Lacquer Craft forming hospitality furniture division

Industry veteran Noel Chitwood to head effort

Ray Allegrezza -- Furniture Today, April 20, 2010

AT THE MARKET — Lacquer Craft Furniture, one of China's largest manufacturers, announced today that it's entering the hospitality business with a new division, Lacquer Craft Hospitality.

While initial development efforts will be focused selling hospitality furniture to four- and five-star hotels in the United States, plans include penetration into Asia, Europe, the Middle East and other international markets, officials said.

Hospitality furniture veteran Noel Chitwood has been named as president of the new division.

Chitwood, who will report to Lacquer Craft President Mohamad Amini, spent 11 years with contract manufacturer and importer American of Martinsville, the last nine as president.

Amini said he projects that the division may generate up to $75 million in sales over the next three to five years.

He said the hospitality market has been on the company's radar for several years, but was put on the back burner because Lacquer Craft's residential furniture division has had strong growth.

Chitwood will be based in High Point, where Legacy Classic and Universal, both marketing divisions of Lacquer Craft, are headquartered. He said he plans to hire three managers to oversee product development and marketing efforts for the division.

Amini said the type of hotel the division will serve "requires flexible manufacturing, quality products and strict attention to timely delivery.... And we already have all of those capabilities not only from our residential business but from having produced hospitality furniture on an OEM basis."

"We are excited about entering this segment as a direct supplier," he added. "We also believe there is a need for a vertically integrated supplier to this arena and we feel we have the best facilities and the best people to support the hospitality segment, especially now, as it begins to recover from a dramatic downturn."

Lacquer Craft is a division of Samson Holding Ltd, parent company of U.S. brands Universal, Legacy Classic and Craftmaster.