Cabinet Maker articles from April 2005

Cabinet Maker archives from April 2005

Flammable mattress recall.
April 1, 2005... Relaxsan distributor General Traders was forced to recall hundreds of its Rest Easy single roll-up foam mattresses after they failed the flammability regulations. Derbyshire Trading Standards bought a mattress from the Ilkestone Co-op...

Q4: You never had it so good.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The fourth quarter of last year was a record period for furnishings retailers, as sales beat the previous sales high of 2002, with the household textiles sector driving the growth, according to National Statistics. Sales of furniture and...

Interest D-day.(furniture)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Homestyle is likely to miss its 31 March deadline of avoiding higher interest charges on its #70m debt by failing to agree a sale of its bed division this week. Securing as high a price as possible for the Bensons Beds, Sleepmasters and Bed...

DIY goes green.(furnitue industry)
April 1, 2005... B&Q is the UK's greenest garden furniture retailer, `leading the way' in ensuring its timber products are from legal and sustainably managed sources. However others, including John Lewis and Habitat, have been criticised by Greenpeace for...

Home work.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Designers John Johnston and Tony Jackson join with Susan Kurr, director to celebrate the official opening of the Chilterns Enterprise Gateway. ` This is a really exciting time for us - the launch highlights the key role we are playing in...

Careful expansion plan for Next stores.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Next has insisted it will not be distracted from new store openings by a need to grow like for like sales. David Jones, chairman said over reaction to difficult trading could be worse than the trading conditions themselves. More than...

Openings for Land of Leather.(furniture)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Karl Briant added to his responsibilities at the Easter weekend with the opening of Land of Leather's first Dublin branch. The area manager has been responsible for the chain's five Northern Irish stores since last June. The chain also...

Liberty on the up.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... London department store Liberty has cast off reports of downbeat retail sales, benefiting from its refurbished furniture and homewares departments. Richard Balfour-Lynn, executive chairman, said it had continued where its Christmas sale -...

IN BRIEF: Office support.(Arenson launches website)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Office furniture group Arenson has launched a website - www.arenson.co.uk - for its President and Roneo brands. As well as full product details and case studies, the website allows stockists to email information and photographs to customers....

IN BRIEF: Searching help.(MFI uses software from ActivePoint )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... MFI has begun using software from ActivePoint on the kitchen section of its website. The program uses visitors' search queries to direct them to suitable products while allowing the search terms to be saved and analysed. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Educational growth.(British Thornton)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... While many UK domestic furniture manufacturers struggle against lower cost imports, school furniture maker British Thornton is expanding. It is moving to larger 110,000sqft premises in Keighley, Yorkshire and increasing its workforce by 25 to...

IN BRIEF: Sales on the up.(for Beale)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Sales at department store chain Beale rose by 1.9% in the eight weeks to 12 March but were 2% lower in the 19 week period. Mike Killingley, chairman said trading conditions continued to be tough. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: KBSA AGM.(Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association )(annual general meeting)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The KBSA is to hold its AGM at the Millennium Copthorne Hotel, Windsor on 16 June. Its first Design Innovation Awards will be presented later that evening, followed by a dinner. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: In admistration.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Soft furnishings chain Morada Interiors has gone into administration. A spokeswoman for the company stressed that the appointment of DTE did not affect the curtain fabric or linings part of the business. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Worst sales since 1998.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... March was the worst month for furniture and floorcoverings retailers for more than six years. A balance of 72% of retailers reported that sales volumes were lower than in March 2004, according to the CBI Distributive Trades Survey. ...

Meadowhall up for grabs.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Allders former store at the Meadowhall shopping centre, Sheffield is up for grabs. The branch was part of the six stores that clothing and homewares chain Primark had agreed to acquire from Allders administrator Kroll but owner British...

Limited edition.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Just 1,021 Nelson Flagship chairs will be produced as part of the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar celebrations. Long Eaton company Altia will produce 821 - the number of Victory crew members - of the first version and 200 of the second,...

Omega growth.
April 1, 2005... Kitchen manufacturer Omega, owner of the Sheraton, Omega and Chippendale brands, has avoided the slowdown in sales experienced by other kitchen and furniture companies in the past few months. `We had exceptionally good orders in March....

