MIAMI, Florida—Miatex, the 10 million yard ‘king’ of the Central, South America and Caribbean closeout and seconds market has expanded its physical warehouse space to a new location in 60,000 square feet plus a 3,000 square foot office here. The 40-year-old specialist that is more a credit agency and a bank than a typical fabric exporter was founded by Jose Ojalvo (73) in 1976 after arriving from Cuba in 1959. Jose is now receiving the full support of his two sons Jack, 49, (Vice President) and Salomon, (Operations Manager) 33, together with export manager Danny Delgado, a 34 year veteran of the company. All three call on the customers and manage to complement Jose’s vast personal knowledge of the buyers and how much credit should be extended to them. Terms of 120 days to the best customers are offered. The thriving business is now set to get a complete facelift in the next few years as Salomon spearheads a technical push into a new inventory and sample system that is expected to double company sales to an estimated $50/$60 million. Salomon says he is getting Miatex ready for the next phase of growth by adding new lines to existing markets and also expects to add new markets geographically to the company’s portfolio. While 60 percent of the business geared to upholstery and drapery fabric, Miatex does the balance of its business in mattress ticking, automotive, roller shade fabrics and industrial fabrics. Jack says the fastest growing business today is industrial textiles.” “We’re a one-stop textile supermarket for our customers, Jose explains. “We know how to buy,” Jose says. “It’s no longer about buying cheap. We have the highest quality fabrics at the lowest possible price,” he adds. Designs and colors are an important part of the purchasing process for Miatex. The group has to be careful what they buy, especially since they cut sample books from their purchases. About 90 percent of the fabrics sold are under $3.00 to their customers. “We deal with all of the mills and converters worldwide,” Salomon says. In fact, he spends more time calling on resources than anything else, especially at the Market Resource Center in High Point during Showtime.” He also attends Heimtextil in Frankfurt, ISPA for the bedding industry and IFIA for industrial fabrics. “We carry our own receivables and we are proud of the fact that our current inventory is all fresh and three million yards in stock. Miatex covers the South and Central American and Caribbean markets–specifically Jewish, Arab and Christian customers. Miatex defines first quality goods as overstock, year-end liquidations and buyouts of other dealers or wholesalers. Seconds are slightly damaged goods or ‘A’ quality goods with no more than 10 percent damage per roll. The minimum order for a Miatex customer is one roll all the way to multiple containers, Jose explains. “We never take anything back but we’ll credit a small group of good customers in order to preserve our relationship,” Jose points out. “When I first started in this business, I sold first quality goods without keeping inventory. Nobody went to South and Central America except me and offering credit was unheard of until we did it first,” Jose remembers. “Today, the supplier comes to us. The best time for us to buy is when we are not buying,” he laughs.

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Ojalvo Family of Spain The Ojalvo family history is traced back to Ojalvo, Spain in 1492 when the family fled the Spanish inquisition and settled in Edirne, Turkey thanks to the Sultan. The Sultan rescued over 500 Jews from a burning boat off the coast of Spain at that time. The Ojalvo clan flourished in Turkey until 1915 when Jose Ojalvo’s grandfather left Turkey for Cuba. “My grandfather thought he was in America when he landed in Cuba because everyone was Jewish who spoke Spanish,” Jose laughs. Jose’s father became a peddler, driving a motorcycle with a cart at night, selling fabrics to the Cuban ladies. In 1959, Jose and his family left Cuba for the USA where he first settled in Brooklyn and then later, in Miami. Jose’s first job was at Phillip Wedden Corp., a New York based textile exporter to South and Central America. He took the knowledge gained there from 1972/1976 and started Miatex in 1976. Jose has so many stories to tell, we wouldn’t have space here for all of them! We recommend you hear them personally from Jose!