Cabinet Maker articles from March 2003

Cabinet Maker archives from March 2003

SATRA to get new test site.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... SATRA will expand for the third time in five years with the addition of a 5,000sqft laboratory for its Telford Way Industrial Estate in Kettering. The #1.5m furniture and bedding testing facility reflects the growing influx of furniture...

Christie-Tyler set to close two UK factories.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Christie-Tyler is seeking to close its Carousel and Wyvern 2 (formerly Lifestyle) factories. Consultations with the 400 staff at Cardiff and Blaenau have begun. The group wants to increase production at its two Far East factories and...

COMMENT: Move west to east.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The two news stories featured above give concrete evidence of the state of the British furniture market. Although the reality of increasing imports and decreasing manufacturing capacity in this country is nothing new, both Christie-Tyler...

Conroy to guide Universal growth.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Universal Furniture has appointed Michael Conroy as retail operations director. He takes charge of the firm's two Scottish stores and will spearhead its ambitious expansion plans in Scotland. Conroy, previously head of the now failed...

Blow for new store plans.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Plans by Barker & Stonehouse for a new store at Cannon Park in Middlesbrough have been dealt a blow after surveyors gave the scheme the thumbs down. Barker & Stonehouse and Tesco submitted proposals for 13,303sqm of retail space. But...

Buoyant wins design infringement case.(Buoyant Upholstery)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Buoyant Upholstery has won its court case against Lounge Products for copying some of its most successful ranges. The case, for infringement of design right and passing off, was brought to the High Court after agents and customers informed...

Jasper Conran launch.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Jasper Conran is to launch a range of fabrics and wallpapers for Designers Guild. The new collection will be unveiled during London Design Week on 23-26 March. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Sigma goes County.(Sigma 3)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Welsh fitted kitchen and bedroom manufacturer Sigma 3 has bought County Kitchens. Sigma 3 will add County Kitchens' three showrooms in Guildford, Esher and Camberley to its existing four sites. It will also retain the County Kitchens name and...

Jobs online.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Warranty and insurance firm the Regency Group has relaunched its website. The company announced plans to take on 100 staff this spring and details of the vacancies can be found at www.regencygroup.co.uk. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Retail solutions.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The 23rd Retail Solutions exhibition is on 3-5 June at Birmingham's NEC. The event covers all aspects of retail IT and includes a free seminar programme and the European Retail Solutions Awards. Details, www.retailsolutions2003.co.uk. ...

Bridge commended.
March 7, 2003... The pedestrian and cycle bridge at the Waitrose Food & Home store in Cheltenham was commended in the Cheltenham Civic Awards. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

War worries may divert holiday money to home.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Furniture retailers could benefit from consumers' fears over a war with Iraq. John Hancock, MFI chief executive said retailers were competing for the `leisure pound' and consumers could switch to spending on their homes instead of a...

Furniture range added.(by Stompa Furniture)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Stompa Furniture, specialist in children's and teenage bedroom furniture, is to add Kidsaw furniture to its range. Kidsaw, designed by Jason Leech and manufactured by Kubek, fits together like a jigsaw without the use of glue, screws or...

Double success.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Vogue Beds and sister company Limelight Beds have posted impressive rises in turnover. Limelight which sells metal and wooden beds, reported a 45% leap in turnover and divan specialist Vogue a 20% lift. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Dickinsons fears impact of Hexham plans.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Hexham retailer Dickinsons has criticised council plans to pedestrianise the historic town centre. A six-month trial will see the town's high street barred to delivery lorries between 10am and 4pm. Dickinsons lies on the market square...

City: VAT dispute clouds MFI's 2002 figures.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... MFI's very good figures for 2002 were offset by concerns that a VAT dispute could have settlement costs exceeding #20m. The shares gained 6p, moving away from recent trials at 100p but still far adrift of November's 142p. Burdened by a...

Share Update on 3 March.(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... Share Update on 3 March Bold=new High/Low Now Change Change High Low over since 2 weeks 1 Jan Retailers...

New faces for Oxo Peugeot awards panel.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The judging panel for this year's Oxo Peugeot Design Awards includes three new faces. Janet Street-Porter, broadcaster and journalist; Max Fraser, author of the Design UK series and Keith Ryder, Peugeot's head of car styling, join Dr...

