Cabinet Maker articles from March 2006

Cabinet Maker archives from March 2006

Import move by Mark Webster.
March 3, 2006... Mark Webster Furniture is the latest UK manufacturer to import product. Its Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire factory will continue to produce 100 suites a week, while the bulk of 250 suites a week, predominantly leather, are sourced...

London calls Natuzzi.
March 3, 2006... UK stores to close as Italian upholstery company refocuses its UK business on capital locations with six new stores Natuzzi is to close nine of its UK stores as it refocuses its attentions on developing its business in London locations. ...

MFI clears the decks for the future.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Matthew Ingle, MFI chief executive has laughed off claims that it is planning to launch an upmarket chain. `There is no trial of any new store format,' he said. The chain will abandon the bottom end, concentrating on #500-#4,000 kitchens...

Appointment: Hilding Anders.(Mark Hughes and Steaven Hodgson appointed)
March 3, 2006... Hilding Anders has made two appointments in its sales and purchasing departments. Mark Hughes joins the beds manufacturer's North West salesforce and Steaven Hodgson becomes head of purchasing. Hughes previously worked for DFS and Sealy and has...

Appointment: SATRA.
March 3, 2006... SATRA has promoted John Shipman, furniture and floorcoverings manager to assistant director. Shipman joined SATRA in 1997 to help set up the Furniture Technology Centre. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

FIRA's Chinese operation expands.(Furniture Industry Research Association)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... FIRA has expanded its global operations with the opening of a second office in China that will sell testing services to be undertaken in the UK. The new representative office will offer FIRA membership, auditing and some quality testing...

Content grows global shopping list.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Ceo says increased international presence will boost UK business Content by Conran's international presence is to be expanded with new stores and partnerships with retailers around the world. In a move which Stephan Andersson, ceo...

GlynWebb makes TV comeback.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Britain's largest independent home improvement retailer GlynWebb will be back on TV next month as part of a five-week advertising campaign. The 30 year-old company was last seen on TV in October. The North West firm's commercials will...

In brief: More service squads.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... B&Q is to expand its service squad customer help scheme in a bid to turn round its declining sales. The service squads, specialist staff to help customers navigate the store in busy periods, are in 170 stores and will be rolled out to a further...

In brief: House discrepancy.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... House prices have risen 0.4% in the past month to a national average of #161,700, according to property researcher Hometrack. The research contradicts figures released last week by property website Rightmove suggesting the average national...

In brief: Stag redundancies.(Stag Furniture Holdings PLC)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Stag Furniture, which is in administration, has announced 180 redundancies. Ian Green and Edward Klempka, PricewaterhouseCoopers joint administrators reached the decision as a direct result of reduced customer orders since the beginning of the...

In brief: Comfortable wins.(Nottingham Trent University's design students to design for Upholstery)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Upholstery company Scan-Thor is challenging Nottingham Trent University design students to come up with new seating designs, with the brief for `the most comfortable seat in the world'. As part of their final degree project, nine undergraduates...

In brief: February struggle.
March 3, 2006... Furniture continues to struggle as the CBI's Quarterly Distributive Trades Survey revealed poor sales in February. Trade remained down on a year ago, dashing hopes of stability after January's post-Christmas fall. Furniture, carpets, hardware,...

Place in exclusive Co-op sales deal.(Co- operative Group)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Online retailer to sell in bricks and mortar stores Internet and mail order retailer Place has widened its net to encompass a bricks and mortar presence through a partnership with the Co- operative Group. The Co-op's Home Stores in...

Bid talks up HoF shares.(House of Fraser)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... House of Fraser shares jumped 12% at the beginning of the week amid speculation of a takeover, increasing the value of the company by #35m to close to #335m. The department store chain confirmed it was in `preliminary talks' with a...

CITY: Bid speculation lifts House of Fraser.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... House of Fraser gained 16p on confirmation of a bid approach believed to be from from private equity group Apax Partners, valuing HoF at around 140p a share. Apax may have something to prove in the market, following last year's failed #837m bid...

Furnishings boost for LA.
March 3, 2006... Retailer Laura Ashley announced its annual profits will be higher than originally forecast, thanks to improved home furnishing sales. After a tough first half, stronger trade in the last quarter showed total like for like sales in the UK...

