Klaussner Home Furnishings has entered into an exclusive transportation and logistics contract with Salem Logistics, Inc. The move follows the launch of the Klaussner Home Furnishings consumer brand, introduced to furniture dealers at the Las Vegas Furniture Market last July. Under the new contract, the transportation program will be gradually phased in over the coming months, beginning with outbound shipments to retailers from Klaussner's manufacturing facilities in Asheboro, N.C. That will be followed by shipments moving out of the company's plants in Iowa and California. Klaussner officially turned over all of its transportation functions to Salem Logistics in October, at the High Point Market trade show for home furnishings. Jeff Davis, Klaussner's vice president of business development, said the company traditionally has shipped truckloads of product to the nation's largest retailers. With the demise of some of those entities, Klaussner has revised its strategy to support smaller retailers as well. The new approach fits well with the type of third-party offerings marketed by Salem Logistics. Among the vendor's services is a less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping program, which allows licensed stores to operate with less inventory, yet still guarantee customers delivery of select items in seven days or less. Custom orders are guaranteed in 30 days or less. Salem president David Eshelman said the deal had been in the works for more than a year. The arrangement will help Klaussner to get products to customers faster, while expanding markets and improving service, he claimed.
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