Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
Piedmont Group, IHFC Hosting Economic Development Seminar
September 21,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on September 22, 2010
Piedmont Triad Partnership and International Home Furnishings Center will host a seminar at High Point Furniture Market for promoting the region's competitive advantages in the global marketplace of furnishings.
The seminar, Tuesday, Oct. 19 at noon in the IHFC High Point Room, is part of a comprehensive new furnishings initiative to be unveiled at Market on opening day, Saturday, Oct. 16. PTP is an economic development group representing North Carolinas 12-county Piedmont Triad Region
A panel of experts will provide a guide to the world-class concentration of assets for domestic and international companies seeking to cultivate manufacturing, logistics and distribution, supply chain management, training, creative services and other business resources.
The panelists, hosted by David Powell who started his duties as CEO of the PTP last month, will address the following topics:
* The Wealth of Furnishings Education and Training: Joy Bhadury, Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
* A Global Infrastructure for Logistics and Distribution: C. David Hauser, PTP vice president logistics and distribution.
* A Natural Location for Domestic Distribution Operations: Kevin O'Connor, president and CEO, Samson Marketing
Following the seminar, experts will be available for one-on-one consultations along with representatives of Piedmont Triad-area economic development organizations, the N.C, Department of Commerce, and the N.C. Export Council.
"We have identified this initiative as a top priority to move this region forward as the gateway for all resources related to furnishings," Powell said. "Our world-class concentration of furnishings related assets and resources is in place for companies that want to expand their businesses, whether from a domestic and exporting perspective or from an importing perspective for foreign companies who want to launch U.S. operations. The greater Piedmont Triad Region offers the full package."
According to a 2008 study by High Point University, the Piedmont Triad region boasts nearly 4,000 businesses related to furnishings, employing more than 65,000 people with an annual economic impact on the region of nearly $9 billion. The region is home to companies involved in wood furniture, upholstery, outdoor furniture, accessories, fabrics, floor coverings, wall coverings and a broad range of other related products suitable for residential, contract and hospitality use. Supporting resources include design, technology, warehousing, logistics, education, photography, marketing and other services.