Cabinet Maker articles from December 2006

Cabinet Maker archives from December 2006

Flatpack assembly woes aired.(Flatpackers UK)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Flatpack furniture is sending Brits into a fury. A study by the University of Derby found that 41% of those who tried to assemble flatpack furniture lost their temper before completing the job. Ready-to-assemble furniture has been one...

BFC tackles unsafe sofas from Poland.
December 1, 2006... MPs pressed to tighten import rules to ensure upholstery meets UK flammability regulations The British Furniture Confederation (BFC) held talks with MPs this week to pursue the issue of unsafe Polish furniture imports. The danger was...

From 007 to 2007.
December 1, 2006... Former Bond girl Jane Seymour is the new face of Reid Furniture after signing a one year advertising contract with the upholstery and dining room cabinet retailer. Reid will spend #3m on marketing during the winter sale and #10m in total during...

High street not hitting online targets.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Bricks and mortar retailers' sales lag behind sole etailers efforts Leading high street furniture retailers are not meeting online sales expectations according to the IMRG-Hitwise Hot Shops List of the top 50 UK etailers. Published...

Vita Life after Eurolux.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Mario Albertini has launched Vita Life only weeks after his Eurolux business went into voluntary receivership. Vita Life supplies similar foam products to Eurolux, an importer of mattresses, toppers and pillows. Albertini is general...

Ikea puts a price on its Internet sales delivery.
December 1, 2006... Ikea has begun internal trials of its online sales channel ahead of its January pilot launch in Nottingham. The Swedish retailer may charge shoppers #7.50 for delivery of parcel- sized goods and #35 for larger goods, such as sofas and...

Web wonder.(Internet Entrepreneur)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Richard Moyles, www.furniture.ie founder and md has been named as Internet Entrepreneur at the Net Visionary Awards in Ireland. The web portal, launched in 2003, allows users to find products, services and information. It now has 50,000 users...

In brief: Sales in the frame.(John Lewis sales)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Seasonal sales at John Lewis continue to grow. Total sales for the week to 25 November hit #71.5m, a week on week increase of 8%. The rise has been fuelled by demand for electrical and digital goods such as the e- frame, a traditional-looking...

In brief: Regulation warning.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Forum for Private Business (FPB) has warned the European Commission (EC) that action must follow after its latest promises to cut back on regulations in Europe. An EC report revealed plans to put 25% of red tape by 2012, but Nick Goulding,...

In brief: Money route.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Traffic congestion in the UK is so bad that 87% of businesses support the principle of road pricing, according to a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). But support for pricing came with demands for amendments to other taxes,...

In brief: Agency move.(Michael Meillam Furniture Agencies location)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Michael Meillam Furniture Agencies has relocated. The agency represents Royams, which produces electrical recliners; Inpine, maker of pine furniture; and Icon and Concept, which produce memory foam mattresses. Michael Meillam's new address is...

Argos helps bring HRG profits home.(Home Retail Group )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Decline in profits at Homebase takes shine off HRG's first results since demerger from GUS The extension of the Argos Home catalogue helped parent company Home Retail Group (HRG) post an 8% rise in sales for the six months to 30 September....

Harper appointed to take Mamas & Papas global.
December 1, 2006... As part of a global expansion strategy, nursery furniture wholesaler, retailer and franchise operator Mamas & Papas has appointed Claire Harper as marketing director. Harper moves from Sainsbury's, where she was head of online marketing....

Shoplift strategy under fire.
December 1, 2006... The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has hit out against plans to scrap prison sentences for criminals convicted of shoplifting, in favour of fines and community orders. Furniture retailers are often reluctant to stock smaller accessories...

EU moves closer to dog and cat fur ban.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Triumph for MEP's campaign as draft directive blocks Chinese animal hair rug import path to UK consumers The import, export and sale of cat and dog fur is to be outlawed under new European Union (EU) rules. The move, by the European...

Cable theft blacks out store.
December 1, 2006... Newly-opened furniture store Rivington Taylor lost a full day's trade after thieves stripped #400 worth of copper from an electricity cable. Staff at the Bolton, Greater Manchester store, which opened last month, arrived on 21 November to...

Christmas rush begins.(Footfall Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Footfall is increasing in the lead up to Christmas. Retail analyst FootFall said the week to 19 November (week 46) was the first week-on- week rise, at 4.4%, in shopper numbers since Halloween In the same week, footfall in department stores...

