HICKORY, NC—Luxury leather upholstery manufacturer Bradington-Young has expanded its factory here, a move that boosts production capacity by 50 percent and streamlines its manufacturing workflow, allowing the custom-order specialist to ship virtually all orders in 45 days or less. The expansion, which nearly doubled the size of the building to 160,000 square feet, also brought  the company's corporate offices and product development teams into the same location as the factory to improve communications among various departments.
“Our ability to ship domestically produced, custom luxury upholstery in four to six weeks sets us apart from the imports, which are limited in their customization options,” said Craig Young, president of Bradington-Young. “Consumers have come to expect custom products to be delivered quickly, and with all the recent talk about tariffs and trade wars, the demand for U.S.-made custom upholstery continues to grow in popularity.”
Factory improvements included larger, more ergonomically-friendly workstations, better lighting, and an improved cooling system – all of which received universal praise from employees.
The expansion also allows Bradington-Young to ramp up its cross-training program for factory workers. This program encourages employees to develop more than one job skill in the factory, which can help the company address the shortage of skilled labor in the area and facilitate transfers to other work areas as needed.
A specialist in upscale motion and stationary upholstered furniture, Bradington-Young was acquired by Hooker Furniture in 2003. The company manufactures its customizable recliners, chairs, sofas and sectionals in Hickory and has cut-and-sew operations in Cherryville, NC. All products are available in leather, fabric or a combination of both.