Cabinet Maker articles from January 2007

Cabinet Maker archives from January 2007

Franchisees stand firm on buyout.
January 5, 2007... DPFX battle heads for court in contract valuation stand off DP Furniture Express franchisees are to reissue their offer to buy themselves out of their franchise agreements before taking legal action, despite the offer being rejected by the...

Sales restore retail hopes.
January 5, 2007... Retailers received a boost with shopper numbers up by 6.9% on Boxing Day as the winter sales period got under way. Figures from FootFall show the increase compared to 26 December 2005 with extra promotions and more stores being open. ...

2006: Hello and goodbye.(Chronology)
January 5, 2007... New faces, new identities and new sales channels marked a year of changes, as Deven Pamben and Eleanor Goodman look at the winners and losers January The year started off with independent retailers increasingly disenchanted with beds...

City: Share prices end the year on a high.
January 5, 2007... The Cabinet Maker Index closed 2006 at an all-time high, gaining 32% in the year. In the same period, the FTSE 100 Index gained a respectable 12%. Marks & Spencer's 46% (225p) advance, extraordinary for a #12bn company, confirms the wisdom...

Positive promotion.
January 5, 2007... Set up last year, the British Furniture Confederation works to promote UK manufacturing. Chairman Martin Jourdan outlines the initiatives for 2007 `The BFC was established last year to be the single voice of the furniture and bed...

Letter: More than one Furniture Traders.(Letter to the editor)
January 5, 2007... There was an article in your magazine about a retailer in Thirsk called Furniture Traders (Discount firm moves, CM,8 Dec, p3). The Thirsk outfit should not be confused with our own buying group, Furniture Traders Ltd. Our group has spent...

Be part of the environmental niche.
January 5, 2007... Views By Trent Jennings As 2006 passed, we have endured a torrent of buzzwords and stern warnings from the world's leaders on environmental change and our impact upon it. Much of this publicity has been negative; however, now is the...

Talk: Were expectations met in 2006?(Iain O'Mahony)(Kay Ryan)(Norma Pavey)(Sarah English)(Nigel Hiscox)
January 5, 2007... In the first issue of Cabinet Maker last year we asked retailers `What do you expect for furniture retail in 2006?' CM has gone back to to ask them if expectations were met. `Our end of the market hasn't compressed, it's expanded! It's...

Leader: Set for a prosperous new year.(Cobco 808)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... The winter sales seem to have got off to a good start according to the initial reaction from retailers. It seems that higher mortgage and utility bills have yet to deter shoppers from replacing their sofa or bed, although the widespread...

Views By Emma Delea's.
January 5, 2007... At last, from 1 January 2007, Qualitas changed its name to the Furniture Ombudsman - an identity that will better illustrate the role and benefits of the service. The furniture industry has regularly been slated for poor customer service...

ANALYSIS: Reaching for proof.
January 5, 2007... Toxic chemicals in sofas have been served notice but the new directive has cost penalties for UK firms right down the supply chain, says Deven Pamben After seven years of review, the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals...

STORE MANAGER: The impact of disability.
January 5, 2007... The definition of disabled is far wider than many realise, leaving you open to claims for discrimination, explain Jonathan Exten-Wright and Paul Matthews Discrimination against a disabled employee can lead to unlimited awards of...

STORE MANAGER: Liability matters.
January 5, 2007... Who is liable for unlawful acts of disability discrimination? You will be liable for the actions of your employees in the course of their employment unless you can establish that you took such steps as were reasonably practicable to prevent...

Interview-Javier Mariscal: catalan catalyst.(Interview)
January 5, 2007... Javier Mariscal is arguably Spain's most important designer, perfectly placed to give a perspective on the burgeoning design scene. Kieran Long reports Javier Mariscal arrived in Barcelona in 1973 to study, and went on to become its most...

DESIGN - ZANOTTA: Hardy perennials.
January 5, 2007... Since its foundation in 1954, Zanotta has created designs that down the years have proved popular across the globe. For the first time it has identified its bestsellers, those pieces that have truly stood the test of time The idea of...

REGENERATION - LIVINGSTON: Elements of choice.
January 5, 2007... In the latest of the series looking at regeneration driven retail expansion opportunities, Jennifer Pulling looks at plans for the UK's second largest shopping centre and gauges the reaction of retailers in the town and nearby As one of...

Regeneration-Livingston: what do the retailers think?(interior design trends)
January 5, 2007... Tracey Victoria Gill `I think this regeneration is great,' says Tracey Victoria Gill who heads a successful interior design and top end curtain and accessories retailer. `Livingston has done very well for itself but this will be good...

