Tilting the balance toward domestic production
By Alan Wolf, YSN
BrandSource vendor partner Flexsteel Industries will expand its domestic manufacturing footprint with the opening of an additional product development and engineering facility (PD&E) next month.
Located in High Point, N.C., the country’s unofficial furniture capital, the new factory will provide the home furnishings manufacturer with additional capacity to drive product improvements with increased speed to market, and will work in tandem with Flexsteel’s existing PD&E team in Dublin, Ga.
Flexsteel said the strategic initiative supports its efforts to grow its domestic product offering, with a specific focus on the relaunch of its Charisma brand.
Related: Flexsteel Flexes its Home Furnishings Muscle
Flexsteel took possession of the High Point facility last week and plans to begin operations there with the start of the new year. High Point is centrally located near key industry suppliers and is home to the International Home Furnishings Center, where Flexsteel maintains a showroom, and to the bi-annual Furniture Market.
Adding to area’s attraction is the availability of talented personnel for key roles following a recent spate of vendor shutdowns. The company said it plans to actively recruit and build out a team of full-time employees and local specialized contractors over the coming weeks and months, while its Dublin crew remains committed to ongoing initiatives to ensure a successful April Market.
“We’re excited to execute the next phase of our product development strategy with the introduction of a second product development group based in High Point,” said Jim Austin, Flexsteel’s product development engineering manager. “This move will result in a unified product development team across two locations. It leverages the talent and insights of our Dublin-based team, enhancing our ability to strategically achieve growth in our domestic portfolio. This location also places us in close proximity to many of the key suppliers in the industry.”
The company said its overarching goal is to grow its domestic product line to the point that half its revenue comes from inventory produced in North America. The addition of the High Point facility will increase Flexsteel’s U.S. manufacturing footprint to over 2 million square feet, representing a significant step toward hitting that goal, and underscoring its dedication to growth and innovation, the company said.
