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by Anonymous
Greensboro, NC, May 15, 2002 — Open Circle Importing Company, based in Greensboro, NC, secured a long-term exclusive distribution agreement with Cosmetal SRL of Francavilla al Mare, Italy to distribute Cosmetal’s lines of office furniture in the U.S. Cosmetal products will be ready for distribution in May, 2002.
Open Circle founders identified several burgeoning opportunities within the contract furniture industry and began conducting due diligence early in 2001. “We recognized two segments that were being underserved in the U.S. market,” said Emmett Morphis, an Open Circle Vice President. “The SoHo segment is really beginning to take off, and there are very few quality players in the space. But more importantly, we saw an opportunity with contemporary, open office systems. Herman Miller, Haworth, Steelcase, Knoll and others own the high-end of the segment, but there really are no competitors at the mid to low-range level. So we set out to find a product that competes at that level”
Open Circle conducted extensive research to identify a manufacturer producing products that fit the Open Circle profile. “Once we found Cosmetal, we were sold,” said Chris Morris, VP of Sales for Open Circle.
In August, 2001, Open Circle representatives traveled to Italy to meet with Cosmetal executives to discuss a potential distribution agreement. After a week of meetings, the two groups signed a “Letter of Intent”. The exclusive distribution agreement was negotiated and signed three months later. “We’re ecstatic,” Morphis said. “We found a product that exceeds our expectations. Cosmetal products are extremely well-made and are better than competitive products that cost up to 40% more. It’s a great look, functional and extremely affordable. There really is nothing on the market that is in its class.”
Although thrilled with the product, Open Circle is more excited about its relationship with Cosmetal. “They really are a great group of people. They have made a really strong commitment to us and our success. When we’ve needed something, they’ve been there for us,” said Morphis. “With an initiative of this scope, it is important that you feel completely comfortable with your partner. Usually, it takes time to build trust, but we’ve been able to accomplish this in a short period of time. We couldn’t be happier.”
But will all of this translate into success? “We knew we had hit a home run once we began to show the product to dealers and reps,” said Morris. “We are getting inquiries from all over the U.S. and new reps are being signed daily. In fact, Southern Office Furniture, based in Greensboro, NC signed up right out of the gate, which gave us instant distribution in seven states. More recently, 3 rep firms have signed on with us which expands our distribution throughout the eastern United States.”
About Open Circle Importing Company
Open Circle Importing Company exclusively distributes Cosmetal branded office furniture throughout the United States and Mexico. Open Circle Importing Company, Inc. is located in Greensboro, NC.
For more information, contact:
Chris Morris
6901-G Downwind Rd.
Greensboro, NC 27406
Phone: 336-458-0136 - Fax. 336-458-0344
e-mail: cmorris@cosmetal-us.com
About Cosmetal SrL
Cosmetal SrL is located in Francavilla al Mare, Italy, and has been providing contract furniture and metal storage solutions to the office furniture market for over 37 years. Cosmetal has achieved an exceptional reputation throughout the world by providing quality, ergonomic office furniture for those who appreciate comfort and style at an affordable price.
For more information, contact:
Teresa Fuscaldo
Via Adriatica Nord, 57 - 66023 Francavilla al Mare (CH) - Italia
Phone: +39 085 492141 – Fax: +39 085 4913004
e-mail: export@cosmetal.com
This article courtesy of http://www.officefurnitureselect.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.
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