CHICAGO, IL – HTmarket.com announced that production of its HT Design home theater seating is underway at a newly constructed manufacturing facility in Cambodia, representing a significant investment to adapt to changing U.S. trade policies that have reshaped furniture manufacturing throughout Asia.

The facility took approximately nine months to build and officially began production in October 2025. The expansion reflects a broader trend across the furniture industry as manufacturers reduce their dependence on China and establish production capacity in other countries.

“Over the last several years, tariffs have fundamentally changed the economics of manufacturing. Companies throughout our industry have had to rethink where products are built, how components move across Asia and how finished goods reach customers in the United States.”

— Alan Hutchinson, owner of HTmarket.com

While the transition allows production to occur outside China, it also creates an entirely new set of logistical challenges.

Unlike China, where the upholstered furniture industry developed one of the world’s most efficient manufacturing ecosystems over several decades, Cambodia is still building that infrastructure. Many of the precision components used in premium home theater seating—including reclining mechanisms, motors, actuators, electronics, hardware and specialized upholstery materials—continue to be sourced from long-established suppliers throughout Asia before being transported to Cambodia for final assembly.

“The factory itself is only one piece of the puzzle. You also have to rebuild the entire supply chain. Components that once moved directly to a factory in China now travel through multiple countries before final assembly. The finished seating then follows a different shipping network to the United States.”

— Alan Hutchinson

The longer and more complex shipping cycle requires manufacturers to rethink inventory planning, purchasing schedules, container utilization, warehouse operations, working-capital requirements and customer delivery timelines.

“The headlines usually focus on tariff percentages. What many people do not see is the enormous amount of work required to redesign supply chains that took decades to optimize. Building a new factory is a major investment, but rebuilding sourcing, logistics and transportation networks is an equally significant undertaking.”

— Alan Hutchinson

The Cambodia facility is now producing HT Design home theater seating for the North American market. HTmarket expects the investment to provide greater long-term manufacturing flexibility while maintaining the quality standards and premium components that have defined the HT Design brand.

The transition illustrates how global trade policy continues to reshape manufacturing strategies throughout the furniture industry, with companies balancing tariffs, transportation, supplier relationships, inventory management and customer service.