Cabinet Maker articles from July 2005

Cabinet Maker archives from July 2005

Volume takes brand route.(Volume Furniture establishes new division)
July 1, 2005... In an effort to diversify its customer base, design consultancy Volume Furniture is to launch a design-to-retailer division called Edge. It will offer an exclusive range of branded quality cabinet furniture to independent retailers through a...

AMX and Ashley Manor are split.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... UK upholstery manufacturer Ashley Manor is to distance itself from Thai- made sister company AMX as it is relocated to a new showroom in Long Eaton. John Collinson, md said the spin-off was necessary because customers were in danger of...

Travelling with Halo.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Halo unveiled its new brand identity at its At Home show in June to officially position the company as a supplier of `Beautifully Real' furniture. The emphasis of the #250,000 rebranding was on a new showroom that has revitalised the brand....

Open and shut case.(closing and opening of home furnishings stores)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... This week saw mixed fortunes for small independents in Surrey with one shop opening and another closing after 31 years of trading. Standalone soft furnishing chain, Hay Interiors is to open a showroom in Oxted, as part of a move into the...

Hauliers drive down manufacturers profits.
July 1, 2005... Road hauliers are taking profits from the furniture industry by passing rising fuel costs on to manufacturers. Ashley Manor's haulage bill rose by 3% as the price of diesel climbed to record levels. The company has pledged to absorb the...

Sofa fine.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A man who tried to sell a PVC sofa to a Trading Standards officer claiming it was leather, is #1,000 out of pocket. John Welch from Newcastle was caught in a clampdown on illicit trading by Rhondda Cynon Taf Trading Standards officers in...

Currys sees the light side.(Currys Group PLC)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Electricals store Currys has introduced pilot lighting sections in its Staples Corner, north London and Hull stores. A further six stores will be refitted with the sections by the end of the year. The company has also scotched rumours that...

IN BRIEF: Buy speculation.(Merrill Lynch and Company Inc., MFI Furniture Group Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Rumours in the City suggesting that Merrill Lynch was trying to buy a large amount of shares in MFI sent the company's stock rocketing. The struggling retailer has long been the subject of takeover speculation and rumours of a possible demerger...

IN BRIEF: In-store ordering.(Zendor, Woolworths Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Distance selling expert Zendor is supporting Woolworths' new in-store ordering system. The facility, which allows customers to order an extended range of around 650,000 products not usually available in all stores for home delivery, was...

IN BRIEF: Quick recovery.(Hi Visibility)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Hi Visibility, a Huddersfield firm making kitchens and bedrooms, was working again only days after a fire destroyed its premises. The company was forced to stop production in May after a fire devastated its factory, but staff helped clean up...

IN BRIEF: KBSA moves.(Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) has reorganised its management structure, giving more responsibility to Lucinda Kenny, operations manager, and freeing up Graham Hayden, chief executive to concentrate on representing...

IN BRIEF: Sales team boosted.(Slumberland appoints Jill Plume and Neil Roby)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Jill Plume and Neil Roby have joined Slumberland as area sales managers covering the South East, West Midlands and South Wales. Plume previously worked as an area manager with Dorlux Beds for two and a half years. Roby joins after three and a...

Bo Concept to revamp TCR store.(Tottenham Court Road)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Danish designer furnishing company Bo Concept is revamping its Tottenham Court Road store to attract franchisees from the UK and abroad. It is also part of the manufacturer and retailer's plan to spread both its franchise and Studio...

Sigma 3 takes on Hammonds.(acquisition of Hammonds Furniture Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Welsh kitchen and bedroom manufacturer Sigma 3 has bought the name and assets of failed kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and soft furnishing business Hammonds from the administrator for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition of Hammonds, based in...

Pensions setback for Beales.(pension liability reporting in balance sheet of Beales Hunter PLC)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... New European reporting standards have derailed talks between Beales and an undisclosed party for the sale of the department store business. The news comes as the company reported falling overall sales, but a healthy furniture division in...

Deficits in the open.(company reports standards and rules)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The FRS17 reporting standard is Britain's version of a pan-European standard of reporting company results. From January 2005, interim or final year reports must include pensions liabilities on their balance sheets. Previously companies could...

UK moves at Recticel.(management reorganization)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Belgian Polyurethane manufacturer Recticel has reorganised its management team in the UK. Chris Bowman takes the role of UK md after a spell at the helm of Corby Technical Foam. David Wilkinson, foam manufacturing md, becomes sales...

