by INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Contract and hospitality furniture manufacturer Lily Jack recently announced a shift in its operations that consolidates some of its Mexico manufacturing and shifts some of the work to its facilities in California and other facilities in Mexico.
According to a letter sent to customers and obtained by Home News Now, the company closed its FMX manufacturing plant in Tijuana on May 25, a move that impacted about 243 workers. The company said it presented a severance package to the employees affected and also presented letters of recommendation for future employment.
The company said that the closure of the Mexico operation is allowing it to make a reinvestment in facilities the company has owned in Inglewood, California for many years.
The company said that it has ramped up production in the facility, where it will be producing both upholstery and case goods.
“Lily Jack’s master artisans will now be producing public area furniture with the standard of quality all have come to expect in the industry,” the company said in its letter. “This strategic move is a return to our roots and to manufacturing much more in America.”
While the letter did not offer specifics, it noted that the company also is increasing its footprint in Mexico and other parts of Latin America.
“Fourteen of our most valued and experienced key personnel from the FMX factory will run the day-to-day operations,” the letter stated. “We will continue to provide the highest quality furniture for our partner factories out of Mexico, just as we have been doing for over 11 years. Our processes and standards are the same, regardless of where our furniture is produced.”
The company also assured customers that its commitment to them, including “quality, lead times, project execution and the relationships we have built over decades has not changed,” adding that it also continues to expand its sourcing partnerships in Vietnam and China “as our business grows. We have always been a global manufacturer and will shift our ratio as needed to better accommodate our clients’ needs. Our manufacturing locations remain unchanged, in the USA, Mexico, Vietnam and China.”
While most of the company’s furniture is built for the hospitality sector, its styles have a residential design aesthetic allowing them also to be used in single-family homes, condos and apartments. In addition to living room furniture that includes sofas, settees and lounge chairs, it also produces a line of beds and companion case pieces along with desks, cabinets, consoles and more.
