Glabman-Himes teams with ADF on Westlake   

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 7/23/2008 2:04:00 PM

High Point, N.C. – Westlake, the decorative upholstery fabric line imported and converted by Glabman-Himes here, will now be produced by Westlake-Rugao in Rugao, China.

The Westlake facility is owned by David Li, who also owns and is ceo of ADF. “We are selling the Westlake mix to David Li and going back to our roots, which is product development, marketing and selling,” said Tom Himes, co-principal in Glabman-Himes. The 22-year partnership between Jack Glabman and Himes had earlier designed, merchandised and marketed the lines for Burlington House, Microfibres, and Blumenthal, among others.

The Glabman-Himes sales force also will represent ADF’s products to the furniture industry in the United States and Canada. Jack Cobb remains president of ADF. Glabman-Himes is the successor company to an earlier partnership that Glabman began more than 50 years ago. Customer service and order entry for Glabman-Himes remains based at the company’s showroom and office here.

Li said the Westlake Rugao product will be offered as a mill-direct line to the furniture trade. It will be merchandised and sold separately from ADF and will not be available to ADF’s sister operations that do direct manufacturing of furniture. “Our strength is on the furniture side,” said Himes.

ADF’s line of upholstery and multi-purpose home furnishings fabrics will continue to be created by Erica Youngleson and her team. It will be sold to its existing customer base as well as to its sister companies.

Glabman said, “We are excited about this development. David owns the best-equipped producer of decorative upholstery fabric in China. The company is vertical – and they have more types of factories than any company we know about in China: weaving, printing, finishing and dyeing.” Himes added, “We will be able to serve our customers more effectively in their mill.”

Li, noted, “We are very impressed with Glabman-Himes’ track record with major mills in the past. Our clients have been troubled with continuous cost increases, interruptions in the supply chain as well as a lack of innovation. I’m sure they will appreciate the alternative offered by Westlake Rugao. We are committed to being one of the best suppliers in the furniture industry.”