LRC News Release

"The Future of Furniture Manufacturing" will be topic of forum

Lenoir-Rhyne College and Home Furnishings Business magazine will present a Leading Edge Forum on “The Future of Furniture Manufacturing” Feb. 21 in the college’s Belk Centrum, located at 628 7th Ave. Place NE in Hickory.

The forum, which will begin at 4:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. To reserve a seat, please call 828-328-7314 or e-mail NealOrgain@lrc.edu.

A blue ribbon panel from the furniture industry will be moderated by industry expert Alan Cole. Panelists will include W.G. Holliman, chairman of the board of Furniture Brands International; John Bray, president and CEO of Vanguard Furniture; Bob Maricich, president of Century Furniture; Don Coleman, president of Hickory Springs and special guest Dr. Art Padilla, associate professor of management, entrepreneurship and innovation at North Carolina State University.

Michael Dugan, Alex-Lee Professor and chair of the Charles M. Snipes School of Business at Lenoir-Rhyne College, said the Leading Edge Series is designed to provide the audience with a comprehensive look at selected issues having a major impact in the area. “The North Carolina economy has managed to survive countless ups and downs of the furniture industry over the years, but never has it experienced anything quite like the wave of low-cost imports over the last 10 years,” he said. “The impact of the ‘Asian Invasion’ has been profoundly disruptive, and no one seems to have a good handle on where the industry is going. It is hoped that an open discussion of the issues will help everyone to reach a better understanding of the future.”

The North Carolina furniture industry has been hard hit with plant closings, declining sales and lowered profits. Specifically, the globalization of the economy has driven many traditional manufacturing jobs overseas, where lower labor costs prevail. From 2000 to 2005, the number of people employed in the furniture industry in North Carolina dropped 26 percent, from 78,000 to 58,000.

Despite these grim statistics, some North Carolina furniture producers are thriving. The Lenoir-Rhyne College forum will discuss how companies can adapt and succeed in the new economy.