Innovation + execution:
Week of January 6, 2003
Pliana’s winning formula
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Don Clark (R), CEO of Pliana, Inc., said that 2002 was a growth year for the polypropylene producer and that he expects a continuation of that growth this year. He is joined here by Stuart Thackston, sales manager. |
By Devin Steele
CHARLOTTE, NC — Don Clark’s vision of the future for Pliana, Inc. is crystal clear. He sees the company he heads becoming the leader in innovative, high value-added polypropylene products in the U.S. yarn market.
Clark readily concedes that other CEOs in the textile industry have the same vision for their companies. His bet is that execution will make the difference between Pliana and the rest of the pack.
“First,” he said, “we can make polypropylene — fundamentally the lowest cost fiber — look, act, smell and taste as good as, or better than, higher-priced synthetic fibers.
“Second, we have an unyielding focus on innovation, quality products, dependable service and great team execution. That’s our credo, which is instilled in every employee.”
The numbers prove him right. While the overall textile industry fights through the economic doldrums, 2002 was a growth year for Pliana. Clark said he looks for a continuation this year, with his optimism based on a continuing stream of innovative specialty offerings.
Benchmark companies typically generate between 15 and 20 percent of revenues from new products. Pliana is currently at the upper end of that range and Clark is determined to push the percentage much higher.
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Mario Zetina, plant manager, verifies a color match with Pliana’s color lab technician Joyce Greene. The company can easily create new colors or match those in its extensive color library. |
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Pliana, Inc. is one of North America’s largest producers of polypropylene chenille yarns. This presentation shows the various types of yarns the company makes. |
“We’re working on our bottom line, but we’re spending more time growing the top line for ourselves and our customers with newness and innovation,” he said. “When we identify a high-value opportunity with a customer, product development has to be measured in days, not weeks or months. Our company is nimble enough to do that and our customers demand nothing less.”
Pliana’s nimbleness plays out in many ways other than speed. Color and customization are two examples.
Unlike some competitors, the company has its own color lab facilities. It can easily create new colors or match those in its extensive color library. The company annually adds 30 to 40 new colors, that forecast industry design trends.
As for customization, Clark said his competitors primarily deal in “units of millions.” One-third of his business is small runs of less than 2,000 pounds, which is achievable due to the configuration of his company’s manufacturing processes.
Seventy-five percent of Pliana’s revenues come from contract and home upholstery. Automotive sales account for 15 percent, with the remainder split among industrial, military and apparel sales.
Product glance
Pliana Inc. is a subsidiary of Pliana Holdings, which has 1,200 employees located at sales and manufacturing operations in Charlotte; Tlaxcala, Mexico; and at company headquarters in Mexico City.
The company is one of North America’s largest producers of polypropylene chenille yarns. Building on that strength, three new chenille products are in Pliana’s product portfolio.
Punto® is a fine-denier chenille for home upholstery and apparel, such as sweaters, where its low cost and light weight make it attractive in replacing acrylic yarns. Introduced earlier this year, it is available in more than 30 colors.
Alchemie®, targeted at home upholstery markets, will be available this month and has been engineered to be extremely soft and luxurious.
“It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen from the polypropylene world and is expected to compete exceptionally well with acrylic and cotton,” Clark said.
Pliana’s third new chenille entry is Vibe®, a slub chenille yarn with a variety of deniers in each filament. Fabrics made with this yarn have random degrees of thickness, which has important design implications for home upholstery. Vibe® will be launched this month.
Clark has also set sights on growth in the carpet and automotive arenas. Carpet and rug producers are increasingly interested in polypropylene and nylon chenille yarns which, along with lower cost, bring new design capabilities and fresh looks, according to company officials.
Feedback on a number of new polypropylene and nylon chenille sample programs has been promising, staff members said.
Pliana officials said they believe it can leverage its longtime experience in home upholstery, color capabilities and small lot technology to grow share in automotive markets. This is primarily a polyester market so, in addition to its polypropylene automotive yarn offering, Pliana is developing a line of polyester taslan, false-twist and chenille products consistent with its past record of meeting rigorous automotive specifications.
Clark said he is also eyeing expansion into military markets, where cost and performance are critical. He has high expectations for a new line of polypropylene yarns for thermal underwear, tarps and straps. Timing could not be better, with military spending reflecting the current heightened awareness of national security.
Innovative novelty yarns, which Clark defined as “funky and out there on the leading edge,” are also being introduced. Whirlwind®, Cosmos® and Carousel® offer novel combinations of twists, bulk levels and colors that enable designers to create new, fresh and different fabric concepts.
As he looks ahead to this year, Clark said he believes the peaks and valleys he and the company initially experienced are behind him, enabling a greater focus on the growth strategy.
Clark’s ground rules for growth are as clear as his vision for the company.
“At Pliana, we’re not interested in growth for the sake of getting big,” he said. “We want profitable growth for ourselves and our customers.”
