Cabinet Maker articles from March 2007

Cabinet Maker archives from March 2007

Bank gets tough over pension.
March 2, 2007... Upholstery manufacturer Collins & Hayes has been told by its bankers that it must scale back its proposed payments into the company's pension fund if it is to retain its support. The company has breached banking covenants after a customer...

HRG calls in Irish chain for homewares push.(Home Retail Group to team with Home Store + More to develop a standalone chain)
March 2, 2007... Argos parent plans a major expansion in #12bn market Argos and Homebase parent Home Retail Group (HRG) is set for a fresh onslaught into the UK's #12bn homewares market after agreeing to develop a standalone chain with the help of Irish...

On course.
March 2, 2007... A small number of places are still available for the Retail Management Course from 11-14 March in Northamptonshire. Run by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, the course covers everything from personal effectiveness to customer...

FX franchisees start debranding.
March 2, 2007... Twelve of the 17 Furniture Express (FX) franchisees expect to debrand by the end of next week. Franchisor Cobco 808 rejected an offer from the franchisees to buy themselves out of their contracts (CM, 9 Feb, p3) resulting in the debranding...

Dreams advert breached rules.
March 2, 2007... ASA upholds complaints about claims made in advertisement Dreams has been ordered not to repeat claims such as `Largest Choice', `Lowest Prices' and `Fastest Delivery' in its advertisements after breaching advertising regulations. The...

Studying capital costs.(capital cost survey for the retail trade )(Survey)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... The London Retail Consortium (LRC) has commissioned a survey to find the true impact of retail property costs in London. The Retail Cost Survey will illustrate the scale at which retail property costs have changed in the past five years and...

Barlow Tyrie.
March 2, 2007... Outdoor furniture manufacturer Barlow Tyrie has relaunched its website. www.teak.com offers a tour of Barlow Tyrie's growing range of products, with collections presented in four material sections: teak, stainless steel, aluminium and woven;...

IN BRIEF: More UK visitors.(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... UK visitors to Maison & Objet in Paris increased by 14% to 3,230, second to Italians in terms of attendees from the European Union. Italians visitors rose by 45%, to 5,333 while the Asian audience grew by 20% to 3,618. There were 83,416 trade...

IN BRIEF: Displaying efficiency.(British Retail Consortium)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... Retailers will be able to publicly display the carbon efficiency of their buildings as part of a move to reduce emissions. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is developing a scheme to issue energy certificates for retailers. An EU directive...

IN BRIEF: Leather talk.(Leather in Retail Conference)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... Leather in Retail Conference, an information and networking event, takes place on 27 March in Hong Kong. The conference will benefit those that manufacture, purchase, ship or retail leather products. Delegates will be able to learn how to add...

IN BRIEF: Training tax break.
March 2, 2007... Tax incentives could solve the problem of retail staff training, according to the Forum of Private Business. A survey of 600 small business owners found more than 70% wanted a tax incentive for employees. Nick Goulding, FPB chief executive...

BCC fears for firms as red tape grows.(British Chambers of Commerce)
March 2, 2007... Business costs rose in 2006 despite pledge to cut Despite its tough talk on cutting red tape the Government has been slammed for continuing to let regulatory burden grow. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said its fears had been...

New store as Habitat reveals loss.
March 2, 2007... Habitat is relocating from its town centre Fitzroy Street site in Cambridge and opening a 19,500sqft store at Cambridge Retail Park on 14 March. As part of a review of its store portfolio last year the company has reduced the number of...

City: Rumours rule in wait for figures.(Land of Leather reports gain in shares)(Beale reports increase in full-year pretax profits )(Smallbone PLC reports los in shares )(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... Ahead of a fourth-quarter trading update, Kingfisher gained 7p to 259p on enthusiastic `buy' advice from analysts at SG Securities, who nominated the shares as `the best hidden-value play in the European retail sector'. Although the update was...

