Aaron's Re-Brands Furniture Mfg. Unit

July 25, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on July 26, 2010

Rent-to-own major Aaron's Inc., Atlanta, Ga., (NYSE: AAN) has changed the name of its 11 furniture and bedding manufacturing plants.

Formerly MacTavish Furniture Industries, Aaron's furniture making group now is named Woodhaven Furniture Industries. The name change is synonymous with the Woodhaven brand of products the company manufactures and accompanies a move toward greater green practices within the manufacturing process. A full rebranding effort including a new logo supports the name change.

"Our manufacturing operations have undergone substantial changes over the past few years, namely a movement toward greener practices," said Aaron's President and CEO, Robert C. Loudermilk Jr. "We also recognized our plants are best known for the Woodhaven product brand, so we believe this is the perfect time to rebrand accordingly. Our new logo of a green tree not only represents our commitment to the environment, but it signifies what Aaron's is all about--strength, stability, growth and community responsibility."

Aaron's has implemented a number of actions in its effort to go green at its manufacturing plants, including the recycling of all scrap materials, the use of sustainable wood products in furniture, the use of raw materials containing at least 25 post-consumer content, skylight panels to reduce the use of light fixtures and energy consumption, the use of wood waste for heating, and the implementation of electronic documentation processes to reduce the amount of paper used. Aaron's reduced landfill waste at its Coolidge and Cairo, Georgia locations by approximately eight million pounds and generated a cost savings of nearly $250,000 in 2009.

"We're at the forefront of the green movement in the furniture manufacturing industry," said Mike Jarnigan, Aaron's vice president, manufacturing. "Aaron's is proud to make its furniture, upholstery and bedding right here in the U.S., and it's important that we do everything in our power to protect the environment in our own backyard. As we like to say at Woodhaven, we're saving the world, one sofa at a time."

The Woodhaven Furniture Industries division operates 11 facilities in five states, with a 12th facility scheduled to open in Phoenix later this year. Most production is shipped to Aaron's Company-operated and franchised stores. The division manufactured furniture and bedding worth around $72 million at cost 2009.

Aaron's Inc. has more than 1,730 company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada.