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Furnishing the outdoors

Furnishing the outdoors

By Laura Ruane
Originally posted on October 23, 2005

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Janet Martinez assembles outdoor furniture Thursday at the Suncoast Furniture factory off Alico Road in south Fort Myers.

Pools, patios and porches are some of the stages on which this Lee County manufacturer plays.

"We call them outdoor rooms," said Rick Baker, national sales manager for the Suncoast Furniture factory in south Fort Myers.

Tables, chairs and sun umbrellas are the company's stock and trade. And it's made right here in Southwest Florida.

Maria Pinchiero sews material at the south Fort Myers factory.
Since buying out a small Bonita Springs-based furniture maker in 1982, founders P.C. "Paul" and Raj Varshney have built their company from one part-time employee to a crew of about 130.

That work force makes Suncoast Furniture the 13th-largest manufacturer in Lee County, according to the county Economic Development Office.

A series of moves and expansions replaced the first 1,500-square-foot rental with a company-owned factory in an industrial area off Alico Road. The complex has more than 139,000 square feet of operating space.

Casual furniture is a hot retail niche in this country, valued at more than $3.5 billion, said Rajiv Varshney, vice president and son of the founders. He expects his company's sales to reach $12 million this year.

"The industry just continues to grow," Varshney said. "People just want to spend time with their family outdoors — cooking and playing."

Independent sales representatives work to put Suncoast's products into stores across the country, although its stronghold is east of the Mississippi River.

It has a permanent showroom at the Chicago Merchandise Mart, and twice has won Consumer Digest's Best Buy Award for its products.

Among the local stores selling company wares are Naples Patio and Suncoast Patio (no connection to the manufacturer) and Leader's Casual Furniture in Fort Myers.

"Not everyone knows it's made here, but we usually tell them," said Sherry Cobane, a manager for Leader's on U.S. 41. Suncoast is one of three aluminum-based product lines the store carries.

Baker at Suncoast said his company caters "to a step-up or better market." He said there's only about 20 furniture manufacturers in the country in this league, which includes such industry pioneers as Brown Jordan and Tropitone.

Retail prices for a Suncoast patio table and four chairs — but no umbrella — start at about $600. "This is not throwaway furniture," Baker said, noting there's a 15-year warranty on the frame and a five-year warranty on the finish.

The main ingredient is aluminum, cast or extruded, or a combination of the two forms.

Aside from some display items, all pieces are made to customers' order. "They can choose the frame, the color, tabletop materials and more," Rajiv Varshney said.

Although this kind of furniture making is labor-intensive, one technological advance played a big role in company growth.

In 1989, Suncoast replaced its liquid paint process with a powder-coat finishing line. That has made swapping colors significantly speedier.

In the painting process, furniture frames move suspended on an overhead conveyor, while electrostatically charged spray guns automatically apply the powdery pigment. Next, a worker does a quality check and touch-up spraying, before the paint is baked in a 430-degree Fahrenheit industrial oven.

Aluminum furniture-making also requires cutting, bending, drilling, punching, welding, grinding and sanding. Umbrellas, chair cushions and slings must be sewn.

Instead of fabric, some chairs are decked out in 100 percent virgin vinyl straps. This is hands-on labor — newcomers will develop blisters at first, said plant manager Larry Garduno.

Most of the factory workers are paid a piece rate that's based on the complexity of the task. Starting pay works out to about $8.50 per hour, with fast and accurate laborers earning as much as $13 an hour, Garduno said.

A high school diploma or equivalent isn't necessary. Instructions are given verbally and in writing — in English and in Spanish. Previous training in industrial sewing and welding is preferred; however, most of the workers learn their skills on the job, Varshney said.

The region's growth, Varshney said, is a mixed blessing. "Of course, there's more local demand for our furniture, as people move to the area. On the flip side, it's more difficult to find employees." Competition with service businesses and with the construction industry is keen, he said.

To cope, Suncoast holds job fairs, sets up interview days at the Career and Service Center in Fort Myers, and participates in county school-to-work programs.

E-commerce has been a big help in getting the job done: "We can place a materials order now at 5 p.m., and have it delivered by 10 (a.m.) the next day," Varshney said. "That makes being in a tourist area not so bad."