Asda set on Living drive.
March 2, 2007... Belfast store is the first of 10 Ten more Asda Living stores are set to open across the UK this year. The announcement came as the company opened its first Living outlet in Belfast on Friday The store has 29,000sqft devoted to sales...

Hettich hits London.(Hettich International to open showroom)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... Furniture fittings manufacturer Hettich UK will open a London showroom in April. Aimed at inspiring furniture and lighting solutions of the future, the 2,400sqft, two-floor showroom will feature working displays, a significant LED lighting...

Next heads for a new high.
March 2, 2007... Next was churning around 1,650p until September's interim figures confirmed good progress in catalogue and online sales, and mediocre trading in the high street stores. Some analysts ran for cover, but the bulls at Bridgewell urged clients to...

Letter: Bring back the awards dinner.(Letter to the editor)
March 2, 2007... There has been much said over the past couple of years about the furniture industry working together, particularly through troubled times. It has been said that nearly every furniture company in the UK has faced the same difficulties and,...

Letter: Low standards to blame for complaints.(Letter to the editor)
March 2, 2007... The letters, including the one from myself, (CM, 26 Jan, p8) certainly caused some differences of opinion with manufacturers and retailers of leather upholstery. In Skin test (CM, 23 Feb, p20) Nick Hanna states that `retailers really need to...

Talk: Are retailers doing enough to tackle problems that affect them?(discussion on retailers tackling bureaucracy affecting retail trade)(Discussion)
March 2, 2007... In an interview for the Cabinet Maker website, Mike Clare, Dreams executive chairman said retailers should lobby Government on issues that affect them. For instance they should have tackled problems such as not promoting British products,...

CM COMMENT - Leader: Make training the top priority.
March 2, 2007... It will surprise few of you to learn that upholstery was the most complained about product sector in the furniture industry, based on data from FIRA's Home Service Technician department during January (see p12). More surprising, perhaps, given...

CM COMMENT - Views by Roger van der Matten.(Europe's new manufacturing process for furniture industry to compete with the oriental market)(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... With the dawn of a `New Europe' came the expectation of a new manufacturing base to rival that of China and the Far East in cost and capability, with the added benefit of being on our doorstep. These were realistic expectations, founded on...

ANALYSIS - Home improvement.(B and Q PLC reports decrease in profit margins)(Financial report)
March 2, 2007... Positive fourth quarter figures at B&Q run counter to predictions but is this fledgling recovery in the DIY sector likely to be sustained, asks Deven Pamben After a difficult 2006 for DIY, this year is a big one for the sector and results...

STATISTICS - COMPLAINTS: The blame game?
March 2, 2007... Customer complaints might be inevitable, but what areas of the industry warrant closer scrutiny? In the first of a monthly series, Cabinet Maker reveals all In the wake of Consumer Direct reports highlighting complaints in the furniture...

SHOP WINDOW: London Design Week - Cole and Son.
March 2, 2007... Cole & Son will show a collection of a dozen Damasks adapted from 17th to 19th century designs in contemporary colours. Adam, Eve and Hydrangea come from the archive of Italian designer Piero Fornasetti and Tom Dixon has created three large...

STORE MANAGER - Regulations roll on.
March 2, 2007... The Government has vowed to cut red tape for firms, but some important measures are still due to come into effect this year, as John Davies reports The Government started 2007 by issuing a formal policy commitment to cut red tape by 25% by...

STORE MANAGER - NHS will recover treatment costs.
March 2, 2007... From 29 January 2007 the NHS will be able to recover the cost of treating injuries of any kind where those injuries have been caused by negligence. This will affect cases where an employee, or a customer or client, incurs some injury on...

INTERVIEW - POLLY WESTERGAARD: Simply doing it.(Interview)
March 2, 2007... The clear cut Scandinavian influence is evident in Polly Westergaard's work but she has added her own individual stamp, as Rachel Calton discovers Polly Westergaard, Cabinet Maker Young Designers finalist, impressed visitors at The...

