Stickley building plant in Vietnam
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, May 10, 2004
MANLIUS, N.Y. — MANLIUS, N.Y.— High-end manufacturer Stickley is stepping into global waters this year with the construction of a plant in Vietnam.
The move will result in new product and new starting price points, which the company believes will increase its importance to dealers and give dedicated Stickley stores a broader array of merchandise and prices.
At the same time, the company is completing a new 30,000-square-foot, high-cube, freestanding warehouse at its headquarters here that will double its distribution capacity and free space for more production.
The $4.6 million warehouse is scheduled for completion by the end of June. It will allow Stickley to consolidate and streamline its warehousing and distribution, now in two locations, leading to improved inventory management and faster delivery. Corporate offices in the former Stickley showroom in Manlius are almost complete, and the expansion of the finishing room also is under way.
The Vietnam plant, in Binh Duong Province, should be completed by the end of the year. The company is investing $6 million in land, plant and equipment, and former Manlius plant manager Jim Christman will move to Vietnam to run the new facility.
"The new 187,000-square-foot factory will provide an opportunity for Stickley to offer a more diversified product line and to open new markets globally," said Edward Audi, a partner in Stickley.
The Vietnam plant will be able to double in size with a second floor if necessary, and has a land parcel that allows the footprint to expand by 50%.
"We are very excited and optimistic about the growth of our company and our ability to compete globally," said Stickley President Alfred Audi.
Stickley is determined to infuse its Vietnam operation with the same corporate culture found in its U.S. operations.
The Manlius plant, a United Nations in miniature, employs people from countries such as the Ukraine and Bosnia, and nearly 200 Vietnamese immigrants. Many of the latter will take turns returning to Vietnam for short intervals to train workers there.
Stickley is still evaluating what product to make in Vietnam. In addition to lower price points and new materials, possibilities include the consolidation of chair production in Vietnam and the making of European country and country casual styles.
With the Audis' track record, its New York workers aren't worried the company will shift jobs overseas, said Aminy Audi, executive vice president. "In 30 years, we've never laid anyone off," she said.
