Purcell International Forges Ahead
March 8, 2004
HICKORY, North Carolina - Like many in the home furnishings and textile arena, Purcell International has waged an uphill battle to overcome the current economic slump. But owner Andrew Purcell is determined, through excellence in service and sales, to remain a key industry player.
''Business worldwide has been affected since 9/11,'' said Purcell. ''There are whole economic repercussions from that event. It has forced companies to look at different ways to distribute product.''
Purcell said his firm's greatest challenges lately have been a beefed up Euro and fierce competition from China. ''There's a 30 percent swing value of the Euro to the U.S. dollar, and that's affecting a lot of companies,'' he said. ''And let's not forget the China equation. All these factors are affecting this industry as a whole as we strive to go forward.''
Purcell's father and a business partner founded Purcell-Letchinger over 20 years ago. The company was based in Chicago and represented high-end offshore mills to the domestic home furnishings manufacturer. After working for over 10 years as a sales agent, Andrew Purcell purchased 100 percent of the company in 2000, changed the name to Purcell International and headquartered it in Hickory, N.C.
The ''new'' Purcell International specializes in finding mid-to-high-end offshore textile mills that produce ''unique'' product. The company provides turnkey services, such as accounting, invoicing, credit and collections, and boasts sales agents that cover the entire U.S. The firm maintains showrooms in New York, High Point and Hickory.
''We take the pain and strain of doing business in the U.S. out of the mills' hands,'' Purcell said. ''They just make and ship the goods and we take care of the rest.''
Purcell said he receives an average of five to eight inquiries a week from international mills interested in being represented in the U.S. by his firm. ''But I'm very picky,'' he said. ''The product needs to be different. Whatever U.S. manufacturers find at my company they're not going to find anywhere else. That's what separates us from the pack.''
As far-reaching as Purcell's business plan may be, it will not extend to China, he said, citing exorbitant competition and a drive to retain his niche.
''I will not go to China,'' Purcell said. ''I don't feel like I need to. It's too competitive. I prefer to be the niche company. If companies try to just be like the other guy, they won't last long.''
To find quality offshore mills that would appeal to the U.S. marketplace, Purcell attends all the major European exhibits, including Decosit and Proposte.
Purcell said he plans to make his clients ''household names'' in the U.S. in the coming months. He devotes his spare time to Purcell International educational foundations and scholarship funds and to his presidency of the International Textile Marketing Association, which organizes SHOWTIME at High Point, N.C.
''SHOWTIME has grown into one of the largest home furnishings organizations in the United States,'' he said. ''My main emphasis is to maintain a certain level of integrity at SHOWTIME, and avoid a hodge-podge of companies and all kinds of close-outs coming in. Decosit sets a fine example of how a reputable show should be.''
''My cup is half full, not half empty,'' Purcell said. ''I'm very positive about what lies ahead for Purcell International and the industry, and I'm plunging forward.''
''Business worldwide has been affected since 9/11,'' said Purcell. ''There are whole economic repercussions from that event. It has forced companies to look at different ways to distribute product.''
Purcell said his firm's greatest challenges lately have been a beefed up Euro and fierce competition from China. ''There's a 30 percent swing value of the Euro to the U.S. dollar, and that's affecting a lot of companies,'' he said. ''And let's not forget the China equation. All these factors are affecting this industry as a whole as we strive to go forward.''
Purcell's father and a business partner founded Purcell-Letchinger over 20 years ago. The company was based in Chicago and represented high-end offshore mills to the domestic home furnishings manufacturer. After working for over 10 years as a sales agent, Andrew Purcell purchased 100 percent of the company in 2000, changed the name to Purcell International and headquartered it in Hickory, N.C.
The ''new'' Purcell International specializes in finding mid-to-high-end offshore textile mills that produce ''unique'' product. The company provides turnkey services, such as accounting, invoicing, credit and collections, and boasts sales agents that cover the entire U.S. The firm maintains showrooms in New York, High Point and Hickory.
''We take the pain and strain of doing business in the U.S. out of the mills' hands,'' Purcell said. ''They just make and ship the goods and we take care of the rest.''
Purcell said he receives an average of five to eight inquiries a week from international mills interested in being represented in the U.S. by his firm. ''But I'm very picky,'' he said. ''The product needs to be different. Whatever U.S. manufacturers find at my company they're not going to find anywhere else. That's what separates us from the pack.''
As far-reaching as Purcell's business plan may be, it will not extend to China, he said, citing exorbitant competition and a drive to retain his niche.
''I will not go to China,'' Purcell said. ''I don't feel like I need to. It's too competitive. I prefer to be the niche company. If companies try to just be like the other guy, they won't last long.''
To find quality offshore mills that would appeal to the U.S. marketplace, Purcell attends all the major European exhibits, including Decosit and Proposte.
Purcell said he plans to make his clients ''household names'' in the U.S. in the coming months. He devotes his spare time to Purcell International educational foundations and scholarship funds and to his presidency of the International Textile Marketing Association, which organizes SHOWTIME at High Point, N.C.
''SHOWTIME has grown into one of the largest home furnishings organizations in the United States,'' he said. ''My main emphasis is to maintain a certain level of integrity at SHOWTIME, and avoid a hodge-podge of companies and all kinds of close-outs coming in. Decosit sets a fine example of how a reputable show should be.''
''My cup is half full, not half empty,'' Purcell said. ''I'm very positive about what lies ahead for Purcell International and the industry, and I'm plunging forward.''