BEDS - FOAM: New comfort zone.(demand for foam beds on the rise)
March 2, 2007... Foam beds have seen impressive growth in recent years, with most manufacturers joining the sector. Andrew Kidd looks at the latest products One of the strongest growing sectors of the bed market in the past few years has been models using...

Personalised pointers to buying.(The Sleep Council launches online interactive guide for bed buying)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... The Sleep Council has launched an interactive guide to buying a bed on its website (www.sleepcouncil.com) to coincide with March's National Bed Month, providing a personalised blueprint. `There are thousands of different beds out there,'...

The seven deadly sins of bed buying.(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... 1 Not doing any homework before buying a bed. There's as many different beds as there are sandwich fillings so work out what kind of bed you want first (divan or bedstead; springs or foam; adjustable or static; with or without storage, etc)....

REVIEW - IMM COLOGNE: Back on top.
March 2, 2007... General economic optimism in Germany enthused its key furniture show which rediscovered its innovative design energy, reports Richard de Melim Germany appears to be recovering strongly from the economic slump that has afflicted it since...

REVIEW - AMBIENTE: White moves.(current trends in consumer goods design)
March 2, 2007... The world's largest consumer goods exhibition saw strong colours fading to white and natural looks for the future. Andrew Kidd looks at the key trends Ambiente is the world's largest consumer goods exhibition, focusing on interiors,...

REVIEW - HEIMTEXTIL: Intellectual finds.
March 2, 2007... Frankfurt was the place to be to seek out global trends in home furnishings. Rachel Calton looks at the colours and textures we can expect to see While Heimtextil also takes place in India, Japan and Russia, the Frankfurt event (10-13...

REVIEW - LAS VEGAS: Sustainable trends.
March 2, 2007... Industrial undertones and recycled materials are set to be the stars of the future as highlighted at the expanded Las Vegas Market, says Andrew Kidd The World Market Center in Las Vegas celebrated the opening of 16- storey Building B which...

CONSUMER RESEARCH - Do customers believe that sale prices are genuine?
March 2, 2007... Cabinet Maker Research Survey Retailers often play on the fact that consumers love a bargain, but are they really convinced that they're getting a good deal in furniture stores? Along with our resolutions to lose weight, stub out the...

Facts and figures.
March 2, 2007... The survey, part of Cabinet Maker's consumer research programme, was conducted by GfK NOP from 19-21 January 2007 among a sample of 956 adults aged 18 plus. Which, if any, of the following statements about furniture retailers' winter sales...

CM OFFCUTS: Making time for what matters.(an interview with Kish Agrava)(Interview)
March 2, 2007... Kish Agrava, Diameter Design owner in Chelsea, London How did you get started in the industry? I needed a job and the only one available was with a local DIY shop in Greenford. What constitutes job satisfaction for you? ...

CM OFFCUTS: Search for a Saints' shirt.(Southampton Football Club)(Dee Cee Upholstery to produce upholstery for hand-made chairs)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... Southampton Football Club urgently needs a 1960s Ted Bates-era shirt to upholster a hand-made chair for auction. Dee Cee Upholstery in Southampton is producing the collector's item for club legend's Ted Bates Memorial Trust auction on 17...

CM OFFCUTS: Dreams' incentive to lose pounds.(Dreams UK to award its fit and healthy employees)(Brief article)
March 2, 2007... Following last year's successful Fit For Life scheme, staff of bed firm Dreams are being encouraged to give up smoking and swap caffeine drinks for herbal tea. All Dreams' employees will be offered a 20% discount on gym membership and free...

Misleading contracts stopped.(Construct Data Verlag AG to stop mailing misleading contracts)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Construct Data Verlag has agreed to stop mailing misleading contracts to companies for inclusion in its Fair Guide after SguW, the Austrian federation that prevents unfair competition took legal action. It has also agreed to cancel its...

