased costs and environmental problems using depletion
resources like metals and plastics, thus needing to convert to renewables for furnishings, like wood, in
order to sustain the current level of the economy and insure future social and political stability.
Continued use of metals and plastics in public furniture will result in quickening the time when depletion
resources shortages result in hardships and higher costs.
Project Goals and Objectives
The research efforts of this project were directed at learning how school districts and local government
purchasing departments bought furnishings for new buildings and remodeling projects. The purchasing
departments operate in the public interest to properly spend taxpayer funds for furnishings that will last
from many years with little repair and replacement. The purchasing departments are professionally
managed with employees of many years of service. They have formal purchasing guidelines and are
supported by state purchasing and contract offices.
The goals and objectives of this project included:
1. To interview purchasing department buyers in three states and at three levels of local populationlarge, medium and small. Approximately thirty local government and school district purchasing
departments were contacted to fill out a survey instrument that contained fifty-five questions.
Twenty purchasing departments cooperated by completing and returning the surveys.
2. To design fifty wood products that schools and local governments are buying and create a 3-D
model for each item with supporting parts list and example costing/pricing worksheet. The models
would be instructive to the traditional wood shop that may design products manually and may be
using a low tech engineering support system. Also these models designed in SketchUp would be
helpful to modern shops that use design software and use computer controlled equipment. These
fifty items are available as downloads on the project website at www.cnr.ncsu.edu/publicfurniture.
3. An outreach effort to wood shops included contacting wood shops in each of the study counties as
well as writing publications for wood products industry media publications. The project website
included short publications about the public furniture market and ideas of how to enter this market
by local wood shops. The outreach effort will include information about writing specifications and
how specifications influences who wins bids.
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4. An outreach effort to the purchasing departments included contacting the purchasing departments
in the study counties as well as contacting state and national public professional buying associations.
5. An outreach effort was made in each study county to the leaders of schools and local governments
supporting the purchasing of products by schools and local governments.
6. The project website contains many items of interest to wood shops and purchasing departments
supporting the growth of sales of locally made wood products that emphasized lumber and veneer
core plywood. The website contains a large number of downloads of 3-D models as well as short
publications.
7. This project summary publication is created to gather the analysis of research of buying practices as
well as information on product design and construction.
Overview of Marketing for Small Local Wood Shops
Small wood shops typically lack strong marketing efforts and often operate at lower levels of their
potential capacity. Since the housing decline of the mid 2000’s, many local wood shops have scaled
down their operations or have closed. This project supports the idea of these shops entering the public
furniture market and focusing on replacing products being purchased made of depletion materials like
metals and plastics with locally processed lumber and plywood. It is natural for local school districts and
governments to want to support local business given the large economic boost local firms return to the
community.
In order to compete in a market that has significant regulations and professionalism, local shops will
have to implement more formal business practices that include:
1. Ability to function in a formal bid process where one has to obtain documents, analyze the
documents in a bid package, design products that need the specifications and compete against
other wood shops that have long been successful in the public furniture market.
2. Any wood shop that wants to be listed in the offerings of a state’s purchasing and contracts office
has to meet the vendor requirements set forth by the purchasing and contracts office. These offices
set performance thresholds that insure weak and poor performing businesses are not accepted as
vendors.
3. Wood shops marketing to the public furniture market on a local basis will have to successfully act as
the manufacturer and seller unlike national wood products manufacturers typically that have a sales
distribution network. The distribution brokers perform the needed function of looking for bidding
opportunities, generating bids, promoting the use of specifications of its manufacturers, and
installing products at schools and government buildings. Local shops selling to local governments
have to perform as manufacturer and sales agent themselves.
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Wood shops should challenge
themselves to develop wooden
alternatives to furniture made of
metal and plastic
This is an example of a wooden
alternative to the modern metal and
plastic student desk. Painted desks
can be in a school’s colors as a
bonus feature.
These sycamore panels can be used
for school and government
furnishings and support the local
economy from the landowner to the
wood shop
Survey of School District Purchasing Departments
