Cabinet Maker articles from August 2004

Cabinet Maker archives from August 2004

Danger sofa warning.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... The consequences of buying cheap upholstery from door to door salesmen have begun to be felt, after an Ipswich family narrowly escaped from their blazing home. Robert and Marie Mason, and their son Robert were treated for smoke inhalation...

Prescott thwarts Ikea expansion plans again.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Ikea has admitted its plans to build 10 new stores in the next five years look doomed after John Prescott again blocked plans for a store in Stockport, Greater Manchester. Sales have stagnated in the past 18 months as the store began to...

COMMENT: Double parking issues.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Furniture retailers across the country are facing town planning issues that don't always have their best interests at heart. But how should retailers respond to increased restraints placed on their businesses? Retailers in both Tunbridge...

Stores fear loss of traffic.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Town centre furniture retailers at either end of the UK fear losing trade if traffic and parking changes go ahead. Stores on Glasgow's Great Western Road face the introduction of bus lanes and parking meters while those on Camden Road,...

Cabinet reshuffle.(JDP Furniture Group )(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... JDP Furniture Group has reorganised the sales team for its cabinet firms. Chris Everist, YP Furniture sales director, is now also responsible for Wade Cabinet. John Coll, Wade Cabinet sales director has become responsible for exports,...

Christopher Buttigieg.(Obituary)
August 6, 2004... More than 1,000 people attended the funeral of Christopher Buttigieg, Rosjohn Furniture md, on 30 July. He died in a motorcycle accident on 21 July, aged 35. The funeral, held at the St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, north...

ScS boosts training.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... ScS has invested #20,000 in a training centre on Coventry's Gallagher Retail Park. It is designed to boost staff knowledge, provide them with information on how a store works and on customer service. Mark Haughney, sales and...

Profit share.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Bob Wilson, MFI kitchens category director made a paper profit of more than #500,000 this week. Wilson, who has been at the group since 1977, exercised two blocks of share options, buying 838,900 shares for #564,000. He is keeping the...

Online boost.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Businesses in rural Scotland are to be given #1m to encourage them to use broadband. Firms in areas not due to receive mass market broadband before next autumn will receive #1,000 from the Scottish Executive towards their costs. Some 3,000...

John Lewis rise.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Strong sales of bedroom furniture, furnishing fabrics and garden furniture helped department store chain John Lewis increase furniture and textile sales by 6.8% in the week to 24 July. Sales for the 25 week period were up 3.5%. Copyright:...

Credit card fraud.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Four men involved in a #23,000 credit card fraud at a Chester furniture store have been jailed. Andrew Fredson, his brother Ian and James McGill received 15 months after admitting conspiracy to obtain property by deception. Philip Jones was...

Duo track down buy-out target.(Cope & Timmins)(Olympic Blinds)(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Derek Brown, md and Alan Fletcher purchasing director, have led a management buy-out of soft furnishing firms Cope & Timmins and Olympic Blinds. Acquisitions are part of the duo's medium term plans. London based Cope & Timmins and...

Australian development.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Greenapple is to introduce its furniture range to the Australian market after the success of its lighting collection there. `The Australian development came as quite a surprise,' said David Applebaum, md, `and we will launch some of our larger...

US bedstead range easing its way to UK.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... The US's largest bedstead supplier plans to launch in the UK in October. Leggett & Platt's Fashion Bed Group has grown to be two and a half times the size of its nearest rival since its foundation in 1991. Its initial UK offering will...

Hope for quality.(Cabinet making)(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Robbie Reid hopes to start a top end manufacturing business after his family's Edinburgh cabinet making firm ceased trading after almost 200 years. Whytock and Reid, which began operating in 1807 and whose carpets and furnishings adorn...

WBH's Bruss to call time.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Jim Bruss, WBH group sales director is to retire, with fellow directors Michael Sadiq and Deryk Monaghan tipped to jointly step into his role. Bruss, who has been with the cabinet manufacturer for a decade, is to leave on 31 October, after...