Rent forces closure.(of independent retailer Country in the Town)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Independent retailer Country in the Town is to close its Solihull store. The shop closes on 30 March after 11 years. Five staff will be made redundant. Brennan Eldridge, owner, claimed the pedestrianisation of Solihull town centre had...

Asian flavours add taste to Singapore fair.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... With a show one fifth larger than in 2002, the International Furniture Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show promised buyers something new. Boasting exhibitors from 29 countries, including 13 national pavilions, the show saw the largest...

Capital idea for furniture designers pays off.(at first London Furniture Showcase)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The first London Furniture Showcase was a resounding success with several leads and orders. The event (26-27 February) aimed to raise the profile of London-based furniture designers and manufacturers and show retailers that they need not...

SHOP WINDOW: HULSTA.
March 7, 2003... The Sonello living room collection from Hulsta is punctuated by suspended units in several colours. Contact Hulsta on 020 7629 4881 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: LIMELIGHT.
March 7, 2003... Zodiac is a children's bed with a tubular metal frame and metal finish with circular detailing. Contact Limelight Beds on 01455 850 150 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: WENDY CUSHING.
March 7, 2003... The beaded fringes and braids of plum, gold/ivory and light gold are some of the latest additions to Wendy Cushing Trimmings, shown at Design Interiors. Contact Wendy Cushing Trimmings on 020 8880 9441 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: BURBIDGE.
March 7, 2003... Waverly is a new collection for Burbidge's classic style kitchen range. The natural oak is intended to accentuate the natural variances in the colour and graining. Options include a glass top panel and classic mullioned glass doors. ...

SHOP WINDOW: ZIMMER + ROHDE.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Bedouin interiors fabric collection from Zimmer + Rohde features a striking assembly of sandy tan, creams and deep reds combined with stripes and large vivid prints. Contact Zimmer + Rohde on 020 7351 5661 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW: CURTINA.
March 7, 2003... The scarf valence and tab panels of Valencia have a romantic sweep. They are made from 100% polyester. Contact Curtina on 01772 622 479 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Will plastic do nicely for you?(accpeting credit card payments may not be cost effective)(Column)
March 7, 2003... Before accepting credit cards, check the economics, says Brian Collett The problem As many businesses accept credit card payments you feel you may be missing out. But will the gains from taking credit cards outweigh the costs - and if...

Design nation.
March 7, 2003... Stockholm once again paraded the best of Scandinavian furniture, reports Stephanie Baum As one would expect, Scandinavian furniture was in full force at the Stockholm International Furniture Fair. The organiser sought to make the show more...

On the inside.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Interior design company Svenkst Tenn enjoys a lustrous history. Founded in 1924 by artist Estrid Ericson, she later teamed up with Austrian designer and architect Josef Frank, whose rich colourful fabric patterns have given the company...

Greenhouse - cultivating young designers.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The purpose of the Greenhouse was to cultivate young designers while acting as a nursery for future designers, as Ragne Bogholt Swedish Furniture Association director aptly put it. With 60 exhibitors representing universities and...

Retail testing ground.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... DesignTorget is a six-store Swedish retail chain in which designers and craftsmen collaborate with the owners to sell their designs. Founded in 1993, the company was developed to offer a testing ground for young designers with some vision...

Spinal tap.(pocket sprung beds offer good night's sleep)
March 7, 2003... As consumers become more aware of the benefits of a good night's sleep, pocket sprung beds are on the increase, reports James Millar Pocket sprung beds' popularity continues to grow. As the public becomes increasingly aware of the benefits...

Pocket sprung latex beds.(offers compromise for allergy sufferers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... For those who want the comfort and luxury of a pocket sprung bed but have allergies that put them off of natural fillings, latex presents an enticing compromise. There is a school of thought which holds that another advantage of latex is...

Green belt stretches.(Peter Green Group opens new store)
March 7, 2003... Peter Green is working its way along the M4, with its latest store opening in Reading which caters for all tastes At a time when many independents are finding the going tough, Peter Green is continuing to expand. It opened a 30,000sqft...

