DONGGUAN, CHINA — On June 7, 2007, Eminence Speaker LLC recently celebrated the Grand Opening of Eminence Dongguan, opening the doors of the new facility to customers and vendors.
The factory is capable of housing up to 400 employees in the new air-conditioned dormitories. According to Danny Meadows, OEM Sales representative and 24-year Eminence employee, “We want to take the best possible care of all our employees. When they are comfortable and happy, they can concentrate on our proven manufacturing techniques and on building really great quality products. We also know that we have to protect our components and finished goods from the incredible humidity that is so common and potentially destructive in China.”
Plans for an Eminence facility in China began on November 21, 2005, in an effort to better serve Eminence customers that were manufacturing in Asia. By June 2006, production began at a temporary location near the construction site of the permanent factory. In March 2007, Eminence moved production to the new facility and finished the final decorating touches for the 160,000 sq. ft. factory in late May.
President Rob Gault states, “To keep growing in the speaker industry we had to either create a presence where the demand was or resign ourselves to shrinking.” In 2005 alone, foreign-invested manufacturers involved in the musical instrument industry in China grew to account for almost 60% of total sales for such products originating there. The Customs General Administration of China reports that export values reached $923M, an increase of almost 16% from 2004.
From its factory in Eminence, Ky., Eminence produces loudspeakers for brands such as Gibson, Fender, Epiphone, Peavey, Kustom, Yamaha, Yorkville, Gallien, SWR, etc. “The new facility in Dongguan is not an effort to replace the Kentucky factory,” said Gault. “Eminence Dongguan will logistically address the needs of our OEM customers manufacturing in Asia.”
For further information, please see www.eminence.com.
