Burke County, in which Drexel is located, was still about one-third untouched forest in 1903 and had not a single mile of decent road. Starting operations on a shoestring budget was typical of this era for the furniture industry of the Piedmont region, which relied on ample supplies of hardwood, water power potential, and low-cost and plentiful labor. Their initial investment of $14,000 went towards erecting a factory and installing furniture-making machinery within. Both enterprises were operated by Samuel Huffman, who with five Morganton businessmen founded the company. At the time this community consisted of little more than a railroad siding built to accommodate a sawmill and flour mill. was founded in 1903 in Drexel, about five miles east of Morganton, North Carolina. A subsidiary since 1986 of Masco Corp., the world ’s largest furniture manufacturer, Drexel Heritage is also a retailer of home furnishing accessories. has been producing furniture for almost a century. Employees: 5,000 Sales: $200 million SICs: 2511 Wood Household Furniture 2512 Upholstered Wood Household Furniture 2521 Wood Office Furniture 2522 Office Furniture, Except Wood 5023 Home Furnishingsīased in the foothills of North Carolina ’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Drexel Heritage Furnishings Inc. Incorporated: 1903 as Drexel Furniture Co. Main Street Drexel, North Carolina 28619 U.S.A. Today, Drexel Heritage Furniture Industries, Inc is one of the leading furniture manufacturers in the world.101 N. was based in High Point and employed 1,300 workers across the state. In 1994, Drexel Heritage maintained ten factories in North Carolina and one in South Carolina. State Department, and government agencies across the globe. Drexel maintained partnerships with various hotels, the U.S. In 1986, Drexel Heritage became a branch of Masco Corporation, which became one of the country’s biggest furniture manufacturers by the late 1980s.įor many decades Drexel manufactured and sold furniture in the U.S. In 1977 Drexel Heritage was sold to investment bank Dominick International Corporation and retail sales increased drastically. In 1971 Drexel expanded its product line once again to include high-end Mediterranean style furniture and furniture for interior living space. Plywood Champion Papers purchased Drexel Enterprises, and the company became Drexel Heritage Furnishings, Inc. In 1960, Drexel Furniture became Drexel Enterprises, Inc., and in 1961, the company merged with Southern Desk Company to produce furniture and supplies for libraries, schools, and churches. Furniture design also included Italian styles in addition to carpets and accessories. By 1957, Drexel employed 2,300 workers, and its furniture was sold nationwide in approximately 2,500 stores.īy the late 1960s, the company manufactured laboratory, dormitory and hospital furniture and increased sales even more. In 1951, for instance, Drexel acquired Table Rock Furniture and Heritage Furniture Company, and in 1956, Morganton Furniture Company. In the process, the company had partnered with other manufacturers to create new product lines. By 1950, Drexel had grown from a small factory of fifty workers who made dressers and washstands to being a leading manufacturer in traditional and modern furniture. The younger Huffman made several changes in operations, including manufacturing medium-priced furniture instead of low-priced and spending more on advertising. By 1935, Sam Huffman died, and his son Robert O. Although Samuel Huffman managed the enterprise, he and five other men founded the business with an investment of $14,000. Drexel Furniture Company was established on Novemin Drexel, North Carolina.
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