Glen Raven Inc., Glen Raven, N.C., has set the stage for the center of thecompany’s product marketing, development, manufacturing and sourcing activities in Asia with the
recent opening of its new Glen Raven Asia headquarters, located in the S.I.P. Industrial Park in
Suzhou, China.
“We are very excited about the operation. The name, Glen Raven Asia, indicates that it’s not
just a facility in China, but is a business venture in and throughout Asia,” said Allen E. Gant
Jr., CEO, Glen Raven. “We plan on implementing business throughout Asia from our China facility,
and we’ll be serving the domestic market as well as other Asian customers.”
The 190,000-square-foot Glen Raven Asia facility serves as a vertically-integrated
manufacturing site for Sunbrella® performance fabrics — including weaving preparation, weaving,
finishing and distribution functions — and supports the company’s Glen Raven Technical Fabrics
subsidiary. According to Gant, one shift is in full production, and the company is training
employees for the second and third shifts. Hua Li is general manager of the business center, which
currently employs approximately 150 associates — half of Glen Raven Asia’s total expected
workforce.
Gant noted two aspects of the new operation that have brought great satisfaction. “One, this
entire facility and operations were brought up without a single lost-time accident being
experienced by any of our construction people, which is fantastic, and it continues to operate in a
very safe mode,” he said.
“Number two, the product quality coming out of the plant is excellent,” Gant continued. “We’r
e very excited about the product and service quality that is coming out of China.”
November/December 2006