Romo Sees $30 Million in U.S. Business Within Five Years
July 11, 2006
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — Romo has solidly planted its corporate flag in the U.S. with the purchase of Arte Fabrics Wallcoverings & Fabrics Inc. one year ago.
The name of the company has been changed to Romo. "It represents Romo's first foray into the U.S. market," said Jonathan Mould, managing director and principal.
Romo, a major upholstery and drapery fabric wholesaler, expects to generate sales of $90 million in 2006, Mould confirms, including about $8 million from the U.S. division alone.
Arte distributed Romo in the U.S. for nine years. Nicola Glew Henry, who had been working for Romo for 18 years in the UK, was named president of the U.S. division with the acquisition.
She had been developing subsidiaries worldwide for Romo and "we always knew we would start a U.S. subsidiary.''
In December 2005, Jonathan first made the proposal to the owners of Arte, a Belgian wall covering company with a U.S. subsidiary. Arte was the U.S. distributor of Romo since 1995 and Romo had become the biggest selling brand within Arte USA. The time became right for Jonathan to go direct and so purchased Arte in July, 2005 from owners Pierre Desart and Stephan Baptist who are based at Arte corporate headquarters in Zonhoven, Belgium. The U.S. division of Arte started operations in 1991.
"This was win-win situation for both sides,'' Nicola said.
Nicola is president and Frederick Henry is the chief executive.
Nicola came to live in America with her partner Frederick who was working for Arte in Zonhoven, Belgium. He too was sent over to run Arte USA in 2000.
"We now distribute Romo, the flagship fabric brand and Villa Nova, our mass market line as well as the independent brands Omexco, a Belgian wallcovering brand of high end wall coverings; Collecione Cesaro, a contemporary line of fabrics and Arte wall coverings and fabrics. Arte continues to do business as before but in the U.S., the brand is now distributed by Romo," she said.
"Right now, we'll do $8 million this year and we're up 26% in 2006; 50% in the Romo Brand alone. We think we can be a major converter in the States in the $30 million range within five years.'' She added: "We have 16 employees and a network of independent sales representatives coast to coast."
Romo is an extensive range of proprietary fabrics for upholstery and drapery. Eight designers work on the Romo brand in Nottingham. "We're selling the same line in the States successfully," Nicola said.
She also confirmed that since the start of 2006, the Kirkby House upholstery brand is now run by David Canovan who also runs the Villa Nova brand. He took over form Robert Mould who was general manager of Kirkby House prior to his retirement to France this year. Robert and Jonathan are brothers.
Jonathan's daughters Felicity and Emily Mould as well as Robert Mould's daughter Lindsay Mould, represent the fifth generation of the Mould family in the business.
The name of the company has been changed to Romo. "It represents Romo's first foray into the U.S. market," said Jonathan Mould, managing director and principal.
Romo, a major upholstery and drapery fabric wholesaler, expects to generate sales of $90 million in 2006, Mould confirms, including about $8 million from the U.S. division alone.
Arte distributed Romo in the U.S. for nine years. Nicola Glew Henry, who had been working for Romo for 18 years in the UK, was named president of the U.S. division with the acquisition.
She had been developing subsidiaries worldwide for Romo and "we always knew we would start a U.S. subsidiary.''
In December 2005, Jonathan first made the proposal to the owners of Arte, a Belgian wall covering company with a U.S. subsidiary. Arte was the U.S. distributor of Romo since 1995 and Romo had become the biggest selling brand within Arte USA. The time became right for Jonathan to go direct and so purchased Arte in July, 2005 from owners Pierre Desart and Stephan Baptist who are based at Arte corporate headquarters in Zonhoven, Belgium. The U.S. division of Arte started operations in 1991.
"This was win-win situation for both sides,'' Nicola said.
Nicola is president and Frederick Henry is the chief executive.
Nicola came to live in America with her partner Frederick who was working for Arte in Zonhoven, Belgium. He too was sent over to run Arte USA in 2000.
"We now distribute Romo, the flagship fabric brand and Villa Nova, our mass market line as well as the independent brands Omexco, a Belgian wallcovering brand of high end wall coverings; Collecione Cesaro, a contemporary line of fabrics and Arte wall coverings and fabrics. Arte continues to do business as before but in the U.S., the brand is now distributed by Romo," she said.
"Right now, we'll do $8 million this year and we're up 26% in 2006; 50% in the Romo Brand alone. We think we can be a major converter in the States in the $30 million range within five years.'' She added: "We have 16 employees and a network of independent sales representatives coast to coast."
Romo is an extensive range of proprietary fabrics for upholstery and drapery. Eight designers work on the Romo brand in Nottingham. "We're selling the same line in the States successfully," Nicola said.
She also confirmed that since the start of 2006, the Kirkby House upholstery brand is now run by David Canovan who also runs the Villa Nova brand. He took over form Robert Mould who was general manager of Kirkby House prior to his retirement to France this year. Robert and Jonathan are brothers.
Jonathan's daughters Felicity and Emily Mould as well as Robert Mould's daughter Lindsay Mould, represent the fifth generation of the Mould family in the business.
