Hendriks Weaves Designs in China
August 13, 2002
Eersel, The Netherlands — "We got tired of having our designs copied by the Chinese so we decided to make a special European style and quality line in China under the Asian Weavers label," said Bas Hendriks, co-owner.
Asian Weavers, based in Guangzhou China, just passed its second year with two Dutch country boys as its principals, Hendriks and Hans Dings. The pair takes turns flying 12 hours each way every six to twelve weeks, from Amsterdam to Shanghai to oversee production of their upper end upholstery collections available in 100 meter per color minimums at $40 a meter. "These are complicated designs and fill the niche market for higher end product," said Hendriks. Mr. Leung, their former agent runs the factory.
Maria Kremer is their exclusive sales agent in the U.S.A. Hendriks is also the owner of six-year-old Albatros International, which is run as an independent company in Eersel. The two companies produce sales in the $7 million range. There is a 16,000 square foot warehouse in Weert, Holland.
"At first, the Chinese copies were terrible and we didn't worry about it but then I could hardly tell the difference between the copies and Albatros originals," said Hendriks. "If you can't beat them, we decided to join them," he laughed. "We bought new machinery and hired the best workers away from the Chinese copiers. Our factory runs on domestic sales because we are selling quite well in China.
"We produce the Chinese made line on slow running Chinese looms where quality control is a lot easier to control. These are high pick products, 125 picks to the centimeter, sometimes featuring leather and textile in the same piece, using automated and handloom techniques," said Hendriks.
The products feature French yarn sent to China especially for this part hand and part power loom production.
Asian Weavers not only sells inside China, it also exports to Far East including Thailand, Japan and Southeast Asia and to Europe.
Albatros and Asian Weavers, the Chinese made line featuring machine made and handmade upholstery, will be shown at the Meridien Hotel during Decosit and the Asian Weavers line will be shown in Shanghai at Intertextile and at Index in Dubai. F&FI
Asian Weavers, based in Guangzhou China, just passed its second year with two Dutch country boys as its principals, Hendriks and Hans Dings. The pair takes turns flying 12 hours each way every six to twelve weeks, from Amsterdam to Shanghai to oversee production of their upper end upholstery collections available in 100 meter per color minimums at $40 a meter. "These are complicated designs and fill the niche market for higher end product," said Hendriks. Mr. Leung, their former agent runs the factory.
Maria Kremer is their exclusive sales agent in the U.S.A. Hendriks is also the owner of six-year-old Albatros International, which is run as an independent company in Eersel. The two companies produce sales in the $7 million range. There is a 16,000 square foot warehouse in Weert, Holland.
"At first, the Chinese copies were terrible and we didn't worry about it but then I could hardly tell the difference between the copies and Albatros originals," said Hendriks. "If you can't beat them, we decided to join them," he laughed. "We bought new machinery and hired the best workers away from the Chinese copiers. Our factory runs on domestic sales because we are selling quite well in China.
"We produce the Chinese made line on slow running Chinese looms where quality control is a lot easier to control. These are high pick products, 125 picks to the centimeter, sometimes featuring leather and textile in the same piece, using automated and handloom techniques," said Hendriks.
The products feature French yarn sent to China especially for this part hand and part power loom production.
Asian Weavers not only sells inside China, it also exports to Far East including Thailand, Japan and Southeast Asia and to Europe.
Albatros and Asian Weavers, the Chinese made line featuring machine made and handmade upholstery, will be shown at the Meridien Hotel during Decosit and the Asian Weavers line will be shown in Shanghai at Intertextile and at Index in Dubai. F&FI