REGENERATION - LIVINGSTON: Bathgate rebirth.(Bathgate Traders Forum)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... The Bathgate Traders Forum is a business led partnership between the local business community and West Lothian Council to create a dynamic economy where local businesses identify, prioritise and deliver value added services. Its aims are:...

Advertising Feature: Inspired Interiors.
January 5, 2007... The Interiors Event will bring Birmingham to life from 21-24 January 2007. Located at the NEC, Birmingham and covering 13 halls, the event will bring together the interiors community to celebrate the world of design. From unique accessories,...

SHOW PREVIEW: On the launch pad.
January 5, 2007... Now just three weeks away, we look at what some of the Republic of Ireland exhibitors will be launching at The Interiors Event from 21-24 January Among Furniture Link International's cabinet launches will be the three- legged Montana...

SHOW REVIEW: Location, vocation.
January 5, 2007... The recent Purple Leaf exhibition of Buckinghamshire designers proved that the designer maker sector is alive and well, as Andrew Kidd reports Buckinghamshire' s reputation as an area with a strong furniture background was reinforced by...

Show preview: February.(Designer Exhibition)
January 5, 2007... After January's multitude of shows, there is no let up in the calendar in February Ambient living Seasonal decorations bring atmosphere to the home. For example, the first bunches of colourful silk or real flowers in the home herald...

Show preview: Greenhouse comes of age.(Furniture Fair in Stockholm)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Greenhouse, Stockholm Furniture Fair's nursery for independent designers and design schools, will celebrate its fifth anniversary when the Nordic region's biggest furniture fair takes place from 7-11 February. Acting as a forum enabling...

CM offcuts: Titanic lesson in form and function.
January 5, 2007... Recent graduate Polly Westergaard has set up Westergaard Designs Who do you most admire in the furniture industry? I have a huge interest in my Danish roots, with much aspiration for Arne Jacobsen. Although his most famous work was...

CM Offcuts: Christmas hell in B and Q.(An Apology from B and Q)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Bosses at the B&Q store in Stockport, Greater Manchester, have apologised for playing a rude Christmas song over the public address system. Instead of classic pop hits or traditional carols, customers heard a crude song from adult cartoon...

MP warning on low skill danger.
January 12, 2007... Madeleine Moon MP has warned that complacency could lead to the demise of UK furniture manufacturing. In an interview with Cabinet Maker, the MP for Bridgend and chairman of the All-Party Furniture Industry Group said the UK was in danger...

DFS races ahead in sofa sales war.
January 12, 2007... With sales in full swing Verdict predicts retailers offering IFC will fare better DFS has won the latest battle in the sofa wars against its specialist high street rivals with turnover in the first two weeks of the winter sale up 10% on...

Managers earn less in manufacturing sector.
January 12, 2007... Managers in the furniture manufacturing industry are among the lowest paid, earning an average of #26,000. Retail managers across all sectors earn an average #30,179. This is lower than the average UK manager, who earns #31,289 a year and...

Pre-Christmas rise for sales.
January 12, 2007... While December showed growth the real test for furniture sales will be in January Retail sales in December were up 2.5% on last year, with mixed results for big ticket items including furniture. The BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor...

Asda gets serious about furniture.
January 12, 2007... Asda has launched its online and catalogue furniture service in direct competition with the likes of Ikea, Argos, Tesco and Next. Signals that it also plans to open up to 300 Asda Living stores, suggest it is looking to become a serious...

M&S homewares up.(Marks & Spencer)(Company overview)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Marks & Spencer saw sales rise 9.2% in the three months to 30 December. Homewares trade increased 7.9% in the same period, but sales growth was smaller than in the two previous quarters. In the three months to 30 September 2006 there...

Double opening.(New Heights opens new stores)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... New Heights has opened stores in Norwich and Bournemouth and brought out new ranges including Madison. The 3,000sqft one level store close to Norwich's shopping centre is glass fronted and opened in December. On 2 January it opened a 1,500sqft...

In brief: Sofabed shop closure.(The Sofa Bed Shop )(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... The Sofa Bed Shop in Muswell Hill, north London is closing due to the owner, John Barke's retirement. It has traded as a sofabed shop since 1985, but the family business was established in 1931 as EC Lacks. It is expected to close at the end of...

In brief: Monthly victory.(Flexible Landlord Standard)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Fifty local councils in the UK have been awarded the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) Flexible Landlord Standard after agreeing to stop demanding store rents three months in advance in favour of monthly terms. The BRC's Rent Monthly Campaign...

