HIGH POINT, N.C. - Arper, an Italian maker of modern home and office furniture, has opened a 100,200-square-foot manufacturing facility in High Point, North Carolina. The announcement comes soon after the company opened another showroom in Los Angeles.

 

Claudio Feltrin, Arper board chairman and son of company founder, said the company sees incredible potential in the U.S. as one of the fastest-growing and most relevant markets for design in the world. In an interview with Architectural Digest, Feltrin says High Point is the ideal base of manufacturing operations for the company, as the area's workers boast exceptional craftsmanship skills and professional work ethics.

 

Feltrin also highlighted the logistical advantages of operations in High Point, including efficient positioning to receive Italian material deliveries, a central positioning to distribute to key domestic markets of New York and Los Angeles, and the quick shipping times customers have come to expect in the current e-commerce era.

 

With manufacturing and delivery points closer together, Feltrin says the company can cut back on inventory and create a faster turnaround time. With a more global, vertically-integrated business model, Feltrin says Arper has been able to reduce lead times from 10-12 weeks down to just 6 or 7 for upholstered products.

 

Feltrin told Arch Digest that it aims to produce 300 upholstered pieces per week in High Point through the end of 2018. Next year, the company aims to make 100 percent of its U.S.-bound upholstered furniture at the High Point facility. See the full interview here.

 

Arper, founded in 1989, builds chairs, tables, and furnishings for community, work, and home environments. The company has showrooms in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.