Carpenter covers Japan with deal

By Marvin Lazaro -- Home Textiles Today, 7/20/2001 5:27:00 PM

Richmond, VA — Carpenter Co.'s latest distribution agreement will soon enable Japanese consumers to find more of its products at a wider range of retailers.

The foam manufacturer, based here, has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Itochu Corporation for the Japanese company to distribute Carpenter's Isotonic and Sensa-foam brands as well as other visco-elastic foam and polyester products. Part of the partnership, according to Dan Schecter, vp, sales and marketing for Carpenter's Consumer Products Division, is Osaka Nishikawa, one of Japan's largest conglomerates of domestic retailers and through which Japanese consumers will now be able to find a range of Carpenter products.

It is the first time Carpenter has ever entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for its consumer products.

"This not only brings in a plethora of new product to Japanese consumers, it also strengthens our position in Japan itself," Schecter told Home Textiles Today, adding that Carpenter first entered the Japanese market roughly a year ago. "This also allows us to fully utilize our resources to drive the business through a well-rounded Japanese company, which obviously bolsters our position worldwide.

"This bolsters our efforts to become worldwide purveyors of consumer products," Schecter added.

Carpenter also recently completed the acquisition of the Dallas Pillow Co. Now known as the Dallas Pillow Company, a division of Carpenter Co., the acquisition enabled Carpenter to get into the outdoor furniture cushion business for the first time. In addition to outdoor furniture cushions, Dallas Pillow also manufactures bed pillows and mattress pads.

The acquisition also effectively doubled Carpenter's consumer product manufacturing base.