Bianca extends global concept

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 10/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Bianca

Vizela, Portugal

Director/part owner: Reinaldo Chaves

Principal business: bath towels

Bianca is looking to take the global concept to a different level, with its design and finance team located in the United Kingdom, manufacturing in Portugal, and product development and sales in the United States. A bath and beach towel manufacturer for almost 40 years, Bianca originated in the United Kingdom and later partnered with Mundotexil in Portugal for manufacturing, said Reinaldo Chaves, director. In 1996, Bianca wanted to purchase an importing company Chaves owned at the time. Instead, Chaves suggested that they create a new company instead, which became Bianca USA.

This cut out the middle man, he said, because as an importer he found that retailers were nervous about buying goods that weren't warehoused in the United States.

Bianca USA, however, opened a warehouse and showroom in the United States, and the retailers had "less fear to test the products," he said.

Everyday bath towels are produced in Portugal, and a new factory near Hong Kong was recently purchased to manufacture its new bedding line as well as to do embroidery.

In the U. S., Bianca has two warehouses, the showroom and 15 representatives.