HIGH POINT, North Carolina — Veteran fabric onlookers would be hard-pressed to recognize all of the changes in the Textile Tower here as many American mills have disappeared and new names, many with Chinese principals have taken their place.

One of the new Chinese firms is Westwood Weavers, Inc., a Charlotte, NC based company with Chinese principals and American managers. The company had its first permanent space at Showtime in December.

Joel Cochrane, Executive Director of Sales said that Westwood was the result of talks between the largest Chinese sheet manufacturer, Honglui in Jaixong (J.S. Royal Home in Charlotte) and an upholstery mill in Hangzhou. Westwood previously sold into the USA and Europe through converters but now it is selling direct with its own warehouse in the USA shared with Honglui, a novel approach.

Cochrane was showing the company’s first line for Showtime, 300 sku’s, mostly in polyester, priced from $3.50-$12.95 including some contract qualities. The bulk of the line is geared to furniture manufacturers Cochrane is not new to the business. He was a principal in his family furniture business, Cochrane Furniture that was sold to Chromecraft-Revington years ago. Cochrane followed that up with a stint as upholstery merchandise manager for a Canadian firm.Christina Spatz, Design/Product Development Director and Joel Cochrane, Executive Director of Merchandising & Sales, Westwood Weavers, Inc., Charlotte, NC 

Cochrane works with Christina Spatz, Design Manager, who came to Westwood from Springs Global. She is a recent graduate of Winthrop University, Rock Hill, N.C., where she majored in interior design.

Kathy Dayvault, who wasn’t available for this interview is President.