TFA Acquisition Strengthens Swavelle High-End Fabrics
December 9, 2004
NEW YORK, New York — Textile Fabric Associates, a division of Swavelle Mill Creek says it has received continued strong demand for its raffia product line in the hospitality market as well as its embroidered Indian Silks in upper end decorative markets for $59.95 a yard. "We're not interested in plain silks. We're only interested in very decorative Indian silk that we buy from two Indian mills," according to Michael Day, TFA vice president.
The acquisition of TFA by Swavelle over one year ago has put Swavelle "more solidly into wovens and high end decorative fabrics with a more fashion forward line," Day confirmed.
There are other synergies to the acquisition as well, Day said. "Swavelle has exposed us to the mobile home business, recreational vehicle and boating trades and contract markets, all new markets for us at TFA, he said. "TFA has put Swavelle in a product price level it has never before achieved, he added.
"Our raffia lines have made inroads in the marine industry, he said. Raffia is our fastest growing product line. There are imitations of our raffia collections in the marketplace but ours is the most durable product made." TFA's raffia lines are made of cord hemp. It is a paper based product and sells for $18.95 to $40 a yard.
Day joined TFA in 1998 when it was owned by Ellen and John Yuder and then joined Swavelle with its acquisition of TFA. Day reports to Richard Hanfling, vice president of sales for Swavelle Mill Creek.
TFA has an exclusive agency agreement with Ta Bru, the raffia producer based in Florence, Italy in addition to other lines imported by TFA to the USA. Day works with Susan Devaney, Swavelle's chief designer for the Swavelle bedding business. Devaney has 20 years experience designing for converters. Day stressed that only manufacturers of bedding can deal with Swavelle and TFA. "We do not sell finished product to the retailer of bedding," he said.
"We're also not interested in royalty business for our designs. We're looking to do real business," Devaney stressed, specifically in the bedding field.
Joe Bettini, contract sales manager for Swavelle has fully integrated TFA raffia into a collection of product for the hospitality market in better end suites which includes applications of raffia to headboards, benches and wall coverings. "Our raffia lines for hospitallity has a different finish than our residential lines. It offers 100,000 plus double rubs and is backed. It passes all FR tests for upholstery.
Swavelle introduced a 160 sku hospitality collection in April plus an additional 95 sku's from the TFA line. "It is all booked and ready for sale to the jobber and to the hospitality trade," Bettini explained. The line also includes printed raffia in five to six screens on a heavier weight and more durable base," he said.
In export, sales of raffia to Latin American markets and the Far East are being achieved by Joe Kenney, export manager of Swavelle.
"We're not concerned about the Chinese knocking off our raffia lines," said Day. The Chinese do not want to bother with short runs of raffia. Also, the loom has to be redesigned to accommodate the production of raffia. This requires the special knowledge and expertise of our Italian suppliers. They do not share this technology with anyone else."
The acquisition of TFA by Swavelle over one year ago has put Swavelle "more solidly into wovens and high end decorative fabrics with a more fashion forward line," Day confirmed.
There are other synergies to the acquisition as well, Day said. "Swavelle has exposed us to the mobile home business, recreational vehicle and boating trades and contract markets, all new markets for us at TFA, he said. "TFA has put Swavelle in a product price level it has never before achieved, he added.
"Our raffia lines have made inroads in the marine industry, he said. Raffia is our fastest growing product line. There are imitations of our raffia collections in the marketplace but ours is the most durable product made." TFA's raffia lines are made of cord hemp. It is a paper based product and sells for $18.95 to $40 a yard.
Day joined TFA in 1998 when it was owned by Ellen and John Yuder and then joined Swavelle with its acquisition of TFA. Day reports to Richard Hanfling, vice president of sales for Swavelle Mill Creek.
TFA has an exclusive agency agreement with Ta Bru, the raffia producer based in Florence, Italy in addition to other lines imported by TFA to the USA. Day works with Susan Devaney, Swavelle's chief designer for the Swavelle bedding business. Devaney has 20 years experience designing for converters. Day stressed that only manufacturers of bedding can deal with Swavelle and TFA. "We do not sell finished product to the retailer of bedding," he said.
"We're also not interested in royalty business for our designs. We're looking to do real business," Devaney stressed, specifically in the bedding field.
Joe Bettini, contract sales manager for Swavelle has fully integrated TFA raffia into a collection of product for the hospitality market in better end suites which includes applications of raffia to headboards, benches and wall coverings. "Our raffia lines for hospitallity has a different finish than our residential lines. It offers 100,000 plus double rubs and is backed. It passes all FR tests for upholstery.
Swavelle introduced a 160 sku hospitality collection in April plus an additional 95 sku's from the TFA line. "It is all booked and ready for sale to the jobber and to the hospitality trade," Bettini explained. The line also includes printed raffia in five to six screens on a heavier weight and more durable base," he said.
In export, sales of raffia to Latin American markets and the Far East are being achieved by Joe Kenney, export manager of Swavelle.
"We're not concerned about the Chinese knocking off our raffia lines," said Day. The Chinese do not want to bother with short runs of raffia. Also, the loom has to be redesigned to accommodate the production of raffia. This requires the special knowledge and expertise of our Italian suppliers. They do not share this technology with anyone else."
