Fabric Company Expands with New Building, Website

Valley fabric maker Dazian LLC will be moving into its new space in Sun Valley next month, marking the company’s third expansion in 12 years. Dazian offers custom sewing, printing, rental draperies, lighting design and lighting production services for corporate events and trade shows, film and television and for religious establishments. The company, founded in 1842, is headquartered in Hackensack, N.J., and has operations in Orlando, Fla., and North Hollywood, Calif. Milt Wolfson, chairman of Dazian, said the new 60,000-square-foot space at 10671 Lorne Street will be the company’s largest facility, housing a fabric warehouse, fabrication workroom, rental warehouse and an LED scenic products division. “The major goal is to continue what we’re doing and (to) do it better,” Wolfson said. The company, which has been in the Los Angeles area since the 1920s, serves some of the entertainment industry’s heavy hitters such as Warner Bros., Disney and NBC. Over the years, the company has taken on large projects for the entertainment industry. Past events have included the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards, ESPN Super Bowl Party and the Academy Awards. With its 22-foot ceilings, Dazian’s new West Coast facility will allow the fabrication department to take on bigger projects, Wolfson said. It will also allow the company to consolidate its current Los Angeles operations, which were previously divided into two buildings located across the street from each other on Case Avenue in North Hollywood. While he declined to disclose revenues, Wolfson said Dazian has grown an average of 15 percent annually over the past couple of years, battling the tough economy with a more diverse product offering. The 10-year lease will allow room to grow, he said. In coming months, Dazian also plans to expand another important component to its business: its website. The goal is to make the site easier to navigate and to offer visitors comprehensive insight into the many facets of the company, Wolfson said. “It will offer more information on different product and applications,” he added. Sales in the U.S. specialty fabrics industry increased about 1.5 percent in 2011, according to a report by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). Sales projections for highly fabricated products in the U.S. for 2012–2013 are expected to increase by about 2 to 3 percent annually. Although characterized as a fabric company, Wolfson said Dazian’s offerings go beyond fabrics and draperies. The company’s capabilities include everything from fabrics, crystals and metals to plastics and beaded curtains. In its 2012 State of the Industry Review, Specialty Fabrics Review, the flagship publication of the IFAI, reported that suppliers and end-product manufacturers are finding it “necessary to revamp their business operations over the past few years in response to economic realities.” Increasingly, manufacturers are boosting revenue and fueling projects by diversifying and venturing into non-fabric-oriented markets. The company’s diverse product offerings — including manufacturing, sewing, raw goods fabric, printing and lighting — has given the company a competitive edge amid a challenging economy, said David Esqueda, vice president of sales for Dazian’s West Coast facility. The company also updated its drapery selection to make them more marketable, he added. Operating out of one building also will serve in the customer’s best interest, as they will have access to all of Dazian’s offerings in one location, Esqueda said. “They can now just go to one area in the warehouse and be serviced,” he said. The Sun Valley facility also includes a loading dock which allows the company to load and unload large shipments in a faster and more efficient manner. Companywide, Dazian employs some 120 workers, half of which are located in Los Angeles. Wolfson said eventually the company will add to its workforce. Over the past 12 years, as the company has grown, Dazian’s West Coast facility has moved — from Los Angeles to Burbank, then to North Hollywood, and now to Sun Valley. The new location is only some two miles away from its previous home on Case Avenue, Wolfson said. “We were looking for something in the same neighborhood because many of our clients are in the Valley and we want to make it convenient for them,” Wolfson said. Matt Dierckman, first vice president of CBRE LA North division, represented Dazian in the lease deal. Dierckman first worked with the company some seven years ago, when he assisted Dazian in moving from its 10,000-square-foot space in Burbank to a 20,000-square-foot building in North Hollywood in 2005. “They’re a great client,” Dierckman said. “It’s been great to be involved over the years as they grow.”