China's Hightex adding cut-and-sew facility
Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, October 10, 2005
Inglewood, Calif. — Chinese mill Hightex is adding a 2 million-square-foot cut-and-sew facility to its plant in China's Hang Zhou province to enhance service to customers.
Brad Harper, president of Hightex North America, said Wenlong Lu, president and founder of the company, is determined to maintain control of all aspects of production, and this new facility is the latest step in that strategy.
Lu was in High Point in July for his company's first appearance at the summer Showtime fabric fair.
Typically, a customer buys fabric from a mill and then has it shipped to another company in China to be cut and sewn.
Lu believes that step has the potential to compromise intellectual property rights. By having his own cut-and-sew facility, Lu believes he can better control and protect designs.
In addition, the new facility will benefit Hightex customers because the time required to ship goods to another cut-and-sew facility will be eliminated. Harper estimates that will save at least one week.
Harper recently was promoted to president of Hightex North America from vice president of sales, and will oversee the national sales force.
Ricky Chen, director of product development, also has been promoted, adding director of international logistics to his title and responsibilities.
Chen will handle delivery of Hightex product to all U.S. customers.
