Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Andy Morse, IFM, owner and president of Ohio Awning and Manufacturing Co.

Interview by Sigrid Tornquist

Is the profit margin better for commercial projects as opposed to residential?

Sometimes it takes the same amount of time to sell a $10,000 job as it does to sell a $500 job, but percentage-wise, probably not. Both types of jobs come with their own challenges. With commercial you have to consider more codes and permitting issues, but those jobs can also result in ongoing relationships and expansion into other states.

What’s an area of your business operations you’ve addressed to reduce operating costs?

I attended a class recently on lean manufacturing—six days spread out over a couple of months. It helped me focus and identify places where we could eliminate waste, specifically waste in movement and operations. As a result, we reorganized our sewing department to reduce steps and improve flow.

Sigrid Tornquist is a freelance author and editor based in St. Paul, Minn. She is also the associate editor of InTents magazine, a publication of the Industrial Fabrics Association International.