Cabinet Maker articles from May 2006

Cabinet Maker archives from May 2006

Place website pulled.
May 5, 2006... Co-op in talks to retain retail role for McCloud collection Place, the online furniture and accessories retailer fronted by Kevin McCloud and Mary Czulowski, is to be wound down seven months after it was launched in September last year. ...

Retailer's World Cup strategy.
May 5, 2006... Ilkeston Furniture Centre in the East Midlands has hit on a novel way of making sure staff turn up to work in June. During that month furniture retailers will have more than rising costs and red tape to worry about with the start of the...

Easter sales fail to meet recovery expectations.
May 5, 2006... The resurgent housing market has failed to stoke consumers' appetite for furniture purchases, according to the CBI. In its Distributive Trades Survey, the employers' group said a balance of 64% of furniture and carpets retailers said they...

Halo Living sells direct.
May 5, 2006... Halo pledges that its online sales business will not hit retailers Cheshire furniture importer, Halo, has spun off a new company that will sell direct to consumers via online and catalogue sales. Halo Living, which was launched on 3...

Manufacturers that tried.(retailling)(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Halo is not the first supplier to try its hand at retailing. The fear for retailers is that they can be easily undercut by suppliers. The fear for suppliers is that going straight to the consumer will upset retail customers. Last year Stag...

Scottish confidence.
May 5, 2006... Confidence is strong among small businesses in Scotland with many expecting better performances in the next 12 months. In a Bank of Scotland small business survey, four out of five entrepreneurs felt that trade would be better or stay the...

HoF opens bid talks.(House of Fraser PLC to be acquired)(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... House of Fraser (HoF) has confirmed it has received an approach from a potential buyer. The department store, which reported pre-tax profits for the year to 28 January of #27.3m - a 4.6% rise - confirmed in a statement that the `business...

In brief: At home.(Silentnight At Home Show )(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... The four-day Silentnight At Home Show starts on Sunday 7 May with around 300 retailers expected to visit. The biannual exhibition at the company's Salterforth, Lancashire headquarters features new products and seminars. These include...

In brief: Home loans increase.(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Mortgage approvals reached their highest level for almost two years in March. The latest figures from the British Bankers' Association reveal that 85,698 loans were approved - the highest number since June 2004 and double December's total....

In brief: Faster growth.(for United Kingdom)
May 5, 2006... UK economic growth will accelerate in the second half of the year, according to accountants BDO Stoy Hayward. The firm said there would be a rise of 3.4% in both the third and fourth quarters of 2006. Its latest business trends report also...

In brief: Airsprung on show.(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Airsprung Furniture Group's new division, AFG Contracts and Exports, will show its products at London Interiors. The event will highlight Airsprung's beds, mattresses and divans as well as bespoke traditional and modern upholstery and cabinets,...

Purves & Purves quits high cost TCR.
May 5, 2006... Retailer move threatens furniture tradition break up High-end independent furniture retailer Purves & Purves is moving out of its Tottenham Court Road store due to soaring rents. The departure of the destination retailer could prove a...

Wood Awards opened to furniture.
May 5, 2006... The Wood Awards has launched a new category for furniture this year in conjunction with The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. The Awards, which until now have only acknowledged the use of wood in buildings, is be extended to encompass...

Stores pin hopes on card spend.
May 5, 2006... The DIY industry could be set for a boost with consumers set to double the amount they spend over the next three months. Figures from the Morgan Stanley credit card index shows that the average Briton will spend #1,225 over the next 12...

DFS profits rise 19.4%.
May 5, 2006... Lord Kirkham repays his backers with increased sales and margin DFS has enjoyed booming trade and soaring profits following Lord Kirkham's controversial decision to take the company private 18 months ago. Turnover for 2005 has...

Comfort zones.(Puffa)(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Puffa, the clothing-cum-soft furnishings manufacturer which launched at Soft at The Furniture Show in January, has taken on six sales agents to cover the UK and Ireland. The firm which just signed up Irish department store group Arnotts, will...

Company failure rise `alarming'.
May 5, 2006... British companies are going bust at a quicker pace, with 4,818 firms collapsing in the first three months of the year. Research by information solutions company Experian said corporate failures had increased by 15.3%, making it the highest...

Sales revival at Nobia.
May 5, 2006... Renovation of its Magnet city stores helped Swedish kitchen provider Nobia to increase first quarter UK sales by 12%. Trade in the UK was #101m. Positive sales have been attributed to both rigid and flatpack kitchens. Operating profit...

