Chief executive Greg Smith says Bremworth products in high-profile installations such as this Brooklyn Tower provide a unique marketing opportunity to grow exports of NZ wool in a lucrative market.
Thousands of metres of New Zealand wool carpet are destined for one of New York’s tallest skyscrapers.
Kiwi company Bremworth has secured the United States contract to supply more than 3000 square metres of wool carpet for the $1.1 billion Brooklyn Tower set to be home to hundreds of New York’s elites when it opens later this year.
Bremworth chief executive Greg Smith said the company’s NZ-made product commands a price premium in the US market with the export deal a significant endorsement for the NZ wool industry.
Leveraging high profile installations such as the new Brooklyn skyscraper are necessary to help the company mitigate the impact of import tariffs that reduce their competitiveness in the US, he said.
“We know that consumers have had the last couple of years to review their interiors as they have spent more time living and working at home,” Smith said.
“As a result, we are seeing a conscious shift towards making their surroundings a more natural environment as part of an enhancement to their overall health and wellbeing.”
The US market has traditionally been dominated by synthetic carpets and as a natural fibre manufacturer from a country that is renowned for its environment and high standard of farming practices, this is creating a significant opportunity, he said.
The new contract is one of Bremworth’s largest installations of its natural fibre product in the US.
The 93-storey tower will have 550 residential apartments with multi-million-dollar entry points and standing at 327 metres, will be one of the world’s tallest residential buildings.
“The selection of our wool carpet for this project is a testament to the quality of both NZ wool, as well as Bremworth’s manufacturing capability and is set to help open other export opportunities in this market,” he said.
“Our wool carpet retails at a premium in North America, when compared to plastic-based synthetic carpets, which make up around 95% of carpet sold in that country.
“The use of Bremworth products in high-profile installations such as the Brooklyn Tower provide us with a unique marketing opportunity to grow our presence and exports of NZ wool in this lucrative market.”
A global player in premium wool flooring solutions, Bremworth has manufacturing facilities in Auckland, Napier and Wanganui.
Guided by the purpose of finding a more sustainable way, the company is on a transformational journey focused on helping consumers to bring more natural products into their homes and daily lives.
The North American deal is the highest profile commercial contract for Bremworth since its wool carpets were used in the refurbishment of dozens of US retail outlets owned by Cartier, the luxury French jewellery maker.
