Noah's Selling U.S.-Made Mattress Line in China

David Perry -- Furniture Today, September 23, 2011

Buyers at the International Famous Furniture Fair in Dongguan, China, look at beds made by Noah’s Mfg. of the United States.HOUSTON - Officials with Noah's Mfg., a bedding producer based here, are encouraged about the company's newest venture: A program to sell U.S.-made mattresses in China.
       The producer, which serves customers in the U.S. Southwest, recently formed a distribution partnership with Zibo Senbao Furniture Co. in Qingdao, China to distribute its bedding lines throughout China. The company is operating under the name of Qingdao Noah's Ltd. and introduced its product line at the recent International Famous Furniture Fair in Dongguan, China.
     Response to the lines, which carried a "Made in the U.S.A." banner, was strong, said J.B. Ricci, vice president of Noah's Mfg..
     "We had a great showing and have commitments from customers in most all major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hangzhou, among others," Ricci said. "The models we are offering are exclusive designs for the Chinese market based on winning models we have in our domestic product line."
     Noah’s Mfg. mattresses, to be sold in China through a distribution partnership, carry a “Made in USA” message on the pillow bolsters.The product offering includes innerspring and specialty sleep models.
     "As an American manufacturer," Ricci said, "we are very proud to be offering quality hand-crafted American products to the rapidly growing Chinese consumer market."
     He said his company's partner in China "has expressed and is banking on the fact that the growing economic middle class in China is focused on purchasing and owning quality products ‘Made in the USA.'"
     Noah's, which is marking its 30th year in business, is based in Houston and has its manufacturing facilities there. It distributes its products in the U.S. through two facilities, one in Houston serving south Texas and southern Louisiana and another in Dallas serving northern Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri.