Modern Outdoor manufactures “high style, clean-lined, environmentally conscious” outdoor furniture in a 25,000 square foot facility on Strathern Street near the Van Nuys airport.

Brett Himmel, VP, gave me a tour of the showroom and factory that he and business partner Martin Wehmann began in 2003. They currently employ 25-30 skilled workers.

I was impressed with the machinery, morale and layout of the factory and the bright, pleasant, organized assembly of the various products.

The collections are made up of 3 distinct lines: Etra, Kenji and Talt. All are made of a Brazilian hardwood called Ipe that is “three times as hard as teak”, so hard that it cannot be painted or stained, but is simply and elegantly oiled to a dark finish. Electro-polished stainless steel and the more affordable Powder Coated Carbon steel are paired with Marine Grade poly-board to create strong and durable furniture.

About 50% of the business is commercial (restaurants, hospitality, parks and other public spaces) and the rest is high end residential.

It’s heartening to know that we can still build top quality products in the US—and that it is being done right here in Van Nuys.