The project collected seven surveys from local school districts in West Virginia, North and South
Carolina. A copy of the survey instrument for school purchasing department is on the project website,
as is a summary of the returned school surveys on the project website. The survey consisted of fifty-five
questions that focused on the process of buying furniture and preferences of the purchasing agents.
A summary of the results from the purchasing survey for schools included these points:
1. About half of the respondents reported being a member of a professional public purchasing
association.
2. The average of school district student population was 16,412 and 44.6 schools per district.
3. The average count of new schools in the last four years was 2.1 per district.
4. There was a slight preference for wooden furniture over metal and plastic.
5. Species preference positive for oak, cherry, maple, birch and beech. Yellow poplar, sweetgum and
pine were not preferred.
6. Painted furniture was less preferred to stain and clear wood finishes.
7. A strong preference for domestic over imported school furniture.
8. The buyers thought wooden furniture should be preferred over metal and plastic in staff offices,
libraries and media rooms, and arts and crafts rooms.
9. Buyers thought it would be helpful for wood shops to support the educational aspects of wooden
furniture by using local species, using school logos and colors, identifying wood species on furniture
and using innovative designs.
10. Solid lumber construction was strongly preferred over alternative wood construction.
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11. Buyers wanted wood products manufacturers to provide information about their products, have
competitive prices, offer detailed specifications and good warranties.
12. Buyers thought wood was more sustainable and “green” than metal and plastic school furniture.
13. Most purchasing departments reported the process for buying new furniture was to seek the inputs
of users and staff, research options, write specifications and put out the request for bids.
14. There were mixed responses to having $ threshold limits for approval for bidding versus purchase
orders.
15. Buyers did not report having purchasing policies favoring specific groups or goals.
16. About half the responders reported having state procurement policies affecting their purchasing
methods.
17. Buyers reported that users are included in the process of buying furniture, as well as finance
personnel, upper level administrators, principals and district facility managers.
18. Outside professionals who also were reported to assist with furniture purchases included designers
and architects, sales reps and consultants.
19. A majority of survey respondents reported having the RTB package available online.
20. Buyers reported that new construction involved the greatest $ amount of furniture purchases in any
given time period.
21. A majority of respondents reported having a written policy manual for buying furniture.
22. Buyers reported using multiple methods for buying furniture that included using state contracts,
cooperatively bid contracts, competitive bidding, putting out requests for bids, no bid contracts and
negotiated bidding.
23. The buyers reported that they frequently used the Internet to research vendors and products before
creating RTB.
24. Buyers reported that price, meeting specifications and service were the most important factors to
select winning bidders.
25. Buyers reported they wanted more interaction with wood shops on wood species and construction,
to see samples and to have more opportunities for their administrators to meet with local wood
shops.
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Ideas to Grow Sales to School Districts
Wood shops can apply these concepts to become involved in their local communities to sell wood
products to school districts:
1. The companies now selling to schools are national manufacturers with independent regional sales
representatives. These vendors scout posting of RTB from local school districts and the state’s
purchasing and contracts office. They are also active in pushing their manufacturer’s specifications
and the ones to use in RTB documents in order to improve their chances of winning bids. Local
wood shops cannot break into this market unless they are proactive and research this market. Local
shops must network with the purchasing department buyers and the school district staff and
administrators to have an opportunity to sell products in this market because of needed knowledge
and personal contacts that result from good networking efforts.
2. Local wood shops can gain an advantage by using local wood species and offering local elements to
their product offerings. This includes using school colors and designs in the furniture that add local
themes that national and global manufacturers cannot easily duplicate that adds value in the eyes of
local government and school district buyers. CNC routers can easily create school logos and
educational designs in item components.
3. School buyers want more attention and information from vendors that allows local shops an
advantage by being close by and easier to meet face-to-face with purchasing department staff.
4. Local shops can offer more customization and can respond to slight modifications in the design of
products than distant manufacturers. It is important to work with the purchasing department staff
well in advance of when RTB are announced to get these elements into the RTB specifications.
Architects are another important group in the design of school facilities and local shops should
network with current and past architectural firms involved in local school projects.
Local forests can
supply wood for
furnishing local
