Cabinet Maker articles from November 2005

Cabinet Maker archives from November 2005

Wade saves Feather & Black.
November 4, 2005... Wade to honour outstanding orders as mid-market bed chain is added to upmarket Perfect Nights operation to secure a major presence in the sector Charles Wade has strengthened his retail presence with the purchase of the assets of bed chain...

Wholesalers disagree with gloomy CBI.
November 4, 2005... Furniture wholesalers have rejected figures in the latest CBI report, which said they were heavily slammed by the high street slump. The report said sales volumes have taken a hit, following poor performances by retailers. According to...

More firms go on critical list.
November 4, 2005... Retailers now account for 7% of troubled businesses warns new research There has been a hike in the number of businesses facing critical financial difficulties, claims research out this week. The furniture industry has seen numerous...

Made to measure.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Heal's has introduced a bespoke furniture service in a move to beat off competitors in the fight for high street custom. The launch of the service coincides with its new four-floor Batley, Leeds store, opening on Saturday, 5 November. ...

Foam plant to be closed.(Vitafoam)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Vitafoam is to close its High Wycombe foam converting facility in a move which Peter Hudson, md called a symptom of a tough market. The converter, which has been pummelled by the slowdown in the retail market and the administration of major...

IN BRIEF: McKee for Courts.
November 4, 2005... Leo McKee, former Courts chairman, is the new ceo of Brighthouse, replacing Mike Sweetland. Brighthouse is expanding, with eight stores to open in the next year. It currently has around 130 outlets across the country. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Fly-posting dispute.
November 4, 2005... DIY retailers B&Q and Homebase in Watford could face antisocial behaviour orders because of a dispute over fly-posting. Local council officers gave the stores a warning after posters were found on lamp- posts, railings and roundabouts in the...

IN BRIEF: Reform criticised.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... The Government was wrong to back down on public sector pension reform, according to John Sunderland, CBI president. In a letter signed by 16 other business leaders, including Stuart Rose, Marks & Spencer chief executive, Sunderland criticised...

IN BRIEF: Orama deal.
November 4, 2005... Independent worksurface manufacturer Orama has agreed an exclusive distribution deal with Bodel Distributors. Bodel will distribute the Maia range of solid wood surfaces in Northern Ireland. The relationship between the two started in 1980. ...

IN BRIEF: Footfall blow.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Last week retailers saw a 10% drop in footfall compared to the same week last year, in what should have been a promising week for sales. Consultant SPSL said the fall indicated that sales in the run-up to Christmas would be hard-fought. Last...

Argos makes more room for furniture.
November 4, 2005... The catalogue store's latest outlet devotes more floorspace to display furniture and homewares A new-look Argos store will dedicate 2,100sqft of floorspace to furniture displays in a move to capitalise on this burgeoning sector of its...

Wholesale development.
November 4, 2005... Uber Design, an import and distribution company, will be launched at The Furniture Show (22-25 January 2006) by the people behind the three- store East2West Furniture Company. It will sell a contemporary cabinet range and is also working with a...

Magnet to cut costs as sales fall.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Magnet and sister company Gower suffered a 9% sales drop in the past quarter as profitability fell by almost a fifth. Sales declined to #86.75m in the third quarter and by 6% to #265m for the three quarters. Operating margin fell from 5.8%...

Fire probe excessive says retailer.
November 4, 2005... Retailer P Goddard & Sons has accused the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) for being over zealous in an investigation which left the retailer with a bill of #17,500. The home and business furnishing company in Brentford,...

Big four domination.
November 4, 2005... Department store sales will be increasingly concentrated on the big four operators as the sector shrinks, according to retail analyst Verdict Verdict on Department Stores 2005 found that for the second year running, sales in the UK...

Halo to open mini homes in-store.
November 4, 2005... Halo is to launch a studio initiative in a Jersey retailer as part of an effort to raise the profile of the brand in stores. The initiative follows the strategy of suppliers such as Natuzzi and Bo Concept which have guaranteed floorspace in...

Irish kitchen market hotting up.
November 4, 2005... Manufacture of kitchen furniture in the Irish Republic is expected to see continued growth over the next four years, according to AMA Research. It estimates the market to be worth e633m (#428.69m) at the manufacturers' selling price. The...

Retailers fear online attack.
November 4, 2005... Furniture stores prepare for Christmas challenge as Amazon plans to reduce delivery costs Furniture retailers face further challenges in the run-up to Christmas as Internet retailer Amazon plans to open a new distribution centre and cut...