CITY: Shares jump at GUS as sales figures look up.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... GUS leaped 40p on exceptional first quarter figures, boosted by like- for-like sales increases of 9% at Argos and 3% at Homebase. Seymour Pierce analysts endorsed the `very good' figures, and led a general upwards review of full year profits,...

Share Update on 2 August 2004.(Illustration)
August 6, 2004... Share Update on 2 August 2004 Bold=new High/Low Now Change Change 2004 2004 over since High Low 2 weeks 6 Apr Retailers Beales...

Cargo still growing.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Cargo was due to continue its expansion this week with the opening of its 37th branch yesterday (5 August). In Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, the 5,000sqft branch is its second since a creditors' agreement prevented its collapse two years ago....

New openings at Sliderobes.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Fitted bedroom furniture company Sliderobes opens its 20th branch next month, this time in Bromborough, Wirrall. At the end of September/early October its second Scottish branch will open in Edinburgh. The group has also signed further...

Imports are here to stay.
August 6, 2004... MARTIN KAY: VIEWS FROM AN IMPORTER Importing is undoubtedly the most significant issue in the furniture world for very many years. So many companies are now supposedly `active' in this field that one wonders where it will all end - the...

Value dominates homewares.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Middle market retailers will continue to lose homewares market share in the next few years, as the value sector builds on its new dominance. Allders, BhS, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer lost market share, while market leader John...

Kitchen door victory for PWS.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Kitchen component firm PWS has settled the second legal action over the copying of its Croft Oak kitchen door. Fitted kitchen and bedroom company J&J Ormerod agreed to pay PWS undisclosed damages and costs after copying the Croft Oak design...

Hitachi Capital Consumer Credit - Appointment.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Dave Fletcher is Hitachi Capital Consumer Credit head of sales, taking over from Peter Leonard who becomes head of business development and marketing at subsidiary Hitachi Capital Insurance Europe. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

July sales bonanza.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... July was a bumper month for furniture and floorcoverings retailers, with more retailers seeing sales growth than at any other time since 1996. A balance of 79% of retailers reported an increase in the volume of sales compared to a year...

Helping hand.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Heal's has launched a project to encourage young designers by allowing their work to be sold through the chain. Twice a year Heal's Discovers will see the retailer sell ranges of accessories created by between four and six designers. ...

SHOP WINDOW: STOUBY.
August 6, 2004... The Hang On chair is a moulded upholstered shell on a light steel frame that combines organic and graphic lines. It is part of the Sens collection which includes a sofa, armchair and footstool. Contact Stouby on 0045 7565 0100 ...

SHOP WINDOW: LIVING DIVANI.
August 6, 2004... Family Life is a neat, classical style with a minimalist effect. Detailing on the arms gives it a relaxed appearance for the family home. Contact Living Divani on 0039 03163 0954 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: PACO CAPDELL.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... The Bravo model has been updated with an upholstered polypropylene seat which is both functional and durable. The chair has the added benefit of being stackable. Contact Paco Capdell on 0034 96150 2950 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: SILENTNIGHT.
August 6, 2004... The Hibernate range is an adaptable bed concept offering a choice of bases, colours, headboards, feet and fabrics. The beds come in three sizes with a Miracoil mattress. Contact Silentnight on 01282 813 051 Copyright: CMP Information...

SHOP WINDOW: VINCENT SHEPPARD.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... The Francis armchair follows on from the success of Emma and Anna - both traditional woven paper seats. This chair's high back is a distinct reference to Louis XIV chairs and is available in 32 colours. Contact Vincent Sheppard on 0207...

Store manager - sales psychology: Listening for the right pitch.
August 6, 2004... Working out whether your customer is a touchy-feely or a wordsmith, will help you understand their needs and boost sales, reckons Andrew Adamson Problem I don't seem to have the right sales pitch with my customers. How can I better...

Retail Intelligence.
August 6, 2004... Could June continue where an excellent May left off? Yes and no. While 55% of stores reported month-on-month growth in the value of sales, 9% static sales and 36% a fall, producing a balance of +19%, this was far lower than May's +75%. On...

