A luxury leather furniture maker has doubled the size of its Hickory manufacturing plant to 160,000 square feet - streamlining its manufacturing and allowing the company to ship all orders in fewer than 45 days.

Hooker Furniture President Alan Cole will retire next year. He will be succeeded by Michael Delgatti, president of Hooker Upholstery. In related news, Hooker reported net sales growth for the fiscal third quarter.

MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Hooker Furniture posted net sales of $55.7 million, a 6% year- over-year increase for its fiscal 2011 third quarter ended Oct. 31.