Quality & Savings Without Compromise: What Material Expertise Can Do for You

When a client comes to NDC ready to furnish a space, it’s always our goal to provide high-quality custom furniture with exceptional service along the way, whether the project is a luxury hotel, a modern office, multi-family housing, or a high school classroom. No matter the industry, we aim to deliver a product and service that goes beyond the scope of a single project, fostering a lasting partnership with each client.

We do all this while providing clients with time and cost savings every chance we can. 

That’s right. Without cutting corners or compromising on quality, we deliver the unique custom furniture our clients expect — while also adding value and identifying areas of savings within the scope of the project to maximize budgets.

Here’s a sneak peek at how we do it…

What exactly is material expertise?

With years of experience in the commercial furniture industry, we know how to take a client’s vision or a designer’s drawing and select the best materials to bring it to life with quality, style, durability, and cost-effectiveness. That’s material expertise — an in-depth knowledge of what works and why — and it enables us to consistently deliver the results our customers want.

Here’s what this material expertise looks like: 

• A mature, streamlined, reliable global supply chain  
• An ability to scale without outsourcing manufacturing
• Expert sourcing of materials for the best value
• Extensive knowledge and experience in optimizing designs to secure savings and enhance furniture effectiveness
• A global, hands-on team dedicated to going above and beyond while maximizing customers’ budgets
• Clear communication and 360-degree transparency with our partners to best serve them
• A culture of accountability — we do what we say, deliver on time, and take pride in doing our best work

Case in point: pivoting on a large-scale project

In 2023, NDC partnered with Dollywood HeartSong Lodge & Resort to furnish 300 units in the new construction resort and conference center. We brought our material expertise to this project to increase the value delivered to the client, resulting in high-quality custom solutions with significant savings.

“By collaborating with the designer on the Dollywood HeartSong Lodge & Resort project, suggesting some new materials and sources, we both improved the end products and saved the resort money — a true win-win!” – Christian DenBeste, Director of Global Supply Chain

How did we do it? 

When initially bidding on the project, we created shop drawings and engineered each piece based on our interpretation of the design, using the materials originally specified by the designer. After completing those drawings, we carefully reviewed each piece and made intentional suggested adjustments to identify cost savings. Through this two-step pricing process, we were ultimately able to provide substantial savings to our customer. 

As always, our goal was to preserve the integrity of the design while making thoughtful adjustments to positively impact the budget, such as sourcing local materials for production. The result was 300 units beautifully furnished with high-value custom pieces, delivered significantly below our client’s initial projected cost. 

To see the results for yourself, check out our full case study on the Dollywood HeartSong Lodge & Resort.  

Let’s partner on your next project.

Looking for a partner with expert-level material insights to bring your custom designs to life? Let’s find out how NDC’s years of expertise can serve your unique needs! Contact us to learn more or get started today!