Century Furniture Receives State Honor for Workforce Development

October 24, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on October 2007 High-end manufacturer Century Furniture, Hickory, N.C., has received the state of North Carolina’s Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development. The honor goes to two North Carolina companies each year in recognition of workforce development through training and community service. Century is the first furniture maker to win the award.

Century President and CEO Bob Maricich accepted the award on behalf of the company at a ceremony last Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.

“In 2007 we’re celebrating 60 years of excellence, community service and making products of impeccable quality and exceptional value,” he said. “We have one standard, the best—the best products, the best people, and a workplace where people can do their best work. Our business is strong and profitable at a time when others in our industry are closing factories. We are still actively recruiting and hiring. And that’s the real proof that being a socially responsible company pays off.”

After some experimentation with sourced collections, Century made a strategic decision to keep the bulk of its manufacturing in the United States. While the company does use overseas sourcing, some 70 percent of its furniture is still made domestically.

Century currently employs more than 1,100 people, all of whom are shareholders in the company. Average length of service is 18 years, with several employees having worked for Century for more than 30 years.

Century’s nomination for the award included the following initiatives:

• Implementation of an on-the-job training program to recruit and train referrals from the Catawba County (N.C.) JobLink and to offer current employees the opportunity for advancement.

• Internships for college students, and tuition and textbook support for employees who continue their education, offering workplace literacy, supervisory training and ongoing training in lean manufacturing principles.

• A comprehensive medical, dental and vision plan, and other benefits that include a 401K, life insurance, disability coverage, on-site nurse practitioner, flexible spending accounts, paid vacation and holidays, credit union, Employee Stock Ownership Plan, opportunities for advancement and training, on-site mammograms, wellness seminars and discount furniture purchases.

• The hiring of a homeless man, augmented with assistance through clothing donations, finding shelter, obtaining help from Cooperative Christian Ministries, and transportation to and from work.

• The service of Century executives on the boards of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce, Frye Regional Hospital, United Way, Juvenile Diabetes, YMCA of Catawba Valley, Piedmont Council, Boy Scouts of America, NCSU Industrial Extension Advisory Board, and the American Red Cross; and company support of those and other community organizations.