Meet&CoHIGH POINT — For domestic casual furniture manufacturers, the value of producing in the United States lies in their ability to get product to the retailers and specialty dealers that are reporting continued consumer interest in outdoor spaces.
Executives with Polywood and Telescope Casual say their U.S. manufacturing operations allow them to limit lead times, respond to retailer and consumer demand and develop products around capabilities built within their factories. At the same time, finding enough workers and managing rising material costs remain persistent challenges.
Source: https://www.furnituretoday.com/
“Trying to keep up with demand has been a good problem for us over the years,” said Bryce Glock, senior sales manager at Polywood, which has manufacturing facilities in Indiana and North Carolina.
“Trying to stay staffed and keep the machining and technology up to date to meet that demand is definitely one of our challenges. But we feel we’ve done a pretty good job of meeting it, keeping lead times low and keeping all of our production here in the U.S.”
Special orders strengthen value proposition
For Telescope, which has an approximately 1-million-square-foot operation in Granville, N.Y., one of the most important benefits of domestic production is its ability to manufacture special orders without requiring dealers to carry extensive inventories.
Telescope President Henry Vanderminden IV said the company‘s approximately 275 employees have performed efficiently. We‘re really, really pleased with our employees. We could use more employees, and as a result, we have a bit of a backlog.
Telescope is also contending with the higher costs affecting manufacturers across the industry. Those increases are particularly visible in the deep-seating category, where cushions and additional materials already make the product more expensive than sling seating. This is driving the higher-end category even higher.”
Manufacturing capabilities shape innovation
At Polywood, investments in materials, machinery and engineering are helping the company expand beyond its traditional outdoor furniture categories.
The manufacturer introduced pergolas at Casual Market Atlanta, providing its first step into a broader range of outdoor structures. The category could eventually open the door to gazebos, arbors, privacy screens and additional swing-stand options.
“It gives us more ways to replace traditionally wood products with our material, which is going to last,”Glock said.
Polywood has also developed motion mechanisms in-house as it adds gliding, rocking and swivel options to its deep-seating assortment. Other recent developments include quick-drying cushion constructions, higher chaise lounges designed for easier entry and exit, and roto-molded in-pool furniture without metal hardware that could corrode.
For Telescope, manufacturing innovation includes finding construction methods that preserve a cleaner appearance.
Pisani said the company places particular emphasis on concealing attachment points rather than leaving hardware exposed, as many imported high-performance solutions often do.
“We want to produce very clean furniture. When consumers walk out of their homes and look at their patio sets, they‘re going to see the frame they bought, not exposed attachment points,” he said.