Horse power pays dividends.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Ten years ago the Peter Green group put its first horse drawn vehicle on the roads around its Chandlers Ford and Basingstoke stores. Initially a publicity stunt by the company's then md Tim Maguire, such deliveries became so popular with...

Stage director: John Foreman.(excerpt of interview)
March 7, 2003... How did you get started in this business? I'd applied for two jobs and was offered both on the same day. One from Buoyant Upholstery the other from a food importer who wanted me to help launch a product. I couldn't decide so I spun a coin....

Furniture complaints fall 4.7%.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Consumer complaints about furniture fell in the first nine months of last year. Figures from the Office of Fair Trading show that 42,198 complaints were made to trading standards departments - a drop of 4.7%. Despite the fall,...

Staff face layoffs as PK `goes back to its roots'.(Parker Knoll PLC)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Parker Knoll has been split in two and will be run as two companies looking after cabinet and upholstery respectively. The firm has appointed Mary Czulowski as Cornwell Parker Cabinets md. She is a former commercial director of cookers,...

COMMENT: Where does your loyalty lie?(Brief Article)(Column)
March 14, 2003... I dedicate this week's column to a critic of mine. An established independent retailer from the West Midlands called this week to complain that I was taking the side of importers and supporting manufacturers such as Christie-Tyler by condoning...

February sales: worst since October 2001.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Retailers saw a dramatic decline in trading in February, with the worst year on year sales performance since October 2001. A balance of 21% of furniture and floorcovering retailers saw annual sales volumes fall, according to the CBI...

Adams to leave Corinth.(Graham Adams of Corinth Designs)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Graham Adams, Corinth Designs sales director, is to leave the company at the end of April. Adams' position was made redundant as part of parent Christie-Tyler's restructuring. Adams said he hoped to find a similar position in the industry....

Steinhoff sales lift.(Steinhoff Group)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Sales jumped by 35% last year at international furniture group Steinhoff. Turnover reached #353.3m in the six months to 31 December. Pre-tax profits rose by 17% to #28.9m. In Europe and the USA, sales increased to 32% of global sales. ...

Room 2 buys 11 Texstyle World stores.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Scottish soft furnishings chain Room 2 has bought 11 Texstyle World stores and the company name for an undisclosed sum. Eric Reid, now a director with Room 2, was the original boss of Texstyle World. The sale of the 11 Scottish stores...

Tidal wave at DP.(Durham Pine's tidal wave of optimism)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... John Marshall, Durham Pine chairman has told store managers and franchisees that `there is a tidal wave of optimism going through the business'. Speaking at its annual conference, he said the chain was `listening to our customers and...

Niagara terms fall into line.(Niagara Therapy Manufacturing Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Niagara Therapy, direct sell therapeutic bed and chair manufacturer and retailer has been forced to change the terms of its contracts after action by the Office of Fair Trading. The company's products are popular with older people as they...

Jim Langan Furniture website.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Dublin retailer Jim Langan Furniture has launched a website as part of its marketing strategy. The website - www.jimlangansfurniture.com - gives users a guide to the store's product range. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Malaysia expects a rise in exports.(the Malaysian furniture industry)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... The Malaysian furniture industry has forecast that low interest rates in Europe and the USA will boost exports this year. Samsudin Abu Hassan, Malaysian Furniture Industry Council president said he expected local companies to benefit from...

Painting Manchester red.(ShowRoom 2003 home furnishings show)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... More than 3,500 buyers have registered to attend the ShowRoom 2003 event in Manchester next month. The G-Mex venue will host 150 exhibitors at the three-day event which starts on 27 April. Special features this year include The Buyers...

Pulse beats with six sections.(accessories, interiors show Pulse divided into six sections)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Accessories and interiors exhibition Pulse will be divided into six sections to allow buyers to focus on product categories. The London event will be split into Classic interiors, Urban interiors, Stationery, Gifts, Fashion accessories and...

Ducal viewed in four clicks of a mouse.(furniture company updates website)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Ducal has updated its website with the aim of making it easier to use. The website, www. ducal.com has been updated to reflect the style of the firm's brochure launched at The Furniture Show. The complete range of Ducal designs can be...

