Spectro Coating, Last American Flock Supplier Closes Its Doors
November 18, 2022
Raj and Hemendra
LEOMINSTER, MA—One of the last surviving flock manufacturers in the world
Will close its doors forever in February 2023 due to a severe shortage of labor and materials.
Hemendra Shah, the owner of Spectro for the past 34years and being in the same business for 51 years, has sold off his equipment and the factory where he produced flock for a variety of markets including upholstery to customers worldwide, even China.
This leaves only two producers left in the world, namely Flokser of Turkiye and Flocktex of Israel.
Shah will retire and his son, Raj will find other work, Shah says. “I am going to retire, and Raj will be doing some consulting. It has been great to know you and many great people in USA and around the world.
Tough year, loosing lovely wife for 50 years and business for 51 years, in a same year,” he says.
“It has been a very long and great journey for me, coming from India in 1969 for higher study in Lowell. I started part time work at Vertipile Inc. on March 31, 1971 and became a proud owner of the same business on November 2, 1988.
“During this long journey, I have travelled and met with many great people all over the world. We exported in 1990’s and early 2,000’s about 80 percent of our product to every corner of the world, including Siberia.”
“It took us a long time to come to this decision due to a deteriorating raw material supply situation, labor costs and finding it impossible to find a dependable workforce. Our customers are facing the same problems.”
Will close its doors forever in February 2023 due to a severe shortage of labor and materials.
Hemendra Shah, the owner of Spectro for the past 34years and being in the same business for 51 years, has sold off his equipment and the factory where he produced flock for a variety of markets including upholstery to customers worldwide, even China.
This leaves only two producers left in the world, namely Flokser of Turkiye and Flocktex of Israel.
Shah will retire and his son, Raj will find other work, Shah says. “I am going to retire, and Raj will be doing some consulting. It has been great to know you and many great people in USA and around the world.
Tough year, loosing lovely wife for 50 years and business for 51 years, in a same year,” he says.
“It has been a very long and great journey for me, coming from India in 1969 for higher study in Lowell. I started part time work at Vertipile Inc. on March 31, 1971 and became a proud owner of the same business on November 2, 1988.
“During this long journey, I have travelled and met with many great people all over the world. We exported in 1990’s and early 2,000’s about 80 percent of our product to every corner of the world, including Siberia.”
“It took us a long time to come to this decision due to a deteriorating raw material supply situation, labor costs and finding it impossible to find a dependable workforce. Our customers are facing the same problems.”