| SPECIAL REPORT
Team Effort Benefits All
Aveno Window Fashions, Inc. moves to a new facility and launches new product lines for 2007.
Over the winter holidays, Aveno Window Fashions, Inc. moved its production, warehouse and corporate office facilities to a new 216,000-square-foot building located at 4300 South Westpark Dr., Atlanta, GA.
“The physical effort to move our facilities began in early December 2006, and through the dedication of our employees and management team was successfully completed over the winter holidays with very few interruptions in service for Aveno customers,” states Moe Rouzati, president. “Since we are now given the opportunity to utilize one of the largest window coverings facilities in the nation, we are eager and excited to make great strides in efficiency, quality control and production capacity that will benefit Aveno customers, employees and business associates.”
Rouzati personally designed the layout of the new Aveno facility with efficiency, quality control and innovation in mind. Aveno’s warehouse division was formally located outside the main corporate office and production divisions—all three divisions are now combined in one centralized space. Notable improvements to the production area include state-of-the-art automated paint booths in the shutter department, direct-line conveyor belts to expedite completed orders from production to shipping, and consolidated packaging within each department.
Dale Youngblood managed Aveno’s move to the new South Westpark Dr. location. In June 2006 Aveno welcomed Youngblood as plant operations manager (see D&WC, July 2006, page 23). Bringing more than 35 years of operations management knowledge and experience in the window coverings industry to Aveno, Youngblood was previously involved in operations management for Levolor Home Fashions (formerly Kirsch). Youngblood joined the Aveno team to oversee its extensive production and warehouse divisions.
Aveno’s production leadership team also received a recent boost from the addition of Jorge Bernal, shutter production manager, whose oversight includes the Woodcrest®, Wood Advantage™, Thermowood™, and new Eclipse™ shutter lines. Bernal brings wide-ranging shutter production experience to the Aveno team, having worked in the past with Timber Blinds and other large names in the window coverings industry.
COLLATERAL MATERIALS
To compliment its move to a new, larger facility, Aveno’s marketing strategy for 2007 focuses on infusing its dealer base with renewed excitement through the introduction of new product offerings, fresh marketing collateral and numerous hands-on training opportunities.
Aveno’s newly increased production capacity allows for the 2007 addition of an in-house roller shade line, as well as the Eclipse shutter line. “We are very pleased to bring the Eclipse shutter line on board,” states Jamie Waggoner, marketing and creative director. “Eclipse shutters have a solid reputation for quality and reliability. Our new roller shades line is very exciting, too, including many unique and on-trend fabrics that will change the face of the American roller shades market. Utilizing these products, our dealers will be able to approach their customers with full-line window covering solutions that set them apart from the competition.”
The popular Everest™ cellular shade line by Aveno will expand in 2007 from a selection of 36 SKUs to include 131 SKUs in cell sizes ranging from 3/8-inch single cell, 3/8-inch double cell, 3/4-inch single cell, 1/2-inch double cell, and 9/16-inch single cell. Aveno’s Woodcrest premium plantation wood shutter line will also expand to include a new 4 1/2-inch louver and custom stain options.
These updates and more are reflected in Volume IV of the Aveno Full Line Product Catalog released to the public in February. Also to be released in combination with Volume IV of the Aveno catalog, newly redesigned sample books for Everest cellular shades, Sheer Solaret® shades, roller shades, panel track systems, and Solar Glide™ shades.
The Aveno Insider™ training class series continues in 2007. This popular training series taught by Aveno corporate training specialists is open to all Aveno dealers who want the inside scoop on Aveno products and operations, as well as “old hat” professionals who want to sharpen their knowledge and skills. The training class schedule will be supplemented by open house events throughout 2007 welcoming dealers and business associates to the new Aveno facility and product lines. |
