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KI SERVES AS INDUSTRY PARTNER TO NEW FURNITURE TRAINING PROGRAM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2008
HIGH POINT, NC— KI has teamed with other companies, city, county and state agencies, and Guilford Technical Community College to help train the furniture industry’s next generation of skilled trade workers in High Point, North Carolina. The group, Combining Resources for Advancement of the Furniture Trade (CRAFT), launched a multi-year effort last week to address short- and long-term workforce requirements of the furniture manufacturing industry.
KI’s participation includes lending its expertise in lean manufacturing to the program’s curriculum, providing materials and fabrics for coursework, identifying sources of funding, and hosting students for training. CRAFT officials evaluated KI’s production capabilities and workers’ skills to help determine content for various courses.
“The outstanding quality of our products and employees has contributed to our operation growing more than 50 percent in six years,” said Ken Neves, general manager of KI’s High Point facility. “The CRAFT program will help to ensure we have the same level of skilled trade workers in the future as we do today.”
Neves estimates that as many as 25 percent of the current manufacturing workforce in High Point will retire by 2014. To fill that expected gap, the CRAFT initiative targets adult workers for its nine month certification degree. The first CRAFT program, which begins in February, focuses on upholstery and sewing.
KI’s High Point facility primarily produces furniture for the healthcare and college and university markets. The 100,000 square foot facility houses 120 employees in manufacturing, design and development, and sales and marketing.
KI manufactures innovative furniture and wall system solutions for education, healthcare, government and corporate markets. The employee-owned company is headquartered in Green Bay, Wis. and operates sales offices and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. KI tailors products and service solutions to the specific needs of each customer through its unique “Market of One” customer service and manufacturing philosophy. For more information, visit www.ki.com.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact:
Christina Sorbello
Eric Mower and Associates
315-413-4283
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