schools and
government buildings
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Schools can incorporate
lessons of sustainability using
the wooden furniture located
in the school and how forests
provide wood for schools
This $16 million middle school was LEED
certified and contained almost no wood
furnishings but was full of depletion resource
materials like metals and plastics. None of the
furnishings were made locally.
Survey of Local Government Purchasing Departments
This project received thirteen completed surveys from the states of West Virginia, North and South
Carolina in three sizes of community-large, medium and small population. Below is a summary of the
responses:
1. Most buyers were not members of a professional public purchasing association.
2. The average government unit had 362 employees, supported 15.5 buildings and built 1.1 new
buildings in the last four years.
3. Buyers preferred wooden furniture for government buildings over metal and plastic furniture.
4. Buyers did indicate a preference for birch, cherry and oak when presented a choice of species, but
were not well knowledgeable of wood species.
5. There was a wide range of preferences when asked of the preference between painted finishes
versus clear and stain finishes, but overall a preference for clear and stain finishes.
6. A strong preference for domestic wood products over imported wood products.
7. Buyers reported good prices as the most important element wood products manufacturers can
possess, but also mentioned was good designs, good support information and long warranties.
8. Solid lumber wood products was the most preferred construction for wood products.
9. A strong preference was noted for wood over metal and plastic government furniture.
10. Buyers when reporting purchasing methods were seen to be more formal with increased size of the
government unit. In smaller size government units each department purchased for its own needs
out of its own budget. Many units buy off state purchasing and contracts listings. Many put out
request for bids after developing a list of specifications.
11. Most buyers report that with larger sized purchases that more formal procedures are followed.
12. Most buyers report that there are polices to encourage the purchase of locally made goods.
13. Department managers were the most reported position in the governmental unit that initiates
furniture purchases.
14. Other persons reported to be involved included in the purchasing process included users, facility
personnel, finance department members and upper level administrators.
15. Vendor reps were the most mentioned outside professionals assisting in furniture purchases.
16. About half of the respondents reported having bid information online.
17. Many respondents reported that their department created a vendor’s list for furniture based upon
bad bidders. Some mentioned using the list of state approved vendors.
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18. Only one purchasing department reported having a manual that explained to vendors the
department’s purchasing policies.
19. Only two buyers reported using the state’s prison system’s workshop for purchases.
20. Buyers reported using a wide variety of purchasing methods that included state contracts,
cooperatively bid contracts, competitive bidding and putting out RTB, no bidding and negotiated
contracts.
21. Eight buyers reported using the Internet for small $ purchases and researching products and
specifications.
22. One buyer reported having difficulty finding courtroom furniture made of solid lumber. Also
mentioned regarding problems was the request that wood shops attend meetings with the
purchasing department staff to provide education on wood furniture and have more opportunities
to see the products that wood shops make.
Preferences for Wood as Indicated by School and Government Public Furniture Buyers-Scale From 1 to 5
(5 is the most preferred):
5
4.5
4.5
4.4
4.3
3.9
4
3.5
3.8
3.2
Average of Wood vs. metal/plastic
3
2.5
2.2
Average of painted wood vs.
stain/clear
2.3
Average of domestic vs. imported
wood furniture
2
1.5
Average of wood is greener than
metal/plastic
1
0.5
0
Government(n=13)
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School
(n=7)
This city government administration
building built in 2003 used almost
no wood products in its
construction or furnishings
This county administration building
opened in 2012 and local shops
were asked to bid on its $750,000 of
cabinetry, furniture and millwork
This service counter is an example
of a built-in that local shops are well
suited to provide for schools and
local government service centers
Important Role of State Purchasing and Contracts Offices
State purchasing and contracts offices provide an important service to local school districts and
governments in reviewing products and vendors to insure taxpayer dollars are spent properly. These
state agencies are professionally managed to support the purchase of supplies, equipment and
furnishings. Furniture and related furnishing items offered by vendors are reviewed and have to meet
the written specifications for their category to be accepted.
These state purchasing and contracts offices develop purchasing policies and guidelines that are used by
state agencies and universities, and may be used by local governments and school districts. These
policies and guidelines support transparency and fairness to vendors.
These state agencies set up term contracts with approved vendors who will make products available to
government and school buyers at set prices for a specific length of time. There are rules to follow for
pricing of installation. Buyers are free to choose to purchase at these published prices or can set up a
RTB (Request to Bid) for a project that can involve larger purchase amounts.