Furniture complaints fall, but sales skills still need work.(customer complaints against furniture retailers fell in 2002)
March 14, 2003... Furniture complaints are likely to have fallen in 2002, reports Andrew Kidd Furniture retailers look to have reduced the number of complaints made against them by consumers. Analysis of figures just released by the Office of Fair Trading...

SHOP WINDOW: BLIND SOLUTIONS.
March 14, 2003... Sourced from all over the world, this range from Blind Solutions brings together designs specially chosen to meet the booming demand for natural materials. Contact Blind Solutions on 01745 815549 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: LISTANDER.
March 14, 2003... This comfy leather Derby recliner and footstool is manufactured by Swedish company UK Mobler and distributed in the UK by Listander. Contact Listander on 01932 224979 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: ROSE HOUSEHOLD.
March 14, 2003... Rose Household Textiles has launched two ranges of bedlinen under the Husch brand, which was introduced last autumn. Contact Rose Household Textiles on 0161 835 2700 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: GAZE BURVILL.
March 14, 2003... The notion of the `garden room' comes alive with this Splash collection of outdoor chairs from Gaze Burvill. Made from oak, the range draws on the traditions of craftsmanship and environmental responsibility. Contact Gaze Burvill on 020...

SHOP WINDOW: BURBIDGE.
March 14, 2003... Kitchen frontals manufacturer Burbidge has extended its Zeit range with the contemporary peach skin beech design. The range includes more efficient storage drawers to create a streamlined design. Contact Burbidge on 024 76671600 ...

Overlap of luxury.(trends in the furnishing industry)
March 14, 2003... Glamour is making inroads at the top end of the market, but naturals and plains are still hanging in there, Cabinet Maker reports As furnishing fabric designers queue to prepare their launch of furnishing fabric designs at the likes of...

Showtime.(furnishing fabric shows)(Calendar)
March 14, 2003... Upcoming furnishing fabric shows: London Design Week 23-26 March Some 80 companies will be exhibiting from showrooms in the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre and participating showrooms in the Chelsea vicinity. The show features furnishing...

It's a material world.(trends in fabric design)
March 14, 2003... It seems the pattern for the future encompasses florals and luxury fabrics, but plains are not left out, reports Alison Gay Although pitched as a small but perfectly formed niche event, London Fabric continues to grow as more mills and...

Delivery - not as simple as A to B.
March 14, 2003... Joining all the links in the supply chain so that the customer gets their furniture on time is no easy task, but there are solutions at hand, reports Stephanie Baum It can be a puzzle within a maze, ending in a riddle. Such is the quagmire...

Track and trace.(Scandinavian furniture distributor DFDS features track and trace system)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... The 200 year old Scandinavian company DFDS has been a furniture distributor for 30 years. It tackles logistics on several fronts by shipping containers from the factory to the UK, along with providing warehouse support and home delivery. ...

Safe transatlantic crossing.(Furniture and Compatible Products Consolidation Service formed by CV International and Hudig UK)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Although shipping containers may seem a straightforward solution, there are plenty of places where things can go wrong. Furniture being a fragile product, it is particularly vulnerable to damage. Smaller companies or retailers requesting...

Crashing containers.(logistics and shipping in the furniture industry)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... When it comes to logistics, anything that can go wrong probably will at some point. One company that asked not to be identified, told Cabinet Maker the following tale. A 40ft metal container arrived with an enormous dent through the middle...

Taking control of imports.(Jay-Be forms Pennine house in company repositioning)
March 14, 2003... Pennine House, the import arm of Jay-Be, was the brainchild of the group's strategic management team - joint mds William Burrows and Steven Durrans, along with Michael Burrows. Formed in October last year, it is part of a repositioning of...

Driving the facts home.(Direct Home Delivery delivers household goods)
March 14, 2003... Cranleigh Freight Services started its home delivery arm, Direct Home Delivery, in 1999 when it won a contract to handle distribution from MFI's Luton distribution centre. The centre consequently moved to Aldershot and DHD opened centres in...