Letter: Standing up for quality and service.(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I would like to raise a number of points in response to your Undercover Shopper report on Macclesfield last month (CM, 10 Nov, p25). Furnishings4you is just a short walk from a number of our larger competitors, and as a smaller independent...

Talk: Do you think the BFC is doing enough to in the industry?
December 1, 2006... `I've never really heard of it to be honest. A lot of confederations do a lot of good work on the quiet, but it all costs money to get it even bigger. It's not something I've spent much time thinking about; we're all just plodding along aren't...

CM COMMENT: Leader - Catalogues of change in interiors.
December 1, 2006... It seems that the 1980s revival has well and truly reached the interiors sector. Then it was thick home shopping catalogues where the delivered product never quite looked like it did on the page. Now its furnishings catalogues from companies...

CM COMMENT: Views by Natalie Rawson.
December 1, 2006... Some people cannot get their heads around the fact that consumers are willing to buy furniture online. They say, `surely when making such a large purchase, especially beds and sofas, customers want to test them out before buying'. This...

ANALYSIS: What's on the industry wish list.
December 1, 2006... Deven Pamben asks pressure groups and retailers what they want Chancellor Gordon Brown to tackle in next week's pre-Budget speech On Wednesday 6 December, Chancellor Gordon Brown will be the centre of attention when he makes his 10th and...

ANALYSIS: Cutting out sexism?
December 1, 2006... Progress has been made in attracting women into the industry, but the stereotypes persist, reports Tess Andrews Setting up their own business has lived up to or even exceeded expectations for 94% of female entrepreneurs. So much so...

SHOP WINDOW: Lighting - Luzifer Lamps.
December 1, 2006... Sioux is a family of lights made up of table, floor and suspension lights of different sizes from Luzifer Lamps. Its shade, made from several sheets of wood veneer strips, gives it a look similar to feathered head-dresses of the North American...

SHOP WINDOW: Lighting - Blux.
December 1, 2006... MM from Blux, uses indirect illumination and features a concealed rotating system. It has an oak body and choice of wenge or oak finish, with golden bread or silver reflecting plates respectively. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: Lighting - Sharon Marston.
December 1, 2006... Sharon Marston's Azure hand blown glass droplets in sea blue and turquoise fall like rain captured in the sun. Each piece is hand- painted and fired and colours can be altered. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: Lighting - Alt Lucialternative.
December 1, 2006... K-Long is a floor lamp from Alt Lucialternative with a white plastic cylindrical diffuser which can be coloured with yellow or blue filters. The base is made from chrome-plated tubing. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

STORE MANAGER: Make a date with HMRC.
December 1, 2006... Failing to meet tax, national insurance and VAT deadlines could allow HMRC to probe your financial affairs. Paula Tallon highlights the key dates Keeping on top of deadlines is always a struggle. Missing tax deadlines brings the prospect...

STORE MANAGER: What about individuals?
December 1, 2006... December If an individual who is an employee and has a balancing payment of less than #2,000 wants to submit their return electronically and have their tax collected through their next year's PAYE tax code, their tax return needs to be...

INTERVIEW: PHIL LYNCH - Man with a dual purpose.
December 1, 2006... Outgang produces multipurpose furniture that can be used inside and outside. Eleanor Goodman finds out what Phil Lynch's philosophy is `The whole Outgang idea is that its products can be used indoors and outdoors,' says Phil Lynch, md, as...

LIVING: DINING - Totally white.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Pale decor trends have now extended from walls and floors to fill the room While the lighting sector is combining black and white for its latest trend, it is white alone that is catching the eye in living and dining room furniture. ...

RETAIL: ROME - Rise of the empires.(Confalone )
December 1, 2006... UK retailers may have a preference for out of town locations, but in Rome the high street is still a very viable option, as Jennifer Pulling discovers Confalone: promoting service Enrico Severati is an ace salesman. That is what he...

RETAIL: ROME - The Feg Group.(Company overview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... `Houses are built to live in, more than to look on.' This saying by Francis Bacon has been the philosophy Feg has followed in its 50 years of furniture production. Set up by Egidio and Ambrogio Elli in 1948 as a small workshop, in the...

SHOW: PREVIEW - Time and motion.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... In the first of a series of previews for The Interiors Event, Cabinet Maker examines what Italian companies will be launching at the exhibition Movement and upholstery usually means one thing: a recliner, but La Meteora has ignored this...