New vendors that want to be approved and listed in the term contracts program have to submit proof of
their competency and ability to perform. There are educational supports for new and existing vendors
with workshops and webinars by the Purchasing and Contracts offices. The websites of the Purchasing
and Contracts office will list open RTB projects and vendor sales representatives regularly visit these
websites for projects to bid. Small shops that want to learn more about the public furniture market
should attend the educational workshops and webinars and review open RTB to educate themselves
about the public furniture market.
Buyers Create RTP and Purchase Orders for Items They Want to Buy
The secret point of knowledge that wood shops need to understand is that public furniture buyers
research their needs and compare those needs to what is available in the market, then they construct
RTB packages, then buy based on the least cost qualified buyer. Thus if local wood shops want the
orders from local governments and school district buyers, then they have to be in the research pool of
providers. One has to be visible to the buyers and the following actions can help insure the local wood
shop can compete with distant manufacturers:
1. Meet and greet-take time to network with the key persons in the decision process for buying public
furniture = users, principals, department managers, purchasing department staff, architects and
designers and facility managers.
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2. Develop local wood shop product items that can compete with products schools and government
buyers are currently purchasing, especially items made of metal and plastic.
3. Develop products that distant manufacturers are making that do not meet the needs of schools and
local government buildings. Innovation in design and use of materials with wood can create
products significantly better and different than those made of metal and plastic.
4. Understand that buyers are not looking for cheapest price but best value for taxpayer dollars. They
want products that last for many years, have low repair and maintenance costs and have low
disposal problems. It is possible with wood products to design with the next use preplanned for the
wood parts to add sustainability virtues that are valued by public furniture buyers who are
instructed to pursue sustainability goals and objectives.
5. There is an increased level of attention being paid to the cost of transportation for products bought
by public entities as well as reducing packaging costs. Locally made wood products can be delivered
far closer and cheaper than products from distant locations and with blanket wrapping products,
can avoid disposing of packaging materials to landfills. State purchasing and contracts departments
are specifying packaging being made of recycled materials and that installers have to recycle
packaging materials. Locally made wood products can be delivered wrapped in reusable blankets
and save costs and offer greater sustainability than products made globally or nationally.
Understanding How Writing the Specifications Helps Win the Bid
The sales representatives that are most aggressive in getting their manufacturer’s specifications written
into the state purchasing and contract office’s specifications and those of local purchasing offices in
purchase orders and RTB’s have the inside track to winning bids. When the specifications of a
manufacturer are used by the purchasing departments it gives the manufacturer and their
representative a lower cost of manufacturing the products due the being set up to manufacture the
products using their standard materials, methods and equipment.
Local wood shops can also use this marketing edge by promoting the use of local wood species and
construction methods that the distant manufacturers do not use. Many large public furniture
manufacturers will not bid a RTB when there are strong differences from their standards.
Knowing Who is Managing New Projects is Important
When new facilities are under construction, it is important for the local wood shop to understand how
the project is being managed as this determines who is the key player in the furnishings contracts.
When the local school or government unit is managing the project, then their purchasing department
will be putting out the RTB. When the furnishings responsibilities are part of the construction contract,
then the construction company and the architects may be in charge of the furnishing contracts and the
RTB will be coming from them. There is more flexibility in the selection of furnishings when the
construction company and the architects are responsible for the furnishings contracts.
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Public Furniture Project Website
The project website can be found at www.cnr.ncsu.edu/publicfurniture. This website contains
information about the project including:
1. Project goals and objectives
2. Project webinar
3. 3-D design software and engineering systems
4. Model files and parts list for fifty public furniture wood products
5. Short articles on using lumber and plywood for public furniture
6. Additional resources
7. Using local species for public furniture
8. Results from a survey of buyers of public furniture
9. Economic impacts of buying local wood products
10. Marketing advice for wood shops wanting to enter the public furniture market
3-D designs-50 items
3-D modeling software is what cutting edge wood shops are using to better design and engineer their
wood products. Modeling software allows designers and engineers to create the parts of a wood
product and create items where the parts fit and the software can help the user create parts lists. Given
