The project, produced by tom hanks and gary goetzmans playtone, is based on beth macys nonfiction book factory man. Factory man wonderfully recounts the davidandgoliath. Macys previous book, factory man told the story of the bassett furniture company and john bassett iii, chairman of vaughan bassett furniture co. Jul 14, 2014 how a factory man fought to save his furniture company virginia furniture owner john bassett iii was determined to beat out foreign competitors. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading factory man. The decline of an american furniture maker the new yorker. Theyll help you turn inspiration into reality with furniture that looks beautiful and will last a lifetime. Factory man by beth macy little, brown and company. Feb 06, 2015 john bassett iii joins the mcgraw show to introduce book factory man. In factory man, beth macy brings to life bassett s deeply personal furniture and family story, along with a host of characters from an industry that was as cutthroat as it was colorful. As she shows how he uses legal maneuvers, factory efficiencies, and sheer grit and cunning to save hundreds of jobs, she also reveals the truth about modern industry in america.
If you are looking for another quality bedroom furniture company then i suggest you take a look at coaster furniture. The factory man of her title is john bassett iii jbiii, the man who is still making furniture at his vaughan bassett furniture factory in galax, va. We invite you to explore our beautiful, americanmade furniture collections. Her book is also a revealing account of the paternalistic bassett dynasty, whose infighting was a constant diversion for everyone living in the company town. Beth macy painted a colorful word portrait of bassett and his battle in her 2014 bestselling book, factory man.
The company began its operation in rural virginia and quickly emerged as a leader in the us furniture manufacturing industry. The company began its operation in rural virginia and quickly emerged as a leader in the us furnituremanufacturing industry. Sep 15, 2014 the project, produced by tom hanks and gary goetzmans playtone, is based on beth macys nonfiction book factory man. Bassett furniture is one of the oldest furniture manufacturers in virginia. The lamps, maintained by the once prosperous bassett. In factory man, beth macy brings to life bassett s deeply personal furniture and family story. Factory man explores human side of globalization youtube. Aug 19, 2014 beth macy talks about the bassett furniture company and its decision not to offshore its production, even though the company faced tremendous competition from china. His story led former roanoke times reporter beth macy to write factory man. Bassett, iii, chairman of vaughan bassett furniture company and his fight to keep 700 furniture jobs in the united states. The subtitle of this book is how one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an american. One man s battle to save hundreds of jobs by taking on china and demonstrating the greatness of american business.
When youre ready to design your own recliner, book an appointment with a bassett design consultant. Run by the same powerful virginia family for generations, it was also the center of life in bassett, virginia. Meet john bassett, title character of factory man at. And if his furniture business is alive today it is largely because mr bassett won his fight. With its success came the need for more and more factories and more and more employees. The book tracks john bassetts fight to keep american jobs on this side of. There is an element of don quixote about it, as some of bassetts. And if that reporter is beth macy, who never stops digging for the facts and is a great storyteller to boot, youve got a book you wont be able to put down. The first half of the book is given over to bassett history. Jeffrey brown profiles factory man, a new book by beth macy, that recalls of the rise and fall of the industry, as well as one hardearned success story. John bassett iii, a shrewd and determined thirdgeneration factory man who used grit, tenacity, and will to compete against china and ultimately save his familys company. The book, titled factory man, follows bassetts travels and tribulations including to the hinterlands of china to meet his ultimate competitors. Click here to order this book one mans battle to save hundreds of jobs by taking on china and demonstrating the greatness of american business read the new york times best seller about john d.
