NEW YORK, New York — “We like where we are today and our five year goal is to turn our inventory three times a year in the $10 million range,“ says Joe Grogan, President of Benartex Home, a relatively new converter started in 2009 and is today a regular Showtime exhibitor. Apparently, Benartex’s success has not gone unnoticed. At press time, the company was acquired by Diversitex, Inc., another home fabric converter. “We’re optimistic about the American furniture industry. The consumer in the USA now understands quality but they want it now; no more six to eight week wait.  We stock it for quick shipment,” Grogan maintains. “There is a resurgence in American made furniture and the American producer is being pushed by the retailer for quick ship. You can’t do this with made in China goods unless you stock heavily and we do!” Grogan attended MoOD this year to look for several small mills he can be a partner to as an important converter in the USA and Europe. Grogan also teamed up with Bob Ellsweig, Vice President of Furniture Sales for Benartex who built a sales force for the upholstered furniture industry and Grogan was off and running as an upholstery converter. About 50 percent of Benartex business is furniture related and the other half is composed of other manufacturers, retailers, jobbers and retailers. “I am this moment looking to expand into Europe, South America and Asia through distributors, he says. Recently, Benartex scored its first million-yard seller with Protégé Natural. The 55/45 cotton linen fabrics are sold through 1,000 furniture stores. Benartex specializes   in natural fibers over constructed into a “quality” product, he says. “We don’t look at mills for product or development—only construction of the greige.” Benartex buys fabrics from Pakistan, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and China. South Korea, India and China account for 80 percent of his goods, he says. His strength is coordinates and his volume price range is $9.15-$13.95. Benartex has a $12.95 cotton that weighs one pound to the yard, he says. “Everything is made in two to five colors. We stock high end specialty items including 100 percent linen from China; dyed wovens from Korea which are embroidered in India and then stocked in Cranston, R.I.  The embroidered goods match the dyed linens form China, he says. The top end of the Benartex line is ‘Victoria’ at $54 a yard in two colors. F&FI