First timers go without.
March 3, 2006... An Irish homebuyers' survey has revealed that 25% of buyers will go without furnishings for the first year in their new home due to lack of funds. Property-listing website MyHome's first National Home Buyers' Survey looked at the impact of...

MFI shares get a helping hand.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... The MFI chart shows January's collapse, linked to massive speculation in the shares, and February's surge, following the surprise #92m sale to Nobia of Hygena Cuisines [France]. The deal may be good enough to allow MFI to avoid the...

OBITUARY: Arthur Hasker.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 3, 2006... Arthur Hasker, founder of Haskers Furniture Superstores, has died, aged 84. He will be remembered for establishing the Hampshire furniture and carpet retailer, a company that has flourished as an independent family-run firm despite the...

City meets design.
March 3, 2006... Raw Studio has signed up three retailers but plans to grow Nick Rawcliffe, a design graduate from the Royal College of Art, has teamed up with Paul Cameron, who has 12 years' experience of the financial markets in London, to start a...

Letter: FTBA High Wycombe branch to close.(Letter to the Editor)
March 3, 2006... It is with much regret that I must announce the closure of the High Wycombe and District Area of the Furnishing Trades' Benevolent association from 1 April 2006. Despite constant efforts to maintain and increase a working committee, we...

Letter: Stag administration was inevitable.(Letter to the Editor)
March 3, 2006... The furniture industry at large will not have the slightest sympathy for Stag going into administration again, which was inevitable from the beginning when it announced it would sell direct through the Internet. Its stockists quite...

Comment: Do what works for your business.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... I write this as a good proportion of UK buyers are probably en route to Singapore to look for new products, new suppliers and the best prices. As Mary Czulowski mentions in her column, it is interesting to see the importing v made locally...

Views by Mary Czulowski.
March 3, 2006... What has rekindled the locally made/imported debate again, I wonder? The past three issues of Cabinet Maker seem to have obsessed about it. First, lets put the issue into the context of manufacturing in the UK. The pattern of change in...

TALK: Merchandise differ.
March 3, 2006... How much does your store's merchandise differ from other parts of the country? `It does not have to be any different. Most of my stock consists of Oriental rugs.There are style differences between areas. You have clientele, one which is...

Analysis: Supplier calls it a day.
March 3, 2006... Platino Electrical and Electronics is to cease trading in the next few weeks following the manufacturer and supplier of lamps announcing its closure last November. The six year-old Wembley, north London company said that the final pieces...

Analysis: Harry Morgan to close its only store.
March 3, 2006... Small lighting store in Chester claims to be another casualty of larger high street competition Harry Morgan Lighting is closing its store after more than 85 years of trading. The company plans to set up a website to replace the bricks...

Analysis: Dynalite chooses SquareOne.
March 3, 2006... Worldwide lighting company Dynalite has appointed SquareOne as its exclusive distributor for Ireland. SquareOne was appointed for being Ireland's `leading audio-visual trade importer and supplier'. The Dublin business, which has a turnover...

Analysis: Duralamp UK fails.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... The distributor for Duralamp in the UK has gone into administration. Companies House confirmed the Leeds-based division went into administration in late January. Duralamp UK Ltd, an official distributing partner of Italian parent group...

Analysis: Fun furniture.
March 3, 2006... Home accessories designer and manufacturer Alessi has moved into furniture with the launch of its Blow Up range of products. The Italian company, better known for its modern plastic household accessories such as a rabbit-shaped electronic timer...

Analysis: Short-term slump or the start of another tough year?
March 3, 2006... The Bank of England says retail will pick up, but will it? asks Deven Pamben Retailers had hoped for an interest rate cut after recent surveys showing sales in January slowed. But it was not to be. The Bank of England decided on 9 February...

SHOP WINDOW - Fabric upholstery: De Sede.
March 3, 2006... De Sede's DS-540 combines traditional buttonback cushions and contemporary angular arms and adjustable headrests. Designed by Thomas Althaus, it has a metal frame and can be converted into a corner unit with additional elements. Tel: 00 41...

SHOP WINDOW - Fabric upholstery: Zed.
March 3, 2006... Designed by Zed for Moltini & C, the Lido is a well-proportioned sofa with strict attention to detail. The side design features sharp, diagonal lines and a support in chrome, or satin bronze. Tel: 00 39 0362 3591 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW - Fabric upholstery: Wittmann.
March 3, 2006... Wittmann has added to its Recreation Josef Hoffman collection with the Salon armchair. Inspired by an updated drawing, its formal language suggests it comes from a later period in Hoffman's life when he was largely reinterpreting classic...

