Soft Line Calia builds supply of hides
Says move enables better pricing
Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, October 9, 2008
HIGH POINT - Leather seating specialist Soft Line Calia America has bulked up its supply of hides this market, which it says will enable it to pass along better pricing to dealers at this month's High Point Market.Soft Line and Caliaitalia USA merged their North American efforts in June 2007, establishing a joint marketing agreement to distribute their China-produced leather upholstery in the United States and Canada under the Soft Line Calia America LLC brand.
 Model 3305, trading on transitional styling and a full grain leather hide, is among the frames Soft Line Calia America will show at the High Point Market. Retail is $799. This model will be in the Caliaitalia showroom at 220 Elm, space 200. |
Soft Line specializes in transitional and traditional sofas starting at $599 while Calia has modern and contemporary looks starting at $899.
"We bought $25 million to $30 million worth of Italian hides, allowing us to put together a strong program this market," said Mauro Bracciale, vice president of sales and marketing for Soft Line Calia America. The hides, tanned in Italy, have been shipped to the joint production facility in China.
"Buying in such huge volume allowed us to bring prices down on these hides and now we will pass these lower prices on to our customers," Bracciale said. He estimated the cost to dealers would be about 15% lower than a year ago.
All categories of leather can be purchased from one factory, and shipped in one container.
Soft Line has been selling in the United States for more than 20 years and Calia more than 10 years. Each company derives about 25% of its sales from the United States and Canada.
The companies maintain independent, Italian-based production, marketing and distribution strategies for their respective customers in countries other than the United States and Canada.
Each company continues to show its collections separately in High Point: Caliaitalia at 220 Elm, space 200, and Soft Line at 131 W. Commerce Ave. The market opens Oct. 20.