Creative addition.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... The Arts Foundation has put furniture design back on its list of annual fellowships for 2006. There has been a 10-year hiatus on the Furniture Fellowship, which last made an appearance in 1996. The Arts Foundation gives just five fellowships a...

Deposits may be lost.(Vintage Sofas )(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Customers may have lost thousands of pounds after the closure of Vintage Sofas in Camden Town, London. The two unit store closed two weeks ago after trading in Stables Market for two years, and could owe customers up to #15,000 in deposits...

Letter: Multiple hours.(Letter to the Editor)
November 4, 2005... In News analysis, Not an open and shut case (CM,21 Oct p10) I am quoted complaining that a relaxation of the Sunday trading laws would see managers knock off at 5.30pm while the salesmen slog on until 8pm. That remains the case, but applies...

Letter: Thanks to sponsors.(Letter to the Editor)
November 4, 2005... I wanted to thank everyone in Long Eaton for their kind and generous support in sponsoring me on my Peruvian charity hike for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres. We were privileged to see some of the most remote landscape in the world. In the three...

Leader: A vote of confidence for F&B.(Feather & Black)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Bed retailer Feather & Black has been saved, both from administration and the plight of being run by the banks. It must be comforting to know it has found a home with a company who has a successful track record in furniture and cares about the...

Views by David Dawkins.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... The industry is suffering. There is little doubt that a lot of that is down to economic conditions far outside our control. But it is also the unprofessional way that some people did business, which does not seem to have gone away completely....

Talk: What makes a great salesman?(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... `Confidence and being able to relate to people from all walks of life. Honesty. People have seen flash salesmen, and customers prefer to get the right information. Finally, someone who is driven and enjoys selling and making the figures and the...

ANALYSIS: Loose rungs on the property ladder.
November 4, 2005... An upturn in housing is a good sign for furniture retailers, but do not expect too much, reports Charlotte Walsh Change may well be underfoot in the property market, according to the British Banker's Association (BBA). Last week it...

STORE MANAGER: Don't be floored by the law.(mezzanine floor regulations)
November 4, 2005... Time is running out for retailers planning a mezzanine floor without planning permission, as changes in the law are imminent, says Clare Prior Mezzanine floors are frequently added to achieve more floorspace for retailers, but a new law is...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING ROOM: Janmilne.
November 4, 2005... Janmilne produces its distinctive designs by printing them on to a variety of media. This highly decorative acrylic screen can also be used as a room divider. Tel: 0141 5891 446 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING ROOM: Naughtone.
November 4, 2005... Naughtone's Plus storage unit has five equally sized spaces. The 45 degrees angle of storage pulls together its contents, giving an organised and uncluttered appearance. Users can have one, three or five doors providing the opportunity for an...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING ROOM: Irion Furniture System.
November 4, 2005... Irion Furniture System's modular shelf system is made from birch plywood and acrylic elements. It is available in 16 different colours to combine and create an individual piece of furniture. Tel: 00 41 522 037 524 Copyright: CMP...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING ROOM: YP Furniture.
November 4, 2005... YP Furniture's TV dinner table from its Country House collection is available in four hand-painted brushed pastel colours, or a combination of a hand-painted colour complemented by one of two colours of polished wood. Tel: 0115 9730 300...

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING ROOM: Baker Furniture.
November 4, 2005... Baker Furniture's Zen coffee table blends the rustic with contemporary and suits both modern and traditional roomsettings. The furniture is made from a combination of plantation and reclaimed teak, where no two pieces will be exactly the same....

SHOP WINDOW - LIVING ROOM: Screen Productions.
November 4, 2005... Screen Productions designs and manufactures screens and wall panels with striking imagery to enhance space in a practical and imposing way. The Hoster screen is part of the Abstract Nature collection. Tel: 020 8675 9735 Copyright: CMP...

INTERVIEW - DAVID BOXER: Glam rocks.
November 4, 2005... David Boxer reckons that far too many furniture stores are dull, so suggests adding excitement to shopping to boost sales, as Sonia Soltani discovers David Boxer is discontentedly waving the business pages of a national newspaper - he...

PROFILE - HERTFORD HOUSE: Solo success story.
November 4, 2005... As DP Furniture Express franchisees consider their future, Andrew Kidd talks to one former franchisee who has prospered since leaving the group This month Thomas Hoare, Hertford House Furniture md celebrates his second anniversary as a...

