From a humble workshop in Adrian, Michigan in the fall of 1946, Orville and Ruth Merillat built the foundation of the nation's number one builder preferred brand of cabinetry, Merillat. Click on a time period below to learn more about our milestones across the years.
During World War II, Orville Merillat enlists in the Coast Guard as a carpenter. He sends $150 from each paycheck to his wife Ruth and keeps $1. This money, along with the sale of Ruth's 1938 Chevrolet, was used to start Merillat Woodworking.
Orville and Ruth Merillat start the Merillat Woodworking Company in a 2,400 square foot workshop in Adrian, Michigan. Fueled by an incredible work ethic and a post-war building boom, the business grows steadily.
Merillat standardizes cabinets in three inch increments to facilitate assembly line production. It becomes the first company to use exclusive Formica laminates on cabinetry and develops and patents the original self-closing hinge. Sales break the $1,000,000 mark.
The Adrian plant expands to over 290,000 sq. ft. with a manufacturing capacity of 270 kitchens per day. An injection molding Romance cabinetry line is introduced and receives a U.S. design patent.
Merillat grows to eight strategically located manufacturing/assembly plants. The ability to control materials and manufacturing processes gives Merillat a competitive edge in production and delivery. Merillat becomes the nation's largest cabinet manufacturer.
The successful cabinet business joins Masco Corporation, an industry leader in home improvement and building products. Orville and Ruth Merillat retire after creating an exceptional business and a lasting legacy.
Merillat pioneers the development of new door styles, including raised panel vinyl clad doors, and the use of premium woods. The company also begins assembling cabinets a kitchen-at-a-time, a manufacturing model which remains in practice today.
Still headquartered in Michigan, Merillat continues to lead the industry with a “customer first” attitude, ingenious kitchen design focused on functionality and meticulous product quality. In 2008, the company changed its name to the Masco Builder Cabinetry Group. In 2010, the company consolidated with Masco Retail Cabinet Group, manufacturers of KraftMaid® brand cabinetry to form Masco Cabinetry. Masco Cabinetry, home of the KraftMaid, Merillat, QualityCabinets and DeNova brands (countertops) will make its corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the fourth quarter of 2010.