Glabman-Himes Shifts to a Mill-Direct Model
August 27, 2008
HIGH POINT, North Carolina - After three years of importing and converting its Westlake line of decorative upholstery fabric, Glabman-Himes is shifting to a mill-direct model. All current Westlake product – now Westlake Rugao – will be produced by ADF owner David Li's factories in Rugao, China and sold by the Glabman-Himes sales force, which will also represent ADF's products in the furniture market in the United States and Canada.
Glabman-Himes, a fabric industry sales and marketing agency for more than 50 years, will continue to design, merchandise and market the line; and customer service and order entry will remain based at the company's showroom and office in High Point. ''We are excited about this development,'' said Jack Glabman, partner of Glabman-Himes. '' David owns the best-equipped producer of decorative upholstery fabric in China. The company is vertical – and they have more types of factories than any company we know about in China – weaving, printing, finishing and dyeing.''
''We are very impressed with Glabman-Himes' track record with major mills in the past,'' David Li, CEO of ADF, said. ''Our clients have been troubled with continuous cost increases, interruptions in the supply chain as well as a lack of innovation. I'm sure they will appreciate the alternative offered by Westlake Rugao. We are committed to being one of the best suppliers to the furniture industry.''
Li added that Westlake Rugao will be offered as a mill direct line to the furniture trade. It will be merchandised and sold separately from ADF and will not be available to ADF's sister operations that do direct manufacturing of furniture. ADF will continue to design and offer a line of upholstery and multipurpose home furnishings fabrics that will be sold to its existing customer base as well as to its sister companies.
Glabman-Himes, a fabric industry sales and marketing agency for more than 50 years, will continue to design, merchandise and market the line; and customer service and order entry will remain based at the company's showroom and office in High Point. ''We are excited about this development,'' said Jack Glabman, partner of Glabman-Himes. '' David owns the best-equipped producer of decorative upholstery fabric in China. The company is vertical – and they have more types of factories than any company we know about in China – weaving, printing, finishing and dyeing.''
''We are very impressed with Glabman-Himes' track record with major mills in the past,'' David Li, CEO of ADF, said. ''Our clients have been troubled with continuous cost increases, interruptions in the supply chain as well as a lack of innovation. I'm sure they will appreciate the alternative offered by Westlake Rugao. We are committed to being one of the best suppliers to the furniture industry.''
Li added that Westlake Rugao will be offered as a mill direct line to the furniture trade. It will be merchandised and sold separately from ADF and will not be available to ADF's sister operations that do direct manufacturing of furniture. ADF will continue to design and offer a line of upholstery and multipurpose home furnishings fabrics that will be sold to its existing customer base as well as to its sister companies.
