Miles Talbott, Lefa Create Furnishings Brand Management Firm

September 6, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on September 7, 2011 Upholstery producer Miles Talbott Furniture has joined with case goods vendor Lefa to form ML Brands International.

The vertically-integrated joint venture offers the home furnishings industry a spectrum of licensing and brand management services, including product design and development, merchandising, sales and marketing. Production will take place at MLBI€™s wholly-owned facilities located in the United States and Latin America, creating factory-direct manufacturing capabilities.

By vertically integrating sales, marketing and manufacturing operations in the Western Hemisphere, MLBI is able to bypass third-party outsourcing fees and extended supply-chains. This assures shorter product lead times for global home furnishing brands and greater earnings growth potential.

Through a group of affiliated companies, MLBI will also offer an assortment of additional home furnishings, including lamps, rugs, tabletop decorative accessories and linens.

Rob Casey, former manager of licensing programs for Polo Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart, is the managing partner of the venture.

€œMiles Talbott and Lefa, for over half a century combined, have developed an expertise for delivering to the marketplace better-end home products bearing superior quality, price and value,€ Casey said. €œMLBI is positioned to deliver the market to global home brands seeking growth opportunities in this tough economy. We have vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities with well established sales and marketing teams.€

Casey said MLBI signed a licensing agreement with a "major home brand" earlier this summer. An announcement is expected to be made in a few weeks.

George Jordan, president of Miles Talbott, said the new company has been approached by a number of better-end brands interested in exploring licensing agreements.

€œBecause of the rising wages in China and the Pac-Rim, and the costs associated with long-lead containers, a lot of people are taking another look at producing their goods in the Western Hemisphere," Jordan said. "As the East-West price gap narrows, brands and retailers have expressed interest in products manufactured in closer proximity to North American markets."

ML Brands International is headquartered in Miles Talbott€™s corporate offices in High Point.