Recycling scheme will pay for itself.(Glasswells started plastics recycling scheme with Chase Plastics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... East Anglian furniture chain, Glasswells has started a plastics recycling scheme which it claims will pay for itself within three years. The four-shop chain, which has historically sent as much as 283tonnes of waste to landfills every year,...

Creditors unlikely to be paid.(Furniture Designs' liquidation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Furniture Designs of Rayleigh, Essex has gone into liquidation owing creditors #88,000. Liquidators Berg, Kaprow and Lewis in London officially wound the company up at a creditors' meeting on 15 June. The liquidators said that people...

Interest grows for China show.(11th Furniture China exhibition)
July 1, 2005... Three months ahead of opening, there is already strong interest among exhibitors for the 11th Furniture China exhibition, which takes place at Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 14-17 September. Some 200,000sqm of exhibition space...

Increased presence.(Christmas buying exhibition Home & Gift returns)
July 1, 2005... Christmas buying exhibition Home & Gift is returning to Harrogate from 17-20 July with a number of new areas. The show takes place at the Harrogate International Centre, as well as various hotels and marquees within the Yorkshire town. ...

Royal appointments.(Hotel@Decorex exhibition)
July 1, 2005... Luxury outdoor furniture supplier Leisure Plan and stone flooring specialist MgLW are among the companies that will be exhibiting at this year's Hotel@Decorex exhibition, an interior design show for the luxury hospitality market. They join...

Letter: Fundraising welcome.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... I was delighted to read Rob Eduljee's letter (CM, 24 June, p8) in which he offers to organise a clay pigeon shoot for individuals as a fundraiser for the FTBA. Any offers of help for the charity are always most welcome, especially a new...

LEADER: Getting the message across.(Stephen Cheliotis on the advertising expenditure of furniture industry)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The figures on advertising spend in the furniture industry showed a few surprises (see p10) particularly, the vast amounts of money DFS spends. We all see the adverts on TV, in the cinema, on billboards, but putting a figure to it puts things...

Views By Andrew Adamson.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Verdict Research has reached the conclusion that the `grey market' should be where the money is. It is not difficult to see why; at a guess I would say that most 18-24 year-olds do not buy a lot of furniture. If this age group has scrambled on...

Talk: Will you accept price increases based on rising fuel costs?(Furniture industry executives on the increase of prices)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... `Very reluctantly. I think the Government should do something about it. The only circumstances in which I would accept it, is if there is no other means. From a manufacturing stance, if everybody does it then we will have no option but to...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Who are the big spenders?(Furniture Industry on its advertising expenses)
July 1, 2005... There are surprises in last year's spend on advertising by furniture retailers, but traditional methods still top the list. Andrew Kidd looks at the figures Furniture and furnishings retailers spent more on advertising last year despite...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: Moooi.(The Double Decker table)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Double Decker table from Moooi is made from American solid oak and can be stained and lacquered in a choice of seven colours. The table top consists of two separate layers. Tel: 00 31 76 5784444 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: GCColombo.
July 1, 2005... The London modular collection from GCColombo, designed by Bepi Brentano and Stefano Colombo, has a wenge stained oak finish and matt white back. The lamp units can be controlled remotely. This roomset comprises LA5, LA4, LS1 and LS2 units...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: SCP.(The Hub by Matthew Hilton)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Hub by Matthew Hilton for SCP uses stained charcoal grey American oak veneer with aluminium legs. The front aluminium doors slide while the internal shelving can accommodate an entertainment system with sliding back panels to hide the...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: Horace Walters.
July 1, 2005... The Ptah Low Table by Horace Walters, which adds a twist to the loop route, has machine-polished aluminium legs, a white acrylic-capped top, radius corners and lozenge shaped cut-away sides, revealing practical storage space. It is available in...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: Lema.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Lema's Selecta storage system has been updated to better accommodate flat TV screens and DVD players as well as a new ethnic effect door with a push and pull mechanism. The system provides 1,700 construction possibilities. Tel: 00 39 03163...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: Philippe Starck.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Tooth stool or small table by Philippe Starck is available through XO Design. Designed for his St Martin's Lane hotel, it is a piece of jewellery for the home. Made from rotation moulding polypropylene, it is available in gold and silver...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING AND DINING: Mobileffe.
July 1, 2005... The lePause range by Mobileffe is made up of a table, console table and modular sideboard, which is available in several heights and lengths. It is finished in wenge veneer. Tel: 00 39 03625 2941 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

STORE MANAGER: Package holidays.(Working Time Regulations 1998)(Gareth Edwards, Michelle Chamberlain)(Interview)
July 1, 2005... Gareth Edwards and Michelle Chamberlain explain the rules set by the Working Time Regulations regarding employees' holiday leave entitlement Perhaps surprisingly, the legal right to paid holiday has only existed for almost seven years when...