In factory man, beth macy brings to life john bassett s fascinating business, with wildly colorful stories from an american industry that once ruled. Vaughan bassett ended up with fortysix million dollars in antidumping duties, a. Describes how the chairman of vaughanbassett furniture fought for his more than 700 employees in a small virginia town using legal maneuvers, factory efficiencies. Factory man book click here to order this book one mans battle to save hundreds of jobs by taking on china and demonstrating the greatness of american business read the new york times best seller about john d. Bassett furniture has a wide variety of handmade living room, bedroom, and dining room furniture that works with all styles. The book, titled factory man, follows bassett s travels and tribulations including to the hinterlands of china to meet his ultimate competitors. Ultimately, bassett s efforts saved some 700 jobs and his vaughan bassett company, the nations largest wood bedroom furniture maker. Bassett iii, of virginias vaughanbassett furniture, wasnt buying it. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an american town. Bassett iii, who was determined to maintain american manufacturing and fight chinese dumping imports. The bassett furniture company was once the worlds biggest wood furniture manufacturer. A thirdgeneration factory owner, john bassett is from the bassett furniture family, the founders of what was once the largest furniture making enterprise in the world. The company shouldnt be confused with bassett furniture industries.
Jun 10, 2019 factory man proved very popular and helped boost the companys popularity. Virginia furniture owner john bassett iii was determined to beat out. Jul 14, 2014 factory man npr coverage of factory man. Jul 28, 2014 in her excellent new book factory man. In his quest to stem massive layoffs and plant closings he also had to take a stand against some americans. The instant new york times bestseller about one man s battle to save hundreds of jobs by demonstrating the greatness of american business. The american furniture maker who battled wall street, chinese competition and. Our beautiful furniture line is made by 700 american craftsman. Because of our commitment to custom furniture without the customary wait, we dont make it until you order it. John bassett iii discusses book factory man youtube. The house is within walking distance of the lake and the mountains are just outside the door. Tom hanks to produce factory man miniseries at hbo deadline.
Bassett furniture industries is a furniture manufacturer and retailer, headquartered in bassett, virginia, united states. In summer you can enjoy many outdoor activities such as. The subject of national bestseller now is the author of a howto book on. Doug bassett, left, son of john bassett iii, owner of vaughan bassett furniture factory and subject of factory man, the bestselling book by beth macy, talks with longtime employee shirley. As she shows how he uses legal maneuvers, factory efficiencies, and sheer grit, cunning, and will to save hundreds of jobs, she also discovers the hidden and shocking truth about industry and america. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an american town, in which she discusses about the bassett furniture. How a factory man fought to save his furniture company. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an american town, in which she discusses about the bassett furniture company. John bassett iii discusses book factory man 550ktrstv. Factory man chronicles bassett family and their furniture. We have for some time been awash in books detailing the. The instant new york times bestseller about one mans battle to save hundreds of jobs by demonstrating the greatness of american business. Factory man revolves around bassett furniture industries, once a household name in the furniture business.
How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed localand helped save an american town by beth macy. When the 100yearold family furniture company started by his grandfather, now a public company, shuttered its virginia factory and gutted the town where it. Factory man john bassett iii shares words in own book. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and. It is impossible to read beth macys factory man without casting the.
Factory man is so thick with rich characters, family secrets and backwoods wisdom that this very abundance becomes its one flaw. I kept thinking about our worthless antique as i read beth macys factory man, a wellcrafted and epic tale tracing the rise of a virginia furniture making empire through the 20th century and. Factory man the first line of factory man is once in a reporters life career, if one is very lucky, a person like john d. Vaughanbassett furniture chairman tells how to make it in. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped.
I document the battle in my forthcoming book factory man. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local. Furniture maker john bassett on how to save jobs raleigh. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an american town little, brown and co. Roanoker beth macys bestselling book, factory man, quoted former bassett employees who described bob spilman sr. Author beth macy documents him, and the collapse of the u. At vaughan bassett, we take pride in bringing you wellcrafted furniture at affordable prices. With bassett, you get custom furniture without the customary wait. Its about a battle, by a thirdgeneration furniture manufacturer, john bassett iii, to save his factories and. So, lets try for a better description of factory man, the one macy herself uses. One mans battle to save hundreds of jobs by taking on china and demonstrating the greatness of american business. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The new book factory man by beth macy, chronicles the story.
