by Manufacturer changes up mix, focusing on fully upholstered frames vs. frames with wood trim
HIGH POINT – Case goods manufacturer International Furniture Direct is launching upholstery this market produced in its manufacturing facilities in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The company is starting out small, offering three sofa and loveseat combinations each available in three different Chinese-made fabrics.
IFD is using its existing 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facilities in Guadalajara to produce the groups, but plans to expand its operations with an additional 50,000 square feet of space that includes dedicated manufacturing.
Sofas are targeted to retail from $799 to $899, Miguel Ochoa, IFD general manager, told Home News Now.
This is not the company’s first venture into upholstery. It attempted the category before the pandemic, but focused on sets with exposed wood frames that made them a little more expensive, Ochoa said. Now it is offering just fully upholstered sets, some of which have details such as turned wood legs and nail head trim.
Before relaunching the category this time around, Ochoa said that the company did plenty of research, with input from buyers about the types of looks and value story they are seeking in upholstery. It hopes to receive a better reception this time around, particularly as demand remains strong in the category.
“We took all that into consideration,” Ochoa said of the company’s research into upholstery and what buyers are looking for, including the types of materials and fabrics that will be part of the mix. “This is what they need and what they want. We are confident we will be able to sell this in the U.S.”
It also expects to have quick turnaround times, an advantage of being able to manufacture and ship from Mexico. IFD plans to ship its first orders some 8-10 weeks after the beginning of November, with sets hitting retail floors early next year.
The line will be produced on two lines initially in an area of its case goods facility now used for storage. It ultimately plans to have six production lines in the new 50,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to be completed – including the installation of new equipment — by this time next year.
Later on, the company plans to offer a broader selection of fabrics beyond the three initial fabrics available on each of the three new sets.
“Because of our limited production, we have to limit what we offer,” Ochoa said, of the initial capacity of roughly 20 containers a month, with more expected to flow within six months to a year. “This is what we will be able to do. We don’t want to promise something and then say we can’t do it. A lot of customers are fed up with that.”
At market, IFD’s new upholstery mix can be seen in its showroom in space 607 of the Commerce wing of the International Home Furnishings Center.
