Vaughan Furniture Co. will close its Johnson City, Tennessee Empire Plant in June, eliminating about 200 jobs.

Vaughn executives are blaming imports for the closure. Imports of wood bedroom furniture from China have been blamed for the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs in recent years. Some domestic manufacturers are lobbying for stricter import controls and tariffs.

Auggie Tantillo, Washington Coordinator of The American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC) said recently, "Between their labor pool, industrial capacity, and growth in exports to the United States, China has the ability to consume most of the U.S. market if left unrestrained." Tantillo added, "Job-destroying furniture imports are skyrocketing. The trade deficit in furniture and bedding was $21 billion in 2002 and is already up 23% for 2003. Nearly 100,000 furniture jobs have been destroyed since January 2001, a loss of 14.8 percent."

Other trade groups like Furniture Retailers of America (FRA) are lobbying against trade restrictions. FRA will be holding a special briefing on the implications for retailers and importers of the trade petition against Chinese wooden bedroom furniture during the upcoming High Point Furniture Market.

Company president Bill Vaughn told AP, "The growth of imports is making it hard on working Americans and their families," he said. "My heart goes out to each of these men and women who work in our Johnson City plant."

TAYLOR G.VAUGHAN, SR

BUNYAN C.VAUGHAN

Vaughan Furniture Company history
In 1923, two brothers, raised on a small farm in southwest Virginia, founded Vaughan Furniture Company. Taylor G. Vaughan, Sr. and his brother Bunyan C. Vaughan and members of their families and friends set out to begin a furniture manufacturing business that would survive the Great Depression to become the established Vaughan family legacy that endures today. The company was organized, financed and built to manufacture a line of dining room furniture to complement another company's line of bedroom furniture.

During the 1930's, Vaughan was selling complete bedroom suites for as little as $24.95.
In 1954, the lowest priced bedroom suite sold for $69.95. The suite included a double dresser, chest-of-drawers, tilting Venetian plate glass mirror, bookcase headboard and panel footboard. Two higher priced suites were competitively priced for $79.95 and $89.95.

During the mid-1950's, when Taylor's son George was elected president, improvements were made in manufacturing and efficiency. By 1964, Vaughan orders had doubled and so had the manufacturing space. In the years that followed, through 1997, the company continued to grow and acquire manufacturing plants at a rate that may never be seen again.

John Vaughan, the company's fourth president, is currently Chairman of the Board. For John, style, quality, integrity and a strong partnership with dealers were the guiding principles of doing business. Now, the third generation of family management continues the traditions of the founders. Bill Vaughan was elected the company's fifth president in 1995. Taylor Vaughan is Senior Executive Vice President and David Vaughan is Senior Vice President-Merchandising and Imports.

Through rapid growth and expansion, the Vaughan family of skilled craftspeople have always been at the heart of the company. Vaughan Furniture Company remains committed to its fellow employees, its customers and to delivering a quality product at value pricing. In the spirit of enlivened volunteerism, Vaughan and its employees support America's Promise, a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth.

Vaughan employs a sales force of approximately 75 and maintains a distribution to more than 5,000 dealers, internationally. An approximate 26,000 square foot showroom in the International Home Furnishings Center in High point, North Carolina, serves as the primary display location for product, shown twice each year, at the Spring and Fall Furniture Markets. As a complete resource for bedroom, dining room and living room furniture, Vaughan looks to the future with revitalized optimism.