PHOENIX—Latexco US recently completed the relocation of its West Coast operations to Phoenix, and the firm said the production site will be fully operational by the end of 2019.
The 100,000-sq.-ft. site will provide additional polyurethane foam capacity and fulfillment services for its growing customer base. The site replaces its 66,000-sq.-ft. facility in Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
"In Phoenix, we continue our customer-centric approach with a comfortable showroom that displays and demonstrates our range of capabilities, and we offer our new Latexco Academy, which is an area of innovation: a 'plug and play' area for us to work with customers on ideas from scratch and test out building a bed," Evi Brilleman, vice president of marketing and business development at Latexco, said in a statement.
The showroom at the Phoenix site shows off the firm's newest foams; contains a Pulse bed with a comfort layer using the blended version of Latexco's Pulse product; a latex-encased spring unit branded Soul Spring, which won a 2019 Interzum award; and Latexco natural and original pillows.
Latexco said its Pulse technology is produced with its SonoCore process that uses radio frequency technology and dielectric heating instead of steam heating and drying, reducing energy consumption by seven times compared to traditional latex vulcanization process.
At the time it disclosed the project, Latexco said it was investing about $10 million in the Phoenix site and that employment was projected to increase by about 25 percent as the plant becomes fully operational. All 16 employees in California had been offered jobs and relocation packages, and the firm said those who were unable to move would receive a severance package.
Latexco also said at the time that it intends to double its sales within the U.S. region by 2021.
In a separate move, Latexco US named Olivier Deleu as its chief financial officer. The firm said Deleu had previously served in key finance management and accounting roles for several Belgian equipment and furniture manufacturers, including Haco N.V., Haelvoet N.V. and IPSO-LSG.