When freight costs surged and demand for faster turnaround times increased, Yoxheimer Tile knew its traditional fabrication process could no longer keep up.
Rather than continue relying on outsourced cut-to-size granite and manual fabrication, the Jackson, Michigan-based countertop and flooring company invested in automation. The result? More than doubled revenue, higher profit margins, and the ability to take on more complex work.
From Manual Fabrication to In-House Stone Production
Before investing in Northwood equipment, Yoxheimer Tile’s fabrication process was almost entirely manual. According to Fabrication Manager Kyle Ruddle, the shop relied on outsourced materials and labor-intensive production methods, including:
- Cut-to-size granite imported from China
- A Matrix manual bridge saw
- Stick templating
- Manual fabrication throughout production
When international freight costs climbed dramatically, the economics of outsourcing changed. Rather than continue absorbing higher costs, Yoxheimer Tile made the decision to bring fabrication in-house.
How the Northwood Fab Center Cut Production Time in Half
The shop’s first investment was a Northwood Fab Center. The impact was immediate.
Instead of waiting on outsourced fabrication, the team could unload slabs directly from the delivery truck and move them through production to a finished countertop in roughly half the time compared to their previous workflow.
Beyond reducing turnaround times, the Fab Center introduced capabilities the shop simply didn’t have before, including:
- CNC milling
- Precision miter fabrication
- Automated routing
- Greater production consistency
Why Yoxheimer Tile Added a Northwood EDS138 Router
As business continued to grow, Yoxheimer Tile recognized another opportunity to increase production capacity.
After adding the Northwood EDS138 Router, Yoxheimer Tile was able to dedicate routing operations to the new machine while optimizing the role of the Fab Center within its production workflow. The result was greater throughput and a more efficient fabrication process.
How the Northwood Raptor Increased Shop Capacity
Approximately a year and a half later, Yoxheimer Tile expanded again with the Northwood Raptor SawJet.
Today, the Raptor serves as the primary saw in the shop, cutting nearly every project before feeding both routing centers.
Its advanced capabilities have allowed the team to take on more sophisticated fabrication work, including:
- Complex inside miters
- Intricate shapes
- Custom inlays
- Company logos
- Detailed architectural work
Rather than creating production bottlenecks, the Raptor keeps material flowing efficiently to both the Fab Center and the EDS138 Router, maximizing productivity across the shop.
The Results: Higher Revenue, Better Margins, and Faster Production
Since investing in Northwood automation, Yoxheimer Tile has experienced measurable business growth.
According to Kyle Ruddle:
- Gross revenue has more than doubled.
- Profit margins have increased.
- Production moves through the shop faster.
- Finished products maintain consistently high quality.
Instead of bottlenecks slowing production, the shop now has a dedicated saw and dedicated routing centers working together as an integrated fabrication system.
As Kyle explains:
“We’ve more than doubled our gross revenue, and our profit margins have increased because we’re able to get pieces in the shop, get them out efficiently, and maintain a high level of quality.”
More Than Machinery: A Long-Term Partnership with Northwood
For Yoxheimer Tile, the investment wasn’t only about machinery.
As Kyle explains, the people behind Northwood have been just as valuable as the equipment itself.
“They’re great people behind the name Northwood. They make a great machine that’s truly invaluable to our shop.”
When visitors walk through the fabrication floor and see the equipment in action, Kyle says it speaks for itself.
Ready to Scale Your Stone Fabrication Business?
Whether you’re looking to reduce production bottlenecks, increase fabrication capacity, or expand into more advanced stone applications, Northwood’s line of CNC fabrication equipment is designed to grow alongside your business.
From the Fab Center to the EDS138 Router and the Raptor SawJet, Yoxheimer Tile’s journey demonstrates how investing in the right technology can transform not only production, but an entire business.
If you’re ready to increase throughput, improve quality, and position your shop for long-term growth, contact Northwood to learn which fabrication solution is right for your operation.