GLEN RAVEN, North Carolina — Glen Raven Inc., at 133 years old is making a big push into the contract upholstery market with Sunbrella® fabrics according to Hal Hunnicutt, vice president of marketing. 

Sunbrella for contract is specified at a higher level for abrasion, design and flexibility, Hunnicutt says. The product is sold through contract jobbers, although beginning on a rather small base. “Our design department started with one person and is now up to ten designers,” Hunnicutt points out, reflecting the growth of the Sunbrella business. He expects that contract will go the same way. 

This contract effort is about a year old but Allen Gant, President & CEO of Glen Raven sees great opportunities for Glen Raven in theatre seating and hospitality, institutional and corporate furniture upholstery. He says this while holding a cocktail of Sunbrella and Clorox® to prove his point. “Just use Clorox and watch the stains disappear,” he says. Sunbrella samples have been soaking in Clorox for three or more years without any degradation, illustrating the toughness of the fabric, Gant explains. Alan Grant (Glen Raven CEO)

“Glen Raven is not interested in buying textile mills; we do not make commodities. T-shirts should be made in Bangladesh— not in the USA. Glen Raven has bought other businesses to help in diversification. All of its businesses grew in 2012 and 2013 is a growth year for the company across the board. Gant says that Europe is quiet but that Asia is growing and the USA is moving in the right direction. 

Sunbrella is sold in 600 yard minimums to furniture manufacturers and there is a growing list of companies licensed to produce Sunbrella products. Sunbury Mills is the only mill outside of Glen Raven which produces Sunbrella upholstery. Sunbury products are custom for one piece minimums; Textillery Weavers-throws; Ardwyn-decorative cord and trim; Colonial Mills-indoor/outdoor rugs. 

Sunbrella produces an open line of plains and jacquards through sample books in new collections every other year. This business has grown right through the recession, he says. “Dozens of customers do their own Sunbrella book programs,” Hunnicutt says. Hal Hunnicutt (vice president, marketing Glen Raven)

“We produce products to perform. We produce products that solve a problem for our customer,” Gant points out, “and not because we produce the product faster. We have turned our employees loose on solving problems for the customer.” Marketing is our driver,” Gant emphasizes. 

He feels that’s a powerful statement in the contract business. “We just got an award in California for the cleanability of our product,” Gant says. “With Sunbrella we make the hospital a more sterile environment.” 

The company with one of the best known brands in the fabric world has also engineered a phrase to captivate its employee’s creativity, “Let endless possibilities begin.” This is the work of Alan Gant together with Hunnicutt who has been with the company for 18 years. Gant took the helm January 1, 1971 and is the sixth CEO of the privately held family owned business. The seventh generation may be in place but Gant says nepotism is not practiced at Glen Raven. “None of our three divisional Presidents are family members. 

“We are a marketing company,” Gant says. He just completed the second “Innovation Summit” hosted by Glen Raven for its suppliers and customers. About 80 people showed up for the conference in May and Gant plans to make it an annual event. The keystone of the Summit was a talk by Michael Hundgen. He spoke about how to handle data and social media. 

Hundgen is in charge of all social media at Walt Disney Company. 

“Social media will have a significant impact on business,” Gant feels. “We are no longer a manufacturing company. We want to be transparent. We want our 2500 plus personnel to innovate. A shackle and ball and chain make employees less innovative. We want what’s between their ears— not their brawn,” Gant says. 

Glen Raven has facilities in 23 countries including India, China and Western Europe. Glen Raven is in three businesses today: distribution, technical and custom fabrics. Trivantage is the distribution company. It is 24 hours away from 96 percent of the US population Gant says. It distributes all types of products including Sunbrella. It sells rope, pipe and other products. 

Technical covers automotive headliners for every major auto maker in the USA; FR fabric for safety; geotextiles for road building; the defense industry; mining industry natural gas and pharmaceutical industries. 

Custom fabrics covers Sunbrella. Dickson Constant is an acquisition which mimics Glen Raven’s behavior in Europe.