Factory man brings a dilemma home dayton, oh entertainment. Bassett, iii, chairman of vaughanbassett furniture company, and his fight to keep 700 furniture jobs in the united states. Factory man by beth macy is the story of the famous bassett family of bassett furniture fame and fortune. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an. Based in galax, virginia, vaughan bassett furniture company has been manufacturing quality furniture for 100 years. Factory man explores human side of how globalization. Factory man proved very popular and helped boost the companys popularity.
Jul 03, 2014 in beth macys factory man, the head of a southern furniture company pushes back against chinese competition and unfavorable trade policies. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed localand helped save an american town, was the winner of the 20 j. Our commitment to quality has earned us the respect of our customers and made us the largest manufacturer of wooden adult bedroom furniture in the country. Journalist beth macy traces his quest to preserve his family factory and save the jobs of the 700 people who work there as he proves that one person can make a difference. In factory man, a struggle to stay competitive the new. I kept thinking about our worthless antique as i read beth macys factory man, a wellcrafted and epic tale tracing the rise of a virginia furnituremaking empire through the 20th century and the. Bibliography and more below is the bibliography for factory man. The first half of the book is given over to bassett history in great detail. Factory man is the patriotic story of a family legacy, a relentless work ethic that includes 1 a. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed localand helped save an american town, awardwinning journalist beth macy tells the story of john. Aug 31, 2014 factory man tells the story of one mans fight to save a dying industry and the small southern towns that depend on it. Factory man is a portrait of a specific individual, namely john bassett iii, the son of a north carolina furniture manufacturing dynasty.
Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries. Jeffrey brown profiles factory man, a new book by beth macy, that recalls of the rise and fall of the industry, as well as one hard. Built by 500 skilled craftsmen in our galax, virginia factory, our furniture is constructed from solid maple, solid cherry, or solid oak to ensure the highest level of quality. It is also a reflection of the history of furniture manufacturing in america and the world. Vaughanbassett have one priority of keeping the customer happy.
The first half of the book is given over to bassett history in. More than 19,000 textile and furniture factory workers lost their jobs in henry county and martinsville, but two hours away in galax, john bassett fought back to keep his 700 factory workers employed. Jul 15, 2014 beth macys new book factory man tells the story of a furniture maker in virginia who took on the asian factories that produced inexpensive knockoffs of american furniture. In factory man, beth macy brings to life bassetts deeply personal furniture and family. Factory man is a story of the bassett furniture company once the worlds largest furniture maker and heir john d. How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed. But beginning in the 1980s, the first waves of asian competition hit, and ultimately bassett was forced to send its production overseas. Journalist beth macys page about her books, beginning with factory man, in. John bassett iii, whose fight to keep his furniture company afloat was the subject of beth macys 2014 bestseller factory man. How a factory man fought to save his furniture company in the town of bassett in southern virginia, some of the downtown street lights are dark. As she shows how he uses legal maneuvers, factory efficiencies, and sheer grit and cunning to save hundreds of jobs, she also reveals the truth about modern. Bassett, iii, chairman of vaughanbassett furniture company and his fight to keep 700 furniture jobs in the united states.
How one furniture maker battled offshoring, stayed local and helped save an american town, in which she. John bassett iii, whose fight to keep his furniture company afloat was the subject of beth macys 2014 bestseller, factory man. Aug 17, 2014 factory man is so thick with rich characters, family secrets and backwoods wisdom that this very abundance becomes its one flaw. Vaughan bassett have one priority of keeping the customer happy. In factory man, beth macy brings to life bassett s deeply personal furniture. In factory man, beth macy brings to life bassetts deeply personal furniture and family story, along with a host of characters from an industry that was as cutthroat as it was colorful. Jul 15, 2014 so, lets try for a better description of factory man, the one macy herself uses. Virginia furniture owner john bassett iii was determined to beat out foreign competitors.
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