THE MANCHESTER FURNITURE SHOW: Out to launch.
August 6, 2004... There was an abundance of new products at the biggest Manchester show for a decade. Mark Lewis highlights some of the best It was the first year for some time that The Manchester Furniture Show (11-14 July) had no competition from a London...

GLASS PACKAGING: Going the distance.
August 6, 2004... Furniture, particularly glass, needs effective packaging to ensure it arrives at its destination in one piece. Stephanie Baum talks to retailers and manufacturers to find out who has got the market wrapped up When Gerry O'Rourke heard a...

FIRST PERSON - RICHARD HOLMES: Rock on with pricing.(Interview)
August 6, 2004... He gave up a chance of badminton stardom and now dreams about being a rock star, but Richard Holmes is Harvey's supply chain manager (cabinets) How did you get started in the industry? My parents worked at Littlewoods, and I got my...

DFS offer opposition.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Lord Kirkham's #496m attempt to buy DFS has encountered opposition from a major investment bank, which has advised clients to demand more money if Lord Kirkham is to take the chain private. Scott Ransley, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein...

Kelly to lead Bensons Beds team in MBO bid.(Bernard Kelly)(Bensons Beds)(Management By Objective )
August 13, 2004... Bernard Kelly, Bensons Beds chief executive is set to launch a management buy-out of the chain that has been put up for sale by parent Homestyle. The management team could face opposition from Furnitureland owner and Land of Leather...

Comment: Going back to basics.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Homestyle's results bring with it the confirmation of rumours that its bed division is up for sale. A move to sell off its cash cow doesn't seem to make sense on first inspection. Why get rid of the family's best silver when the rest of the...

Manchester retailer chained to building.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Manchester furniture retailer and manufacturer, Reza Salarkia, chained himself to the office of a city centre property firm in an effort to recover #24,000 he claims the firm owes him. Police cut the chains after the Pine Studio owner...

Myners stays put.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Paul Myners is to stay as Marks & Spencer chairman until next July. He became chairman for the short-term in May when the chain moved to fend off Philip Green's takeover proposal. The chain said Myners would provide needed stability...

Increased sales.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Peter Jones was one of just four John Lewis department stores that increased sales in the week to 31 July. It was joined by the Cheadle, Welwyn and Windsor branches. Furniture sales fell by 1.3% across the 26- store chain during the week but...

JDP boost.(JDP Furniture Group)(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... A #50,000 investment has expanded JDP Furniture Group's Leeds mill and veneering plant. To allow for possible expansion, the Gainsborough factory's mill has moved to Leeds. `The Gainsborough factory will become our centre of excellence...

More shares sold.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Airsprung Furniture Group directors Jeremy and Stephen Yates have sold more shares in the company. After selling 300,000 shares on 26 July, they sold a further 22,500 each on 3 August. Both still own just under 2million shares, about 8.3% of...

Fewer failures.
August 13, 2004... The number of company liquidations fell 17% to 3,151 in the second quarter of the year, according to the DTI. Just under two thirds of liquidations were voluntary. The number of personal bankruptcies jumped 29% to 8,740. Copyright: CMP...

Growth returns.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... The rise in house prices increased from 12.2% in May to 13.9% in June, according to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The average value of a home rose to #173,756. First time buyers paid an average of #139,730. Copyright: CMP...

No cover.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Some 40% of people do not have the contents of their home insured. In London only half of people have insurance, according to Mintel. Among ABC1 consumers, a quarter do not have insurance. This rises to 52% for ABC1s who are single. ...

Courts cuts staff and borrows #20m more.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Courts has improved the performance of its UK stores by cutting sales staff by more than 200 - about two per store. Leo McKee, who has become executive chairman reflecting the full time role he has undertaken for the past few months, said...

Ekornes in #1m campaign.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Ekornes is to invest #1m in an autumn consumer advertising campaign, involving national and regional TV. The campaign, part of its annual #3m spend, will begin at the end of this month in weekend magazines of national newspapers until the...

Fire destroys leather stock.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... A Dorset retailer lost #30,000-#40,000 worth of stock after a container of leather suites at the rear of the store caught fire. Style South Interiors in Christchurch backs on to a housing estate, and has suffered years of petty vandalism....