Luxury beds outlet.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... DP Furniture Express has reopened its Carlisle store after a #300,000 investment, following some #250,000 of damage caused by floods in January. It includes the first Cumbrian Luxury Beds outlet, which occupies the store's first floor. The unit...

CITY: Next bucks trend with recent gains.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Resisting the gloom retail trend, Next bounced back with an 80p gain to 1,632p. Despite the recent drop in like-for-like sales, most analysts are confident that the long uptrend will continue soon lifting the shares past 1,700p. The bulls at...

Shares reflect good news.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The AGA Foodservices chart shows how share price movement since September's interim figures anticipated last week's good news, lifting the shares through the 305p high, set in 2002. Careful expansion at home and abroad increased pre-tax...

Big turnout for Madrid.(Madrid International Furniture Fair )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The reorganisation of the Madrid International Furniture Fair seems to have paid off with a 3% increase in exhibitor numbers and an 8% rise in the size of the event. The show has been divided into eight products categories in an effort to...

Letter: Be fair to the UK manufacturers.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I have noticed, with some dismay the views of Martin Kay Scan-Thor, md, supplier of furniture manufactured worldwide, except the UK. His views have appeared in a disproportionate number of editions of CM and seem to me to expound the virtues of...

Regional highlight.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Furniture, lighting and homewares will be among the products featured at an exhibition of new North East design companies in the summer. Launch2005 was created by furniture and accessories company Deadgood to provide a showcase for its and...

LEADER: Is being green good for business?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Balancing the rights of the consumer and the interests of global sustainability is a difficult task for the environmental lobby. But it is one that we cannot ignore as the likes of Greenpeace very publically points fingers at retailers. ...

Views By Mary Czulowski.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Wal-Mart strap line `If Wal-Mart doesn't sell it America doesn't need it' drifted to mind recently. The occasion was the East China Fair in Shanghai. While the fair was nothing to do with Wal-Mart, it surely represented all the household...

Talk: Do your customers care about where you source your products?
April 1, 2005... `Very rarely. I have been asked but most people, I think, now accept that goods are coming from all over the world. They don't even seem bothered that it doesn't come from Britain, which is sad.' Roger Martell, Martell's of Sutton store...

Bank Holiday cracks show.
April 1, 2005... Is Bank Holiday trading all that it's made out to be or are independent retailers losing faith in their ability to draw in customers, asks Tom Levitt The Easter Bank Holiday is the first time since the January sales that many people get an...

STORE MANAGER: Partners in strife.
April 1, 2005... Nick Winters explains how to avoid disputes among business partners, and offers some practical advice to follow in case everything starts to go wrong Many professionals choose to carry on their business through partnerships. The Limited...

Fast track to peace.(dispute resolution)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... When it seems inevitable that a dispute will escalate, what can be done to aid a speedy resolution to the problem? Seek professional help If matters cannot be resolved among the partners, seek help at an early stage. In particular,...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Bentley Designs.
April 1, 2005... Bentley Designs has launched a traditional brass-look bed called Eleanor, with white and antique gold intricate designs, appealing to the romantic, French-look interior. Tel: 020 8833 7500 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Body Impressions.
April 1, 2005... Adding to its portfolio of memory foam bedding, Body Impressions has just launched the Smart Bed. It consists of a dual-chambered, adjustable firmness mattress combined with a heat sensitive memory foam topper. Tel: 0118 9772032 ...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Lifestyle.
April 1, 2005... Using renewable natural Brazilian eucalyptus, the Siren bedroom range from Lifestyle combines contemporary looks with practical storage ideas. It comprises five cabinets and a sleigh bed, making it flexible for any bedroom size. Tel: 00353...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Ligne Roset.
April 1, 2005... Ligne Roset's Snowdonia bed designed by Eric Jourdan is characterised by soft fluidity of its curves. The feet are made of oak veneer with aluminium finishing pieces at each end. The covers are fastened with Velcro, so are removable and...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Airsprung Beds.
April 1, 2005... Airsprung Beds has introduced Springmaster, a luxury brand. The Springmaster philosophy is to use quality materials with the latest spring technology and manufacturing techniques to produce good-looking, high performance beds. Tel: 01455...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Vogue Bed.
April 1, 2005... The New Edward from Vogue Bed's Orthopaedic Collection has upgraded its ticking to a quality damask fabric, giving it high-end looks and comfort at a competitive price. Tel: 01455 841 257 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

RETAIL INTELLIGENCE: February trading.
April 1, 2005... February carried on where a decidedly average January left off. As the winter sales carried on at many stores, consumers were largely seemingly unimpressed by the available offers. While 15% of retailers increased the value of sales...

