La-Z-Boy adds sofa line : Siloam Springs plant honored with two corporate awards
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008
In the unending effort to remain on the cutting edge of comfort, home decor and style, La-Z-Boy of Arkansas in Siloam Springs will soon launch production of a sofa line.
Beginning the first week of May, employees will begin manufacturing motion sofas, said Kevin Harmon, general manager at La-Z-Boy of Arkansas. The motion sofas, commonly known as reclining sofas, will be available in 1, 800 different fabrics and leather. Six different styles including classic pillow and button backs, customized to customer's tastes, will also be available.
"Most of our product is custom ordered," Harmon said. "People go to La-Z-Boy galleries, choose the color and style they want and then we built it."
While reclining sofas have been available in La-Z-Boy galleries across the country for years, this is the first time they have ever been built in Arkansas, said Kathy Liebmann, a spokeswoman for La-Z-Boy and director of investor relations and corporate communications.
Hand in hand with the incoming line, plant management is currently hiring 14 additional employees who will be divided into two separate work cells. The employees will be trained to construct the reclining sofas over the next month and a half. The majority of La-Z-Boy employees in Siloam Springs are from northwest Arkansas and northeast Oklahoma, Harmon said.
"We are excited to begin manufacturing this product because it gives us more diversity in our product line so that we can increase our capacity and hopefully employ more people," Harmon said.
At the peak of production, once training is complete and employees are familiar with the design, a completion goal of 300 reclining sofas a week will be set.
Buyers have the option between three-section sofas with reclining end-pieces and stationary centerpieces and two-section sofas that both recline.
The most recent new product to be released at the local plant was last summer when high-legged classic recliners were re-released, Harmon said.
In addition to remaining abreast of popular products, the local plant is making great strides within the company.
Last month Harmon and members of management attended a corporate meeting at La-Z-Boy headquarters in Monroe, Mich. They returned home with two company-wide awards. The Siloam Springs plant was awarded a trophy for Best Annual Operating Plant which was won following a presentation of the local chapter's budget plan for next year.
A second, more prestigious award, The Spirit of Leadership Award, was given to the local plant. The local plant is the first team in the history of the company to achieve 100 percent delivery performance, Harmon said.
During the week of Jan. 14, a total of 4, 229 units were cut, sewn, upholstered, boxed and shipped according to schedule.
"We were the first plant or team in the history of La-Z-Boy to get that accomplished," Harmon said. "We have outstanding teamwork and incredible employees."
Donations from the La-Z-Boy Foundation have been seen across northwest Arkansas lately. More than $ 130, 000 in La-Z-Boy financial contributions to nonprofit organizations such as United Way, Hope Foundation, St. Francis Clinic, Siloam Springs Hospital Foundation and Arkansas Support Network have fanned out across the community in recent weeks.
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