Letter: Negative retailers miss Newport vision.(Letter to the editor)
May 5, 2006... Having read the `Regeneration Newport' feature (CM, 21 Apr, p30) I am bound to ask if Jenny Pulling has ever been to Newport. The article starts off by being fairly upbeat, but when it comes to the section `What the retailers think?' only one...

Letter: ACID: your voice against copying of design.(Letter to the editor)
May 5, 2006... The headline and contents of an article in last week's issue regarding ACID (Anti Copying In Design) were misleading and inaccurate (CM, 28 Apr, p5). The report concerned just one of the organisation's 1,200- plus members who was questioning...

Leader: Press for publicity.
May 5, 2006... This week online furniture and accessories retailer Place's website was closed after failed attempts to sustain sales. In hindsight, Mary Czulowski said having only an online presence was not enough to drive the volume of sales necessary to...

Views by David Langford.(on upholstery)(Brief article)(Column)
May 5, 2006... For a long time consumers just seemed to want to buy upholstery on price. Retailers were happy to oblige, and to a certain extent we are still seeing that race to the bottom. But price isn't everything and there are signs now that high end...

Talk: Do you think copying is an issue within the industry?(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... `It's a big issue. You get a branded make and nice design and someone from abroad takes it and sells it at a cheaper price. There should be taxes on imported goods like in the US. I hear people complaining about copying but it is hard to say...

Interface signs over UK arm.
May 5, 2006... US textile firm Interface Fabrics has sold its Yorkshire operation to its bosses in a #16m deal. A management team led by Paul Goodall, UK md, inherits a factory employing 120 in Meltham and offices in Mirfield, with 100 staff. Andrew...

Bright WOLED future.(white organic light emitting diodes)(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Customer resistance next step for energy efficient bulbs Researchers have improved the efficiency of white organic light emitting diodes (WOLED) making them a viable alternative to incandescent bulbs. The breakthrough could see UK...

Solus gears up for Color Kinetics.
May 5, 2006... Global lighting systems manufacturer Color Kinetics has boosted its sales coverage in the European market with the appointment of two new distribution partners in the UK. Solus Solutions in Glasgow is the new North of England and Scotland...

Floor move for Buxtons.(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Retailer Buxtons of Brighton is moving to new premises following its decision to concentrate on its contract flooring division. The unit at Woodingdean Business Park on the outskirts of the town was more tailored to its needs, said Scott...

Cashmere firm swaps scarves for sofas.
May 5, 2006... Cashmere manufacturer and retailer Johnstons is expanding into the furniture and furnishings market. The 200 year-old company, which also plans to target the luggage market, said the move would allow it to exploit its traditional image and...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Scotland's hot bed of growth.(for Sleep Depot, Off to Bed and The Bed Shed)
May 5, 2006... Three retailers are battling it out in the same area of the market, but can Scotland cope with such saturation? Mark Lewis looks at their chances Go to King Street in Kilmarnock or High Street, Dundee and you will see The Bed Shed. That's...

Who's who in Scottish beds retailers.
May 5, 2006... Colin Montgomery Now: Five-store Bed Depot (Scottish subsidiary of Sleep Depot) md Then: The Bed Shed md, left September 2005, after serving notice following the acquisition of parent Homestyle by Steinhoff in May 2005 Noel...

SHOP WINDOW - Lighting: Slamp.
May 5, 2006... The Medusa Chandelier, designed by Nigel Coates for Slamp, is available in BlueGel and Black. It has a transparent Teflon suspension cable, and a double-shell ceiling rose in aluminium finish plastic. There is a chrome-plated brass lamp-holder...

SHOP WINDOW - Lighting: Bakebean.
May 5, 2006... Bakebean's Clean is an experimental light designed by J Townsend. The shape was determined by five recycled polyethylene detergent bottles fitted together around the handle. Tel: 01920 871 381 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - Lighting: Scabetti.
May 5, 2006... The Drawn To The Light chandelier by Scabetti is made from a cluster of 36 pure white bone china forms, suspended on a transparent line concentrically around a light source and freely rotating through 360x, casting shadows on walls and...

SHOP WINDOW - Lighting: Materialise.MGX.
May 5, 2006... Inspired by nature, the Omi lamp from Materialise.MGX takes on a new shape if an end is twisted or bent. Designer Assa Ashuach has used laser sintering technology to create the nylon lamp. Tel: 00 32 1629 6650 Copyright: CMP...