INNOVATION MATERIALS: It's knot all as it seems.
April 1, 2005... In today's world of new interactive and memory material, does wood still have a place in furniture making? asks Sandra Danby A strip of titanium metal which can be bent and twisted but which remembers, and can return to, its original shape....

Mindbenders - five of the best new materials.
April 1, 2005... 1. Bendyply - steamed and compressed hardwood with incredible twisting and bending potential. Most temperate hardwoods can be transformed into super-bendy woods. It can be used for furniture, architectural fittings, sports equipment and...

Weird and wonderful, warm and inviting to use.(textiles, plastic films)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Eletex sensing fabric is a semi-transparent, soft, flexible material which is electrically conductive and capable of registering X,Y and Z positioning. It can be stitched into garments, eliminating rigid circuitry in textile products. According...

LICENSING SQUIGEE: Licence to grow.(Today Interiors)
April 1, 2005... Helen Parton looks at how a licensing deal will boost output at Squigee It might sound cute, but a lucrative new licensing agreement means there's more to Scottish fabric and wall covering company Squigee than just a pretty name. At the...

What you need to know about licensing.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Before embarking on a deal, bear in mind that there are four types of agreements: Exclusive: the owner cannot grant other licences and is prevented from doing what the licensee has been given the rights to do. Sole: similar to...

LIVING ROOM - FOILS: The foil factor.(foil furniture)
April 1, 2005... With the vast improvements in quality, does foil still deserve to be relegated to the bedroom? Jenny Pulling reports We seem to be hearing a lot about faux lately. There's faux leather, faux suede, crocodile and metal. I even bought a faux...

MARKET REVIEW: Instant delivery.(ebrochures)
April 1, 2005... Jeannie Shapiro explains how ebrochures provide an extra boost to sales with their high quality and fast access Retailing online is made easier by using sales methods that appeal to the chosen target market. Retailers can exploit the...

Older, wiser and still spending.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... If you know anyone who fulfils the following criteria, get them in your store pronto. Retired men in the South West or London, 65 or over, living in a two-person household and in the AB socio-economic group. Why? Because they are most...

Brewing up some good relations.(Garry Young )(Interview)
April 1, 2005... Garry Young runs his own sales agency with clients including Altia, a British upholstery maker and Steinhoff companies Dieter Knoll and Ego- Form How did you get started in the industry? I started work with Koala Furnishings of...

Run for the money.(Frank Hudson)(British Shops and Stores Association Limited)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... April can mean only one thing - the world's largest marathon. James Hudson, Frank Hudson director and John Dean, bssa chief executive will be among those swelling the ranks of mad fools, sorry runners, tackling the course on 17 April. James is...

Beware children.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... If you want to look after your furniture, the best advice is to keep children away. Toddlers cause #172m of damage every year, according to research by insurance firm Direct Line. And 95% of under fours have drawn on furniture at some stage....

Parker Knoll: returns in July as British made brand.
April 8, 2005... Parker Knoll will be UK made when it returns to the market, possibly at the London Interiors exhibition in July. The brand was bought by Christie-Tyler last month from Silentnight Group for an undisclosed sum and has not been available to...

Farr signs off at Chadds.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... After 25 years at Chadds of Hereford, John Farr, manager and buyer, has left the department store. Farr described the move as a sabbatical from teh industry and said he was hopeful of rejoining the trade shortly. `Having completed my 25th...

Allders team at BhS.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Nicky Grendon will lead a team of six furniture buyers, who have moved across from Allders, to set up eight new furniture and homewares stores for BhS. Grendon was previously head of buying furniture at the failed chain. `At the moment, we...

Network day for West Midlands.(services and seminars of Furniture West Midlands)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Furniture West Midlands is to hold a members' networking and new members day next Wednesday (13 April), hoping to persuade more manufacturers to join the group. The day will be its first event since the association's official launch at The...