RETAIL: CHATTELS - The X factor.
December 1, 2006... With an emphasis on contemporary products, Chester retailer Chattels always gives that little extra to keep its customers happy, as Jane Lea reports Peter Griffith is passionate about quality furniture and quality service in equal measure....

RETAIL: CHATTELS - Buying in China.
December 1, 2006... Griffith's view: `I can't understand going over to China to buy a table that's half the price of a table closer to home. I suppose fundamentally there's a part of me that's extremely lazy, but why sell three when you can sell one and make...

SHOW: PREVIEW - January diary.
December 1, 2006... January is packed with exhibitions, here's a taster to help you plan your visits Trendsetter Heimtextil prides itself on identifying the trends before they happen, thanks to its strong relationship with Dutch trend researcher Gunnar...

SHOW: PREVIEW - A choice of eight sections.
December 1, 2006... This year's Cologne Furniture Fair features eight areas: Design Talents, Prime Design, Sittable, Comfort, Smart, Sleep, Pure and Basic. Design Talents contains work by young designers and is also the launchpad for the `Inspired by Cologne'...

SHOW: PREVIEW - Las Vegas Market gets bigger and bigger.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Las Vegas Market will see the opening of Building B at the World Market Centre. Some #178m has been invested in the building, which will increase space by 148,000sqm. Building B is fully let to almost 300 manufacturers and will include...

INTERIORS: AWARDS - Winning ways.
December 1, 2006... To help get your entries ready for The Interiors Awards, here's a rundown of the various categories, judging criteria and how and where to enter The Furniture Awards return next month with a new name, new categories, new venue and new day....

CM OFFCUTS: Straight to the point - honestly.(Marc Le Peltier )(Maskreys )(Interview)
December 1, 2006... Marc Le Peltier is Maskreys md How did you get started in business? I was a trader in the City of London. When they constructed a new building I got involved with the end-user group selection committee advising on the internal fit-out...

CM OFFCUTS: Dreams through the ages.
December 1, 2006... Dreams celebrated the arrival of its newest employee with a unique photo opportunity. Shona Vance-Lousada, Dreams new customer services controller and 1000th employee, got together with the first, 10th and 100th employees in celebration of the...

Price cuts kick start Christmas.
December 8, 2006... Warm weather is blamed for the worst seasonal sales build up on record Prices have been slashed in a bid to boost Christmas sales with some firms offering up to 50% off discounted lines. Furniture and homewares retailers Argos,...

Online failings.(online trade)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... Two of out three retailers were losing Christmas business because they did not trade online, according to Barclaycard Business. Some 69% of retailers in the UK were missing out on sales, it said. Research found that of those retailers who...

Broyhill's 11th closure.
December 8, 2006... Broyhill Furniture, a subsidiary of Furniture Brands International, is to close its cabinet factory in Lenoir, US and make 390 people redundant. The move follows the earlier closure of its Pacemaker cabinet plant, with the loss of 700 jobs. ...

Discount firm moves.
December 8, 2006... Furniture Traders has more than trebled its physical size, moving from a 2,500sqft site into a purpose built 9,000sqft site at Thirsk Industrial Park in North Yorkshire. The distributor cleans and repairs damaged container furniture and...

Top range clue to DIY recovery.
December 8, 2006... Sales fall prompts store refocus on service DIY retailers have been urged to stretch their price architecture and offer premium lines if they want to return to profitable growth. Sales have fallen for the second year in a row,...

Style in sections.
December 8, 2006... Ligne Roset, the upmarket furniture manufacturer and retailer, has launched its 2007 brochure. The 194 page document features a cross section of product broken down into a number of areas, including Living, Eating and Sleeping. Accessories...

Ikea creates its own home decor market.
December 8, 2006... Ikea is taking its furniture concept to the extreme by moving into flatpack housing. The timber-framed BoKloks will come ready-made and have high ceilings to give a feeling of space, wooden flooring throughout and fitted kitchens. Ikea...

In brief: Bags of prizes.(TCS Imports)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... TCS Imports, an upholstery supplier, is to host a lottery game at The Furniture Show, with prizes including sofas, recliners, sofa beds and corner groups. The scratchcards, which will be distributed in carrier bags handed to visitors to the...

In brief: People outpace profit.(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... UK retailers have seen profit per customer fall by 6.5% in the past year, according to a report by software firm Group 1. The average profit per customer now stands at #50.90, in comparison to #54.40 in 2005. The study claimed that the desire...

