Larson Senelar Inconsistancies

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JeffreyPrice

JeffreyPrice

True Grumbler
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Posts
52
Loc
Norwalk, CT
This is a letter I've sent to Larson-Juhl regarding their high-end moulding. I'm posting this not to scold the manufacturer but to attempt to raise the bar in our industry to the standards that we expect to achieve.
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I have to tell you about moulding 292212, Senelar Louis X gold, which we received in length this week. The problem with this moulding is one I have unfortunately seen with other mouldings in the Senelar series and other mouldings as well, so it seems there a problem with the type of wood being used in manufacturing. Every stick is warped and twisted in several directions and throughout the length of the moulding. This might be understandable or even forgivable in a cheap moulding, but this is your best stuff, frames that I sell to our best clients for something north of $30.00 per foot. In fact, I show off the very Senelar moulding that I’m having problems with as part of the Larson Juhl hand-guilding display shadowbox explaining how these high-end mouldings are carefully and expertly crafted.

As is so often the case, my frame is due tomorrow and I will have to make do with what I have although I know you would be ‘happy’ to replace the moulding. This week I also had to replace moulding from your Stradivarius line due to inconsistencies throughout the sticks. In your high-end lines this is simply not acceptable, and this is not a one-time occurrence, but a reoccurring problem that you should be aware of.

I understand that today’s economy presents challenges for us all, especially in manufacturing overseas. Nevertheless, it my responsibility as well as yours to provide the best products to our clients, and I know that philosophically the Larson Juhl organization agrees with that mission statement. However, the test of your ideology is in the moulding I receive to create lasting treasures for our customers, and in this case Larson Juhl is not living up to the high standards you have set for yourselves and our industry.

I would like to post this letter on the web on the Framer’s Grumble so that I can gather feedback from our colleagues about these challenges which we all face in our industry.

Jeffrey Price
Artists' Market Inc.
163 Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06851 USA
 
Jeffery did you contact their customer service or a rep, I'm sure they would do whatever they can, except turn back the clock for you. I'll forward this on to my rep who might be able to send this forward to someone who can help.
 
Larson's reply

After I sent this letter to the regional manager of Larson Juhl, I received a polite and professional reply within hours. He said that he was also concerned and would pass along my information to the folks in Atlanta. It's nice to know that they are concerned, but the problems involved in producing cost-effective moulding thesedays is a difficult issue to solve. I admit to feeling rather helpless and all-too-regularly frustrated by getting bad moulding from virtually every company more and more frequently. Just putting a sticker on the moulding that says 'the finish may vary' is not a valid excuse for sloppy work!
 
What it means is that you have to order your moulding right after the customer places his order, and inspect it the moment it arrives. The downside is, customers will try to cancel an order, or their check or credit card will bounce, etc. You wait til the last minute to cut your frame, and you end up calling the customer to tell them their order will be late.
 
The other potential downside, not mentioned by PaulSF, is that moldings like the one mentioned must be ordered chopped, so that the company is the one going through all the bad stock, chipped finishes and blemishes so that we may get a perfect set of chops, at a bigger cost but less hassle.

I am right there with you guys on this and in the very same boat.:icon45:
 
"you have to order your moulding right after the customer places his order, and inspect it the moment it arrives"

which for some of us(like me) is 1 day/week on wednesday(nop matter WHEN it's ordered) or take a flying trips to/from lakeland---somewhere in the 80-90mi round.


"moldings like the one mentioned must be ordered chopped so that the company is the one going through all the bad stock"

if only it worked out that way--- I use 4 vendors, regularly, have gotten chops from all of them and absolutely could NOT live with the quality of cuts given out--miters are acceptable BUT I've had mis-measurements and LOTS of chipouts that I wouldnt give out let alone sell! when I must order chops I order 20 1/2" for a 20" rail---that way I can trim off the crappy spots(hopefully they are only at 1 end?). All that, notwithstanding, I have also gotten the occasional 'twisty-turney' stuff that should not have been allowed out of the shop and have to use because it's due "TODAY". Just really doesnt seem to be much QC goin on!
 
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