Opening curtains for new business.(Cope and Timmins )(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... The new owners of curtain pole and accessory firm Cope and Timmins hope to have completed their review of the business by the end of the month. The management buy-out from majority owner the Glatzel family was led by Derek Brown, md and...

Espacio makes a brand on sofabeds and use of space.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Contemporary London upholstery retailer Sofas and Sofa-Beds has rebranded in an effort to better reflect its expanded product range. Its two outlets have been rebranded as Espacio, Spanish for space, and John Ash, owner wants to make it an...

Customer complaints cost stores too much.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Retailers' ignorance of consumer laws and how to deal with complaints is costing them money because they often offer shoppers too much compensation to solve disputes. To address the issue, Qualitas has launched training courses covering...

Powerful savings.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Walmsleys has slashed its electricity bill by more than a quarter, saving it #23,000 a year. By switching to a single supplier for its 104 stores, rather than using several regional electricity companies charging varying tariffs, costs...

On the way up.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Retailer WM Hoad hopes to see sales jump by up to 20% when its refurbished store is completed at the end of next month. A #150,000 investment will see a new storefront and first floor for the 93 year-old company in Horsham, West Sussex....

Polish sofas to be UK compliant.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Polish upholstery firms exporting to the UK should soon comply with flammability regulations. This was the opinion of Phil Reynolds, FIRA testing manager after a presentation on the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations to...

Discounts prompt deflation.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Increased discounting by furniture retailers caused deflation to return to the sector last month. More special offers, particularly on bedroom furniture and no repeat of the increases seen last year in the kitchens market, saw the annual...

Expo update: A classic move.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... UK retailers will see Italian reproduction cabinet company Novalinea's move into the classic sector at the Autumn Furniture and Home Accessories Fair in Dublin next month. Currently only available for the domestic Italian market, the La...

Sizing up the flaws in Ikea's plan.
August 13, 2004... Ikea has twice applied for planning permission for a store in Stockport. Andrew Kidd examines why John Prescott rejected both applications On 24 September 1999 Ikea submitted a planning application for a store, car park and call centre...

SHOP WINDOW: SWEET DREAMS.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Responding to the growth in the children's furniture sector, the Fe- Lilla bedroom range fills this niche. The pale lilac collection includes a bedstead, dressing table and desk. Contact Sweet Dreams on 01282 830 033 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW: DUNLOPILLO.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Dunlopillo is celebrating its 75th birthday with the launch of three models. The Celebration (pictured) is a latex/polyurethane foam mattress with channel quilting and stretch fabric. Contact Dunlopillo on 0161 6282898 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW: WOLFRAM74.
August 13, 2004... The Aver Amazonia collection of interior accessories is made from sustainable woods from Brazilian rainforests. All the vases are sold with FSC certified materials. Contact Wolfram74 on 020 7357 9581 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: 4ORM DESIGN.
August 13, 2004... The Stilletto cabinet makes use of Parapan, a hard wearing, high gloss surface, for the doors of this unit. The distinctive anodised aluminium handles provide elegant detail. Contact 4orm Design on 01302 849 299 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW: SILENTNIGHT.
August 13, 2004... The Starlight bedstead is part of a range of `make your own' looks whereby consumers choose from different woods, metals and headboards to create a unique style. Contact Silentnight Beds on 0800 849 2222 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd....

Undercover in Trowbridge.
August 13, 2004... A thousand years ago Trowbridge in Wiltshire was little more than a row of thatched dwellings close to where the Ridgeway track crossed the River Biss. Nothing remains of the 12th century Trowbridge castle, but its form dominates the...

Retail design: Makeover magic.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... What can furniture retailers learn from high street refurbs, such as River Island and Orange? Stephanie Baum finds out how they made their new looks work The balance between making a space work for a product and a brand can be tricky to...

Makeover magic: When sales don't happen.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... The amount of hype surrounding the debut of the Vittorio Radice designed Lifestore was only equalled by the amount of carping about its shortcomings. As attractive as the Gateshead store is and as interesting as its funky product portfolio is -...

