What's a Vacuum Kiln?

What We Learned Helping a Kiln Manufacturer Triple Revenue

By BuilderGrowth Team

Some of our best case studies start in the most overlooked places.

Vacuum kilns.
Not exactly a hot topic in your average marketing blog—but that’s the point.

In 2019, we started working with iDry Kilns, a niche U.S.-based manufacturer of vacuum kilns used by woodworkers, furniture makers, and sawmills to dry lumber in days—not months.

They had an incredible product.
They had loyal customers.
But they didn’t have the infrastructure to grow.

The Challenge

iDry had:

  • No CRM
  • No content strategy
  • No positioning
  • No clear funnel
  • No follow-up

Like many manufacturers, they relied on referrals and trade show visibility—but it wasn’t enough. Worse, they didn’t realize they weren’t just selling machines—they were selling opportunity.

What We Did

We stepped in as their fractional marketing team, bringing BuilderGrowth’s full growth engine to the table:

✅ Clarified their value prop: This isn’t a kiln—it’s a business in a box for woodworkers
✅ Built their brand around empowerment and profitability
✅ Launched consistent content marketing across email, Instagram, and UGC
✅ Developed email automations and a CRM to capture, qualify, and nurture leads
✅ Ran seasonal campaigns and community engagement efforts
✅ Produced customer webinars, podcast appearances, and spotlight videos
✅ Partnered with influencers for millions of organic impressions

The Big Unlock: Sell the Identity, Not Just the Product

We discovered iDry’s ideal customer wasn’t just buying a machine—they were becoming a “woodpreneur.”

That insight shifted everything.

We started speaking to their aspiration, not their tools.
The result? Deeper resonance, more confident sales, and a content ecosystem that created demand instead of chasing it.

The Results

  • Revenue tripled in 3 years
  • They became the #1 vacuum kiln brand in the U.S.
  • Instagram grew from 1,700 → 30,000+ followers
  • CRM, automations, and systems now run without constant founder oversight
  • Content became a sales tool, not just an awareness tactic
  • We helped the team think in campaigns and cycles—not guesswork

Why It Matters

This case wasn’t just about a product—it was about unlocking scale in an overlooked industry.

Most people don’t think a vacuum kiln can be exciting.
We do.
Because we believe builders of all kinds deserve modern systems, clear storytelling, and tools that help them win.

Want to See How This Applies to You?

If you’re sitting on a great product or mission, but your systems aren’t built to support your growth—we should talk.

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