Finishing for durability

By Kim Kaiser

When you are building furniture for schools, a durable finish that's going to stand up to a fair amount of abuse is important. Wm. Hermann & Sons, an Indianapolis-based case work and church furniture manufacturer, has found a way to deliver

Founded in 1911 by William Hermann, the company got its start in the plaster carving business but eventually shifted its focus to store fixtures. Today Wm. Hermann & Sons, now being run by the fourth generation and the fifth generation working there, produces mainly case work for schools and some church furniture. The shift in focus came back when Bob Hermann's grandfather was running the company. Hermann & Sons was working on a millwork project with architect Gene Brown, who encouraged them to start manufacturing case work as well.

"Back then there were big national firms, and that's where all the case work came from," Hermann says. "The architect was really on my grandfather, saying 'you can make this case work; you can do it.' He basically gave him the incentive to do it and told him 'you need to get into this'; and they did and it just took off. We really have Gene Brown to thank for that because it's really been very good to us over the years."

A finish that stands up to abuse

Hermann & Sons uses an acid catalyzed varnish system. Because they manufacture furniture used in science labs, they needed a finish that would stand up to chemicals used in class, Hermann explains.

"We used to use a lacquer, but we got away from that and have gone to acid catalyzed varnish," he says. "It's a little bit harder to work with, but it's a much better system than the lacquer was."

Switching to an acid varnish has really helped the durability of the end product because it doesn't scratch as easily, Herman says. "The lacquer was softer and much easier to scratch. This stuff's not, so we don't get the scratches like we used to."

One of Herman & Sons largest challenges in the finishing department is hand wiping and making sure the end result is consistent. "You've got to watch hand wiping because wood is different colors. Even though they call it red oak, it has different characteristics," Hermann says. "You've got to be careful how you wipe it so you stay very uniform."

Color mixing presents another challenge for the company. "The architects love to pick the plastic laminate swatches and say 'match that.' It's hard to match that on a real piece of wood, but you've just got to pick a certain part and go from there. We've had pretty good luck with it," Hermann says. "So we stain everything and spray it with a reduced varnish coat. Then we sand that, and put another topcoat on."

A few years ago, Hermann & Sons invested in an oven from CCI Thermal Technologies, which has really helped lower the drying times for its products.

"You put it in the oven for five or seven minutes, take it out and sand it. You can turn it over, and you can work it right away. That part has helped us a bunch. The only thing we're using it for is our flat stuff, our doors. It isn't big enough for us to put our cases in.

"The oven really helped because the varnish takes basically 30 days to reach its full hardness, but with the oven, that speeds the process up drastically to where we're cutting down that time. They don't tell me how much, but it lets us stack it the next day where we couldn't before. You'd have to let the stuff sit for days before you could really stack it. Now, as long as you cook it, you can stack it and work it the next day."

Larger pieces, such as the school case work, are not dried in the oven due to their size. To get around this, they just let the piece sit a little longer before sanding.

"It's just has to sit about three hours before we can sand it," Hermann says. "The room's big enough where we can do a lot, let it sit and then do something else while the cabinets are drying."

Technology

Hermann & Sons has technology on the mind. "Really our biggest thing right now is technology," Hermann says. "The technology on the mill side that's out there -- with the computerized equipment -- is where we're looking to help us to expand. We bought a new edgebander which has really helped us.

"There are CNC routers to buy, bigger panel saws that are much more computerized that will help us down the road, but they're big investments. For a little shop, that's a lot to do. One piece at a time, and eventually we'll get there. We know we need to do it. Some people I've talked to told me you've just got to take that leap of faith. You've got to take that leap of faith and buy that piece of equipment. We bought the bander, and I took that leap of faith. So far it's working out."

Automating finishing

For now, Hermann has no plans for automating the finishing department because of the size of the company's current facility. "That would be our challenge. I would have to have a much bigger building to do the automated finishing," he says. "We bought the oven, and I had to brow beat my father and brother to buy the oven...because 'that's not the way we did it years ago.' Once they saw it, and saw how much better it was, then they realized it was [worth it]."

Should Hermann & Sons grow significantly down the road, automation could be in its future. But, for now the company is happy to stay at its current size.

"We're almost at that point where you're at this size, and you either stay this size or the next up is to get bigger. I just haven't wanted to take that big of a jump yet."

The next generation

"The business started in 1911 and we've been happy at this starting point. I think we'll be happy there for awhile," Hermann says.

Currently, the fifth generation of Hermanns is working at the company and has a bigger interest and better understanding of all the emerging technologies, Hermann explains.

"They see the benefits; who knows what it will hold for them. What they put into it, is what they'll get out of it."

At this point in time, Hermann & Sons has no immediate plans for growing the company. The past few years have been a transition for the family, having lost Bob Hermann's father to lung cancer. This year has continued to be hard on the family, and on April 30, Rick Hermann, Bob's brother, passed away after battling cancer. Rick played an integral role in the success of the family business.

"Our little family, we were taking a little toll. So right now the fifth generation is having to grow up early. We're going to have to stay where we are. Like I say, who knows with the technology if we can take that leap of faith and buy the more automated equipment to expand? They started in a little school building; my grandfather built this building we're in now back in the early '60s. Who knows? The fifth generation may have to build a bigger building because the jobs are getting so big."

Company Profile

LOCATION: Indianapolis, Ind.

ESTABLISHED: 1911

PRODUCTS: School case work and church furniture

MARKET AREA: Indiana

EMPLOYEES: 10

FACILITY SIZE: 37,000 sq. ft.

PRESIDENT: Bob Hermann

Sources

For more information on Wm. Hermann & Sons, please visit the company's website at www.wmhermann.com.

For more information on CCI Thermal Technolgies, write in 71 on the inquiry Card or go to wooddigest.com/productIQ.

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