JLA Blanket Buys IHF Assets

Fremont, Calif.— The blanket manufacturing division of E&E Co., known as JLA Blanket, has purchased the assets of International Home Fashions (IHF) of Black Mountain, N.C.

JLA Blanket will offer IHF's full line to complement JLA's patented Microtec blanket line. The JLA line of electrics will include blankets, mattress pads, and throws. The conventional group will include fleece, plush, cotton, flocked, non-woven and fashion throws.

Dave Fraser, most recently IHF national sales manager, will head up JLA Blanket. He has more than 15 years in blanket sales management. "We will be the only source to offer conventional blankets, warming products and fashion throws. The synergies JLA will offer will be unmatched in the industry," said Fraser.

JLA will also expand its fashion bedding offering to the furniture trade by folding in the IHF fashion business with the JLA Fabric unit, to be represented by former IHF president Tedd Smith.

Fraser and Smith will remain based in North Carolina.

IHF filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a week prior to the JLA Blanket announcement. IHF listed assets of about $2.44 million and debts of about $7.51 million in that filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Listed as "disputed" were the claims of three of the top four unsecured creditors: Kmart Corp.: $1.186 million; Veken, approximately $917,000; and Neworld Inc., about $350,000.