Looking Back: Morgan Li’s Huge 2022 in Review

Coming out of 2020, we found ourselves in a good position to hit the ground running. Not only were established retailers looking to revamp and position themselves for the future, new markets were emerging in the retail world. And after reasonable growth in 2021, 2022 was a banner year for the Morgan Li family.

How big was 2022 for us? Well, to put it lightly, huge—and consistent. Following a big return to normalcy in 2021, a year in which we celebrated a 65% growth in revenue, we went out and did it again. 65% more growth, surpassing $80 million. Dozens of new faces on our now 304-member team. And a whole lot of big decisions to position us for growth.

So without further ado, let’s peruse just some of the accomplishments, improvements, and completed projects throughout the year.

Facilities: So Much More Room for Activities

Our footprint is bigger than ever. From a completed purchase to a new lease, our facilities decisions put us in a better position to get the job done.

Finalizing Our Purchase Down the Street

Just a week and a half into the year, we announced the completed purchase of a 13-acre, 230,000 square foot facility less than a mile from our headquarters.

A site we had been leasing for five years, the 1001 Washington Street facility has been an important part of our growth since 2015.

But by 2021, we were using the whole space—and made the decision to add this strategically located facility to our portfolio. Just minutes from our headquarters and main production facility, 1001 Washington became home to our third paint line and now serves as a major hub for warehousing, assembly, and distribution.

See the entire announcement here.

New Warehousing Space

A year that started with our purchase of a 220,000 square foot facility ended with a lease of even more space. Chosen as a distribution space for one of our biggest programs ever, our 125,000 square foot South Holland facility puts us in the perfect spot to fulfill even more orders.

Check out our press release on the expansion here.

And Reinvesting in Our Main Production Facility

With all this new space throughout the south suburbs, we now had 50,000 square feet freed up in our main production facility. And ever since insourcing our wood production, we were consistently looking for ways to expand and better equip our staff to deliver. And now we had this opportunity.

It took some work to move everything around, but as we enter 2023, we’re proud to have more space than ever dedicated to our production capabilities.

Equipment: The Capabilities to Do More

With workflows optimized and orders coming in, we got to tackling our next big initiative in 2022—expanding capacity and maximizing productivity. And how did we do this? Some big, shiny new equipment.

Introducing Our New Edge Banders

Aesthetically pleasing and durable, edge banding is an important part of many fixture and furniture projects. Whether using veneer, solid wood or laminates, our edge banding equipment delivers a perfect fit and finish to withstand whatever gets thrown at it.

As wood continues to be a major part of fixture and furniture projects, our goal is to keep up with this growing demand. And that’s why we invested in two new edge banders.

Full Cell CNC Machine

CNC machines are built to increase output, minimize waste, and maximize consistency. And we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve added another one of these incredible pieces of equipment to our arsenal.

See how our expertise in wood fabrication delivers for you here.

The Robot Welder Army Grows

But it’s not just our wood department getting a glow up. We didn’t forget about our roots in metal. And with an already-packed welding floor, we wanted to ramp up even more.

When it needs to be perfect and repeatable, robotic welding is the only way to go. Programmed to take on intricate welds in tight spaces, recurring jobs, or complex projects, our investment in robotic welders ensures that the job gets done. And our newest welder from is just the tool to do that.

Learn more about our expertise in metal fabrication here.

Paint: A New Line

When Morgan Li launched in 2009, we were known for our expertise in powdercoating. Early on, it’s nearly all we did. And for the first decade or so, our two paint lines were enough to handle all the finishing and refurbishment needs of our partners.

But as we grew, we saw an opportunity to do even more. And with that big new facility finally under ownership, the first priority was to equip it with a new paint line.

Shelving Line

Rounding out our list of equipment investments is possibly our most strategic—our shelving line. Designed to help us take on one of our biggest fixturing programs ever, our shelving line will be a key part of one of our biggest partners’ redesign efforts—and part of our expanded service offerings for years to come.

Output: Your Boldest Plans and Wildest Designs, On Time and On Budget

We live by the phrase, inspired experiences, no matter what. Throughout 2022, our partners came to us with some exciting ideas, bold plans, and wild designs. And we rose to the occasion. Whether domestic, international, or hybrid, we were on all cylinders to get the job done—on time, on budget, and just like the rendering.

Here’s just a small selection of the spaces we transformed throughout the year:

• Peak Design, New York (Retail)
• Brooklinen, Santa Monica (Retail)
• Brooklinen, Brooklyn (Retail)
• New Balance, Farmington Hills, MI (Retail)
• Hub Los Angeles Coliseum (Student Living)
• Hub Tampa (Student Living)
• ōLiv Auburn

And with 2023 just a few months in, we have some big things coming, including a major dispensary rollout and some of the biggest names in the direct-to-consumer world.

Thank You For Being Part of a More Than Made 2022

Our success wouldn’t be possible without the hard work from our team, the amazing ideas from our design & architecture partners, and the continued support from our clients. Whether you’ve worked with us before, continue to trust us, or are interested in learning more about who we are we’re thankful you took the time to read this far.

2022 was a massive year—our biggest by far—and we’re so incredibly proud to be here for our partners. Thank you for reading this and thank you for being part of our continued success.