Makeover magic: Move with the season.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Furniture's fashion-driven personality makes clothing store redesigns all the more relevant, especially in London where keen competition to lift the product offer without losing sight of the audience means there is always someone trying a new...

Makeover magic: Space v product.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Selfridges in Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre impressed many when it opened last September. A bold product offer presented for a much younger generation of shoppers than the Oxford Street store from which it sprung, presented in a unique...

Makeover magic: On the Pulse.
August 13, 2004... As part of its Pulse concept store programme addressing customers' changing needs, Orange introduced a store in Cheapside geared to the City and boy's toys. The emphasis is on changing with trends, which furniture stores can learn from. The...

Makeover magic: Roomsets with a view.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Based on market research showing an increase in the homewares market, the Co-op's Homestore in Perth, Scotland groups homewares with furniture based on rooms in a house. The kitchen area features tables, chairs and stools alongside electrical...

Makeover magic: Behind the scenes.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Raising the perceived value of the stores and improved customer service was the rationale behind a #10m remodelling effort for Anglia Home Furnishings (AHF). Its new Rugby store devotes more space to collections, for example, space...

Complaint management: Don't come to blows.
August 13, 2004... The customer's angry. You as the retailer are in the firing line. How do you handle it? It seems listening to the problem is the first thing to do, as Stephanie Baum discovers A kitchen retail customer drives into the company's car park....

Complaint management: Consumers' rights.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations ensure consumers are entitled to goods of satisfactory quality, taking account of any description, the price and other relevant circumstances. If an item has a fault that is present at the...

Webwatch: Come out of hiding.(Home Sources portal (www.homesources.co.uk))
August 13, 2004... The Home Sources portal provides a mine of useful information and links hidden behind a lacklustre layout, reports Mark Lewis There's a lot of information on this portal. For anyone wanting to renovate their home, it is all here. Home...

Independent touch.(Interview)
August 13, 2004... Jane Lockwood-Taylor loves chocolate, wishes she'd invented traffic cones, and is director and founder of soft furnishings company Bluetouch Trading How did you get started in the industry? While travelling in India and the Far East I...

Court's copyright ruling opens doors for copycats.
August 20, 2004... The furniture and furnishings market faces being flooded by copies of bestselling and classic products with the original designers and manufacturers unable to do anything to stop it. As a result of a Court of Appeal ruling, products...

COMMENT: Patently obvious defence.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... A Court of Appeal judgement removing copyright protection for surface designs is a step backwards for the industry. Especially for those who already feel strung up by the noose of this country's red tape. Yet, while this leaves companies more...

Retailer counts the cost of storm damage.(Paul James Furnishings)(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... West Midlands retailer, Paul James Furnishings, lost #25,000 worth of stock when the roof of the store caved in under torrential rain. The Bilston store, a 12,000sqft concession in Our Place on Loxdale Street, also suffered severe rain...

Seasonal upholstery campaign.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Vale Upholstery is to invest #500,000 in an autumn/winter advertising campaign. Its 30 second TV advertisement will be shown on Channel 4, ITV News channel and UK History for a month from 24 August. Following this it will be shown on...

Halo Group - Appointments.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Conrad Stretch has become group buyer and upholstery category manager at Halo Group. Steve Vallender, Mark Pickup and Steve Jones are category managers for soft furnishings and accessories, bedroom and living and dining respectively. Samantha...

Bomb scare loss.(Grimsby retailer Pick N Pay Furniture Centre)(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Grimsby retailer Pick N Pay Furniture Centre estimated it lost #1,000 in sales when it was forced to close during lunchtime on 11 August after a bomb scare at a nearby post office. `It is a shame we have lost trade but it is just one of those...

Bombers jailed.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Janusz S and Wiktor S from Poland have been jailed for seven and four years respectively after blackmailing Ikea in the Netherlands for #168,000. The chain was forced to close its 10 branches in December 2002 after being told bombs had been...

More vacancies.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... The number of UK job vacancies rose by almost 10% to 835,200 in the second quarter of the year. Average earnings continued to rise at 4.4%, according to National Statistics. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.