Bradington-Young pursuing value with offshore partners
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, January 25, 2004
CHERRYVILLE, N.C — CHERRYVILLE, N.C. — Unlike some leather upholstery makers along the Hickory Highway, Bradington-Young embraces offshore partnerships.
"China offers good value," said President Scott Young. "Those of us who are effective operators with outstanding delivery and service will survive."
Bradington-Young began in 1978 as a high-end reclining chair producer. It grew to four plants in Hickory, Rowan County and Cherryville before case goods producer Hooker Furniture acquired it a year ago. The leather operation totals 368,000 square feet and employs 400 people.
The line now encompasses reclining chairs, tilt-back chairs, executive chairs, cigar chairs, sofas, loveseats, stationary chairs, ottomans, sectionals and motion. Company-wide, 38% of output is eight-way hand-tied stationary product, 44% reclining chairs, 8% executive chairs, 5% motion and 5% cigar chairs.
Leather covers, in 264 SKUs, make up 90% of volume. Most product is custom, but an in-stock program is available.
"We've developed a good reputation over 26 years," Young said. "We're more aggressive with tanneries to hit price points. We are a total leather resource" for upper-medium to high-end retailers.
Looking to China as "a way to boost business, not supplant it," Bradington-Young in April will expand its line of finished product from Asia, called Seven Seas Seating, launched with six executive chairs in October. The line will add 62 SKUs, including 10 fully upholstered stationary groups (eight sofas, two sectionals) and seven executive chairs. The assortment will be inventoried and shipped from a newly leased space in Cherryville.
"We're taking high-end ideas and translating them into lower price points of $1,299 to $1,599," Young said. "We're also bringing in four reclining chairs at a more popular price point."
The new line will offer a choice of two leathers per style. "This program is not for the big chains, but for the guy who can't buy a container order," said the leather aficionado.
Seven Seas Seating, displayed in both the Bradington-Young and Hooker showrooms, is being sold by the same sales force but cataloged and priced separately.
Bradington-Young has been using China cut-and-sew covers since 1999, along with sources in South America and Slovakia. That allows it to hit lower price points, and can cut dealer prices by as much as $200 per sofa or $75 on a recliner, Young said.
He keeps a close eye on the numbers. "Every day, I know my cutting percentage," Young said, reviewing spreadsheets at his desk. "We track everything. We weigh the whole job out."
His favorite part of the business is product development, but he acknowledges, "We make our money buying leather. We'll change brands because of price differences."
Bradington-Young had its best market ever in October, he said, opening 53 accounts, in part because of the firepower that Hooker's 70 sales reps added to its 23. The customer base includes independents and better department stores.
The company was launched by Young's father, Charles "Cheerful Charlie" Young Jr., Elliott Wood and others as an offshoot of Woodmark. They displayed five recliners at the April 1977 High Point market and began production in January 1978.
Scott worked at the company as a teen-ager and, after stints at Hancock & Moore, Masco and Drexel Heritage, returned to Bradington-Young in 1995. Ironically, an executive headhunter recruited him for the top job.
His younger brothers, twins Craig Young and Clark Young, are vice president of sales and North Carolina sales rep, respectively. Curtis Bolick is national sales manager and Conrad Kerley is general manager/director of manufacturing for the cut-and-sew facility here.
The company boasts plenty of Youngs, but no Bradingtons. That name was derived from supplier Burlington Madison Yarn Co.
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