Furniture News #319

This month: Utilising Fast Data Bensons’ MD on retail development Furniture China asserts its strengths

The essential guide to the UK domestic furniture and furnishings trade

October 2015

www.furniturenews.net

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“The maintenance of the high street’s existence and the support of its development is critical if physical retail is to survive”

Comment September was a crucial month for physical furniture retail, with independent, multiple and international retailers choosing to place their faith in the future of the high street by opening bricks and mortar stores.

One of the most significant of these is John Lewis’ £35m Birmingham store, situated in the Grand Central development in Birmingham New Street train station. The retailer’s largest store to open in four years – and one of its biggest within the UK – will create 650 new jobs across Birmingham, with an aim to reach the long-term and youth unemployed in the area.

The shop has been described as John Lewis’ most innovative to date – and it’s clear to see why – being chosen to launch new services including fashion and lifestyle concept loved&found and the first John Lewis-branded spa, &Beauty. This new store is a prime example of John Lewis’ commitment to not only improve the in-store experience it offers its customers, but also to include the high street in its growth strategy.

Furniture Village also opened its Enfield store last month, which is the retailer’s 41st shop in the UK, and houses over 50 of the biggest names in upholstery – such as Natuzzi, Calligaris, G Plan and Duresta – as well as dining ranges from companies like Willis & Gambier and ercol and around 45 bed brands including Sealy, Hypnos, Tempur and Vi-Spring. The store is part of Furniture Village’s expansion plan following its investment from the Business Growth Fund last year, and aims to help the retailer achieve its goal of remaining at the forefront of furniture retailing.

Also worth noting is the continuation of Jysk’s impressive

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growth – the Danish retail chain now boasts more than 2275 stores in 38 countries, and has just opened its first shop in Greece.

Launching an average of two new stores each week around the world, Jysk aims to open another three in Greece over the next few months.

What’s more, last month Ikea announced that it had started construction on its Reading store, which will be the first to be built in the UK in seven years. As well as creating 350 job opportunities, Ikea has made a £4m investment towards improving the local roads and junctions, providing a positive development for the area.

Not only does the opening of new stores entail the obvious benefits of providing work to local people and bringing visitors and trade to the area, but the maintenance of the high street’s existence and the support of its development is also critical if physical retail is to survive. Hopefully last month’s examples prove that the high street is far from dead, and the continued investment in this arena will secure its future.

Victoria Noakes Victoria Noakes, deputy editor T 01424 776105 E victoria@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @Victoria_FNmag

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CONTENTS

7 Partner comment

INFORMATION This month: Utilising Fast Data Bensons’ MD on retail development Furniture China asserts its strengths

The essential guide to the UK domestic furniture and furnishings trade

October 2015

www.furniturenews.net

Susan Inglis, the executive director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, explains how purchase interest in green furnishings is increasing

14 News Quest, Exclusive UK

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The Quest collection from Exclusive UK (www.exclusiveuk.co.uk)

Editor Paul Farley 01424 776101 paul@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @FurnitureNewsED Deputy editor Victoria Noakes 01424 776105 victoria@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @Victoria_FNmag

22 Interviews

Paul Farley interviews Bensons for Beds MD Alan Williams on the retailer’s direction, plus Bed Guru stars in this month’s Clickthrough interview

28 Events

A review of Shanghai’s Furniture China by Paul Farley, plus Victoria Noakes reports on her visits to Autumn Fair and Long Point

40 Resources

Advertising executive Trisha Fletcher 01424 776100 trisha@gearingmediagroup.com

Anders Ekman, president of DataMentors, explains why retailers should take notice of terms such as Big Data, plus Brian Barfield – author of Modern Day Selling – describes how to sell with vision and insight, and Jason O’Brien, COO of tollfreeforwarding.com, illustrates how to retain and motivate staff

Production manager James Ash 01424 775304 james@gearingmediagroup.com

48 Profiles

Advertising manager Sam Horscroft 01424 776100 sam@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @FurnitureNewsAD

Production deputy manager Katie Bate katie@gearingmediagroup.com

Bensons for Beds (22)

Featuring updates from Classic Furniture, Kettle Interiors, Besp-Oak, Corndell, Steed and Heritage