In brief: Christmas sales lift.
December 8, 2006... John Lewis, the department store chain, has seen a year on year sales increase of 6% in the week to last Saturday. Its #82.2m sales figure was up 13% on 2004 and 15% ahead of its previous week, pouring cold water over suggestions by retail...

In brief: Designs on Las Vegas.
December 8, 2006... One of the US's leading interior designers is to play host to a design seminar at the Winter 2007 Las Vegas Market. Candice Olsen, who also presents a TV programme, Divine Design, will present `Candice Olsen on Design', as well as...

Mark Webster moves upmarket.
December 8, 2006... Manufacturer aims to promote quality and service Mark Webster Designs is to launch at the Interiors Event at the NEC in January. The firm, which will be focused exclusively on the independent retail sector, is an amalgamation of Mark...

Light buy.(Searchlight electric ltd.)(Illuma Lighting)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... Decorative lighting supplier Searchlight has acquired Leicester-based Illuma Lighting, a commercial lighting manufacturer for an undisclosed sum. All 42 employees have been retained and it will run under its existing management. David...

Interiors goes interactive.(appointment of Mark Lewis)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... Mark Lewis has been appointed web editor for the Interiors division of CMPi, the company which owns Cabinet Maker. The former CM news editor is charged with growing the number of hits on the Cabinet Maker, Carpet & Flooring Review, and...

City: DIY results divide investor advice.
December 8, 2006... Home Retail lost 10p after reporting a 2% rise in operating profits in the six months to September. Homebase is underperforming, but most analysts believe that Argos will resist the catalogue operations mounted by Woolworth and Tesco. The bulls...

Stores fear charge will hit delivery.
December 8, 2006... Retailers urged to fight for concessions in road pricing plans Retailers fear that road pricing proposals would undermine business and have a serious impact on deliveries. Under proposals submitted by Sir Rod Eddington, the former...

Driven out by trams.
December 8, 2006... Sid Harrison has owned a high-end furniture shop in Edinburgh city centre for more than 30 years, but is relocating because of roadworks. The construction of Edinburgh's tram network will begin in spring 2007 and take four years, creating...

Wall Street dip ripples felt.(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... The index has fallen from recent highs, following a Wall Street downturn. All national stock markets respond to Wall Street movements, and the FTSE 100 is especially sensitive as the shares of many leading UK companies trade in various formats...

Alphason picks up on AV boom.
December 8, 2006... Alphason Designs, the manufacturer best known for its home entertainment furniture sold through electrical outlets, is to launch a major campaign targeting mainstream furniture retailers. The firm believes the boom in flat screen TV sales...

Letter: Quality issue is not confined to imports.(Letter to the editor)
December 8, 2006... As one of the largest and longest-standing suppliers of Polish produced upholstery to the UK market, Scan-Thor wholeheartedly supports the need for tighter controls on imported upholstery, not only from Poland but from the burgeoning supply...

Letter: Tesco has a taste of its own medicine.(Letter to the editor)
December 8, 2006... With reference to your article `Tesco traffic block on Ikea' (CM, 24 Nov, p4), Tesco has some nerve. They are happy to bulldoze their way into areas without thought for other retailers, local planning or anyone other than themselves, but...

Letter: Collection has no connection.(Letter to the editor)
December 8, 2006... We are writing to you to ask that through Cabinet Maker we would like to clarify that David & Jane Paine of David & Jane Paine Furniture Collection in Ipswich have, since 2005, had no involvement whatsoever with David Paine Associates Ltd. ...

Talk: Do you think the government should levy import duties?
December 8, 2006... `We're being swamped aren't we, so I think they should. British companies are falling by the wayside and I've only managed to survive because I give a personal service. We manufacture sofabeds, corner units, etc to people's specific...

CM COMMENT: Leader - Shape the future of your magazine.
December 8, 2006... Running a magazine is not so dissimilar from running a furniture store. Beneath your obsessions about sales densities and margins, or our obsessions over deadlines and quality of content, we are essentially just trying to give our customers the...

CM COMMENT: Views by Mike Spencer.(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... As a trade association actively engaged in supporting upholstery and soft furnishing businesses, the AMUSF receives a significant number of enquiries each week relating to the Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. I...

ANALYSIS: Tuning in to sales potential.
December 8, 2006... Retailers have a great choice of AV furniture to attack the growing market, says Deven Pamben More than seven million TV screens will be bought in the coming year and the majority of these will be supplied without a stand. The audio-...