Fiona Jones: Batting for Bradgate.(commercial director at Bradgate Furniture )(Interview)
March 14, 2003... How did you get started in the business? I joined a badminton club, where I met and married the boss of Bradgate. I was a new member and so was he and the club had a very good social life associated with it. Who do you most admire in...

Valspar hits back at rumours.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... David Doig, Valspar Industries UK md has denied the firm's insurance backing for its Guardsman warranties is about to run out. Earlier this month it signed a two year deal with insurer Pinnacle. Valspar's agreement was up for renewal in...

Retailers prepared for impact of war on sales.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Retailers are bracing themselves for an abrupt slowdown in sales during the first week of a war with Iraq. Uncertainty created by the threatened USA-led war would deter customers from making purchases, at least during the early stages of a...

Comment: The customer is always right.(Editorial)
March 21, 2003... This week (see p2) we report on an unprecedented show of goodwill shown between a manufacturer and a retailer. Vogue Beds has offered to replace an incorrect order almost 11 months after the delivery. The norm, as you know, is 14 days. And,...

Distributor for Roberti.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Sidney Fenoy Furniture has become the UK and Republic of Ireland distributor for Venician rattan company Roberti Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Delivery problem.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Stoke-on-Trent retailer Tom Grant has urged retailers to check deliveries or face problems when they go wrong. The Hanley Bed Centre ordered six 4ft6in Neptune beds from Vogue Beds, which were delivered in April last year. Last week he...

Shares plunge for retailers.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Furniture retailers have seen their stock market value plummet by #4.4bn in the past year. The value of their shares have dropped by 28.5% since March 2002. Laura Ashley and Homestyle are the worst affected. Shares have fallen by...

Furniture inflation up.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Annual retail furniture price inflation rose from 1% to 2% in February. This was the first increase since September 2002. Despite the increase, prices were at the same level as in October 2002, according to National Statistics. The...

Fairway gets in first with epos system.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Fairway Furniture has become the first retailer to use an epos system that combines Radii's Furniture Retail System with First National's credit facilities, this week. The system is expected to halve the time for credit application...

MFI glows with style after a hot winter sale.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... MFI enjoyed a strong winter sale, with sales jumping by 15%. Underlying UK retail sales climbed by 8% in the 11.5 weeks to 15 March. Sofa Workshop, acquired in November, experienced a double digit increase in orders during the period....

LA in the red.(Laura Ashley )(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Lower sales and margins in January and higher than expected stock write- downs will mean Laura Ashley losing #5m in the year to 25 January. As recently as the end of last year the chain had expected to make its third successive profit, but...

Legal dispute.(Andrew Clark sues Silentnight Holdings )(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Andrew Clark, former Silentnight branded furniture chief executive and Silentnight Beds md, is suing Silentnight Holdings for unfair and wrongful dismissal. Clark left the group in December. `I am in legal dispute, but of course it...

Experiment in Newcastle.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Multiyork is set to open a 15,000sqft store in Newcastle in mid May. Situated in a former Jaguar car dealership on the old A1 in Gosforth, it will feature a mezzanine floor. The store will share many of the characteristics first seen...

M&S takes a fall, along with CM Index.
March 21, 2003... Marks & Spencer tumbled 47p to a new low on rumours that staff are being encouraged to take unpaid leave during quiet trading periods. The market's technical analysts, anticipating a further fall to around 240p, are unconvinced by the current...

Share Update on 17 March 2003.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 21, 2003... Share Update on 17 March 2003 Bold=new High/Low Now Change Change High Low over since 2 weeks 1 Jan ...

Expo update: Milan adds to its offering.(Brief Article)
March 21, 2003... Next month's Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan will have two new sections. Textiles and bathroom furnishings and fittings have been added to what is already Europe's most important furniture fair. According to the organiser,...

Wake up call at Parker Knoll.
March 21, 2003... Drastic action was needed to revive Parker Knoll, reports Andrew Kidd Silentnight Holdings opted for radical action in tackling Parker Knoll's problems. No more tinkering at the edges, trying to boost sales by the usual strategy of...

SHOP WINDOW: TRICONFORT.
March 21, 2003... The Rivage outdoor dining chair from Triconfort is made from a lacquered aluminium frame with weather resistant seating fabric. Contact Triconfort on +34 934879090 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.