DESIGN DERIN: Turkish delight.
July 1, 2005... Bold and quirky designs along with contemporary materials have firmly established Turkish designer Derin on the world stage, says Helen Parton It is probably fair to say that UK retailers do not rate Turkish companies among the main pack...

Independent London link.(Thorsten van Elten)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Thorsten van Elten has retail space on Warren Street, London, a handily located independent among the furniture retail multiples of nearby Tottenham Court Road. He has been an agent for Derin for two and a half years. `I met them because...

ADVERTISING & MARKETING: Make a difference.
July 1, 2005... Some say that furniture promotion needs a new approach to boost sales. Stephanie Baum looks at what makes a store stand out from the crowd It's early evening and most of the high street stores have shut, but Topshop is still open and...

FRANK HUDSON: Traditional twist.(dining room furniture)
July 1, 2005... Frank Hudson's latest dining room collection is inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. Stephanie Baum finds out why it made the move It is often exciting when companies defy conventional wisdom and current trends and do something...

MATERIALS SANDELLA: Shaping things to come.
July 1, 2005... Sandella is opening up new markets with its cold cure moulding. But can it compete with cheap imports? Tony Hollyer visited Norway to find out Moulded cold cure foam (mccf) gives designers the ability to create exciting models with almost...

TECHNOLOGY MULTICHANNELLING: Team work wins.
July 1, 2005... Nick Allen explains how coordinating mail order, online and store sales channels, pays dividends The Internet has transformed the retail landscape into a multichannel market, where more and more retailers are developing a website and/or...

MARKET REVIEW: Joined up thinking.(Collaborative marketing is one option that many companies consider)
July 1, 2005... Collaborative marketing is an alternative worth considering by companies looking to save on advertising costs but still achieve results, says Peter Webb Finding new customers is an ongoing challenge for most companies, but many are finding...

Always travelling in the fast lane.(Stephen Sacks md of Wallace Sacks)(Interview)
July 1, 2005... Stephen Sacks is md of importer and distributor Wallace Sacks How did you get into the industry? It is a family business so I've been here all my life. We were a fashion business so we decided to set up a lifestyle business three...

Malvenan saves C-T quartet.(Sofa Brands International)
July 8, 2005... As Christie-Tyler goes into administrative receivership four brands - Duresta, Derwent, Parker Knoll and G Plan - are reborn as Sofa Brands International Christie-Tyler's four flagship brands escaped receivership after being sold to a...

MBO at Ultra.(Management buy out at Ultra Furniture)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The management of Ultra Furniture completed a buyout of the company, negotiating until 3.35am last Friday (1 July). Paul Whitelocks, md said the team, comprising Glenn Aston finance director; Phil Bennett, production director; Dennis...

John Lewis pair jailed for theft.(John Lewis Partnership PLC)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Two John Lewis employees stole more than #30,000 from the company's High Wycombe branch in a bid to repay their student debts. Edward Madziwa and Udi Silva credited their own bank accounts with fictitious customer refunds over an 11-month...

Next for lower entry level prices.(marketing of Next)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Next has lowered its entry price points in both cabinet and upholstery, offering cheaper imported alternatives from Brazil and China. The mid-market retailer has struggled of late in difficult trading conditions. In May a sales update...

Strong growth at LoL.(Land of Leather )(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Land of Leather has confirmed its long anticipated plan to float on the stock market, as the company reported strong sales growth for May and June. Like-for-like sales were up 9% from 26 December 2004 to 29 May 2005. It said this figure...

Importer acquisition.
July 8, 2005... Bedroom furniture distributor Brazilian Trading Imports has been acquired from receivership by a consortium of three manufacturers and will now trade as Marada. Martin Griffiths, Marada md, was formerly Top Craft Pine national sales and...

IN BRIEF: Complaint upheld.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Land of Leather)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against Land of Leather over a regional Press advert for its Valley Park, Croydon site offering suites from #399. A customer complained to the ASA after trying repeatedly to buy a...

IN BRIEF: Ilva Lifestore buy.(Ilva Mobler and Tapper A/S purchases Marks & Spencer's Lifestores)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Danish retailer Ilva has completed the purchase of Marks & Spencer's Lifestores. The company paid #35m for the 70,000sqft Gateshead store and a second site in Thurrock that never opened. The Gateshead store closed earlier this year with heavy...

