This process of succession is all going according to plan, Bush Industries President Mike Evans noted in an interview this week with The Post-Journal. Along with other members of management, Evans purchased stock in the company back in 2014 from DDJ Capital and planned for a three-to-five-year process of setting the company up for a more “strategic owner.”

PNC Bank ended up introducing Bush to Lorraine at just the right time this year. Lorraine Capital is known for owning and growing other western New York businesses, so what seemed like a good fit only became more certain as the months went by.

“It was a good fit from that perspective,” Evans said.

Discussions with Lorraine eventually led to the acquisition of Bush Industries that finalized June 8.

Pictured is Bush Industries Inc. at its Mason Drive facility. The furniture manufacturer and distributor was recently acquired by Lorraine Capital private equity firm. P-J photos by Eric Zavinski

The move is expected to improve Bush’s ability to serve both commercial office and residential customers while meeting Bush’s strategic focus of being easy, fast and affordable.

“The ownership transition is ideal for Bush Industries because it allows us to partner with an ownership group that invests for the long term and ensures that we can continue to execute strategies that will capitalize on the continued shift in consumer purchases to e-commerce,” said Jim Garde, CEO of Bush Industries.

“We’ve been growing significantly in the e-commerce channel,” Evans said.

Selling furniture to online companies including Amazon and Wayfair Furniture and directly to customers has become a pillar of Bush’s business. E-commerce has helped provide a platform for growth, and Lorraine is setting their sights on providing capital to fund said growth.

“The Bush Industries opportunity could not be more tailor-made for Lorraine,” said William Maggio, managing partner with Lorraine. “It fits in well with Lorraine’s goals of investing in Upstate New York businesses where we can make a positive impact on their legacy in our great community.”

Bush Industries has expanded their product portfolio to stimulate their growth as well. The company offers a multitude of office sets for home and business use, along with shelves, desks, chairs and more.

“Our design and development team has done a really good job of introducing successful new products over the last few years,” Evans said.

Lorraine was attracted by Bush’s goals of expanding their product base and following through on speedy deliveries to customers. Everyone from the higher management to hardworking employees impressed Lorraine, Evans said.

For a while, a decline in the retail side of business overshadowed small growth in Bush’s e-commerce, but those days seem to be behind Evans and his team now. Online business is growing rapidly, leading to the overall growth of the business. Bush Industries is up approximately 30 percent in sales from last year.

Lorraine Capital plans on being fairly hands-off in the day-to-day business practices of Bush Industries. Rather, their financial, human resources and legal assets will provide support to Bush when needed.

“We’re really excited,” Evans said. “They’re really a positive group of people. They’re here to help us.”

Investment strategies include expanding the plant’s production budget by 25 percent and hiring new employees, including 10 added positions. Jobs are available from director of sales and marketing to technicians, laborers and machine operators.

Jamestown’s approximately 240 employees join the several employees at distribution centers that serve the east coast from Erie, Pa., and the west coast from Reno, Nevada. A nationwide shipping model has evolved with the successful utilization of these distribution centers.

Lorraine is not interested in providing new strategies for Bush to implement. Rather, they have approved of what Bush is already doing, and they seek to accelerate growth for the company.

Bush Industries recently attended the NeoCon exhibition in Chicago, where they showed off new lines of furniture. Office furniture was shown off at NeoCon, and the upcoming Las Vegas World Market in July will be a suitable place to showcase home office and bedroom furniture.

“We’re very optimistic right now about the future,” said Evans, citing strong sales, a strategic growth plan and expanded positions for incoming employees as reasons to be enthusiastic. “The workforce here is dedicated…and they’ve done an outstanding job over these last three-plus years.”

Evans plans on staying on as president as Bush Industries grows and a new team is developed to take on leadership roles in the future.

Ellicott Town Supervisor Patrick McLaughlin is glad to see a local business’s improvement and hopes for the best for the impact this will have on the industrial park.

“I had witnessed over the years a slow-down in their business,” McLaughlin said. “We want to keep that park not only full but want to see it expand. I’m extremely excited about it. The town will open it’s doors to these people if there’s anything they need.”