Holly Springs / North Carolina / United States
Business: Distributor of office furniture for business, government, schools, hospitals, and churchesTop executives: Abel Zalcberg, CEO ; Barbara Zalcberg, President ; and Blake Zalcberg, COOStarted in 1995, OFM is a family-owned furniture distributor and wholesaler with an eye on consumer satisfaction.After working for years as a furniture manufacturing sales representative, Abel Zalcberg saw a market opportunity for a furniture company that could have faster delivery times by keeping inventory in stock. Using personal savings, he and his wife Barbara set up an office in their home, printed up a catalog and sold chairs from vendors Abel had worked with in the past. They believed that quick delivery take an order in the morning, ship it the same afternoon would set their young company apart. The plan worked and the company is still known for its fast shipping.Today, OFM is a thriving wholesale operation that specializes in providing affordable furniture to general businesses and government offices, as well as schools and hospitals. The companys products are also sold through a variety of catalogs and online dealers, including Officefurniture.com, Furnitureonline.com and Officedepot.com.The company sells just about everything needed to furnish an office out of its 124, 000-square- foot office and warehouse in Holly Springs. It is currently planning a 15, 000- to 16, 000-square- foot expansion to allow faster shipping of low-volume products, such as chairs in non-standard colors. OFM also contracts with manufacturers in Mexico, Taiwan and China to design furniture and products that meet its exacting standards. Abel, who has been in the office furniture business for more than 30 years, often personally tests products and sends them back to the factories with suggestions for improvement.Despite its growth, OFM remains a family affair. Barbara and Abels son, Blake, started as a 12- year-old filing papers when the business was still based at home and later spent summers and afternoons after school working in the warehouse. He joined OFM full-time four years ago and now serves as the companys chief operating officer.