SHOP WINDOW - Fabric upholstery: ROM.
March 3, 2006... ROM's loose cover AMIX model is available as three and two-seater sofas as well as various corner combinations. It comes in five fabric ranges in more than 30 colourways. Tel: 01432 342875 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - Fabric upholstery: Flexform.
March 3, 2006... Flexform's Happy collection includes chaise longue (pictured), chair and sofas. The metal frame is nickel or chromed while the removable covers are available in fabric or leather. Tel: 00 39 0362 3991 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - Fabric upholstery: Lind.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... The Casanova, from Lind, is aimed at loft living consumers in search of a deep seat and multiple modular options. Choices include a chair, two- seater sofa, three-seater sofa and a large sofa with a chaise module. An optional neck rest is also...

Store Manager: The price of borrowing.
March 3, 2006... A bank loan or overdraft can help a company expand or survive. Lyndsay Payne offers some advice on the best options It's a rare business that doesn't need a loan or overdraft. Small businesses in the UK now owe the best part of #20bn in...

Interview - Michel Roset: Keeping in step.
March 3, 2006... Despite its global presence, reflecting local requirements in its showrooms is vital for Ligne Roset, according to Michel Roset, as Rachel Calton discovers Michel Roset arose at 5.30am to leave Paris for the opening of the new Ligne Roset...

In tune with technology.
March 3, 2006... Ligne Roset shared its Swiss Cottage store launch with a Sony widescreen TV, teaming technology and furniture sharing the modernity and style. `Today people live more and more in the home, so pleasure in the home is more important,' says...

Soft furnishings - Blinds: Window dressing.(Blinds )
March 3, 2006... New materials are moving blinds into the living room, reports Rachel Calton Blinds in the past have played a functional role. Whereas curtains come in a variety of fabrics and linings, offering decorative potential to an interior, blinds...

Materials - Beds: Battle of the beds.(Two manufacturers opinions)
March 3, 2006... Which is the better bed, one using springs or the buoyancy of water? Two manufacturers offer their differing opinions on the issue The case for waterbeds Richard Soper, British Waterbed Company md Have you had a customer say to...

Review - Maison & Objet: Land of plenty.
March 3, 2006... Maison & Objet continues to grow in importance, but the addition of a separate furniture show may be a step too far, as Stephanie Baum reports Maison & Objet has turned a corner in its drive to best Salon du Meuble as the pre-eminent...

Retail intelligence: January 2006 trading.(Industry Overview)
March 3, 2006... Boosted by the winter sales, January proved to be the month when annual sales growth finally returned to the sector. Compared with December, some 11% of retailers reported a decline in the value of sales, 24% had static sales and 65%...

Technology - payroll: Salaries sorted.
March 3, 2006... Getting employees' pay details right is vital for any business. Nick Yates talks to one company about how it helped Mark Webster Furniture Group It's pay day. Your staff get their payslip in their hands and can rest assured that all their...

Technology - Payroll: Systems to suit.(Payrite)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Payrite is one of two systems offered by Rutherford Webb and is for companies that want to organise their payroll in-house. Payrite's modular design runs under Windows 2000 and XP operating systems and has built-in intelligent automation,...

Offcuts: Dogs, coffee and the meaning of life.(Interview)
March 3, 2006... Andrew Skelton is a designer/maker and owner of Andrew Skelton Furniture which produces a range of furniture, from domestic to public commissions How did you get started in business? I began with dreams of the happy craftsman working...

Offcuts: Classic win for charity.
March 3, 2006... A sales agent for upholstery manufacturer Recor revved his engine to compete in The Classic Monte Carlo Rally and helped raise #8,000 for charity in the process. Tony Rose, South of England sales agent, entered the rally with two friends, and...

Offcuts: A sign of the times.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... A sign in a cafe saying `please take a seat' is usually not interpreted as `please take away a piece of furniture when you leave'. However, this seems to have been the case for one north London eatery, which fell victim to thieves who made away...

Good news all round at John Lewis.(furniture sales )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... John Lewis in Edinburgh has seen rises of up to 35% in furniture sales after it more than doubled the size of its beds department. The increase in area four weeks ago, seems to have paid dividends and is helping keep Scottish sales ahead of...

