by This week, Home News Now dropped in at the Furniture Manufacturing Expo held at the Hickory Metro Convention Center in Hickory, North Carolina July 19-20. Featuring some 90 suppliers of equipment and supplies geared toward the furniture industry, the show was a one-stop buying experience for furniture producers within the Hickory and High Point area and beyond.
The annual event allowed equipment suppliers a chance to meet in person with existing customers and business prospects alike looking to add to their manufacturing arsenal. While much of the equipment was geared toward upholstery manufacturing, there were also some suppliers that serve the case goods industry as well offering custom components with both functional and decorative appeal, ranging from knobs and drawer handles to carved and shaped feet and legs for both case pieces and sofas.
Traffic began filtering into the convention center Wednesday morning and continued into the early and mid-afternoon, creating a busy and active show floor. The flow of traffic continued through Thursday, allowing some buyers additional face-to-face time with their key vendors. Below is a look at some of the people and exhibits we saw at the event.
Lines formed early on Wednesday, July 19, for on-site registration. The event drew furniture manufacturing professionals from in and around the Hickory and High Point areas.
Automated Solutions LLC showcased some of its polyethylene foam products used in furniture and other applications.
Michael King, a solutions adviser for Bar Code Integrators, shows some of the scanners the company sells that are used to help keep track of product inventory.
Heico showcased a wide range of nailhead trim primarily used on upholstery but that also can be used as a decorative element on wood furniture.
Industry photographer and videographer Mynda Bullock gets some images from Kuris, a manufacturer of single- and multi-ply fabric-cutting equipment.
Customers visit the Leggett & Platt booth to learn about the company’s latest components and mechanisms used in upholstered furniture.
Participants in the show’s Micro Plant exhibit check on the status of a chair that was being built on the floor of the convention center. The chair is seen in its final stage of production.
Jay Levi, owner of Lee’s Decorative Showcase, at his booth which has a sampling of the many decorative wood, acrylic and metal legs in the company’s line along with a wide variety of nailhead trim options.
John Bray, left, chairman of Vanguard Furniture, talks with Harrison Hood, center, and Anthony Lockhart, packaging specialists with Morrisette Packaging.
Hickory Springs shared a booth with sister companies Atlanta Attachment Co., a supplier of sewing machines and related equipment, and Morgan Tecnica, which sells large-scale fabric-cutting equipment.
A Zund representative lays out a piece of leather to be cut on one of the company’s cutting machines on display at the expo.
