by HILDEBRAN, N.C. – Universal Furniture announced that it is moving its domestic upholstery manufacturing operations from Conover to Hildebran by the end of this year as part of an effort to bolster its special order business in the category.
The company is shifting the operation from a leased facility in Conover to a nearly 800,000-square-foot facility owned by company parent Samson Marketing.
“This is a beneficial transition for us,” said Universal Furniture President Sean O’Connor. “We started upholstery in 2016 and opened domestic manufacturing in 2019. As we continue to grow, the Hildebran facility is an excellent home for the next phase of our business.”
O’Connor added that the move to the 56-acre property also allows “us more control over the building, its maintenance and any future expansions.”
The company added that the move will improve efficiency as the Conover operation is situated on two floors. The Samson-owned facility allows upholstery manufacturing to be on one level, giving “the manufacturing process a more efficient flow in production, and making better use of the space available.”
The company added that all current employees from the Conover plant will continue to be employed at the Hildebran facility, which is about 13 miles from Conover. In addition, all machinery will be moved to the new plant, including a newly purchased fabric-cutting machine and an additional new router to increase frame production.
Universal said it will end its lease in Conover in February of 2026.