Asda checks out assembled cabinet.
March 10, 2006... Supermarket to have 10 non-food stores by the end of 2006 Assembled cabinet furniture is likely to be rolled out at five new Asda sites by the end of 2006 after a trial in one store. The supermarket chain, which also stocks flatpack...

Retailers must learn from non-specialists.
March 10, 2006... Nick Gladding, Verdict Research senior analyst has warned furniture retailers they must learn from non-specialist competitors or risk seeing their market share gobbled up by the likes of Tesco. The challenge from non-specialists which had...

Centurion rides again.(Woodpecker Interiors)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Woodpecker Interiors chief rescues website from liquidation Stoke-on-Trent retailer Centurion Furnishings is trading again after Matthew Fuller, Woodpecker Interiors md bought the name of the firm, which went into liquidation in November....

Stanley's on track in the UK.
March 10, 2006... Radford Furniture Company has been appointed as the UK distribution agency for US furniture manufacturer, Stanley Furniture. Retailers will benefit from the company's fast delivery which is an average 14-day shipment time from order receipt...

FPB hits out at charity shops.
March 10, 2006... The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has accused charity shops of undercutting small firms. The pressure group claimed there is a new breed of `professional' charity shops selling new goods, such as soft furnishings and lamps, to the...

OBITUARY: George Stanton.(West Wickham, Kent and Banstead, Surrey)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 10, 2006... George Stanton, the founder of West Wickham, Kent and Banstead, Surrey, retailer Stanton Davies passed away on 24 February, aged 85. Stanton opened his store in 1963 and ran the business until he retired seven years ago. His son Ian...

In brief: Business increase.
March 10, 2006... Julian Bowen recorded a 43% year-on-year sales growth in the first two weeks of the year. Julian Bowen, owner of the Nottingham importer, put the figures down to success at The Furniture Show in January where he gained new customers. ...

In brief: House-building rise.(housing market in England )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... The housing market in England last year enjoyed a surge of 160,000 new homes, a peak to match that of 1990, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England. It said house-building has risen by a fifth since the Government drew up its current...

In brief: High investment.(EEF)(RSM Robson Rhodes)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Manufacturers have made an impressive start to the year despite pressure from rising energy costs, a report by manufacturers' association EEF and accountancy firm RSM Robson Rhodes revealed. Investment is at its highest level for eight years,...

In brief: Wage tip.(increase of National Minimum Wage)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... The proposed increase of the National Minimum Wage to #5.35 an hour in October will create a `tipping point' for retailers, claimed the British Retail Consortium. The rise could lead to around 35,000 jobs being lost and will cost the retail...

In brief: Interest warning.(Competition Commission)(Storecards)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Storecards that charge interest rates of 25% or more a year must warn customers on their statements that cheaper credit is available elsewhere, in a measure imposed by the Competition Commission. A Commission investigation judged that annual...

Coakley to open new Case at Milan.(Sheridan Coakley)(furniture brand called Case)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Design-led brand for mid-market to be unveiled Sheridan Coakley, SCP md is launching a furniture brand called Case, targeted at the UK mid-market. The joint venture, with Paul Newman, formerly of Aero will officially launch at Salone...

Disruptive services.(mis-sell telecoms services)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Almost 60% of small firms in the UK have been targeted by callers attempting to mis-sell telecoms services in the past year. A BT report revealed a 13% increase in attempted mis-selling - misleading or deceitful sales approaches - over the...

M&S reduces its bills.(Marks and Spencer )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Marks & Spencer has unilaterally enforced an extra 0.5% discount from its suppliers' bills. The discount, which rises to 5.5% on factories M&S sources from direct, follows 2.5% settlement discounts negotiated around this time last year....

February sales fail to please.
March 10, 2006... The squeeze on furniture continues as trade falls after January discounts Furniture sales struggled in February after the January promotions ended. The British Retail Consortium's BRC KPMG Retail Sales Monitor suggested that furniture...

Essentials take priority over furniture shopping.
March 10, 2006... The number of shoppers in the UK in February was down by 4.9% year-on- year, according to a report from retail research company SPSL, which blamed the drop in consumer spending on the rising costs of essentials such as housing and fuel. ...

Rent rises put pressure on retailers.
March 10, 2006... Shop rents are rising at their fastest pace for five years despite weak sales in the high street, according to commercial property consultant Donaldsons. The Forum of Private Business (FPB) described the situation as `a matter of urgency'....