ANALYSIS: A few Homebase truths.
December 8, 2006... DIY retailers are urged to widen pricing range with premium lines to win top end customers as sector forecast remains weak, says Deven Pamben Strong trading from Argos in the six months to 30 September helped parent company the Home Retail...

SHOP WINDOW: Recliners - Rolf Benz.
December 8, 2006... Rolf Benz's 5700 model has a slightly curving body with outward curving armrests. The head, back and footrest can be set independently while the chair swivels on its chrome plated, aluminium or wooden base. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: Recliners - Varier.
December 8, 2006... Varier has created a special edition of its Peel chair, using wool from Norwegian sheep. The wool varies from black, grey, white and brown. Delivery is eight to nine weeks. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

STORE MANAGER: Putting A-Day into perspective.
December 8, 2006... Longer life expectancy, higher contributions from employers and changes to legislation have altered the pensions picture, as Brian Collett explains Since A-Day, when Britain's pension environment was reformed, potential pensioners have...

STORE MANAGER: Understanding the pensions jargon.
December 8, 2006... Annuity: a financial product bought with funds accumulated in a pension plan and giving an income for life. DB (defined benefit) scheme: a scheme in which companies promise pensioners a definite amount with up to two-thirds of final salary....

INTERVIEW: THIERRY TALIBON - Return to decadence.(Interview)
December 8, 2006... Not being able to find French furniture on this side of the Channel brought Thierry Talibon into the furniture industry, as Rachel Calton reports When Thierry Talibon came to London from Paris 11 years ago, he bought with him a love for...

BEDS: ADJUSTABLES - Perfection achieved?
December 8, 2006... Genuine product innovation is in short supply from UK bed manufacturers, but 2007 could see a change as new features are added, says Andrew Kidd Technology is often a way for companies to differentiate themselves from their rivals. Tempur...

Retail Habitat: Monsters over the moon.(celebrities design very important products for Habitat International Ltd.)
December 8, 2006... Hollywood Designed by Miss Piggy, star of The Muppet Show For this imaginary character, Habitat has created a child-size backstage dressing mirror with working lights. `Hollywood is all about glamour, style, and looking in the mirror.'...

RETAIL INTELLIGENCE: October trading.
December 8, 2006... After the continuing sales success in September, things carried on much as they had done. The majority of retailers reported that sales during October were broadly in line with those seen in September. Some 24% of stores reported that...

SHOW REVIEW: Cracking designs.
December 8, 2006... Brussels show MB's more contemporary feel brought renewed interest and orders from British retailers, as Andrew Kidd reports There was a time not that long ago when the Brussels show MB (Meubelbeurs, 5-8 November) was dominated by large,...

RETAIL DELIVERY: Floor to door.
December 8, 2006... Making a perfect delivery is best, but promptly resolving delivery problems when they happen can boost your competitive edge, says Daniel Bolger After 19 years of helping furniture retailers improve the operations side of the business, I...

RETAIL DELIVERY: Tips to help make your deliveries perfect.(furniture shipment)
December 8, 2006... Deliver complete: Make sure everything needed for the delivery is on the lorry. That includes mirror brackets, shelf clips, assembly tools, polish and cloths. We have seen instances where 48in tables were delivered with 36in glass tops,...

RETAIL DELIVERY: How to contain costs.
December 8, 2006... Improve preparation: Far too many deliveries are refused, resulting in exchanges weeks later, or even cancellations due to allowing poor quality products to be loaded on to delivery trucks. Activity based costing studies have shown that it...

RETAIL DELIVERY: Communication is key.
December 8, 2006... With consumers becoming more and more demanding, Cabinet Maker asks four firms how they work to achieve the goal of the perfect delivery `There is no such thing as `too much care' when dealing with a consumer, their furniture and homes and...

UNDERCOVER SHOPPER: Eastbourne.
December 8, 2006... Five stores are visited every month to check service. This month we look at: Eastbourne is a medium-sized town in East Sussex and has a population of about 90,000. A popular seaside resort, it boasts rows of Victorian hotels and extensive...

CM OFFCUTS: An imaginative drive to succeed.
December 8, 2006... Rob McPetrie is product design manager for kitchen frontals and accessories manufacturer Burbidge How did you get started in business? My father encouraged me to draw from an early age and my Sundays were spent copying the `centrefold'...