Decision day looms for Courts pensioners.
March 9, 2007... Pension Protection Fund aid to be determined by summer Courts pensioners should finally know by the summer if they will receive 90% of their missing pensions from the Government funded Pension Protection Fund (PPF) - more than two years...

Spring launch.(La Maison Coloniale opening UK store)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... La Maison Coloniale will open a second UK store in Fulham in April. The French company opened its first outlet in Finchley Road, north west London, last month. It offers furniture and accessories sofas, beds, chairs, tables, armoires, chests...

Donations help Rococo maker.(Joseph Hemingway)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Joseph Hemingway, the man who achieved the `impossible', has been given furniture making equipment to continue working after his 1,200sqft workshop burnt down in January. In 2000, Hemingway of Huddersfield made the Rococo chair, a French...

Top ranking for Typhoon.(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Staff vote seals small business place as sole homewares winner Kitchenware firm Typhoon has been ranked 72 in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Small Companies league, the only homewares firm to feature in this year's list. The...

More stores booked up.(book launched)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Homebase has launched its third The Big Book of Furnishings complete with 2,000 home products over 276 pages. Now placed in more than 100 stores the book offers new products, roomsets and the latest looks for spring and summer 2007. ...

MFI fined.(cases of MFI Furniture Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... MFI has been fined #1,000 after Peterborough City Council took it to court for erecting a `half-price sale' banner without permission. The store placed the signage on railings at the Brotherhood Retail Park in Peterborough. Only last...

IN BRIEF: Executive training.(Training Paths)
March 9, 2007... Training Paths is running a management course aimed at improving executives' skills. It will cover staff motivation and people management skills, and is supported by theory and practical sessions. Delegates will also be provided with a workbook...

IN BRIEF: Complaint solutions.
March 9, 2007... Halo Furniture has teamed up with FIRA's Home Service Technicians to provide a customer service solution for retailers and consumers. Service enquiries raised on the Halo website are sent to the FIRA call centre in Stevenage, which...

IN BRIEF: Record profits.(John Lewis Partnership PLC's announce record profits)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... John Lewis Partnership is expected to announce record #300m profits for the year to 27 January 2007, driven by strong homewares sales. Profits for the partnership, which owns the Waitrose supermarket chain, will top last year's #251.8m,...

IN BRIEF: To bid or not to bid.(Marks and Spencer PLC not to buy J Sainsbury PLC)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Stuart Rose, Marks & Spencer chief executive has denied the firm was interested in making a bid for Britain's third largest supermarket, Sainsbury's. The comment came hours after Rose hinted M&S had considered making a bid for the grocery chain...

Online upgrade.
March 9, 2007... Contemporary and classic furniture maker Frank Hudson has redesigned its website. Consumers can now download their own brochure from www.frankhudson.com. The Buckinghamshire company has built its reputation on traditional craftsmanship offering...

Buyers sought as Owen Owen fails.
March 9, 2007... Administrators have already had bids for group's department stores which are continuing to trade Owen Owen, the owner of department stores Lewis in Liverpool and Esslemont & Macintosh (E&M) in Aberdeen, has gone into receivership amid...

February proves positive.
March 9, 2007... Year-on-year sales increase again despite tough times on the high street Furniture and carpet retailers continued to show growth in February, the third month of positive year-on-year results. The CBI's monthly Distributive Trades...

Harveys advertisement cleared by ASA.
March 9, 2007... A complaint against a Harveys TV advertisement has been rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). A viewer complained about the commercial, which showed a woman and two children sitting on a sofa. The text on the screen...

People: Sean Frost-Palmer.
March 9, 2007... Sean Frost-Palmer has been promoted to national sales manager for Kingstown Furniture. Frost-Palmer has spent several years managing the East Anglia and Home Counties area for the Hull manufacturer. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

People: Claire Forster.(BLC Leather Technology Centre appoints Claire Forster)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... BLC Leather Technology has appointed Claire Forster as regulatory and standards adviser. The main focus of her role is to provide support and advice to members regarding restricted substances relevant to all aspects of the leather supply chain....