that most wood products are only slightly different from a company’s earlier products, 3-D modeling
software is helpful in creating new designs with less time and effort. Finally, solid modeling 3-D
software can supply data files that computer controlled machinery can use to saw and machine parts.
Example 3-D model
of a storage drawer unit
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Example 3-D model of a
computer desk with a flip up top
for electrical cables
Example 3-D model of an
elementary school student
locker for books and clothing
3-D modeling software starts with a blank screen with three axis. The user creates parts that are
assembled into a model of the item. Paper surface modelers like SketchUp are more useful for design
purposes while solid modelers are able to export data file to run CNC machinery. The software creates
the third axis when surfaces like circles and rectangles that are pulled and pushed for depth.
The 3-D solid modeling software typically has support engineering capabilities that can create bills of
materials, parts lists and drawings. This support is especially helpful for manufacturers of public
furniture as new buildings project bids typically require drawings to support construction methods.
This project used SketchUp, a paper surface modeler, to create fifty example public furniture products
to show as examples of items local shops can produce. The project website posted downloads of the
SketchUp skp files as well as a MS Excel spreadsheet with worksheets for a parts list, blank costing and
pricing, and an example costing and pricing worksheet. These supporting documents are important to
reduce the time and effort wood shops require to bid and produce products for the public furniture
market.
The fifty items included:
1-Mobile bookcase
4-Elementry arts/crafts table
7-48” tall bookcase
10-Medium work table
13-Teacher/gov’t employee desk
16-Computer desk 2
19-Storage drawer unit 4x3
22-Two drawer file cabinet
25-Public library table
28-Modular computer desk
31-Starter library shelving
34-Computer stand
37-Reference hutch table
40-Magazine rack
43-Wall storage cabinet
46-Table top display cabinet
49-Early grades storage
locker
2-Traditional student desk
5-Square edge slab bench
8-72” tall bookcase
11-Large work table
14-Teaching assistant/staff employee
desk
17-Shallow wall display
20-Storage drawer unit 5x3
23-Step stool
3-Student desk 2
6-30” tall bookcase
9-Small work table
12-Sloped top arts/crafts table
15-Computer desk 1
26-Library computer stand
29-Public library chair
32-Adder library shelving
35-Drop book truck
38-Replacement wooden book cart
41-Base storage cabinet
44-Announcement board
47-Wall coat rack
50-Service counter
27-Library shelving end
30-Lumber bench
33-Book truck 1
36-Double panel study carrel
39-Book stand cart
42-Cubbie storage cabinet
45-Low cubbie storage unit
48-Slot storage cabinet
18-Storage drawer unit 3x3
21-Four drawer file cabinet
24-Slant hutch study carrel
Using Local Wood Species Offers Advantages
Local shops have many advantages when using local wood species for public furniture products when
these woods are specified for public furniture projects. National public furniture competitors are
typically working with a few of the major species, such as hard maple, cherry, oak, etc. When local
wood shops work with local public furniture and the species specified are more regional and minor
species such as elm, hickory, sweet gum, hackberry, worm red maple, beech and sycamore, the local
shops gain a significant advantage in winning the bid.
Solid lumber products are seen by buyers as superior to other construction materials, including metals
and plastic, according to our surveys of school and local government buyers. Solid lumber is a more
affordable option when using the minor species that are lower in cost than premium wood species.
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Solid lumber is a good option for bookcases, chairs, etc. and other products where large flat surface
areas are not needed.
Local landowners, sawmills, veneer mills, lumber drying operations and wood shops benefit greatly
when local woods are used in public furniture. It is possible for local wood shops to buy locally sourced
logs and have them sawn into lumber that can be used in local school and government projects. This is
also true in urban areas due to the large number of small portable sawmills found in urban areas.
Plywood is also an option for local shops who can lay up their own plywood panels as well as by from
local and regional pressing operations. Plywood works best for larger flat surfaces and veneer core
plywood can utilize such species as yellow poplar and sweetgum for its inner plies with other woods as
faces.
The choice of joinery typically is made by the manufacturer, but many buyers and state purchasing and
contract offices do have preferences in some cases. One case came up in an interview with the North
Carolina Purchasing and Contracts Office where it was learned that the P and C office staff preferred to
write specifications for drawer construction using dovetail joints in the drawer box corners over other
methods.
Local government and school purchasing departments can aid local shops when they specify
construction methods and joinery that is different from that used by importers and national public
furniture manufacturers. These distant competitors do not like to use joinery methods that are not their
standard and will often not bid projects that step outside their standard construction.
Many design trends in the public furniture market depend upon colors, such as having furnishings in a
school’s colors. Many lower cost local wood species work well in painted finishes, including wormy red
