MONTREAL — Dorel Industries Inc. announced a substantial reduction in the size of its Home segment, including eliminating products and refocusing on profitable categories and shuttering manufacturing operations at its factory in Cornwall, Ontario. 

The June 30 update was released to fulfill a promise the company made in its first-quarter financial results statement on May 12, 2025. The company, which is an FDMC 300 listed company ranking #29 on the list, reported that first quarter revenue was $320.5 million, down 8.7%, from $351.1 million a year ago. It reported net loss for the quarter of $25.3 million compared to $17.6 million the year previous.

The Cornwall factory produces ready-to-assemble furniture. The company said it will provide additional details around the restructuring including the number of jobs affected and costs when it reports its second-quarter results in August. The wind-down of the home operations is expected to be complete by the end of the third quarter.

The company said this strategic shift in operations is expected to return the segment to profitability in 2026. As described in the first-quarter earnings release, Dorel Home initiated a new round of restructuring in the second quarter founded upon the reduction of the size of the organization and its ability to merge the sales, marketing and product development organization into the successful Cosco division. A limited number of high-performing Dorel Home import SKUs will be transferred to the Cosco portfolio, focused on categories and customers driving the highest contribution with the least added complexity.

Cosco has delivered consistent earnings and positive cash flow within the Home segment since 2010, including the period in which it was led by Troy Franks, the current CEO of Dorel Home. The organization is built on a market-driven, customer-centric approach that delivers innovative products with exceptional consumer value. For over 90 years, Cosco has been a trusted household brand known for reliable performance and quality.

The company said that an additional contributor to improved earnings is the consolidation of certain Dorel Home back-office functions with the Juvenile North America operations based in Columbus, Indiana, which will provide further synergies for Dorel overall.

The decision to cease all Dorel Home manufacturing operations in North America was made after a further extensive review of ongoing operations, supported by external consulting firm EY-Parthenon. This decision will result in substantial savings based on a smaller footprint and workforce, and eliminate the losses from the domestic operation. It is expected that the wind-down of these operations will be complete by the end of the third quarter to minimize future losses and satisfy customer obligations.

The Home segment is also actively working on exiting product categories that are now considered non-core, including a plan to significantly reduce inventory by the end of the year. This will also allow for the reduction of the current distribution footprint that is now too large for the new streamlined Home operations. The Company will be exiting from its existing warehouses based on their scheduled lease termination dates this year. For facilities with longer termination dates, the Company is exploring sub-leasing opportunities, which it is believed can be realized in the new year once the desired footprint is achieved.

The reduction in size and simplification of the Home segment will eliminate the negative cash flow from these operations and facilitate focus on the Juvenile segment, which continues on its path of increasing sales and earnings. The segment’s global footprint, with market leading divisions in Europe, Latin America and Australia, combined with domestic manufacturing operations in the United States makes Dorel Juvenile uniquely positioned in the industry to deliver above average earnings relative to its peers.

The benefits of these changes are expected to improve earnings by the fourth quarter of this year. The estimated cost and run-rate savings of these activities will be provided in more detail in the Company’s second quarter earnings release to be issued in August 2025.

Long-term update

The company said it has engaged two leading capital market advisors to assist in re-capitalizing its balance sheet to allow for growth in the Juvenile segment and support the reorganization of the Home segment. The new structure will replace the current debt structure, which no longer matches the company’s needs. Dorel will update stakeholders on developments as they arise.

"The changes being implemented at Dorel represent some of the most significant in our over fifty-year history. The decision to further reduce the size of the Home segment was not made lightly, considering our origins as an RTA manufacturer in North America and the impact on our numerous employees. However, it is the only feasible course of action to return to profitability. With the anticipated recovery of the Home segment in 2026, the sustained positive momentum at Dorel Juvenile, and new financing arrangements that will be in place, Dorel is establishing the path to return to profitability," said Dorel President & CEO, Martin Schwartz.