IN BRIEF: Panaz reshuffle.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Contract furnisher Panaz has announced several new appointments. Andy Copas, currently heading upholstery sales, has been appointed head of healthcare sales. Tony O'Donnell, who has been export manager since 1999, has become head of hospitality...

IN BRIEF: Sales fall again.(CBI Distributive Trades Survey)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... June saw the largest drop in retail sales for 22 years, according to the CBI Distributive Trades Survey (see Talk, p9). A balance of -19% of retailers reported a drop in annual sales volumes. Some 84% of furniture and floorcoverings stores said...

LFC closes its doors.(contracts of Cadogan Estates)(Furniture Village)
July 8, 2005... Furniture Village has ended its experiment into high-end contemporary furniture retailing with the closure of its London spin-off store, The London Furniture Company. The closure comes just two years after its opening at the Duke of York's...

Barry Funnell - a true gentleman.(Bevan Funnell)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
July 8, 2005... A memorial service is to be held at 11.30am on 13 July at the All Saints Church, Hove, East Sussex for Barry Funnell, co-founder of Bevan Funnell who died on 24 June. He was 80. He founded the company in 1945 with his late wife Pamela,...

CITY: HoF sees a rise with Beattie takeover bid.(House of Fraser acquires James Beattie PLC)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Despite rumours of a counter-bid from privately-owned Debenhams, House of Fraser gained 4p following the pencilled #69.4m takeover of provincial department store group James Beattie. The group's 12 stores fit neatly into HoF's geographical...

Public days: the jury's out.(London Interiors in furniture show)
July 8, 2005... A successful public day at new furniture exhibition, London Interiors has raised the possibility of similar days at other CMP Information events. The exhibitions and publishing company, organiser of The Furniture Show in Birmingham (and...

Waiting for a return to profit.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Walker Greenbank's chart shows the share price responding to the sale of Norweigan subsidiary Borge Holdings, and a forecast for a group return to profit in the first half of the year. In the same period last year, it lost #1.46m. After the...

Success brings jobs for locals.(Bohemian Range)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... County Durham retailer and manufacturer, The Bohemian Range, has opened a #300,000 workshop and showroom with the promise of jobs for local people. The premises in Prospect Road, Crook, house Livingwood Furniture, Universal Worktops and...

Letter: Financial benefits of being a bssa member.(Letter to the Editor)
July 8, 2005... I was interested to read Peter Willis's article on business banking (CM,24 June, p15). All very sound advice but he omitted to mention the significant benefits and cost savings retailers can enjoy simply by joining the British Shops and Stores...

Letter: Edge Lifestyle Furniture launches.(Letter to the Editor)
July 8, 2005... Your news story (CM, 1 July, p3) mentioned Volume Furniture and the launch of its Edge Lifestyle Furniture division at The Manchester Furniture Show. Much of the content was as intended, and accurate. However, the ranges quoted as...

Letter: Keeping cool about service in Orpington.(Letter to the Editor)
July 8, 2005... Regarding Undercover on Orpington/Bromley (CM, 24 June, p30), one could be forgiven for taking the view that the shopper's main concern was for a comfortable, air conditioned environment. While this is clearly important, there seemed to be less...

Leader: Putting on a positive face.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... It has been a momentous week for the furniture industry.The loss of Christie-Tyler as we know it marks a sad occasion for both UK manufacturing and for retailers, many of whom have turned to sourcing abroad, especially at the lower end of the...

Views By Martin Kay.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... I recently read in the Press that many senior executives are deliberately kept in the dark about the levels of complaints their companies receive. Do they really believe ignorance is bliss, or are they frightened by what they may discover?...

Talk: CBI's worst retail sales figures in 22 years.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Following the CBI's worst retail sales figures in 22 years, how will you shape up to survive the next 22? `We will be forging ahead with advertising; increasing our advertising budget.' Brian Gowans, Brian Gowans proprietor,...

What about the retailer?(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... A successful economy is also a challenging economy for employers, so we need to cut the burden of red tape. We are working on this and there has been significant progress in changing the culture in Whitehall. The benefits of this approach...

SHOP WINDOW - Manchester Furniture Show: Tucan.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Tucan will launch the Piazza collection in walnut and oak with pieces for several rooms. This expands its range, which includes the Alba bedroom collection. The company is also offering some products in wenge. Tel: 01273 441 032 ...

