What's happened to most original petitioners?
Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 5, 2010
BASSETT
Total distribution: $7.4 million
How company spent the money
Company did not provide specifics on how it has used the Byrd money. However, its annual reports indicate it has spent $16.8 million on the wholesale side of the business from 2005 through 2009.
State of domestic production
Company operates a wood assembly and finishing plant in Martinsville, Va. and an upholstery plant in Newton, N.C. Its total employment by the end of 2009, was 1,189, 505 of whom were employed on the retail side of the business and 684 of whom were employed on the wholesale side of the business. That's down from a total of 4,200 workers in 2001.
CAROLINA FURNITURE WORKS
Total distribution: $3.0 million
How company spent the money
Sumter, S.C.- based company said it has used Byrd monies to offset equipment purchases. It claims to have the most modern rough mill in the industry.
State of domestic production
Company produces nearly 100% of its mix, minus some pieces and components, domestically. It employs between 150 and 200 workers total.
CENTURY
Total distribution: $2.3 million
How company spent the money
Company has invested in new equipment including a case goods packaging machine that tailors cardboard boxes to specific pieces of furniture. This along with other new case goods production equipment has made the company more efficient, officials say.
State of domestic production
Hickory, N.C.-based company produces 85% of its product mix based on sales. In early July it had about 780 workers, down about 300 over the past several years, officials said.
HARDEN FURNITURE
Total distribution: $0.6 million
How company spent the money
The duty money is put into the $500,000 to $1 million in product development and marketing funds Harden spends each year, said Greg Harden, president and CEO of the McConnellsville, N.Y.-based company. The factory underwent and modernization in the late 1990s and the manufacturer has continued to upgrade systems and facilities.
State of domestic production
Harden Furniture said the company has increased its domestic product from 85% to 95% since the start of the recession. The company's employment is down about 20% since it peaked in 2007 and its workers are seeing some shorter hours.
HIGDON
Total distribution: $2.8 million
How company spent the money
Company officials did not respond to requests for comment from Furniture/Today.
State of domestic production
Quincy, Fla.-based promotional wood bedroom maker Higdon filed for bankruptcy protection in 2007 and emerged last year.
JOHNSTON TOMBIGBEE
Total distribution: $5.1 million
How company spent money
Columbus, Miss.-based company declined to offer specifics other than to say it has equipped the plant with the latest technology available.
Status of domestic production
Company still produces hotel furniture in Columbus and claims to produce 100% of its mix in the U.S.
LA-Z-BOY CASE GOODS
COMPANIES
Total distribution: $22.4 million
AMERICAN OF MARTINSVILLE
Total distribution: $9.3 million
KINCAID
Total distribution: $8.1 million
LEA INDS.
Total distribution: $5.1 million
AMERICAN DREW
Total distribution: $0.001 million
How company spent the money
La-Z-Boy, based in Monroe, Mich., did not comment on how it used CDSOA funds for each of its case goods companies, but has included the total received as income in its annual report each year.
State of domestic production
The company's sole domestic case goods manufacturing plant is located in Hudson, N.C. It also has indicated in its most recent annual report that it has 483 case goods employees, which is down from 2,278 in 2005. Both Lea and Kincaid still produce some youth and adult bedroom domestically. American of Martinsville, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May, stopped producing contract case goods in 2008.
MICHELS AND CO.
Total distribution: $2.1 million
How company spent the money
Officials and legal representatives with Michels and Co., which no longer operates and has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since last year, did not respond to requests for comment from Furniture/Today. The company was required to leave its factory last year in August.
State of domestic production
Irwin Allen, the company's president and CEO, could not be reached for comment. However, in bankruptcy court documents, he indicated all that was left of the company is a P.O. Box and a computer server at his residence with the company's financial records on it.
MOBEL
Total distribution: $2.3 million
How company spent the money
Kenneth J. Lamkin, president of the Ferdinand, Ind.- based company did not return repeated phone calls seeking comment.
State of domestic production
Company is believed to produce some bedroom, home entertainment and occasional in its Indiana plant.
MOOSEHEAD MFG.
