El Ran: Ratcheted for success
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, January 6, 2002
POINTE-CLAIRE, Quebec — What began as a ratchet-back sleeper operation has ricocheted into a major motion producer. El Ran entered the U.S. market four years ago when it opened its High Point showroom.
Marking its 35th anniversary this year, the operation was founded by Irving Lubin and Howard Shaffer, who named it for their daughters, Ellen (Shaffer) and Randy (Lubin), respectively.
Lubin, who retired two years ago, bought out Shaffer more than 10 years ago.
El Ran today employs 650 workers in a 233,000-square-foot facility, managed by Lubin's son, Sheldon, and son-in-law and husband of Randy, Eric Abecassis.
Sheldon Lubin, president, handles U.S. sales, as well as all operations and finance, while Abecassis, senior vice president, tends to sales in Canada and Europe, as well as promotions and marketing.
El Ran was producing ratchet-back sleepers in the late 1960s when a retailer inquired about recliners. With an assist from Peoploungers for proper components, fabric-covered recliners soon became El Ran's primary business.
Buoyed by the category's impact, the senior Lubin introduced motion sofas to the Toronto market in 1982 "as an experiment" — and never looked back.
"Our business kept growing and becoming more successful," said Sheldon Lubin.
The company eventually partnered with Action Lane, using its recliner mechanism for 15 years, before veering out on its own into motion. El Ran now utilizes Leggett & Platt components. El Ran added a complementary stationary line four years ago.
A typical leather/vinyl motion sofa is $999 retail.
Leather was added to the upholstery offerings in the early 1990s, with finished hides imported from Italy for its cut-and-sew operation here. Leather represents 70% of El Ran's U.S. line, while the opposite ratio holds true for Canada, where fabric reigns. Lubin attributed this peculiarity to retail selections, not regional tastes.
"We specialize in national chains and independents in both the United States and Canada," Lubin said. "We offer high volume to the majors and custom to the independents."
El Ran also generates 10% of its sales from retailers in France, Israel and the Benelux countries.
Its non-reliance on container loads and its ability to deliver within 20 working days — or 24-hour turnaround for some majors — has contributed to El Ran's success.
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