Greenapple you're hired.
March 10, 2006... The furniture star of the second series of The Apprentice is contemporary glass furniture company Greenapple. It supplied over #20,000 worth of glass furniture for the contestants' house on London's millionaire row. Viewers can see the...

ScS makes top employers' list.
March 10, 2006... Sofa chain is the first specialist furniture store to enter The Sunday Times top 100 Sofa specialist ScS has been ranked 45th in The Sunday Times list of the country's top 100 employers. It is the sixth annual list to rank companies...

Mark Elliot for Glasgow.(Mark Elliot opens 11th store )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Mark Elliot opens its 11th store next month. It snapped up a 2,000sqft retail space in Glasgow's West End before it went on the market. It has been a busy few months for the eight year-old East Anglian firm. It opened two stores over...

Letter: The realities of global markets.(Letter to the Editor)
March 10, 2006... Perhaps it is my natural inclination to do the utmost for my customers, or perhaps it is because it actually makes good business sense. Quite naturally, Mary Czulowski (CM, 3 Mar, p9 Views) is all for imports and online shopping. I wonder...

Leader: Consumers will want more.
March 10, 2006... The news that Asda plans to roll out assembled cabinets to five new sites this year probably comes as no surprise to many. The inevitable advance of the supermarkets into non-food items is happening fast and is sure to make an indelible mark on...

Views by Sean Quinn.(International Furniture Fair)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... I have been in the Far East for the shows this week. The International Furniture Fair in Singapore show wasn't well attended and there were very few UK buyers. And by the end of the week I think the same will be said of the Malaysian shows...

Have sales in leather upholstery peaked?(leather furniture)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... `I hope not because we are doing a lot of business when it comes to leather. We are still seeing development in the product and it is going strong. We found growth in the market at the end of last year over Christmas and it has carried on.' ...

Light change.(Telectra changed its name to Beadlight)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Lighting firm Telectra has changed its name to Beadlight - its second name change in five years. The company mainly manufactures lighting for airlines and high performance cars, but also supplies upmarket residential apartments. Alan...

Wyevale: gearing up for bid approach?
March 10, 2006... Management strengthened amid bid rumours Wyevale Garden Centres has appointed Andrew Livingston as commercial director. The news comes as speculation surrounds entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter's possible approach for the UK's largest garden...

Nicolson bags a deal.
March 10, 2006... Soft furnishings designer Clare Nicolson has gained an exclusive deal with beauty chain Crabtree & Evelyn, supplying bird-shaped lavender bags The 24 year-old set up her textile business 18 months ago designing soft furnishings and bags....

Coates steps in to boost Instore performance.
March 10, 2006... Trevor Coates is taking over as Instore chief executive after Angus Monro left on 1 March. The decision comes after the homeware retailer issued a profits warning three weeks ago. Instore, which runs Instore and Poundstretcher stores,...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Chemical reaction to a Swedish ban.(Decabromodiphenyl ether risk factors)
March 10, 2006... What do British firms think of Sweden's proposal to ban DecaBDE, asks Deven Pamben Every organisation has times when not everyone is in agreement. There is no greater example of that than in the EU where countries fight their national...

Shop Window - Fabric: Sahco.(Lina )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Sahco's Lina is a narrow block stripe in an alternating plain sateen and cotton weave in nine strong colour variations. The combination of mercerised cotton and viscose and the tight weave makes Lina a hard wearing fabric for tight upholstery...

Shop Window - Fabric: Harlequin.
March 10, 2006... Harlequin's Lagoon collection boasts tropically inspired fabrics depicting exotic, overblown blooms and foliage in daring colour combinations including lime, citrus, fuchsia, magenta, tangerine, coral, sea foam, chocolate and cappuccino. ...

Shop Window - Fabric: Lee Jofa.
March 10, 2006... In his first collection for Lee Jofa, Richard Smith has created Fairlight richly coloured fabrics with the distressed look of aged tapestries. Fabrics include Amrtineau, Fox, Slate, Forest, Wine & Blue, Wheat, and Wine. Tel: 00 1 516 752...

Shop Window - Fabric: Jab International.
March 10, 2006... Jab International's Villa d'Este is made up of nine decoration fabrics, eight upholstery fabrics and three voiles. Colours range from champagne and beige, silver and gold to red and midnight blue on jacquard fabrics and Lyonese velvets. ...