People: Fiona Jones.
March 9, 2007... Fiona Jones has taken the new post of Northern contracts representative for CPW. CPW Contracts has built a reputation for the supply of new contract furniture to the pub, restaurant and hotel sectors. Jones was formerly a director at Bradgate...

People: Alan Scott.(Harrison Beds appoints Alan Scott )(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Alan Scott has joined Harrison Beds as sales and marketing director for Somnus. Scott was previously with Pocket Spring Bed Company (part of the Silentnight Group) for more than 10 years. Simon Spinks, md said the appointment will allow the...

Blinds lead the way in window fashions.(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Big rise for blinds as curtains draw a 2% increase Customers are shunning curtains in favour of blinds, resulting in a 62% rise in sales over the past five years. The blinds sector is now worth #445m, with demand for shutters rising...

Views by Shaun Davies.(magazine advertising for retailers)(Column)
March 9, 2007... Many retailers spend thousands of pounds each year on advertising. In many cases, this is an excellent long-term branding exercise, increasing customer awareness in the relevant media - one day it's a small store, then in a few months it's a...

Talk: How important is advertising to your business?
March 9, 2007... `It is essential for me but half of it is a waste of money. It does not matter how much you spend people come into the shop and say they did not know we were here despite advertising in five or six publications. Word of mouth is the best form...

CM COMMENT - Leader: Student tour enthusiasm puts retailers to shame.
March 9, 2007... This month will see two important initiatives from the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. On Sunday, the WCFM's Retail Management Course will start in earnest, while later this month, furniture design and manufacturing graduates will...

ANALYSIS - The green revolution.(retailers and manufacturers respond to consumer demand for ethical products)
March 9, 2007... Consumer demand for ethical products is moving along the supply chain with retailers and manufacturers under pressure to comply, says Deven Pamben One of the big issues for retailers, and one which is likely to grow, is ethical trading....

STORE MANAGER - Heavier rules for company emails.
March 9, 2007... Directors and employees could face fines and be personally liable for contracts if they do not follow new email rules, as Nigel Miller reports Legislation has for a long time required that a company's name and certain other details must...

STORE MANAGER - What a website must say.
March 9, 2007... Under the UK E-commerce Regulations, which apply to most business websites, certain information must be included on a company's website. The name, geographic address and email address of the service provider must be given. A PO Box number...

SHOP WINDOW: Fabrics - Zoffany.
March 9, 2007... Zoffany's Nureyev Weaves is a collection based on archive material, from early 19th century linen and metal damask to French mid 18th century silk damask. It has six designs, including Mandarin, which is suitable for curtains and domestic...

SHOP WINDOW: Fabrics - Sanderson.
March 9, 2007... Sanderson's Delphi leaf trail was designed as a print in the 1970s. Woven in cotton and viscose on to a satin quality finish, it is suitable for occasional upholstery and curtains. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: Fabrics - Kirby House.
March 9, 2007... Kirby House's Rodeo is a machine washable, microfibre suede, suitable for curtains, upholstery and bedspreads. Available in 60 colourways it has a stain-repellant finish and a Martingdale count of 40,000. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW: Fabrics - Prestigious Textiles.
March 9, 2007... Prestigious Textiles' portfolio of embellished Chinese silks for draperies, cushions and accessories has been expanded with the Colonial Silks collection. It comprises four complementary designs: Ambassador is an embroidered flowing trail,...

SHOP WINDOW: Fabrics - Swaffer.
March 9, 2007... Blissful days of high summer is the inspiration for Swaffer's Paradis collection of prints and weaves. Four large-scale, half-drop repeats of flowers are complemented by a cut velvet stripe, broken plain in a linen-look fabric and a textured...