DESIGN - PLASTIC: Flexible openings.
November 4, 2005... The Italian domination of plastic furniture may be about to end with new players, including British designs, entering the market, reports Sonia Soltani Clare Edmondson, Aria furniture manager, looks around the London store to find plastic...

DESIGN - PLASTIC: Green party members.
November 4, 2005... Designers Trent Jennings and Namon Gaston have been working with polypropylene for four years because of its `environmental edge', says Jennings, Blue Marmalade director. Furniture and home accessories produced by the Edinburgh company are...

ADVERTORIAL: Back to the future at TFS.
November 4, 2005... The Furniture Show has dramatically changed in recent years, and now has nine halls bursting with contemporary and traditional installations from around the world. The event provides an opportunity to source the newest furniture ranges and give...

TECHNOLOGY - VIRAL MARKETING: Friendly persuasion.
November 4, 2005... Using email can create a low cost marketing campaign with the help of existing customers to encourage new customers, says Lindsay Payne Viral marketing offers small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to target a whole new set of...

VIRAL MARKETING: Tips for campaigns.
November 4, 2005... While each viral campaign is unique, there are a few basic tips to follow: Know your audience Identify what motivates your customers. It's worth doing some research and analysing any information you have on them. Different...

RETAIL - INTELLIGENCE: September trading.(retail stores sales report )
November 4, 2005... After showing a few glimmers of life in August, the market continued to show signs of recovery from the lows of the summer - but only small signs. Compared with August, some 29% of retailers reported a decline in the value of sales, 15%...

SHOW PREVIEW: AWARDS - WINNING WAYS.
November 4, 2005... Inside Interiors Party & Awards Tuesday 24 January 2006 The Forum, NEC As part of the changes with Inside, several new award categories have been introduced, both for retailers and products. There will be six retail awards up...

SHOW PREVIEW: CELEBRATE WITH THE CREAM OF INDUSTRY.
November 4, 2005... INSIDE - INTERIORS PARTY & AWARDS To reflect the demands of a changing interiors market and capitalise fully on the success of The Interiors Event (22-25 January) The Furniture Awards, after 12 years, have become Inside - The Interiors...

SHOW PREVIEW: A chance to buy.
November 4, 2005... INDONESIA FURNITURE FAIR For those of you who cannot wait until January for the major buying shows such as The Furniture Show and IMM Cologne, Indonesia offers the last buying opportunity of the year. The Balai Sidang Jakarta...

MARKET REVIEW: A journey worth taking.(Habitat website review)(www.habitat.net)
November 4, 2005... Spending time and money on a website should produce one to be proud of. This is certainly the case for Habitat, as Jamie Stern-Weiner discovered It is obvious from the stylish design, the extensive content and the clever interactive Flash...

Happiness is sleep and Chinese chat.(surveys on job satisfaction)(Jay-Be)(Interview)
November 4, 2005... Linette Gomersall is international business coordinator for Jay-Be What does your job involve? All aspects of the import and export side of our business, from maintaining stock and organising shipments, checking quality, answering...

Live your life with free food.(Inter IKEA Systems B.V. employee food services)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2005... Ikea employees are being encouraged to eat more healthily in a campaign to improve people's work/life balance. Staff are given one piece of fresh seasonal fruit every day, and there is a free salad bar with vegetables and pulses in the...

Chief moves at Bouyant and Homestyle.(Homestyle appoints Bill Carrahar)(Buoyant Upholstery appoints Steve Gill)(Steinhoff International Holdings Ltd. appoints Ian Topping)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Bill Carrahar, Buoyant Upholstery md is to head Homestyle's #200m bed division comprising Bensons Beds, Sleepmasters and The Bed Shed from 5 December. Confirmation of his starting date came as his successor at Buoyant was named as Steve...

MBO saves DPFE.
November 11, 2005... DP Furniture Express has been rescued from administration by a management buyout led by John Hood, commercial director and Colin McQueen, Swansea franchisee. The future of the company's 28 franchisees is undecided, and they are waiting to find...

Cash boost to enable Lombok expansion.(Barclays' investments)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Lombok has secured #3.5m of funding to support its expansion plans. As well as raising funds from the nine-store chain's management and increased borrowing facilities from Barclays, at least #1.5m was secured by selling a `significant...

Stag goes direct.
November 11, 2005... Retailers have threatened to stop stocking Stag Furniture after realising the manufacturer is selling products online. The news that the Sunderland-based supplier, which specialises in living room, bedroom and home office furniture, has...

