Running A Made-To-Order Furniture Manufacturer

In 1990, Polywood was the first to create outdoor furniture from recycled plastics. Now, the Syracuse, Indiana-based manufacturer has evolved to create customized pieces on a made-to-order basis.

“I don’t believe in filling warehouses with inventory that people might want,” said CEO Brady Maller in conversation with Chief Executive. Instead, he runs a manufacturer that makes each piece of furniture individually, giving customers 50,000 different options along the way.

Maller shares the company’s story and how he’s risen through the ranks from plant supervisor to CEO.

What distinguishes Polywood?

For more than 30 years, Polywood has been dedicated to creating sustainably made and American-manufactured outdoor products. We were originally founded on the idea that recycled materials can be transformed into durable, high-quality products, and we pursued that idea all the way to becoming a leader in the outdoor living space.

Material science is at the heart of what makes our furniture the best value-over-time product in the market. We blend all of the components together, along with UV stabilizers, turning them into a molten material that is then formed into solid, continuous lengths of durable Polywood Lumber.

Once cooled we precision-cut the lumber and build the best weather-resistant, and worry-free outdoor furniture. Throughout the entire process we capture all of the production scrap and blend it back in, delivering a 99 percent waste-free facility.

Even decades into our mission, Polywood remains committed to our initial idea, and to delivering long-lasting products and helping customers create outdoor spaces that reflect how they live, gather and connect.

What really sets us apart in the industry is our vertically integrated, made-to-order manufacturing process. We produce and deliver thousands of customized options in real time, ensuring we never compromise on meeting our customers’ precise needs.

How did you get your start and how have you grown over the years?

My career arc isn’t what most people picture when they think of a typical executive leadership journey. I started on the shop floor 23 years ago as a plant supervisor, when Polywood had fewer than 20 people. I worked my way up through every facet of the company, sometimes creating roles as I went.

My personal philosophy has been largely unchanged during these decades, I’ve just changed how it applies to the role I currently occupy: Eliminate anything that doesn’t add value for the consumer, build products that stay in backyards and out of landfills, and lead with authenticity and innovation.

What do your manufacturing operations look like?

We have two primary manufacturing facilities in Syracuse, Indiana, and a newer facility in Roxboro, North Carolina, where we employ more than 2,400 people. We handle almost everything in-house—from our own metal fabrication and cushion design right down to making our own shipping boxes.

We created our own version of the “Toyota Way” as we moved from traditional batch-style methodologies, where identical products are created in groups, to one piece flow. This gave us the flexibility to build exactly what our customers want without compromise.

I don’t believe in filling warehouses with inventory that people might want. Instead, this made-to-order system allows us to offer over 50,000 different options and build exactly what the customer ordered in real-time. We’re proving every day that a domestic brand can lead a global category through practical innovation and a refusal to compromise on how the work gets done.

What’s next for Polywood?

We’re moving beyond just being a furniture company, and instead want to become the brand that defines the entire outdoor living experience. We’ve spent decades perfecting how to build the most durable, sustainable outdoor furniture products, and now we’re expanding both our product lines and the consumers’ perception of what their outdoor spaces can be.

We recently launched our most innovative lumber yet, Select, which features Microcell Technology for superior moisture impermeability and elevated aesthetics with the GenuineGrain finish for textural depth. Our design team has also added planters and in-pool furniture to our lines and expanded our exclusive lines with Martha Stewart. We want to make the backyard as functional and worry-free as any room inside the house.

Another new capability we are rolling out is technology to help people visualize their spaces, including advanced renderings for better visualization, with several other interactive tools in the pipeline. By staying true to our quality, we’re making the transition from the living room to the backyard effortless for our customers. I firmly believe that our biggest innovations are still ahead of us, and I can’t wait to see what outdoor spaces can look like.