STORE MANAGER: Sources of contention.
May 5, 2006... Anonymised information may be the only option in disciplinary proceedings. Clive Day explains how to do this without risking a claim for unfair dismissal A case involving Walkers Crisps, known as the Moneybags case, highlighted the...

STORE MANAGER: Off the record.(employers check criminal records before appointing)(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... The law on checking criminal records is governed by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The principle behind the Act is to ensure that less serious crimes do not stay on offenders' records forever, preventing them from obtaining...

INTERVIEW - HELEN YARDLEY: Floor shows.
May 5, 2006... Designing rugs is an adventure for Helen Yardley which her clients are keen to join, as Rachel Calton finds out Bold, extreme, abstract - call it what you will, but whatever it is works for rug designer Helen Yardley. With more than 20...

DINING ROOMS.
May 5, 2006... Research says that traditional dining room furniture is dying out in many homes across Britain due to smaller households, cafeteria-style dining in the home and the rise of the TV as the focal point at meal times. Market analyst Mintel...

DINING ROOMS: Tables live on.
May 5, 2006... With reports of the demise of dining room furniture, in the UK Rachel Calton discovers that there is still demand for tables with a dual purpose Tailor made Helen Yardley is used to designing rugs to complement other people's homes...

DINING ROOMS: Comfort and joy.
May 5, 2006... `The dining area is so important: it is where you spend time with family and friends. We have a window seat, comfortable chairs, nice furniture and a real fireplace' Noel Hennessy, connoisseur, and contemporary furniture retailer, carries...

DINING ROOMS: Best of both worlds.
May 5, 2006... John Hood, Interios md, enjoys two styles of dining in his home and has a table to match both. In the cottage style kitchen the family, including two children, enjoy an Italian style of dining. `We put a huge emphasis on meals as a family -...

RETAIL INTELLIGENCE: March trading.(sales rise)
May 5, 2006... After the whirlwind of the January sales, retailers were tentatively optimistic that it would be the start of a trend to lift the furniture sector. February showed fairly static growth, but March brought dismal results. While March is...

SHOW PREVIEW: June diary.
May 5, 2006... Interiors shows dominate, starting in London, as Danusia Osiowy reports Interiors inspiration Following the successful launch of Grand Designs Live in 2005, the show returns to London's ExCel from 2-4 June, 25% greater in size and...

CM offcuts: Retailer with a mission to please.(John Winter )(Interview)
May 5, 2006... John Winter is the owner of Simply Pine in Surrey How did you get started in the industry? I worked for a guy who had a department store in Kingston subletting areas to smaller traders, and I saw how easy it was to make money from...

CM offcuts: Off to a good start.(Paul Ezard)(Brief article)
May 5, 2006... Running the London Marathon on 23 April, Paul Ezard of Town & Country Furniture in Bridgend said he was pretty serious at the start but relaxed a bit `when Elvis Presley passed me after eight miles and said "Thank you very much ma'am" when he...

More jobs go as Millbrook Beds loses its last multiple.(Sleepmasters ends contract with Millbrook Beds, signs Relyon Group PLC)
May 12, 2006... Sleepmasters swaps top end supplier for Steinhoff sister company Relyon Sleepmasters has dumped supplier Millbrook Beds in favour of sister firm Relyon, in a move which will cause a further spate of redundancies at the Southampton firm....

Turnaround Tracey departs from Harveys.(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... David Tracey has become the latest Harveys employee to fall victim to the retailer's logistics crisis. The erstwhile commercial director, who joined the firm two years ago together with fellow MFI alumni Neil Allan md, is now seeking...

Double haul in furniture consignments.
May 12, 2006... Drugs and tobacco smugglers thwarted The vulnerability of furniture as a means of smuggling was highlighted again this week after two new cases emerged. At the weekend two Real IRA suspects were arrested in Spain on suspicion of being...

Barn solves Surrey store expansion plan.
May 12, 2006... The Bed Centre in Bramley, Surrey has increased its floorspace by half, and will branch out into bedroom furniture, with the lease of a 19th century barn at the back of its store. The 3,000sqft barn will double the size of the premises, but...

CBI joins call for coordinated IP protection.(Confederation of British Industry, intellectual property)
May 12, 2006... Help could be on the way for retailers wary of inadvertently selling stolen furniture design after Sir Digby Jones, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director general called for the creation of a Government ministry in charge of patents...