In brief: Mercury prize.(showroom furniture design by Charles Yorke )(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Appliance manufacturer Mercury has chosen bespoke specialist Charles Yorke to design the furniture for its kitchen showroom. Charles Yorke is to design and build a variety of kitchen environments, from contemporary to traditional, to complement...

In brief: Annual house rise.(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... House prices in the UK rose by an average of 9.9% in 2006, according to the Halifax bank, confirming that property price inflation accelerated last year. The highest increase was in Northern Ireland at 53%. In December the average UK price fell...

Online boost for Next turnover.(Next Directory Ltd.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Sales growth for mail order and Internet sales exceeds high street results despite new stores Next's turnover jumped 2.8% for the five months to Christmas Eve, with its online and mail order division showing more growth than its retail...

Fire destroys furniture warehouse.
January 12, 2007... A warehouse containing furniture for major retailers was destroyed by fire last Friday (5 January). Turks Removals, a 15,000sqft warehouse in Lydd, near Hythe, Kent contained stock for John Lewis among several other retailers. ...

Ward is new chief of Hypnos.
January 12, 2007... Stephen Ward has been named as the new md of Hypnos, one of three appointments to the bed manufacturer's management team. Peter Keen, president of National Bed Federation, will become chairman of the Buckinghamshire company and Bernard...

Pre-launch response proves a hit for Ikea.
January 12, 2007... Online store questionnaire brings surprising results In just 10 days Ikea received 9,500 responses commenting on its online shop - even though it had not officially launched. The rollout of its Internet service begins in 10 days (22...

Flexa to expand into Ireland.
January 12, 2007... Danish children's furniture manufacturer Flexa is to open its first franchise shop in Ireland as part of its continued expansion into Europe. It has three franchise shops in England but the majority of its 100 outlets are in Asia. ...

Team searches for top players.(Willis & Gambier)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Willis & Gambier to add two positions to management team after MBO Willis & Gambier has begun its search for a finance director and non- executive chairman after its #55m management buyout, funded by the Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance...

Letter: Independent strength recognised.(Letter to the editor)
January 12, 2007... AIS members would have read the comments of Aruna Chopra that the biggest share of Argos's sales growth had been taken from `failing independents' with bemusement (CM, 15 Dec, p4, Argos grabs the furniture crown). With a healthy double...

Talk: How have the January sales gone so far?
January 12, 2007... `Fine, as good as we'd hoped. We've seen increased footfall and have been selling lots of oak. We expect to stay busy for the rest of the month.' Gina Duggen, Pine Workshoppe manager, Norwich `It's been good. We've been selling all...

CM COMMENT: Leader - Never too late for an online launch.(Brief article)(Column)
January 12, 2007... There is a temptation for many independent retailers that have not yet bitten the online bug to think they may have already missed their opportunity. They should think again. Ikea has been fairly conservative in the timing of its online channel...

Views by Mike Clare.
January 12, 2007... When Cabinet Maker asked me for my 2007 industry predictions I jumped at the chance. I must confess I quite like the idea of being `Mystic Mike'. Predicting the highs and lows of furniture companies is easy; just don't ask me to...

ANALYSIS: Promises, promises on cutting the red tape.
January 12, 2007... Trade organisations and retailers remain sceptical about new government targets to reduce administrative burdens. Deven Pamben looks at the facts The DTI plans to save business up to #700m a year in its drive to cut red tape. This will be...

ANALYSIS: Internet tightens its grip.
January 12, 2007... Deven Pamben examines the increase in online sales channels by furniture retailers and the big supermarkets and the likely effect on the sector In retailing terms 2006 will be remembered as the year of the online Christmas. And 2007 looks...

ANALYSIS: Will furniture take a hit?
January 12, 2007... Peter Pritchard, Asda's non-food business md `By Easter, we will treble the number of products available online, taking the total offer to more than 300 items of fine furniture. We're sure it's going to be a hit.' Steve Thorp,...

SHOP WINDOW: Spring Fair - Guru Design.
January 12, 2007... Guru Design will launch the Amaya. `The glass unit is a part of the new wooden glass collection. The other unit is a side table from flow collection that is one of the best selling unit from the Flow/evolution collection,' says Priyanka Jaitly,...

SHOP WINDOW: Spring Fair - Roger Lascelles Clocks.(launches Grand Turret)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Roger Lascelles Clocks is launching the Grand Turret, the largest in its range at 60cm. It is based on an antique turret clock. `These old clock dials look so dramatic on a wall I had to see if we could achieve the same effect at a fraction of...