INTERVIEW - MIKE KINGSBURY: Brand new challenge.
March 9, 2007... After more than a decade climbing the ranks at Laura Ashley, Mike Kingsbury defected to Content By Conran. The new ceo tells Anita Awbi his reasons Mike Kingsbury turned Laura Ashley's home furnishings business around, running a tight ship...

UPHOLSTERY - COMPLAINTS: Unhappy customers.(consumer complaints about furniture)
March 9, 2007... Upholstery accounts for almost two-thirds of consumer complaints about furniture. Andrew Kidd highlights why some consumers complained and how they were treated Delays, delays, delays `I purchased two sofas on 23 September 2006. I was...

RETAIL - HOME STORE + MORE: Buying into the vision.
March 9, 2007... In an exclusive interview, Jonathan Stanley explains to Ruth Pringle why his homewares chain in Ireland attracted the UK's Home Retail Group Straight talking, relaxed and confident, Jonathan Stanley has every reason to be happy to chat...

RETAIL - HOME STORE + MORE: Strong contender.
March 9, 2007... Home Retail Group already has a strong presence in the highly fragmented homewares market. Andrew Kidd examines who the group is up against Home Retail Group's decision to invest in Home Store + More's experience for a standalone format...

REVIEW - GIFT FAIR: American accent.(New York International Gift Fair)
March 9, 2007... Creating functional yet aesthetically daring homewares and accessories was key at the International Gift Fair in New York, says Stephanie Baum Natural accents were a strong component of home furnishings presented at the New York...

REGENERATION - ROCHDALE: Extending choice.(economic development)
March 9, 2007... Continuing to look at regeneration driven locations for retail expansion, Jennifer Pulling reports on ambitious plans to revitalise Rochdale When King Cotton ruled, Rochdale was at the cutting edge of industrial technology with a vibrant...

REGENERATION - ROCHDALE: The Kingsway plan.(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Kingsway is a proposed #315m business park of 170hectares gross area with 115ha revelopable area, located between the M62 and the A664 (Kingsway) on the edge of Rochdale. Some 3.6msqft of buildings will be created, mainly for offices,...

REGENERATION - ROCHDALE: What do the retailers think?
March 9, 2007... Isherwoods Fine Furniture From the `sleepy little town of Ramsbottom', 11 miles from Rochdale, Jason Willett, owner of Isherwoods Fine Furniture, says: `I don't think the Rochdale regeneration will affect us particularly, but there is a...

RETAIL INTELLIGENCE: January trading.(furniture sales during the month of January)(Industry overview)
March 9, 2007... With the winter sales in full swing, retailers were hoping for an upturn in trading experienced in recent months. But did the discounts and offers tempt consumers in-store? And did they place any orders if they ventured inside? The answer...

MARKETING - ONLINE: Straightforward style.
March 9, 2007... Interior designer and retailer Polly Gilder's website received high praise from The Interiors Awards judges. Anita Awbi finds it to be a solid and sassy store Polly-Online is an extension of Polly Gilder's interior design practice, and...

MARKETING - ONLINE: Verdict.
March 9, 2007... Accessibility The website is accessible only if you are searching for Polly Gilder, or have a connection with her design consultancy in the Cotswolds. When searching on Google for UK interiors websites, interior design, UK furniture or UK...

CM OFFCUTS: Expressing individuality.
March 9, 2007... Trent Jennings, Blue Marmalade, technical director is a contemporary furniture designer How did you get started in the industry? Ever since school I wanted to be a designer but it took many years to discover what sort of design I...

CM OFFCUTS: Business perks up.(Travelodge surveys British workers on business expenses)(Brief article)
March 9, 2007... Hamsters, pregnancy kits, trips to Disney World, condoms, prostitutes and furniture are just some of the things British workers claim as business expenses, reckons Travelodge. The hotel chain's survey of 4,000 UK workers found one man put...