World Imports shipping from new Mississippi facility

Distribution center serves six Southeastern states

Tom Russell -- Furniture Today, August 4, 2009

PHILADELPHIA — Case goods and upholstery importer World Imports has opened a warehouse and distribution center in Bruce, Miss., that it says is offering improved service to a six-state area.

The 100,000-square-foot building began operations May 1, said Marc Luber, company president. It stocks 100% of World Imports' product mix, which mainly includes bedroom, dining room and living room furniture and home accents.

The facility ships to Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

Previously those states were served from the company's 600,000-sqaure-foot warehouse and distribution center at its Philadelphia headquarters. That facility continues to serve East Coast accounts.

The new facility ships to accounts in the six Southeastern states in an average of three days, Luber said. Previously it took an average of 10 days to ship goods to those retailers from Philadelphia.

"We can support smaller regional customers much better out of a regional warehouse," he said. "This gives added support for container direct business too."

The facility also serves large accounts with fill-in orders or parts.

Luber added that the company uses a small fleet of its own trucks to deliver goods to a single customer or multiple customers on the same route. As in the past, it also continues to contract with regional carriers to help deliver goods.

World Imports will show at the Tupelo Furniture Market, which opens Friday, in Building 6, space 6224.