maple, yellow poplar, sweetgum, beech and sycamore. Another advantage of wood products is the
ability with computer controlled routers to carve school and local government logos and other graphic
designs into the parts of the furniture, including tops, end panels, etc. It is possible to create an
enhanced educational environment in a library or classroom to carve graphics of text, portraits, figures,
etc. that will complement the educational experience of students.
Importance of School Districts Markets for Wood Shops
School districts are important buyers of furnishings for their school buildings as well the furnishings for
buildings used by their administrative staff. When new buildings are built there is the greatest
opportunity for local shops to bid on items that are used in the classroom, library, staff offices,
auditoriums, work rooms, arts and crafts room, etc. Remodeling buildings provides additional
opportunities for local wood shops to provide wooden furnishings products.
While most of the products purchased by school districts have similar standard designs, there are also
purchases made of custom items where the district seeks to offer its students and staff more
customized furnishings. This often occurs in service desks at the school’s main office and also in
computer rooms and media centers. In these cases the wood shop can assist the school district buyer in
designing the items and insuring the items work as needed.
The school district in growing areas of the US open schools builds new schools when student
populations reach the limits they believe are too large for a good educational experience. The local
wood shops should research how fast the district’s student population is growing and anticipate the
need for new schools and remodeling. It is a long process to plan and build a school and the local wood
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shops should attempt to enter the discussion of school design and furnishing selection as early as
possible. Millwork shops should attempt to educate the school district facility planners and architects of
the advantages of using wood in schools as well as the benefits to the local community.
In our returned surveys of school district buyers we learned that the buyers want more educational
information about how to use wood in school, how wood joinery and construction methods vary and
what choices can they make when researching wood options would offer more value to the taxpayer.
Wood shop classes can use local
woods to teach skills and
sustainability lessons. Local wood
shops can supply overstock
materials to schools for classes
Wood shop classes can teach design
and construction principles that
students can use in later careers
Wooden benches are needed in
public lobby areas in schools and
government buildings and offer
local wood shops a great product to
make with local wood species
Importance of Local Governments
Local governments are important buyers of furnishings for their administrative and work buildings.
When new buildings are built there is the greatest opportunity for local shops to bid on items that are
used in the lobby, staff offices, storage rooms, auditoriums, conference rooms, etc. Some local
governments are also responsible for libraries and hospitals where local shops can provide wooden
furnishings and millwork. Remodeling buildings provides additional opportunities for local wood shops
can provide items on a bid or purchase order basis.
While most of the products purchased by local governments have similar standard designs, there are
also purchases made of custom items where the district seeks to offer its students and staff more
customized furnishings. This often occurs in service desks at the offices and also in computer rooms and
back room work areas. In these cases the wood shop can assist the buyer in designing the items and
insuring the items work as needed.
The local governments in growing areas of the US open new facilities when additional levels of service
are needed. The local wood shops should research how fast the local government’s population is
growing and anticipate the need for new facilities and remodeling. It is a long process to plan and build
a government building and the local wood shops should attempt to enter the discussion of design and
furnishing selection as early as possible. Millwork shops should attempt to educate the facility planners
and architects of the advantages of using wood in schools as well as the benefits to the local community.
In our returned surveys of local government buyers we learned that the buyers want more educational
information about how to use wood in buildings, how wood joinery and construction methods vary and
what choices can they make when researching wood options would offer more value to the taxpayer.
They also want wood shops to visit them and their leaders in order to promote the local wood shops as
important contributors to the local tax coffers.
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Project Webinar-Slide Show and Discussion
On Tuesday, February 26th, 2013, we conducted a one hour webinar to support this project. The
webinar consisted of a PowerPoint slide show and discussion by the project staff and attendees. The
discussions included examples of furnishings that local shops can make that are being purchased by
global and national furniture manufacturers. Attendees were located all over the US and represented
manufacturers as well as support organizations like the USFS and universities.
The slides from the webinar can be downloaded as a pdf file at the project website at
www.cnr.ncsu.edu/publicfurniture. Also at this site is the link to NC State University’s website for
webinar recordings where one can listen to the discussion.
The discussion on the webinar focused on these points:

