Universal Leather enters alliance to show in China
Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, January 11, 2004
HIGH POINT — Universal Leather, an importer and distributor of South American hides, will show its leathers in China under an arrangement with Jerry & Co., an Asian furniture manufacturer.
Jerry & Co., owned by Jerry Jiaan, is based in southern China. Jiaan also owns upholstery manufacturer Alison Furniture and makes products for other manufacturers.
The new alliance expands Universal Leather's reach by enabling it to have its leathers — produced by the Uruguay-based tannery Curtifrance — available to manufacturers visiting or based in China, said Les Flippo, vice president of Universal Leather. Customers will see the same hides in China as they do in the company's High Point showroom.
"Manufacturers can specify our leathers on their frames while they are in China," he said. The leathers will be available in Jerry & Co.'s showroom.
"We could not ignore the migration of large volume leather upholstery production to China," said Flippo, adding that there is a potential for distribution to other Chinese factories. "China does not have the variety of leathers necessary or suitable for successful upholstery sales in the U.S. marketplace. Our larger customers asked us for more variety and better value hides than what was currently available in China and Italy."
Universal has developed a program of merchandised prices, styles and colors ready to ship to China from South America by air or sea. In addition to offering its full line through Jerry & Co., 15% of Universal's bestsellers will be warehoused in Uruguay for container-direct shipments to China, Flippo said.
"In recent years, we have seen a number of buyers skip leather viewing at Showtime to view selections at the point of manufacturing where they can work with leather and frame together," said Rich Wingo, vice president of sales for Universal Leather. "As raw material suppliers, we must be where the manufacturing markets are located."
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