Lorts Mfg. expands, consolidates furniture production

Company now offers 34 finish options

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, August 5, 2009

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Case goods manufacturer Lorts Mfg. has consolidated its operations here into a single location, following a $1 million plant expansion that moved finishing operations to that facility.

Fred Faul, left, and Ty Lorts, both of Lorts Mfg., Goodyear, Ariz. Mayor James Cavanaugh and Mike Lorts of Lorts take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the $1 million expansion of the Lorts plant in Goodyear.

Until recently, the company operated two facilities in Goodyear and in Tolleson, Ariz. The 65,000-square foot Tolleson plant, which was closed in June, had opened in 1972, while the 155,000-square-foot Goodyear plant opened in August 2005.

On July 24, Lorts held a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by 100 vendors, customers and city officials to celebrate and showcase the redesigned and expanded finishing line in Goodyear.

The company said the expanded finishing operation runs at nearly triple the capacity of the previous line, and can change between finishes more quickly. Lorts now offers 34 finishes and can run 10 or more of finishes in a single day.

"Many Asian factories produce nice furniture, but they'll offer one finish and run that finish for a month," said company owner Ty Lorts in a statement. "Producing as many finishes as we do works for the consumer that is looking to personalize their furniture."

He added that the new facility allows the company to produce finished goods faster, while maintaining value in "comparison with competitors who try to match our capabilities."