Founders
The adventure began in the late 1980’s. It was a tough time, the textile industry was in flux, and brands were starting to look for offshoring production. We knew this was the market for us. Capacity was launched because we loved textile products and wanted to connect brands with great manufacturers in Southern Europe.
“Morten and I share the adventure gene”
Co-founder Jon reminisces: “It was hard work setting up new operations in unfamiliar territory, but I combined my love of travel and business whilst also indulging my passion for freshwater swimming”.
Morten and his partners started from another end. After the wall went down, they started searching for business opportunities in the Baltics. After many roundabouts they ended up in Lithuania, introduced to some local sewing and knitting factories. Here they found strong staff, okay machines, but no orders. That was an opportunity they needed to test.
Morten met Jon who was already in business in South Europe and Poland, and in 1991 they founded LTP together in Lithuania.
“We were one of the first foreign companies registered in the newly independent Lithuania”
says Morten and continues: “One of the main reasons why we chose Lithuania was because of the exceptionally talented and friendly people”.
“Many of our competitors sent expats to run their companies, but we always believed in the local talent. We took the time to build strong local teams. This gamble paid off; our people and culture is now our greatest asset”, Morten explains.
The dream has always been to have a global operation.
“We also listened to our customers who were telling us they desperately needed a one-stop solution that spanned both Europe and Asia”
As a result, LTP Vietnam was launched in 2009. LTP adopted the same winning strategy from the European facility. Hiring local talent was hugely important.
“I still remember the first two employees we hired in Ho Chi Minh City, and now with 700+ employees I am tremendously proud of what we have achieved”, Jon remembers thinking back.
Like most of the best things in life, LTP's journey into furniture was not planned.
“As we had gained a reputation as a premium garment manufacturer, a brand asked us if we could sew covers for office chairs because we were experts at sewing apparel. Always happy to take on a challenge...”
Today, LTP understand in many ways garment and furniture manufacturing are the same. Garment production is more labor intensive, so this industry is fast moving to new markets for greater cost efficiencies. However, the skills required by both industries are very similar, from product design, development, textile sourcing, quality, manufacturing, and supply chain.
“Our main furniture factory is actually built on the base of a small sewing factory making dresses. Everything is transformed today, and its nice to see how the furniture division has organically grown”, Morten explains. Fast forward to now, the furniture business is booming, increasingly going from strength to strength.
LTP have spent the best part of three decades honing our craft whilst striving to do good business and good behavior. A fact that is recognized by longstanding customer relations and an exceptionally talented team of specialists.
“Our people truly are our greatest asset, several of whom we have worked with for many years. We challenge ourselves and our teams to increasingly raise the bar, continually strive to create the product of tomorrow and never shy away from the unknown".
"Even if we do not have the answers, we still want to ask the question. This is embedded in the DNA at LTP, for now and forever”. This, both Jon and Morten agrees.
