Cecil Saydah moves to Kentucky

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 10/10/2003 12:00:00 AM

Somerset, KY — The Cecil Saydah Company has uprooted itself after more than 60 years in Los Angeles to a new production headquarters here at a renovated 305,000-square-foot facility.

Harold Schierholt, president, and several company senior executives hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony today on the lawn of the 22-acre site to officially open the new manufacturing and distribution center. The goal is to have the facility fully up and running by Nov. 15.

It will house not only the company's primary manufacturing and distributing division but also its decorative pillow facilities — Louisville Saydah — which by May will move from its Eminence, KY, site. Also here will be a 6,000 square-foot showroom and offices for senior staff.

Cecil Saydah will maintain its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, and the company will also maintain there a small portion of its manufacturing and distribution division to service West Coast area customers.

Schierholt said the move to Kentucky would save the company from rising costs of workman's compensation, energy and rents and insurance in California. He also said the company will now be closer to its customers.

Relocating to Somerset will be 20 executives and about 40 workers from the manufacturing and distribution division. By May, Schierholt said he expects the Somerset site to employ 30 executives and 175 factory workers. He expects the number of laborers to increase by 2005 to 250.

Cecil Saydah manufactures and sources kitchen textiles, decorative pillows, kitchen rugs, table linens, beach towels, bath products door mats and scatter rugs.