USFloors has opened a Mainland China office in Shanghai to provide local management and oversight of sourcing, quality, and logistics. The operation will be fully staffed and headed up by Julian Dossche, USFloors' senior manager of global business development, who joined the company in July. In addition, Rachel Dossche has also joined the operations team in the Shanghai office as Logistics Manager.
Piet Dossche, USFloors president and CEO, explained the need for a larger Asian presence, "The growth we are currently experiencing and the opportunities we have to further fine-tune our business practices and operating procedures with our Asian manufacturing partners, made us decide to expand our current QC and sourcing efforts in China by opening up our own USFloors office in Shanghai, with much expanded QC and logistics staff.
The office is located at CentralPod, a newly renovated creative and commercial workspace in the Jing'An area of Shanghai. CentralPod was developed with a focus on sustainable and energy efficient design, a key feature in selecting the location according to Piet Dossche. "We are pleased that we could locate our Shanghai office in a space that complements our commitment to the environment." The design of CentralPod incorporated a variety of energy/environmental design strategies including natural day lighting, passive natural ventilation, recycled and re-used materials, and a rooftop garden, or green roof.
USFloors' China operation will provide a three-pronged service: improved quality control, faster logistics resulting in better service, and better understanding of the market with greater access to sourcing new products and technologies. The expanded management team will include a quality control manager who will oversee USFloors-employed quality control technicians stationed at key factories of USFloors supply chain. The QC technicians will be on the factory production line when the company's floors are being produced and will ensure USFloors products are being made according to USFloors specifications and standards.
Piet Dossche commented on the effect this will have on USFloors' service, "We expect this to have an immediate impact on service. When we receive product that is not made to our quality standards, we have to quarantine the shipment and reorder new material, which does affect order fulfillment and service to our customers. Replacing an off-quality shipment can sometimes delay the availability of products for weeks. By ensuring quality and standards at the factory level, we are striving to greatly reduce or even eliminate this scenario completely."
Julian Dossche will spearhead the expansion, implementing best practices into Asian quality and procurement processes. Prior to joining USFloors, Julian worked in business development for a renewable energy company based out of Atlanta and was instrumental in helping the company grow into one of the leading providers of solar generated power installations in the Southeast. He is a 2009 graduate of the University of Georgia with degrees in Economics and French, and earned LEED AP credentials in 2010. As Senior Manager of Global Business Development, Julian will be responsible for all sourcing, quality control and logistics for all USFloors products procured and imported from Asia.
"I have full confidence that Julian will represent our company very well and ensure that USFloors remains and strengthens its position as a Unique and Sustainable quality focused organization. He will be a driving force in helping us to enforce further, the service-oriented, quality focused and innovative company our customers expect us to be," said Piet Dossche.
Rachel Dossche brings extensive experience in off-shore logistics to her new position in China, where she will manage all aspects of outbound logistics including freight rates, shipping schedules, etc. Rachel comes to USFloors from East-West Manufacturing, an Atlanta-based, off-shore manufacturing company for U.S. and European original equipment manufacturers and distributors, where she was Logistics Manager. "Rachel's logistics experience and knowledge from the ground up will help to streamline our processes here at USFloors. She will be an integral part of making sure we receive the best services at the best prices, so that our team has the resources needed to best serve our customers." She is a 2009 cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia with degrees in Economics and Spanish.
The China expansion continues a strategy of incremental growth that has driven USFloors' business since the company opened in 2001, which included the acquisition of Natural Cork in 2004, and the opening of it's Dalton, GA based manufacturing facility in 2009. Piet Dossche asserts, "Expanding our presence and controls in China is integral in growing our business in the US and abroad. While we have always had a presence in China, the Shanghai office and the management and staffing that are now in place, will greatly support the growth we are experiencing and create substantial benefits towards improving all aspects of customer satisfaction."