Slide 6-depletion resources like metals and plastics are wonderful in the short run but are harmful to
the world in the long run.

Slide 7-public furniture exists in the 3,100+ US counties and many more cities and towns. Every year
there are new public buildings going up and many remodeling projects that can provide orders to
local wood product shops.

Slide 8-the greatest boost to the local economy occurs when local wood shops use local lumber and
plywood to make wood products for schools and local government buildings.

Slide 9-we want to focus on public furniture as local governments and school districts should want
to support local manufacturers as they are paying taxes on property, income and sales. Local
governments and schools can promote the local community by incorporating local materials into
their purchases.

Slide 10-the return from the local spending of tax $ is greatest for local shops, then regional, then
national.

Slides 11 to 15-discusses the goals of this public furniture marketing project.

Slide 16 to 17-discusses the importance of state purchasing and contract departments.

Slides 18 to 24-discusses the survey results from local government and school district purchasing
departments.

Slide 25 to 29-the importance of how the purchasing departments manage the purchasing process.

Slide 30-the advantages of wood over metals and plastics.

Slide 31-the importance and examples of wood in public buildings.

Slide 32-why 3-D software helps wood shops.

Slide 33-why using local species can help local shops compete.
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
Slide 34 to 35-why greater efforts at marketing is needed by wood shops.

Slide 36 to 37-why greater efforts to modernize helps local wood shops.

Slide 38-adding educational features and local elements to products helps the local wood shops.

Slide 39-a discussion of cooperation and networking with local wood shops.

Slide 40-put marketing efforts to grow the size of the pie.

