Today the class visited the Glen Raven Company in Glen Raven, NC. The visit was very informative and we learned about all aspects of their business. From the manufacturing to the marketing, we learned everything there is to know about Glen Raven. They are a dying and finishing fabric company that specializes in automotive, military, and protective equipment fabrics. They are a global textile company that has manufacturing plants in China, Brazil, and India. The unique thing about Glen Raven is that they uphold all their manufacturing factories to the American regulations for safety and environmental protection. The company is family owned and has been for years. The same family has been running the company for 4 generations, which was started by John Q. Gant in 1880. The upcoming CEO will be the first non-Gant family member to run the company since its inception.
A major vision of the company is to “let endless possibilities begin” meaning that innovation and free thought are highly valued. The board members invest heavily in Research and Development, to create strong brands to help customers make money. The mission of the company is to enhance the lives of the global consumers. The company has a reputation for embracing change. For example, the company used to be involved in manufacturing textiles for NFL jerseys, but made a major shift to manufacturing fabrics for headboards in the automotive industry. The shift happened because Glen Raven places a large value on market research. Their employees are encouraged to be free thinking individuals who embrace change.
Glen Raven has over 27,000 employees worldwide and produces fabrics for many different purposes. The company makes textiles for mining, the military, and the automotive industry amongst others. They have many different brands that are marketed through various avenues like social media and websites. We met president Lambert’s daughter who had some very interesting words about the marketing process. They use email marketing techniques and create interesting content for consumers. She said that the marketing Glen Raven does call surveys to keep themselves informed on their audience, but follows all of the US spam laws, We got a chance to see the textiles they produce in the manufacturing part of the facility. The machines they use have a focus on safety but also efficiency.
We got to see the office side of the plant and the factory. The office side had great synergy and it seemed like the employees work very well together. Glen Raven basically has three separate companies in one. The manufacturing part of the company is called Sombrella, the most popular brand within Glen Raven, with around 22k likes on Facebook. The distributing/logistics facet of the company is called TriVantage. They handle the shipping of all of the textiles and fabrics that go around the world. Lastly there is the tech fabrics part of the company. The last speaker we heard worked in tech fabrics, a section known for its high flexibility and ability to adapt to new industries / business. When Glen Raven first got involved in the automotive industry they had to do 2 years of automotive research, looking for partners and potential clients. Eventually, they found a solid partner and made strides towards new business and success.
In terms of the vision and plans for the future, Glen Raven provided us with a brochure that lays out the vision, mission, and values. The values include; engaged associates, embracing change, and profitable growth. I can definitely see the company continuing its track record of success and new industries.
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