Sales lost as bed lead time grows.(Willis & Gambier)(problems at Brazilian factory )(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Willis & Gambier has warned stockists that lead times on its Louis Philippe and Simply Chic ranges could more than double, after its Brazilian supplier was forced to make an overhaul. Speculation had been rife in the industry of a...

Tough trading sinks Morada.(Morada Interior)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Morada Interior's seven UK stores have been closed and the estimated 70 staff made redundant after the company went into administration (CM, 1 Apr, p5). DTE Leonard Curtis was appointed administrator on 23 March and closed the soft...

Commercial feedback.(Scan-Thor Design for Commerce Award)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Steve Rutherford, Nottingham Trent University building and environmental department senior lecturer, Scan-Thor UK md Martin Kay and Helen Apperley, Scan-Thor UK senior merchandise manager listen to a presentation from one of the eight...

IN BRIEF: Tobacco case in court.
April 8, 2005... Eighteen months after being charged, John Owens, Seconique buyer, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to evade duty on tobacco goods at Bristol Crown court on 4 April. His five fellow accused pleaded guilty to the charge, after 23m cigarettes...

IN BRIEF: DFS loan refinanced.
April 8, 2005... DFS has refinanced the majority of the loan Lord Kirkham, executive chairman, secured when he took the company private for #507m in November last year. The company has #340m, including #190m from Lloyds TSB Corporate. Bank of Ireland and RBS...

IN BRIEF: Homestyle reprieve.
April 8, 2005... Homestyle has been given a temporary reprieve by its lenders, who agreed not to increase its interest rate charges after the group missed the 31 March deadline to reduce its #70m debt. It had hoped to sell its bed division by then to cut the...

IN BRIEF: Nelson prices.
April 8, 2005... Just 1,021 Nelson Flagship chairs will be produced as part of the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar celebrations. Altia will produce 821 - the number of Victory crew members - of the first version and 200 of the second, which has an oak...

Belfast chain cuts out wholesalers.(Discovery)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Belfast retailer Discovery is to open a chain of 10 discount outlets across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The expansion comes as the company vowed to carry on with its sofaking advertising campaign, despite a ban by the...

Sofa thefts leave customers waiting.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Dublin furniture retailer Diamond Living is facing having to make a #10,000 pay-out after being robbed, because of an insurance loophole. Raiders made off with 13 sofas over the weekend (2-3 April), from a half-full delivery lorry parked...

Smallbone eyes bedroom sector in acquisition drive.
April 8, 2005... Upmarket kitchen and bedroom furniture retailer Smallbone of Devizes is likely to target the bedroom market sector in its search for acquisitions. Two decades ago bedrooms and bathrooms accounted for 20% of the chain's sales, but this has...

City centre focus for Aberdeen retail plan.(planning of Scottish Retail Property Partnership)
April 8, 2005... Shopping in central Aberdeen could be transformed if the owner of the city's two largest shopping centres has its way. Scottish Retail Property Partnership, a joint venture between British Land and Land Securities already owns the Bon...

Delivery tops complaints.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Consumer complaints about furniture deliveries have risen sharply, particularly on beds and cabinet. Overall, however, complaints have fallen. The number of consumers who felt strongly enough about a bed or cabinet delivery to report it to...

US tips Natuzzi to loss.
April 8, 2005... Pasquale Natuzzi has warned he does not expect to see an increase in sales volumes at Natuzzi until the second half at the earliest, with a full year profit margin of 3%. His comments came after the continuing weakness of the US dollar...

Electrical course brings fitters in line.(services of Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association)(training program for kitchen fitters )(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The KBSA has developed a fast-track training course to ensure kitchen fitters comply with new legislation. Under Part P, fitters carrying out electrical work on contracts signed after 1 January must have formal qualifications, or have the work...

Gypsies move on to Ikea's Stockport site.
April 8, 2005... The Stockport site which Ikea had coveted for its Greater Manchester store, has attracted an illegal gypsy campsite after the Swedish retailer was repeatedly turned down for planning permission. Ikea had wanted to build a #30m store on the...

LEADER: The return of a true British brand.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... As Steve Egan said when he told me about Christie-Tyler's plans for Parker Knoll this summer, `It's nice to have some good news.' And the return of one of the country's most iconic furniture brands will be greeted by many retailers as such. ...

