Bassett to Reopen Upholstery Plant

April 5, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Upholstery on April 6, 2010

Full-line vendor Bassett Furniture Industries (Nasdaq:BSET), Bassett, Va., has announced plans to reopen an upholstery plant in Newton, N.C., at the end of May.

The factory will manufacture a new starting price point of sofas, loveseats, chairs and pillows for Bassett's store network and independent retailers. This new assortment, including 10 new frames and 20 mix and match pillows, represents a 20 percent reduction in Bassett's current opening price point. The new assortment will feature the same warranty offered in Bassett's existing line.

"Our upholstery manufacturing team takes great pride in the precision of their craftsmanship and the speed of their delivery," said Robert H. Spilman Jr., president and chief executive officer at Bassett. "The efficiency of our cellular manufacturing processes has been the hallmark of Bassett's leading service proposition for several years now. This new line will be available to ship to our retailers within 2 to 3 days. We believe we'll be able to use these new products to expand distribution and to drive traffic to our stores. In a time when more and more domestic furniture manufacturing has shifted oversees, we are elated to be able to take advantage of a strong workforce in Newton and introduce a new segment to our upholstery line, made right here in United States."

Bassett currently has 430 employees at its Newton complex and will staff the new facility with existing and new employees.