As new leadership steps in at Polywood with Brady Maller as CEO, the brand welcomes a long-tenured leader who deeply understands their business and has a strong vision for its future.
Maller started his career at Polywood on the shop floor 20 years ago and has followed that classic journey of moving up from the workroom to the boardroom. And he told Casual News Now that he will apply everything he’s learned in that experience to guide Polywood into the future.
“Having been in a leadership role at Polywood for some time now, there is a unique opportunity that allows the spirit and vision of the company to continue,” he said. “Our first steps will involve avoiding unnecessary disruption, as the company is already advancing and working closely with top leadership. Our company isn’t broken, so there’s room to grow.”
Maller said he is stepping in at a critical point for Polywood, as the company is shifting from simply being a furniture manufacturer to becoming a comprehensive outdoor living lifestyle brand.
“The primary vision for the company is to move from being a great furniture company to becoming a great outdoor living lifestyle brand focusing on experiences and facilitating frictionless ownership of outdoor spaces,” he said. “This shift requires significant work in marketing and branding, including changing the company’s core ethos.”
Maller believes the company can get into the headspace of the consumer in a way that other outdoor furniture companies have not, particularly by contrasting their approach with the “huge wave of importation” that he says led to the loss of domestic American manufacturing’s heart and soul.
“We have set a goal to become the first nationally recognized outdoor furniture brand, because most consumers currently know retailers rather than the brand itself,” he said.
The design strategy includes the recent launch of their Select Lumber line, which offers a more sophisticated aesthetic, and the inclusive approach of partnering with various channels, including designers.
Speaking of, Polywood works with upwards of 20,000 designers, who Maller said are valued partners because they better understand the consumer’s needs for a design-forward space and outdoor living experiences.
Because it has such a large designer base, Polywood implemented a long-term strategy that involved building a just-in-time manufacturing model with real-time fulfillment that operated as if the product were in inventory.
“This model was designed so that customers could choose design and product options without making a design or inventory compromise, allowing the company to build what customers wanted and ship it in real time,” Maller said.
This process, coupled with a strategy of including, rather than excluding, all channels (specialty retailers, designers, etc.), has created strong partnerships with retailers and designers.
For the upcoming July Casual Market, the company is launching new products, with a specific focus on introducing outdoor yard structures, including pergolas, to the showroom. Other current launches and trends include mixed-material woven and mixed-material sling products.
“We’re building from a position of strength — a brand people trust and a team that knows how to lead,” Maller said. “I’m excited to continue building on that foundation with our partners as we expand how customers think about their outdoor spaces.”