Rob Scarlett Meets ... (86)

Production assistant Stephanie Reading stephanie@gearingmediagroup.com Proofreader Keith Fitz-Hugh Editorial director John Legg 01424 776104 john@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @extralegg Publisher Nigel Gearing Accounts Wendy Williams 01424 774982 wendy@gearingmediagroup.com Subscriptions subscriptions@gearingmediagroup.com Annual Subscription Rates UK-£65 Europe-£85 RoW-£95 Repro, print and distribution Acorn Web Offset Ltd

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ISSN No: 1475 - 3731

© Gearing Media Group Ltd 2015 General information No part of this publication may be reproduced without the specific prior written agreement of the Publisher and may not be stored on any type of retrieval system. Furniture News/ Gearing Media Group Ltd accepts no responsibility for variations in colour reproduction. Special colours (Pantone etc) can be catered for with prior arrangement. Some elements of the editorial content in this publication are submitted by the trade, however, all efforts are made to ensure that the editorial remains true to fact and unbiased.

Monies may have been accepted to offset the costs of colour reproduction. Gearing Media Group Ltd reserves the right to alter without prior notice any content other than customers’ advertisements. No correspondence will be entered into regarding altered or adjusted editorial content. The editor’s decision is final. All material submitted for inclusion in Furniture News is done so entirely at the owner’s risk and no responsibility is accepted for the safekeeping or return thereof.

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Long Point (32)

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CONTENTS

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CONTRIBUTORS

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Susan Inglis Susan is a founding member and the executive director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council

40

Anders Ekman Anders is the president of DataMentors, a provider of Data-as-a-Service marketing solutions

42 Furniture China (28)

62 Beds & Bedroom

TCH is under the spotlight in October’s Feature Focus article

68 Dining room 74 Living room

Brian Barfield Brian is a two-time published author who specialises in retail sales training

44

80 Trade services

A round-up of industry service providers Robyn Hinchcliffe (92) TCH (66)

84 Furnisher

With a special focus on Gallery Direct and Louis de Poortere

Jason O’Brien Jason is the COO of tollfreeforwarding. com, an international telecommunications provider

86 Designer

Rob Scarlett of Scarlett Designs UK meets Marks & Spencer’s Adam Daghorn, plus textile product designer Robyn Hinchcliffe features in our In Design article

97 Last word

Baker Furniture’s national sales manager James Stevenson answers Furniture News’ questions on his career history and work and life philosophy

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Winner , Mid-Le vel Catego ry

stars

of 2015

Dexter, Gallery Direct Winner, Mid-Level Category “This range will be as relevant in five years’ time as it is now” – Rob Scarlett, Scarlett Design UK

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PARTNER COMMENT | 7

Media Partners

Furniture News enjoys partnerships with a wide range of key global and national institutions and exhibitions, and invites a spokesperson from each to share their views each month …

The US consumer is going green

EXCLUSIVE UK MEMBER

“Purchase interest in green furnishings is growing, with over half of all furnishings consumers indicating interest in buying eco-friendly home furnishings, if they like the style and the price is right for them” OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNER

Furniture News supports the aims and objectives of ACID (Anti Copying In Design) which is committed to fighting intellectual property theft

The 2015 Green Home Furnishings Consumer Study is the seventh wave of a national US survey conducted to assess consumer awareness, interest and behaviour in a variety of issues related to sustainable furnishings. The samples were intentionally limited to the prime demographics for purchasing home furnishings to ensure that the results would be most applicable to decisions made by companies that service this market. The 2015 study was conducted by Impact Consulting.

Overall, findings indicate a growing concern about sustainability issues and an interest in buying products that are good for the environment – so long as they meet given style and budget requirements. Quality, price and style are always the main drivers in choosing furnishings, but survey trends show that “good for the environment” is more and more part of the value consumers seek.

At least half consumers rate themselves as very or extremely aware and concerned about a range of environmental issues from toxic pollution to using up natural resources to deforestation, with no single issue being of much greater concern. This tells us that the “engaged” population has been holding steady at about 50%.