In brief: Interios resites stores.
May 12, 2006... Interios is to close seven stores as it rolls out its new brand and livery. But with some stores relocated and a new Interios unit to open in Romford, the business said its objective would be to have the same number of stores as the original...

In brief: Next Aberdeen swap.
May 12, 2006... High street giant Next will open a showcase store in the #200m Bon Accord Quarter redevelopment in Aberdeen. The fashion and homeware retailer will take 25,000sqft of trading space, more than double the amount it occupies in the city's existing...

In brief: Limited benefit.(London Retail Consortium argues over Transport for London's consultation into pollution)(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... The London Retail Consortium (LRC) has argued the capital's proposed low emission zones (LEZ) will have limited benefits but excessive costs. Responding to Transport for London's consultation into pollution, Alastair McKay, LRC chairman,...

In brief: House sales up 37%.(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... The number of homes sold in England and Wales increased by 37% between January and March against the same period a year ago, according to Land Registry figures released this week. Prices rose 5.05% in the year to 31 March to an average #192,745...

Furniture is viable says Templeman.
May 12, 2006... Debenhams boss is committed to having a furniture offering at the department stores Rob Templeman, Debenhams chief executive has been trying to convince the firm's shareholders that furniture is a viable proposition at the newly listed...

Growth all round at Dreams.(Dreams )(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... Dreams has pledged to continue its aggressive bout of store openings as it filed accounts for 2005 which showed a 37% rise in net profit. The #5.1m figure comes on the back of a 20% jump in total sales to #126.4m, and suggests the firm has...

LoL advert must clarify age limit.
May 12, 2006... ASA upholds pensioner's challenge over retailer's `misleading' age limit omission Land of Leather has been prevented from broadcasting its latest commercial after an 80 year-old man was refused a `nothing to pay for a year' deal because he...

Best of British.(Design Britain)(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... Design Britain, celebrating British design and manufacture, will feature at London Interiors in July, following its launch at the Interiors Event in January. Designed by Michael Sodeau, it will display contemporary designs spanning the 1940s to...

Seeing the light in Japan.
May 12, 2006... UK business should have a better appreciation of LED technology and its diverse applications following a Department of Trade & Industry mission to Japan. Japan, a world leader in LED technology launched a national Light for the 21st...

Letter: Beds taunt is all in the name of choice.(Letter to the editor)
May 12, 2006... Your analysis on Scottish beds retailing was spot on (CM, 5 May p12). Off to Bed is really shaking up the market right now, and we're targeting The Bed Shed. If some company kept opening next door to you and possibly taking millions from...

Letter: Black could be the new brown.(Letter to the editor)
May 12, 2006... For several weeks I have been reading in your magazine that black leather upholstery has overtaken brown as the bestselling colour. We manufacture upholstery leather and supply a large number of furniture manufacturers in this country and...

Leader: Victims of success.
May 12, 2006... Harveys loss of three directors charged with operations in the past 18 months certainly tells a story. While the problems it has encountered managing the logistical side of the business may seem to indicate mismanagement, the fact that it can't...

Views by Steve Gotham.
May 12, 2006... While the nation is in danger of acquiring some form of foot fetish over the next few weeks, bombarded with updates on poor Wayne, the furniture industry is holding its breath over the more immediate state of play. Forthcoming events in Germany...

Talk: Stop staff going sick during world cup.
May 12, 2006... Do you plan on doing anything to stop staff going off sick during the world cup? `I will be probably going off sick myself. I may have to pay double commission so that should be enough. Seriously though, we have nothing planned and I do...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Who's in charge?
May 12, 2006... While local business rate setting may mean an end to faceless Whitehall control, are retailers right to fear they will be an easy target for revenue, asks Mark Lewis An influential interim report on the future of local government has...

NEWS ANALYSIS: How rates are worked out.(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... Every five years the rateable value of all 1.75million business properties in England and Wales are reassessed. The most recent revaluation was 1 April 2005. The Valuation Office Agency is responsible for setting the rateable value of...

NEWS ANALYSIS: High Point: playing for time?
May 12, 2006... Blame bad weather, changing dates or its Las Vegas rival, but the prime US furniture show is left eyeing the future with concern, says Deven Pamben If High Point was worried about the threat from newcomer Las Vegas World Market Centre,...

Shop window - living room: Molteni and C.
May 12, 2006... Molteni&C has launched the 707 range of drawer units distinguished by a tray-shaped top and the 45x positioning of drawers and structure. The 707 is available in wood or colour-lacquered finish. Tel: 00 39 0362 3591 Copyright: CMP...