SHOP WINDOW - Manchester Furniture Show: Caxton.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Caxton will be expanding living and dining ranges, which includes the Clifton, with two collections alongside two bedroom ranges including the Geneva in a washed oak effect finish with clean European styling and generous storage. Tel: 0870...

SHOP WINDOW - Manchester Furniture Show: Flame Upholstery.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The Penny corner group from Tetrad subsidiary Flame Upholstery is 199cm long and 126cm wide, with a serpentine sprung mattress and base and storage space. Tel: 01772 208 980 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - Manchester Furniture Show: BJM.(BJM furniture)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... BJM's sleigh bed is a leatherette bed with a contemporary design, available in 4ft6in and 5ft sizes. As well as the sleigh, the company will be showing a new range of bedroom furniture at the show. Tel: 0870 0423 071 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW - Gleneagle Furniture.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The Milan range from Gleneagle Furniture is a contemporary range of bedroom furniture with a birch finish, brushed steel handles, detailed glass and metal drawer runners. Tel: 01286 662 950 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - Astralis.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The solid oak Royal Park dining range from Danish manufacturer Astralis is part of the company's contemporary dining and bedroom collections it is unveiling. In addition, the company will showcase a new range of nursery and children's...

SHOP WINDOW - Oakland.(Oak Land Furniture Manufacturing Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... With more than 100 pieces for the bedroom, dining room and living room, Oakland's three collections - Elegance, Abusson and the Country Collection - offer a wide choice. The company's hand-crafted furniture is designed and manufactured in Kent....

SHOP WINDOW - Manchester Furniture Show: Ruddiman.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The Balmoral range from Ruddiman is one of the Huddersfield company's new ranges for summer 2005. The collection includes a dining table and four chairs, a lamp table, coffee table and sofa table. Tel: 01484 516 705 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW - Manchester Furniture Show: Forte.(Fabryki Mebli Forte SA )(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Polish manufacturer Forte will be showing its bedroom and living room furniture at the show, including the Ruby bedroom range. The company has a wide product range from the lower budget to sophisticated veneer. Tel: 00 48 29 644 25 00 ...

SHOP WINDOW - Body Impressions.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Body Impressions will be showing its memory foam products at the show, including the Best of Both Worlds pillow. Made from Theratouch memory foam, it is claimed to offer quality comparable to other leading brands, at a low cost. Tel: 0118...

SHOP WINDOW - Komfi.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The Fusion is Komfi's top of the range mattress, with triple layered memory foam and a new quilted cover. Both it and the Eco bed will be on display at the show. Tel: 0800 652 4445 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - Kettle Containers.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... This bookcase set from Kettle Containers is part of the new Cottage Pine range. It is made from reclaimed pine with metal and ceramic used for much of the detail. The company now has four ranges, all of which can be ordered in the same...

STORE MANAGER: Ins and outs of dismissals.(Employment Rights Act 1996)
July 8, 2005... Jonathan Exten-Wright and Eleanor Winslet explain the rights and wrongs of dismissing an employee, and the penalties for non-compliance of the law The Employment Rights Act 1996 gives employees a general right not to be unfairly dismissed....

STORE MANAGER: What is unfair dismissal? How tribunals decide.(Employment Act 2002 )(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... An employment tribunal will try to establish whether a dismissal is fair by a two-staged approach. The employer must show the reason for the dismissal was one of five potentially fair reasons: 1 The employee's capability or qualifications....

INTERVIEW - SALLY HUDSON: Pace-setter.(Interview)
July 8, 2005... John Lewis's upholstery buyer has been setting the scene for change at the chain. Andrew Kidd finds out what this means for staff and the customers There are those who view the department store sector as slow moving, safe and slightly...

IMPORTS - BRAZIL: Land of plenty.
July 8, 2005... Brazil's raw material supply and sophisticated machinery are making it an attractive country for UK firms to source furniture from. Stephanie Baum looks at the benefits and how some UK companies have fared so far To the unseasoned...

MANAGING CHANGE: Moving forward.(Business Management)
July 8, 2005... The prospect of making changes to your operation can seem daunting. Michael Anglin offers a step-by-step guide to going forward without pain After making a major decision to change a business, such as transforming upholstery chain Delcor...

PREVIEW - MANCHESTER SHOW: Debutants' delight.
July 8, 2005... With more than 30 new exhibitors at The G-Mex Centre, there should be something for everyone About a third of the exhibitors at the G-Mex Centre from 17-20 July will be taking part in the show for the first time. Five dining table sets...