Most furniture consumers are taking action in a variety of ways, from recycling at home to switching to CFL lightbulbs, and over half have purchased green products in a variety of categories. However, they are still not buying as much in eco-friendly home furnishings products as they are in categories they can access more easily, such as recycled paper products and non-toxic cleaners. It is clear that this is mostly because they have not been made aware of the options.

Purchase interest in green furnishings is growing, with over half of all furnishings consumers indicating interest in buying eco-friendly home furnishings, if they like the style and the price is right for them. Those definitely interested has grown from around 30% when we began the surveys to about 40%. These are very healthy numbers.

The current survey indicates that price sensitivity may have peaked. Those who would pay nothing or only up to 5% more fell from a peak of 78% in 2010 to around 70% in the current survey. This is a significant drop. Further, the solid 30% who will pay more is in line with general consumer inclination to pay more for a favourite feature or brand.

Awareness of specific eco-options in furnishings remains largely unchanged, with recycled content, organic fabrics and reclaimed wood the most recognised – although, as we always warn, these are also the easiest to fake knowledge of because of the descriptiveness of the terms. It remains for the furniture salesperson to point out the significance of eco-features including other recycled or reclaimed content, bio-based foam, domestic manufacture, etc. It is clearly worth having the conversation, though, since most consumers will respond to these features when the product is their favoured style and price point.

The Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) offers a range of training programmes to ensure that furnishings professionals, as well as consumers, better understand the simple choices we can all make to help ensure a healthy future. The survey results show clearly that consumers, in the US at least, are eager for us to bust the myth that sustainable product looks a certain way or always costs more.

Susan Inglis is the executive director and a founding member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council (www. sustainablefurnishings.org), a US-based educational and marketing organisation that promotes healthy living environments. The SFC will be running tours and seminars at High Point Market this month, taking place from 17th-22nd.

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NEWS

Sales grow but losses widen at Made.com

Strong trading bolsters ambitions at Furniture Village

Made.com has reported an increase of sales of 63.4% in 2014. However, operating losses increased from £4.9m to £5.3m. Made reports that sales are up 47% for the first six months of 2015.

CEO Ning Li says: “Made is fast approaching a tipping point in its evolution, with continued rapid sales growth and improving financial metrics.

Overseas sales now contribute 30% of total sales demonstrating that the brand and product have international appeal and reflecting the continued investment we are making in European expansion and improving the customer experience.

“This momentum has continued into 2015 with sales growth of 46% for the first six months of the year and the successful entry into Europe’s largest furniture market, Germany. With funding secured and infrastructure proven, Made is well positioned to capture the opportunity, presented as the furniture industry transitions online.”

Furniture Village has reported another strong year of trading, achieving EBITDA of £8m for the year ended 29th March 2015, an uplift of 43% on the previous year.

According to the retailer, this was achieved through a like-for-like increase in order intake in excess of 6%, reflective of both a strong performance across the existing store base, and a significant increase in online orders.

In addition, margins returned to levels previously achieved and costs continued to be efficiently managed.

The underlying business model provides the basis for continued growth, with net cash inflow from operations increasing from £7.3m the previous year to £11.8m, and at the balance sheet date, the bank term loan was fully repaid. As such, the net debt position at year end was +£7.3m – a £7.6m improvement on the previous year.

Given a favourable economic outlook an expansion strategy is under way at Furniture Village. Terms have been agreed for several locations, and the company is on target to open 20

Sweetpea & Willow wins online award Sweetpea & Willow won the Small Online Retailer of the Year award at The Online Retail Awards, and received an award of commendation in the Home & Garden sector category for a second year running. It was described by judges as one of the stand out retailers of the year, achieving “brilliance” in all areas of its online store.

Clare Rayner to lead Retail IT event Retail expert Clare Rayner will be the keynote speaker at Retail IT’s mini-conference on Thursday, November 12th at Browns in Covent Garden. Other presentations at the event include innovative ways to drive footfall, insights on the luxury market – from Paul Thomas of Retail Remedy – and a focus on in-store technology.

Ikea begins construction of Reading store Ikea has officially marked the start of construction of its new Reading store, the first to be built in the UK in seven years. The leader of the West Berkshire Council, Cllr Gordon Lundie, joined Ikea Reading store manager, Johanna Heuren and Ikea UK country retail manager, Gillian Drakeford, to ceremonially cement a steel column at the entrance of the new store, which will open next summer.

