Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc.is a furniture manufacturing company headquartered in Arcadia, Wisconsin. The company is owned by father and son team Ron and Todd Wanek. Ashley Furniture manufactures and distributes home furniture products throughout the world.
Ashley Furniture Industries sells home furnishings and accessories available through two distribution channels: independent furniture dealers and more than 400 Ashley Furniture HomeStore retail furniture stores, which are independently owned and operated by licensees in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Japan. It has manufacturing and distribution facilities in Wisconsin, Mississippi, California, Pennsylvania, Florida, China, and Vietnam
History of Ashley Furniture
Carlyle Weinberger founded Ashley Furniture in Chicago in 1945 as a sales operation. Specializing in wooden occasional furniture, Ashley marketed goods made by local companies. Later the company opened a branch in Goshen, Indiana. In 1970, Ashley invested in the Wisconsin-based Arcadia Furniture, founded by Ronald G. Wanek, who had begun his career in a furniture factory owned by Eugene Vogel. When Wanek moved to Arcadia to open his own factory he took with him Eugene Vogel's son, Chuck. The two began doing production work for Ashley Furniture. Even though Arcadia started out as a small production plant for Ashley's lines in 1976, Wanek and group of investors bought out Weinberger, taking control of Ashley Furniture. At first the two companies maintained their separate identities, with Arcadia focusing on production and Ashley on sales.
By 1982, the merged company's annual sales reached $12 million and it had moved its corporate headquarters from Chicago to Arcadia. By the mid-1980s, Ashley offered a line of roughly 350 different furniture products, and had turned its design and manufacturing away from "heirloom pieces" toward products aimed at middle-income buyers. The company's growing network included wholesalers such as Levitz Furniture and mass-retailers such as Sears, Kmart, and Montgomery Ward, in addition to smaller retailers. Sales had climbed to more than $44 million by 1985.
In 1994 Ashley acquired upholstery manufacturer Sklar-Pepplar, and by the late 1990s the company was operating assembly and distribution plants in Seattle, Washington; Pomona, California; New Brunswick, New Jersey; and Orlando, Florida. Gambling that motion furniture was a strong growth area, Ashley acquired Gentry Furniture, of Ripley, Mississippi in 1999. That same year the company also branched out into retailing, licensing Ashley Furniture HomeStores to independent dealers. The chain grew in its first year to approximately 40 stores.
By 2000, Ashley Furniture Industries employed more people in Arcadia than the town's population. The plant in Arcadia had grown from 35,000 square feet (3,300 m2) in 1970 to 1,500,000 square feet (139,000 m2). Today the company maintains plants across the United States and operates several factories in Pacific Rim countries. Ron Wanek is currently Chairman of the Board and Todd Waneck is currently President and CEO.
The Three Divisions of Ashley Furniture
The manufacturers at Ashley Millennium Furniture have been providing quality furniture to our homes since 1945, when Carlyle Weinberger founded the company. The headquarters is located in Arcadia, Wisconsin with strategically placed regional warehouses scattered throughout the country. The main headquarters is the core manufacturing and distribution center for Ashley Millennium furniture. Our homes have become a more beautiful place to live, because of Ashley's motto to continuously strive to provide the best product at the best prices accompanied by the best service in the industry. Millennium by Ashley has become the number one leading manufacturer in the furniture industry. It is also the largest amongst its competition. Keeping ahead of its competitors is what this company does best, and this achievement is reflected in the beautiful products they provide, along with astronomical sales to show for it.
Signature Design, one of Ashley Furniture's most popular brands, made its debut in 2005. Ashley Furniture is the bestselling brand of home furniture in North America. Ashley Furniture was founded in 1945 as a sales organization and later opened a factory in 1970. When they started their business, their specialty was wall systems and occasional tables and has since expanded their business into an exclusive line of name brand furniture. Today, Ashley Furniture is known as a World Class Furniture Manufacturer as well as one of the largest home furniture manufacturing companies in the world. One only has to look at Ashley Furniture to see why it's North America's #1 selling brand of home furniture. Between style, quality and selection, Ashley is a name consumers want in their home. They are unmatched in the furniture world. Every room in your home can be furnished with Ashley Furniture as they offer everything from dining and living room sets to bedroom sets.
The combination of quality products, innovative marketing concepts and state-of-the art manufacturing methods has made them the top home furniture company they are today. We at Coleman Furniture are proud to offer this beautiful and popular brand of home furniture.
Ashley products are aimed at the budget minded consumer looking for quick delivery. Since their designers have coordinated all collections from major pieces down to accessories, you can achieve a cohesive look in very little time.
Ashley Furniture Industries do not sell directly to consumers, but through Ashley HomeStores or stores which are licensed to sell Ashley. You can also find their collections at most retail and online stores. Prices and availability may vary slightly. If you don’t find a particular Ashley collection at a store, they order for you through catalogs
Where to buy Ashley and its Collections...
Royal Furniture Outlet carries a wide selection of Ashley, Signature Design and Millennium products. Offering the best prices and greatest selection, the consumer does not need to go to Ashley Furniture to purchase the product. Working with Ashley for over 15 years gave Royal Furniture Outlet the reputation of being a hand in hand dealer to the public of Ashley Goods. Stop in today and see for yourself!
