Evteks 2011 Setting trends
Tom Hilb keeps Buying
The Best in drapery
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Sertex’s Bakıt Baydalıev says market adaptation and product diversity are crucial to success at Evteks
Vol. 21, No. 3
Heritage House makes third acquisition in seven years en route to $20mm business
F&FI brings you its top decorative drapery fabric suppliers
The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper • www.fabricsandfurnishings.com
Summer 2011
Valley Forge Projects 2012 Business Upswing, Benefits for U.S. Mills Sourcing Expert Ahmet Sapmaz Sees Shift from China to U.S., Turkey by Eric Schneider
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OMPANO BEACH, Florida — According to Ahment Sapmez, the 40 year-old vice president of strategic global business develop-
Ahmet Sapmaz
ment for Valley Forge Fabrics, the fabric business used to be about the largest producer and the smaller producer but today it’s about the fastest and the slowest. Sapmez is known throughout the world as one of the most important buyers of fabrics for drapery, upholstery and bedding if the not the biggest buyer of hospitality textiles. “We are the largest decorative fabric supplier to the hospitality trade with great strength in upholstery, drapery and for the past four years, a growing presence in bedding fabrics and sheeting,” said Sapmaz. “We prefer green suppliers because sustainability for us is a
very important factor in the actual product and the way it’s produced.” The perception is that green costs more but VFF started to cut profit margins even before the economic crisis, according to Sapmez, and it changed the green model. The buyer started to focus on price and delivery; green was less important to them, he added. “2012 should be a great year for the industry, “said Spamaz, “We’re optimistic. People have learned how to live in the economic crisis and survive. The consumer is looking for ways to improve lives without the same greedy spending frenzy we had before.” He explained that a lot of things
Indian Drapery Manufacturers Ramp Up Production Capacities Prospect for ready-mades remain positive but price sensitive by S. Vishwanath
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umbai, India — Indian drapery manufacturers are bullish on the drapery business as mills begin to add new capacities, a move that points to a greater market share for India. Still, however, Turkish suppliers continue to ascend the ladder of success and China remains strong in mass production. India is carving out its niche in the market with draperies by offering quality and innovation at affordable rates.
The leading producer, D’ Decor Exports, India, has installed a capacity of over 12 million meters a year with almost 90% capacity utilization. “We are now in the process of expanding further with a new facility of 25,000 square meters with a state of the art weaving unit and it will begin operation by November of this year making the total capacity up to 16 million meters,” said Sanjay Arora, managing director, (Continued on page 18) D’ Decor
Sanjay Arora
are now happening in the hotel business: Revenue per room, or “RevPar” is up; occupancy is up; people are traveling more, sales of hotel properties are up and consequently franchises are changing and property is being renovated. Sapmaz’s business is unique because he gets specified in the job 18 months before the order arrives.
He estimates that it takes this long for the hotel to be designed and then built. It takes VFF 18 months to get the order from the approved sample. With the business slowdown, Sapmaz explained, VFF was the last to feel the impact because it had business in the pipeline and it took a while to empty that pipeline and feel the (Continued on page 14)
James Dunlop Supports Mokum’s U.S. Presence Days After Christchurch, NZ’s Earthquake by Marc Weinreich
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HRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — James Dunlop Textiles is providing the primary support for Mokum Textiles in the U.S., a company that JDT acquired in the first quarter of this year. According to Ben Moir, president of JDT, business is “back on a growth phase after an 18-month flat market” that included damage to its facilities from a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that crippled parts of Christchurch in February.
Anne Stevenson & Ben Moir
“Our Southern logistics hub was destroyed and there was severe damage to our headquarters,” said Moir. “A temporary location offsite was set up within 48-hours of the quake and all payments and transactions were met on time and in full.” James Dunlop Textiles acquired the Mokum brand because Mokum has over 30 years of experience in textile design, development and distribution with a design studio in Sydney. According to Moir, three quarters of the product-line from JDT is developed in-house with proprietary designs. Other brands distributed include Christian Fischbacher, Creation Baumann, Designs of the Time, FR-One, Voyage, Lorient, Villa Nova and Zinc. The entire (Continued on page 8)