Window shopping.
November 11, 2005... Thousands of shoppers will walk past Greenapple's designs in the run-up to Christmas as 16 pieces from its collection adorn Harrods' Christmas window displays. The displays will include the Arco coat stand, Wave lamp, occasional tables and...

Tesco to sell furniture.
November 11, 2005... Tesco is set to enter the furniture market next spring, with a store in Cardiff. Cabinet Maker understands that the chain has hired a firm of headhunters to recruit managers to run the department. The agency apparently spent two hours talking...

Volume to reshape for the market.(restructuring at the design firm Volume )(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Design and import firm Volume is continuing to supply its existing ranges during the downsizing and reorganisation of the business. Steve Armitage, md put the changes within the company down to difficult trading times as many of its...

IN BRIEF: Cartel crackdown.(United Kingdom's Office of Fair Trading's campaign on unfair trade practices )(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Businesses involved in anti-competitive agreements are being urged to blow the whistle on cartels, in an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) campaign. The OFT found a quarter of small to medium-sized businesses felt they had been a victim of...

IN BRIEF: Sunday U-turn.(John Lewis Partnership PLC to extend Sunday trading)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... John Lewis is making a U-turn on its stance over Sunday opening hours, saying it would open for longer on Sunday if the Government backed a change to the law. According to the Daily Telegraph, Andy Street, personnel director, wrote to all...

IN BRIEF: Edinburgh makeover.(commercial redevelopment plans in the City)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Plans have been unveiled to give Edinburgh's Princes Street a #200m facelift with retail space possibly increasing by 500,000sqft. The redevelopment project aims to restore the fortunes of the retail sector and boost business and tourism in the...

IN BRIEF: One voice for eight.
November 11, 2005... The FSIG will discuss becoming a confederation of trade associations at its next meeting on 15 November. The proposed confederation would act as a non-biased voice for eight trade associations, stepping forward on issues where the interests of...

IN BRIEF: Power trio.
November 11, 2005... Three furniture executives have made it into The Times's Power 100 list of the most powerful business people. David Jones, Next chairman, was 33rd; Stuart Rose, Marks & Spencer chief executive, 41st; and Gerry Murphy, Kingfisher chief executive...

Upmarket test for Furniture Village.(Furniture Village plans for a new store)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Furniture Village is to launch an upmarket store format which, if successful, could see the chain repositioned away from the middle market. The FV2 format will be trialled at Southampton - one of its five best performing branches - from Boxing...

Hawkridge goes international.(Bureau Veritas appoints David Hawkridge)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... David Hawkridge, former Mobeltest md has joined international testing firm Bureau Veritas as a consultant. Hawkridge had planned to join FIRA (CM, 28 Oct, p16), but chose Bureau Veritas as it offered more hours of employment. `Bureau...

Fight halts production.(DeCoro's supervisors fights with staff)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Leather upholstery producer DeCoro has told customers that agreed pre- Christmas deliveries will arrive in time despite production being halted for two and a half days following a fight between Italian supervisors and 10 former Chinese staff....

City: GUS and Next break downtrend.(Great Universal Stores PLC sells Wehkamp business)(Next shows improved financial performance)(Homestyle's financial performance)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... GUS gained 39p on announcing the sale of Wehkamp, the leading home shopping brand in the Netherlands, and the last surviving part of the historically dominant GUS home shopping empire. The #266m raised from the sale will be used to reduce debt,...

Happy man.(Marks and Spencer PLC's shows improved financial performance,)(chief executive officer Stuart Rose delighted)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Stuart Rose, Marks & Spencer chief executive is delighted by the performance of the chain's furniture departments. Homeware sales rose by 2.1% in the 21 weeks to 1 October, driven by a large rise in furniture sales. This compared with a fall of...

Offers brighten October sales.
November 11, 2005... The furniture sector saw a slight sales growth in October, but this was thanks to promotions and sales, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Retail sales are improving across all sectors. While they fell by 0.2% on a...

M&S beats resistance levels.(Marks and Spencer PLC's stock performance analysis)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... The chart shows Marks & Spencer shares churning around 350p from January until September. The current upswing began when directors' share purchases alerted investors to the strong possibility of good news in the second quarter trading statement...

Unfair use of power.
November 11, 2005... Small businesses are being unfairly treated by energy providers, according to a campaign launched this week. The Make the Connection campaign claimed small businesses do not receive the same cooling-off period or protection as domestic...