Shop window - living room: McDonagh.
May 12, 2006... The pippy oak grain of McDonagh's Loft storage collection, launched at this year's Interiors Event, gives an extra dimension that has proved popular with consumers, along with its flexible storage facility. Tel: 028 3833 3215 ...

Shop window - living room: Rolf Benz.
May 12, 2006... The open wooden frame on the Rolf Benz 370 sofa can be moved on castors and permits the seat depth to be adjusted to any position. The frame is available with an oak veneer or painted. Tel: 00 49 89 6937 5334 Copyright: CMP Information...

Shop window - living room: Picture House.
May 12, 2006... The fully working marble Napoli fireplace from Picture House hides a plasma TV, which lifts automatically to viewing height at the touch of the remote. Tel: 01932 345184 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Shop window - living room: TAO.
May 12, 2006... The TAO furniture is designed according to the Feng Shui theory of harmony, with rounded edges to avoid aggressive structures, and no handles. All doors extend 20mm above the upper edge making them easier to open. Tel: 00 41 41 831 80 80...

Shop window - living room: Cattelan Italia.
May 12, 2006... Italian firm Cattelan Italia has added to its furniture range with the introduction of a wooden modular bookcase lacquered white, black or red. The modern, minimal look derives from the clean edges and the practicality of storage. Tel: 00...

STORE MANAGER: The right balance.
May 12, 2006... Running your own business can overtake your personal life - if you let it. Lindsay Payne looks at ways of making sure that neither area suffers Many people start their own business because of the flexibility it affords. Putting down...

RETAIL - DARLINGS OF CHELSEA: Home grown.
May 12, 2006... While its customers may have the assurance of British quality, a physical store is adding valuable support for etailer Darlings, as Alison Gay reports `British products don't have to be expensive,' says John Darling, md of Darlings of...

RETAIL - DARLINGS OF CHELSEA: Online trading tips.(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... * It helps to be technology savvy, so learn the basics. It is a big overhead to outsource all your technology. * Invest in good images. * Invest in a system that checks IP addresses to check that customers are bonafide. * Make...

SOFT FURNISHINGS - TABLEWARE: Over dressed?
May 12, 2006... While furniture retailers see the value in add-on sales, they are divided over whether tableware should be left to the specialists, reports Rachel Calton Dining may have lost its formality in most homes, except at Christmas, but that is...

SOFT FURNISHINGS - TABLEWARE: Runner jump.
May 12, 2006... When it comes to table dressing, table runners have been eclipsing the sales of the more traditional tablecloths for some years. According to Tony Wilkinson, Riviera Textiles sales manager, runners are gaining the most positive feedback from...

REGENERATION - BRISTOL: Retail reclaim.(new shopping center development)
May 12, 2006... In the latest of the series looking at regeneration-driven locations for retail expansion, Jennifer Pulling reports on efforts to revitalise Bristol city centre and gathers the views of local retailers Bristol's reputation has waxed and...

REGENERATION - BRISTOL: Broadmead BID.(Business Improvement District, shopping centers and urban development)(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... The Business Improvement District (BID) team has the specific aims of improving the street scene in the Broadmead area. Merchants Quarter is a great opportunity for existing retailers: business will spill over and new shoppers will be attracted...

REGENERATION - BRISTOL: Planning ahead.(Brief article)
May 12, 2006... The regeneration of Bristol is long overdue. It has struggled over the years to solve the problem but it needed much more than that. Even though it's just a large area flattened by bulldozers at the moment, by 2008 it will have a wonderful...

REGENERATION - BRISTOL: What do the retailers think?
May 12, 2006... Orchards Robin Orchard, the second generation of the independent furniture store Orchards, describes himself as director, tea maker and everything else except vacuuming. The 25,000sqft store in Nailsea, about 10 miles from Bristol, was...

UNDERCOVER SHOPPER: Preston.(Atkinsons)(Bold Street Bed Centre)(Walmsley's)(Bambers of Preston)(Sleepmasters)
May 12, 2006... Five stores are visited every month to check service. This month we look at: Preston The Queen granted Preston cityhood in March 2002 to mark her Golden Jubilee, so the town that began as an estate belonging to a priest, became the...

CM offcuts: Scrapyard challenge.
May 12, 2006... It seems one person's loss is another's gain in the furniture industry. In fact, Jim Church, 30, from Forest Hill, runs a business that depends on it. He regularly visits tips and scrapyards to hunt down parts of abandoned machinery and other...