Virginia Sterling Acquires Canal Dover Assets

September 24, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedroom on September 2008 Solid wood bedroom vendor Virginia Sterling has acquired Canal Dover Furniture Co., Midvale, Ohio. The company’s corporate offices will remain in Canfield, Ohio, an hour from Canal Dover’s 75,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. Terms of the asset purchase were not disclosed.

Owners Michael and John Scarsella launched Virginia Sterling at the April 2007 High Point Market as a division of Vaughan Furniture Company. The began searching for an alternate manufacturing partner in March, when Vaughan announced it would close its last domestic facility in Galax, Va.

“We analyzed multiple options for the continued manufacturing of the Virginia Sterling line over the past several months,” said Michael Scarsella. “Canal Dover’s reputation as a producer of high-quality, solid wood product made it the obvious choice, and of course we remain American-made.”

Production of Virginia Sterling will begin immediately at the Canal Dover plant. The Canal Dover line of products will continue without interruption until a thorough evaluation of how both product lines will ultimately dovetail from a production and marketing perspective can be completed.

“We’re going to be investing heavily in new machinery right off the bat,” Scarsella said. “(High Point) Market will dictate a lot of how the two companies will dovetail.”

Lloyd Love, who most recently served as vice president of manufacturing at Durham Furniture, has joined Virginia Sterling and will oversee the plant operation in Midvale.

“Lloyd’s more than 40 years of experience in solid wood will prove invaluable to our success,” Scarsella said. “He understands our customers and their needs and he is just as particular about fashion and quality as my father and I are. We are thrilled and honored to have him as part of our team.”

Canal Dover was founded in 1987 by Charles Kuder. Over the past 20 years, the company has grown into a premier regional manufacturer specializing in upper middle priced dining room.

“The Virginia Sterling line, combined with the experience and track record of the Scarsella family, provide an exciting opportunity for this workforce to take the operation to a new level,” said Kuder.

Scarsella said the Canal Dover facility is a strong foundation for Virginia Sterling’s continued growth.

“We will be building on this foundation through significant investment in technology, process and personnel over the next several months,” he said.

The plant’s location also allows easy access to cherry, maple, and quarter-sawn oak from neighboring Pennsylvania and West Virginia. “Virginia Sterling is fundamentally an American company, and we are extremely proud to be planting its roots in our home state of Ohio,” Scarsella said.

Virginia Sterling will exhibit during the Oct. 20-26 High Point Market in space 204 of Market Square.