Furniture Made in America Finds Support

HIGH POINT, NC - Last month's High Point Market showed all latest trends in furniture design, including something unique to North America: the Made in American movement.

A Made in America furniture pavilion, well received when it first launched at the Las Vegas Market last fall, doubled in size for this  sister furniture show in High Point, NC.

At more than 32,000 square feet, the pavilion featured more than four dozen furniture manufacturers, though many other North American furniture makers not represented here were showing in the general show floors.

That includes P.A.M.A. Furniture, Jamestown, NC manufacturer of classic baroque Italian and French furniture, has historically handled upholstering in the U.S., working with frames produced in Italy and Indonesia. Now, P.A.M.A. tells the New York Times, it has begun sourcing building its furniture frames in the U.S.

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A resurgence in U.S. furniture manufacture has been widely reported. The Boston Consulting Group highlighted the U.S. furniture industry a likely beneficiary as U.S. businesses repatriate production from China and elsewhere in Asia.

In recent months, high profile furniture production expansions in the U.S. have been announced by Ashley Furniture, Beaufurn Furniture, Stanley Furniture, Lincolnton Furniture, and Foliot - the Laval, Quebec residential furniture giant that opened a mega plant in Las Vegas last summer.

The list of Made in America pavilion demonstrates, there is a difference between manufacturing in the U.S. or North America, and using it that fact as marketing message.

Two organizational exhibitors - the American Furniture Exporters, and the made in USA Foundation - have taken very different approaches. The exporter group consists of a dozen U.S. domestic makers:

Bradington-Young
Capris Furniture
Designmaster Furniture Inc.
Fairfield Chair Company
Gold Bond Mattress
Jasper Cabinet   

>MacKenzie-Dow Fine Furniture
Johnston Casuals
Key City Furniture Company
McKinley Leather of Hickory Inc
Sam Moore
Troutman Chair Co

American Furniture Exporters says its member companies offer high end residential and commercial furniture rangin from hand-crafted custom upholstery with premium leather and fabrics, dining room and bedroom selections, and special presentations for offices and the hospitality industry.

The group facilitates sales sales abroad for its members by negotiating shipping documents and credit instruments under one umbrella rather for each manufacturer. Simplifying the logistics, American Furniture Exporters hopes to reduce shipping costs for buyers and shorten lead-times on delivery.

The manufacturers group says it is also targeting international manufacturers representatives in different countries throughout the world.

The Made in the USA Foundation has a different mission,  promoting U.S. made or assembled products, and defending intellectual property abroad. While its concerns stretch beyond furniture and wood products, the group exhibits at the High Point and Las Vegas Markets, and stages an annual awards event to celebrate U.S. success stories.

Last year, wood products firms Ethan Allen Furniture and Fender Guitar were honored, as well as Peterboro Basket and 3M, among 22 total honorees.