SHOP WINDOW: Spring Fair - Sunshine Fine Art.
January 12, 2007... Sunshine Fine Art will be launching promotional bedroom designs and the Roberta collection in MDF. It will also have an extensive range of wall art to complement the furniture. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: Spring Fair - Waltons of Yorkshire.
January 12, 2007... The Sophie Collection, a delicate soft blue floral print from Waltons of Yorkshire coordinates with the washed white look of today's reproduction furniture. The Spring Fair takes place at the NEC from 4-8 February Copyright: CMP...

STORE MANAGER: The write impression.(Business communication)
January 12, 2007... Business emails should follow the same rules as letter writing to avoid giving an impression of unprofessionalism, says Brian Collett Who writes good business email English? Perhaps you receive messages reading something like: `hotel bookd...

STORE MANAGER: To text or not to text.(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Does the future of business communication lie in mobile phone texting? It is true that some companies use texting for messages to staff and clients, but Christopher Wood has serious reservations. A Japanese company has asked him to run a...

INTERVIEW - RICHARD JOSEPH: Cooking up ideas.(Interview)
January 12, 2007... An emphasis on quirky, but practical kitchen designs, has put the Joseph brothers firmly on the housewares map. Eleanor Goodman reports The Joseph twins are no strangers to family businesses. Their father owned manufacturing company Midland...

LIGHTING - PHILIPS: Mood synthesizer.
January 12, 2007... Lighting and furniture are becoming more entwined. Stephanie Baum spoke to Oscar Peua about how Philips wants to improve our health Light is colonising the market in the same way that leather insinuated itself into home furnishings. Leaping...

LIGHTING - PHILIPS: Fabric fantasies.
January 12, 2007... A prototype sofa, developed with Artifort, has been covered with a textile embedded with LEDs which can carry messages, graphics or colours. The fabric, named Lumalive, comprises flexible sheets of LEDs, which measure 20cm by 20cm and can...

LIGHTING - PHILIPS: Creative force.
January 12, 2007... Oscar Peua, Philips Design senior creative design director, received a degree in industrial design from the Universidad Javeriana Bogota, Colombia. He pursued postgraduate studies in visual communications at the Minneapolis College of Art...

LIGHTING - PHILIPS: Natural rhythms.
January 12, 2007... Four years ago Philips Design embarked on the Nebula project to harness recent breakthroughs in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - when a person's mood is substantially affected by a diminished amount of sunlight, particularly in the...

Show-Preview: Home grown.(the interiors event)(national exhibition centre)
January 12, 2007... In the final preview of The Interiors Event at the NEC, Andrew Kidd looks at what you can expect to find from some of the UK exhibitors Contemporary style married with the functional requirements of the mainstream will be the message from 4...

Retail Intelligence: November trading.(trends of furniture industry)(Statistical data)
January 12, 2007... Sales growth generally slowed in November compared with October, but bedroom cabinet, upholstery and beds all performed better than a year earlier. Living and dining room cabinet was the exception, with sales falling on both a monthly and...

TECHNOLOGY FRAUD: Identity kit.
January 12, 2007... Fraudsters out to hijack your corporate identity for financial gain, both inside and outside your organisation, can be foiled by a few simple safeguards Fraudsters cost businesses #50m a year by falsifying details on the Companies House...

Is it an inside job?(employee fraud)
January 12, 2007... Your employees may present a major risk to your company, as Colin Cowan explains Fraudsters have developed a number of ways to target your business accounts. These criminals could be working from outside or within your organisation. They...

Combat fraud bygetting PROOFed.
January 12, 2007... Companies House recommends that businesses should file documents electronically using its PROOF (PROtected Online Filing) service. If a company decides to sign up to PROOF, Companies House will only accept forms relating to changes of address...

CM OFFCUTS: Following the no pain, no gain rule.
January 12, 2007... Rob Chambers is commercial manager for furniture at Mamas & Papas How did you get started in the business? I previously worked as a commercial manager for Ikea, at its global head office in Malmo. Before that I was at Ikea's UK office....

CM offcuts: Drive to steal.(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Three men have been arrested in Swaziland, after posing as store sales representatives and stealing furniture. The men, from Ezulwini, hired a car and drove to different locations to nick goods from people's homes. They told the car hire...