A niche in Buxton.(Mike Starzac opens a furniture store)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... A new independent store, Alexanders, has opened in Buxton, Derbyshire, despite the tough climate for retailers. Owner Mike Starzac said that he and business partner Julie Collins had recognised `a niche in the market'. `We read about...

Letter: It's all about quality and customer service.(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2005... I felt compelled to write following Mike Spencer's article - A case of each to their own (CMInteriors extra, 28 Oct, p26). He has captured the whole essence of failure versus success. The Q in Question is all about Quality. When are retailers...

Letter: Call for politicians to act on fair trading.(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2005... The bssa is an association comprising some 5,000 small independent retailers, and it may surprise the reader to learn that it does not blame the successful large retailer for the pressures they are placing on the traditional high street trader...

Leader: Thinking and acting positive.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... The news pages of Cabinet Maker over the past few weeks have made depressing reading. If it wasn't an administration, it was gloomy statistics from analysts saying how badly the high streets have been performing. But none of this is anything we...

Views By Martin Kay.(Christmas business and furniture demand forecast)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... The pre-Christmas rush is already upon us and coming from order books which looked, to say the least, a little thinner than normal this summer, it's both a pleasure and an issue requiring some serious management thought. It has long been...

Talk: How can store managers boost staff morale.
November 11, 2005... How can store managers boost staff morale amid the slowdown in retailing? `Tell staff to be positive at all times. If 20% of people are unemployed it means 80% are working. There are always customers out there looking to buy. Disregard the...

ANALYSIS: Will reform help industry?(Company Law Reform Bill)
November 11, 2005... Details of the Company Law Reform Bill have been released. Deven Pamben asks furniture companies how the changes will affect their businesses The saying goes `the best things come to those who wait'. And after eight years of waiting...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDROOM: Line H.
November 11, 2005... The Lateral bedroom set from Line H is hand-crafted using the best of European quarter sawn oak and American walnut. The unique solid louvred and matched veneered surfaces give a contemporary edge to this traditionally constructed range. ...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDROOM: Alstons.
November 11, 2005... Pulse is Alstons' collection for children aged eight to 18 years. The fully painted range which includes a storage unit, wardrobe, drawer narrow chest, drawer wide chest, drawer bedside unit, desk, workstation and wall-mounted shelf unit, is...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDROOM: Nolte.
November 11, 2005... The Margo from Nolte features sliding and hinged door wardrobe runs with matching cabinets and beds. Direct home delivery and fitting is available. Tel: 01386 555 663 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SHOP WINDOW - BEDROOM: Wood Bros.
November 11, 2005... Wood Bros' Seville bedroom collection marks the manufacturer's entrance into the contemporary bedroom furniture market. The range features 10 pieces produced in European white oak, including a bed, chest of drawers, tallboy, wardrobes,...

SHOP WINDOW - BEDROOM: Gleneagle.
November 11, 2005... The Sherwood range from Gleneagle has an English oak finish. The natural beauty of the oak finish is complemented with quality brushed steel handles to complete the range. Tel: 01484 719 744 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

STORE MANAGER: Concession disputes.(customer relations and dispute resolution methods)
November 11, 2005... All relationships can have their ups and downs, and if you are running a concession it is vital you know how to resolve disputes, says Stephen Sidkin Things are going swimmingly with your new upholstery concession in a bed store and new...

RETAIL - PANGEA HOME: Furniture to Thai for.
November 11, 2005... A new London store is concentrating on top end products from South East Asia, a market few UK retailers have captured, reports Sonia Soltani While visiting exotic faraway places you've probably had the pleasure of discovering unusual...

CHAIRS - LIFT & RISE: Stand alone.
November 11, 2005... The market for lift and rise chairs is increasing, but for how much does style and technology count when selling to the elderly, asks Sonia Soltani? An 87 year-old woman living in the Yorkshire Dales, recently decided to invest in a lift...

REVIEW - VALENCIA: Stylish partners.(International Valencia Furniture Fair analysis)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2005... Traditional and contemporary styles were inspirationally teamed to provide an easy route around the event for buyers to follow, reports Alison Gay The current trend for eclecticism - mixing old with new, classic and contemporary,...

UNDERCOVER - SHOPPER: Chichester.
November 11, 2005... Five stores are visited every month to check service. This month we look at: Chichester is the third top place to live in England, according to a survey by MORI earlier this year. Close to the South Downs, it boasts one of Europe's largest...