Perrysburg firm crafts custom countertops

Residential customers are able to visit Cutting Edge to select from its inventory of natural stone slabs and other materials. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Four years ago, Cutting Edge Countertops Inc. was getting started in Perrysburg with fewer than 10 employees, crafting countertops from natural stone after two founders couldn't find what they wanted elsewhere for their kitchen and bathroom designs. Now the manufacturer - which also has outfitted Huntington Center in downtown Toledo, Mercy Hospital of Tiffin, and Bowling Green State University's Sebo Center, among other commercial projects nationwide - has about 60 employees and expects sales to approach $7 million this year, said Brad Burns, president and one of three partners in the firm.

Now the manufacturer - which also has outfitted Huntington Center in downtown Toledo, Mercy Hospital of Tiffin, and Bowling Green State University's Sebo Center, among other commercial projects nationwide - has about 60 employees and expects sales to approach $7 million this year, said Brad Burns, president and one of three partners in the firm.

Cutting Edge opened a second Perrysburg factory this year to build custom laminate and solid-surface countertops, and is expanding residential sales beyond northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, Mr. Burns said.

The company has doubled employment in the last two years and expects to continue adding 10 to 20 employees annually in the foreseeable future, he said.

"We look for continued growth even in this sluggish economy," Mr. Burns said.

Mr. Burns and his brother, Brian Burns, Cutting Edge's vice president, were designing kitchens and bathrooms but wanted better hard surfaces to use.

They partnered with Jeff Erickson, the company's chief operations officer who has production experience, and Cutting Edge was born.

Cutting Edge, based at 1300 Flagship Dr., makes custom countertops from natural stone, quartz, glass, solid surface, and laminate on three production shifts, with employees doing all of the measuring, fabricating, and installation, said Greg Dell, marketing coordinator.

Residential customers, who are referred to Cutting Edge by Modern Builders Supply Inc. and other wholesale dealers, are able to visit Cutting Edge to select from its inventory of natural stone slabs and other materials, Mr. Dell said. Quartz is supplied by a U.S. company, Cambria, while granite and other stone comes from all over the world, he said.

"We like the customer to be able to see all the variety," Mr. Dell said.

Among other projects, Cutting Edge supplied countertops for the Aaron and Jackie Frisch family of West Toledo, local beneficiaries of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition reality television show in 2008. More recently, the company has done work at the former Dana Holding Corp. headquarters for Health Care REIT Inc.

Earlier this year, Cutting Edge expanded into the Cleveland-area market, Mr. Burns said. It plans to pursue the Columbus-area market as well, although manufacturing will remain in Perrysburg, he said.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon

at: jmckinnon@theblade.com

or 419-724-6087.