Boling says it plans to keep operating
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on December 2, 2004 2:00 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The Boling Furniture Co. is not going to close.
Operations Manager Johnny Bullins said Wednesday there's no truth to a rumor that the plant will close next week.
Business is a little soft, and the company has had to lay off seven of its 50 employees. But company officials are evaluating the business and trying to find another niche market like the one it has in the medical field.
"We do a lot of work for the health care industry," he said. "We have government agencies all over the country that buy health care products from us."
One of the products is called the "hip chair." Bullins said it's designed for people who have had hip replacement surgery. It's solid oak, with curved plywood, and it's easy to sit in without having to stoop or bend.
The furniture business is a tough industry to be in now, he said. Foreign imports make for tough competition. Boling manufactures office furniture.
"We want to expand in the health care industry," he added. "It's an open market, with the aging of the baby boomer generation."
Rumors haven't been few and far between at Boling, he said. The plant has had its ups and downs in the past 10 years. During that time, he said, the plant has had three owners.