CM OFFCUTS: Politics to furniture.
January 12, 2007... Thai MP Boonchoo Treethong, 61, has left politics for the furniture industry. The Thai Rak Thai party-list MP left after September's military coup and is now helping with his daughter's furniture manufacturing business. He plans to spend #4.7m...

VC firm fails to deliver and prompts split.
January 19, 2007... Land of Leather (LoL) exited its partnership with venture capitalist and former 50% owner SB Capital because of SB's failure to become a force in UK furniture retail. In an interview with Cabinet Maker, Clive Hatchard, LoL chief financial...

McDonagh sells design rights.
January 19, 2007... New owner working toward a `seamless' transition for retailers Northern Irish furniture company McNally and Findlay has bought the design rights of McDonagh for an undisclosed sum. Portadown firm McDonagh, which is set to close after...

Silentnight goes back to the Clarke family.(Brief article)
January 19, 2007... Nino Allenza, Silentnight Group's former chief executive, has sold his 25% stake in parent company, Soundersleep. Allenza, who owned the share with partner, Michelle Scott, sold the Soundersleep stake to John Clarke, putting the whole...

Trade looks up for LA.
January 19, 2007... Laura Ashley has seen sales grow in all product categories - furniture, home accessories, decorating and clothing - in the 50 weeks to 13 January, along with `strong margin growth'. UK like-for-like sales climbed by 8.7% while total sales...

In brief: Capital spending.(Brief article)
January 19, 2007... General retail sales in London were 11% higher in December than a year earlier, but furniture sales remained mixed. The London Retail Consortium Monthly Sales Monitor revealed that sales for the year were 11.4% higher than in 2005. Tourism...

In brief: Allergen shield.(Brief article)
January 19, 2007... Swiss bed brand, BICO, has produced a mattress which it claims gives permanent protection against mites or allergens. MicroClean has a protective shield which allows moisture and air to circulate, guaranteeing a perfect bed climate. BICO, part...

In brief: Debenhams caution.(Financial report)
January 19, 2007... Debenhams reported a fall in underlying sales over the Christmas period. Like-for-like sales fell 4% in the 19 weeks to 13 January. The department store said sales were hit largely because of the milder weather prompting a drop in clothes...

In brief: Street moves up.
January 19, 2007... The John Lewis Partnership has confirmed that Andy Street, JLP director of personnel, will become department store md on 26 February when Charlie Mayfield steps up to become JLP deputy chairman. Mayfield will then become JLP chairman at the end...

Waste law warning.
January 19, 2007... Firm warns others to watch out for changing rules after being fined for waste regulations breaches Furniture manufacturer Dams International has warned retailers and other manufacturers that they face huge fines if they do not keep up with...

City: New Year winners at premium rate.
January 19, 2007... Next gained 96p to 1,942p on reassuring figures for the five months to 24 December, boosted by 9.3% sales growth at Next Directory. Management expects profits in the year to 31 January to be `slightly ahead' of forecasts. Most analysts ignored...

Prices dip to year end low.
January 19, 2007... Retailer discounting maintains furniture on downward trend For the fourth consecutive month the price of furniture items fell in December. The British Retail Consortium's Shop Price Index (SPI) showed that furniture dropped to its...

Christmas boost for online visits.(Brief article)
January 19, 2007... Hitwise has revealed that retailers such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis were among the top online performers in December. Figures from the online tracking service showed that M&S visits were up 25% year-on-year in December, with John...

Confirmation of recovery.(Walker Greenbank PLC)(Brief article)
January 19, 2007... In January 2006, the market ignored a modest trading update at Walker Greenbank. The shares drifted below 20p, until April's figures revealed the first full-year profit since 2000. As investors jumped in, the price gained 33% in a day. In May,...

Second store for Welsh stalwart.
January 19, 2007... Family business George Street Furnishers has expanded by opening a store in Cardiff to attract shoppers unwilling to venture out of the city. Colin Hayward, George Street Furnishers director of marketing, said 15% of customers travelled...

Building B set to boost World Market visitors.(Brief article)
January 19, 2007... Las Vegas takes next step to becoming world's biggest show Building B of the World Market Centre (WMC) will open in 10 days, ahead of the winter 2007 show in Las Vegas. The 16-storey building is 1.6million sqft and cost $345 (#175.5m)...

Talk: How much business are you expecting to do at The Interiors Event?(Quotation)
January 19, 2007... `We always go, and the amount of business we do will really depend on what's on offer and what we like, but we expect to do a few thousand pounds. Last year was around #10,000.' Gulfden Azam, Bolton Carpet and Furniture Store co-owner,...