Slides 41 to 44-summary and contact information.
Marketing Ideas to Support Local Wood Shops
This project presented many ideas to assist the local wood shops to compete in the public furniture
market that are largely out of the local community. Given that local school districts and local
governments may want to support local manufacturers, the local wood shops need to be proactive in
developing the network of contacts needed to compete against more established and equipped
manufacturers.
Below are some ideas to support local wood shops to become competitive in the public furniture
market:
1. Develop better negotiation skills-the public furniture market is a formal established market where
buyers follow rules and regulations. Buyers typically follow the rule that the winner is the lowest
cost qualified bidder, they evaluate the ability of the provider to deliver as promised and negotiation
skills are needed to learn exactly what the buyer feels is important and to offer a solution that is
affordable and practical.
2. Knowledge of specifications is the key to bidding public furniture jobs. Specifications are the key
focus of sales reps who work strongly to present their manufacturer’s specification to be used by the
buying entity. Sales reps typically pitch their company’s written specs as superior to others and
when used gives them the inside track to winning the bid.
3. Minor and local wood species that get written into the specifications is a key advantage for local
wood shops. In many locations there are suitable local species that are more affordable and allow
local shops to be competitive. For example, in some locations in the US, elm is a local hardwood
that is quite suitable for public furniture and can be obtained from the stream of mixed hardwoods
that is used for pallets and other industrial wood products.
4. Network with the staff of purchasing departments and administrators-the local buyers of public
furniture and administrators understand the need to support local businesses and want to support
them when the local shops can provide satisfaction of being competent and equal to national and
global manufacturers. Local wood shops need to invest time and energy at networking events and
providing education on the benefits of wood over metal and plastic furnishings.
5. Wood shops can add educational elements at low cost that are helpful in justifying using wood over
metal and plastic furniture products. These efforts can include using local species, identification of
wood species used in products, providing posters that show trees and species of wood used
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products, posters with photos of the products being manufactured including local persons employed
by the local shops and planting trees in school yards that match the wood species used in products.
6. Promote the sustainability of wood as compared with metals and plastics. Photos of growing forests
are more impressive than open pit mines and refineries.
7. The future will bring increasing costs to products made from depletion resources like metals and
plastics while the prices of wood will be moderated by the ability to grow its supply.
8. Custom items are easier for local shops to produce than distant manufacturers. Local wood shops
should seek out opportunities to offer custom items that may be more desirable to the users in
public building projects and offer barriers to distant manufacturers.
Outreach to the Wood Products Industry
The outreach effort to the wood products industry has included these efforts:
1. Project webinar-held on February 26th, 2013-this discussion of the project and its findings attracted
participants on a wide geographical basis as well as from both the private and public sectors. The
webinar was recorded and the slide show is offered as a pdf file download on the project website.
2. Direct contact of wood shops in the targeted counties and cities where surveys were returned for
both school districts and local government units.
3. Directing contact of buyers and administrators for public furniture in the counties and cities where
surveys were returned for both school districts and local government units.
4. Direct contact to a selection of US lumber and plywood manufacturers and distributors.
5. Contacting wood industry trade associations with press releases and providing the project website
information.
6. Providing short articles of the project’s findings to wood industry and public purchasing associations
and providing the web address of the project website.
7. Providing short articles of the project’s findings to wood industry trade publications to be offered for
both print and web editions.
Support the Growth of Sales of US Woods for Public Furniture
This project supported the growth of sales of US woods for public furniture by wood shops with the
presentation of research of how local governments and school districts buy furniture. The surveys also
detailed buyer preferences for wood in relation to metal and plastic furniture. This project also
provided information through the website that can be accessed by purchasing departments seeking to
better understand wood’s virtues in relation to metals and plastics for public furniture. Given that little
information has been available to shops on the public furniture market, this project has been helpful to
shops that need to find new markets to replace lost sales that have occurred due to the decline of the
home construction marketing.
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Markets for Wood Products Beyond Furnishings for Public Buildings
There are opportunities to increase sales of wood products for public buildings beyond furnishings, such
as millwork and wood for construction. Since 2000 wood has experienced lower price increases than
metals and plastics and economists predict the same trend will continue in the future due to wood being
a renewable resource.
Millwork for public buildings can provide sales for products like mouldings and trim, interior doors,
casework (base, wall and storage cabinets), stages in auditoriums, etc. Special rooms in schools where
wooden millwork supports education include arts and crafts rooms, drama and literature classrooms,
conference rooms and staff offices. Service counters are easily manufactured with a combination of
lumber and plywood to custom fit the needs of service employees.
Suppliers Can Assist the Effort to Promote Locally
Made Wood Products for Schools and Government Buildings
Small shops need the support of local vendors for lumber and plywood that is affordable and in smaller
quantities than large factories require. There is an opportunity for a smaller lumber distributor to
specialize in the minor species as most large lumber distributors already carry a large number of species
and may not want to add minor species that can offer lower costs for small shops.
Summary
This project conducted research into the public furniture market by visiting school and local government
purchasing departments and using a survey instrument to learn the process of how they buy furniture
and what preferences they have for wooden furniture versus metal and plastic furniture. The goal of
the project included identifying actions that local wood shops can utilize in order to grow their sales in
this important local market. The US has approximately 3,100 counties and many more thousand local
city governments in addition to the fifty state governments that are supportive of businesses in their
regions. This project in its outreach efforts to wood shops, local public furniture buyers, wood products
vendors and public official is supportive of growing sales of wood, given that it is a renewable material,
unlike depletion materials, like metals and plastics.
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