Views By Mike Spencer.(for Ikea)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Regular readers will know that I am a great supporter of all things British and will, whenever possible, buy British. However, over the Easter weekend I found myself wandering around Ikea in Cardiff and was pleasantly surprised by the...

Talk: Will more people buy furniture online?(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... As broadband users pass the 5m mark, will more people buy furniture online? `We would never sell furniture online. Furniture needs to be seen and touched rather than just viewed on a screen.' Andy Symonds, store manager, G&R Clarke,...

Don't look down, look up.
April 8, 2005... Retail price deflation is now a way of life, says a recent report, so how are retailers adapting their sales strategies to stay competitive and profitable? Retail price deflation is here to stay, and if retailers fail to adapt to this they...

INTERVIEW - NEIL ALLAN: Moving up in the league.(Interview)
April 8, 2005... Fed up with rumours and comparisons with Courts, Neil Allan puts the record straight about his strategy for success at Harveys. Mark Lewis reports `What Courts did for me was teach me how not to lay out a store,' says Neil Allan. The...

STORE MANAGER: The narrow path to rights.
April 8, 2005... Changes to employment laws governing religious rights prevent employers from refusing leave. Where do you stand with your staff? The case of Mohammed Khan Mohammed Khan made national headlines in January when he became one of the first...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: De Coro.
April 8, 2005... DeCoro's 2617 model is available in a range of colours in Italian aniline hide. The soft hand of the leather adds to the attractiveness of the generous proportions of the sofa. Tel: 01628 530 033 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Walter Knoll.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The low and voluminous Stay collection from Walter Knoll sets the tone of a room. With optional under-lighting, the upholstery appears to float while the Stay servers, combining a steel base with white or black glass top, add practicality to...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Relaxateeze.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Named after Friends' Matt LeBlanc's alter ego, Relaxateeze's Joey is faced in black leather. The contemporary action recliner comes with chrome click handle as standard for a full recline action. Tel: 0141 420 7711 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: David Paine Associates.(Timor)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Timor is the latest addition to David Paine Associates' modern collection. With rear panelling effect and stitching detailing, it boasts 2mm Hilshoff aniline leather with a waxy finish. Tel: 01255 220 618 Copyright: CMP Information...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Cavendish Upholstery.(Blenheim)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Cavendish Upholstery has combined leather and fabric to create the Blenheim with its feeling of country house elegance. Feather cushions add to the luxury feel, while the grand sofa splits for ease of access. Tel: 01257 277 664 ...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Cassina.(Auckland swivel armchair with footstool )(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The Auckland swivel armchair with footstool from Cassina has a visible fibreglass shell in either a glossy white or black painted finish. It has an optional eight-height position headrest while the upholstery is removeable. Tel: 00 39 0362...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDS: Lind Furniture International.(Ativi)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Ativi, designed by Jens Huus for Lind Furniture International, is a streamlined corner group consisting of a chair, two and three-seater modular sofas, footstool, and a two-seater chaise longue. Tel: 00 45 8780 6060 Copyright: CMP...

REVIEW - LONDON DESIGN WEEK: Dynamic duo.
April 8, 2005... Subtle or striking, interiors designers go for maximum effect in defence of the pattern for their spring collections Balance is important in any relationship but the connection between wallcoverings and curtains at London Design Week was...

TEXTILES - LUCIENNE DAY: Designs that run and run.
April 8, 2005... A deal with a shoe company has rejuvenated textile designs from the 1950s, but this time Lucienne Day's stamp is on trainers, reports Stephanie Baum So often we hear about fashion influences crossing over to furniture - tactile yarns,...

RETAIL FOCUS: The stay factor.
April 8, 2005... Good presentation can help convince a customer to buy, but some do it better than others, Lynn Bradbury checked out some Birmingham stores The importance of good store presentation and product merchandising should never be underestimated....

TECHNOLOGY - REVERSE LOGISTICS: Returning to profit.(services of Gartner )
April 8, 2005... Real savings on returns can only be made by using the correct technology says David Hommrich Lack of management buy-in, inadequate systems and insufficient resources are just some of the barriers to reverse logistics that have plagued...