Total distribution: $0.5 million
How company used the money
Monson, Maine-based Moosehead Manufacturing stopped receiving CDSOA monies after 2007 funds were distributed.
State of domestic production
Company was purchased by a local investment group in September 2007 and restarted production, but closed again in the fall of 2009, filing for bankruptcy protection in early 2010. It reverted back to its bank and in late August, the company's assets were purchased for $1.05 million by Maine businesswoman Louise M. Jonaitis, who said she plans to reopen the plant in three to six months.
PERDUES
Total distribution: $2.8 million
How company spent the money
Company president Richard Perdue said the funds have helped save jobs and the company spent some of the CDSOA distribution money on machinery for its factory, although he declined to specify on what and how much.
State of domestic production
Rapid City, South Dakota-based Perdues has been able to keep its employment stable over the last five years with about 180 workers at its factory, Perdue said.
SANDBERG
Total distribution: $5.5 million
How company spent the money
Vernon, Calif.-based company declined to comment on specific capital expenditures. However, the company has invested in its plant, said John Sandberg, president.
State of domestic production
Sandberg also declined to offer specifics about the size of its domestic operation, but claims to produce 90% of its mix domestically.
STICKLEY
Total distribution: $3.4 million
How company spent money
Manlius, N.Y. -based manufacturer did not provide specifics on how it spent Byrd monies. However, it does invest an average of $2.3 million in equipment for its case goods operation in Manlius and its Archdale, N.C. upholstery production facilities each year.
State of domestic production
Company employs 1,350, including nearly 1,000 in its Manlius, N.Y. production and headquarters operation. The 408,000 square-foot facility has undergone seven expansions since 1985. Company also operates a wood plant in Vietnam, but claims that 93% of its overall production remains in the U.S., including upholstery.
STANLEY
Total distribution: $31.5 million
How company spent the money
The Stanleytown, Va.-based company did not provide specifics on how Byrd money was spent. Annual reports indicate it has spent about $18.3 million in capital improvements since 2005, or about $3.6 million a year. No specifics available on the type equipment purchased.
State of domestic production
Company had about 2,500 workers in 2005, but closed plants in Lexington, N.C. and Martinsville in 2008. It had a total 1,250 workers this past May between Stanleytown, Va. and Robbinsville, N.C. However, it plans to close its Stanleytown plant by year end and converting it to a finishing/assembly and warehouse operation with between 100 and 200 workers. Robbinsville will continue to produce youth bedroom, with about 500 remaining workers.
T. COPELAND AND SONS
Total distribution: $1.0 million
How company used the money
Officials with Bradford, Vt.-based Copeland Furniture did not respond to requests for comment from Furniture/ Today.
TOM SEELY FURNITURE/GAT
CREEK
Total distribution: $0.5 million
How company spent the money
Gat Caperton, president and CEO of Berkeley Springs, W. Va. manufacturer Gat Creek, said the duties did help save American jobs and that the monies received have helped contribute to expansion and upgrading of the company's finish room and a $500,000 boiler project at the plant, among other improvements. Caperton said that the reason his company is still in business is because it has continued to invest in its factory.
State of domestic production
Company continues to operate its Berkeley Springs, W. Va. factory and produces 100% of its product mix with an estimated 130 workers.
VAUGHAN-BASSETT
Total distribution: $20.8 million
How company spent the money
Officials say the Galax, Va.-based company has made $57 million in capital improvements in the past 10 years or more. That includes about $3 million for a new rough end system in Galax, Va., $5 million for a new warehouse in Elkin and $375,000 for new office software.
State of domestic production
Vaughan-Bassett still produces bedroom in Galax. As of March, its 900,000 square-foot plant there employed about 650. Its Elkin, N.C. assembly and finishing operation employed about 50, for a total of 700 workers.
VERMONT QUALITY WOOD
PRODUCTS (Vermont Tubbs)
Total distribution: $1.3 million
How company spent the money
Company said it has not received any Byrd money since it was purchased by Adam and Kyle Tager and merged with Brown Street Furniture in the fall of 2008. However, officials said the company continues to invest in new equipment on an ongoing basis.
State of domestic production
Whitefield, N.H.-based company has a combined 90 workers and produces 100% of its product mix domestically.
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