The 32,000m2 store on Pincents Lane, Calcot, will provide the full Ikea product range, and will bring 350 job opportunities.

Johanna says: “We are delighted to kick-off the development of the new Ikea Reading store as we move closer to bringing Ikea’s home furnishing offer to people in the Thames Valley. Over the coming months we will be focused on finding passionate co-workers to join our team and getting to know the local area better to ensure that Ikea meets the needs of our customers and community.”

Gillian comments: “As the first new store to be built in the UK in seven years, the start of work on the Ikea Reading store is a really important milestone as we look to make Ikea more accessible to many more people.”

stores within the next five years.

CEO Peter Harrison comments: “We are pleased to report that the trading momentum achieved over the last couple of years has continued into the new financial year.

“We remain very excited about our plans for the future as we expand the business to achieve a truly national coverage, and benefit from considerable growth opportunities, both online and in stores.”

Matalan Direct enters bedroom market Online home improvements brand Matalan Direct has expanded its offer, adding beds and bedroom furniture to its existing bathroom range. The latest category addition marks the first expansion for the online-only brand since its launch, and includes a variety of products offering both Matalan-value price points as well as higher-end options.

CEO Shane Quigley says: “The ultimate goal for Matalan Direct is to be able to offer everything you need to complete your home with just the click of a button. This latest addition means our customers can now fully furnish the top floors of their home, and we’ll be looking to complete our downstairs offering over the next few months.”

NBF Bed Industry Award winners announced Five bed industry champions scooped top awards at the National Bed Federation (NBF) Bed Industry Awards, which were presented by Gyles Brandreth at last month’s Bed Show.

The winners were: Harrison Spinks for Bed Manufacturer of the Year (with runners-up Breasley Consumer Products and Kaymed UK); John Cotton for Bed Component Supplier of the Year (with runner-up Deslee Clama); Furniture Village for Multiple Bed Retailer of the Year (Bensons for Beds the runner-up); Newbridge Street Bedding Centre for Independent Bed Retailer of the Year (runner-up,

Land of Beds); and Mattress Online for E-tailer of the Year.

Ebrahim Patel, president of the NBF, comments: “Now in their fifth year, the bed industry awards are the pinnacle of excellence, and this year the competition was stronger than ever, with the quality of entries improving year-on-year, giving the judges an ever-harder task. Once again, the awards demonstrate that the bedding industry has some brilliant companies doing very brilliant things – and it’s great to be a part of that. Well done to our winners!”

Cargo withdrawn from the high street Steinhoff UK’s retail division has announced plans to withdraw its Cargo brand from the high street in the first quarter of 2016 to accelerate the roll-out of Bensons for Beds stores in the South-east.

“Over the last few years Bensons for Beds has delivered consistent growth, making it now the UK’s leading specialist bed retailer,” comments the MD of Steinhoff UK’s retail operation, Alan Williams.

“The company has decided to accelerate this growth by utilising some of the group’s retail premises in the South-east. As such, a number

of Cargo stores will be rebranded to the Bensons fascia in order to give it additional presence in the South-east and optimise the business’ return from its store portfolio.

“A consequence of this decision is that the Cargo brand will be withdrawn from the high street during Q1 2016, and thereafter trade online.”

The first Cargo store was opened by James Waller Carpenter in London in 1876, under the trading name of JW Carpenter. In May 2004, JW Carpenter was bought by Steinhoff UK, also owner of Harveys, Bensons for Beds and Sleepmasters.

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NEWS

Solid first half for John Lewis

John Lewis’ Oxford Street store offers London’s largest single selection of home products and services John Lewis saw sales growth in the first half of the year, with gross sales of £1.94b and like-forlike sales up 3%. Operating profit fell by 16.3% to £47.1m, impacted by restructuring costs, incremental costs for holiday pay and absorbing a greater share of centrally-incurred functional costs.

Online gross sales grew by 17.1% to £647m.

Sales in Home were up 4.9%, outdoor living particularly strong at +33.5%. Own-brand continues to prove strong, with the company’s newest range, Croft, achieving an increase of 87.5%.

September saw the opening of John Lewis Birmingham, the retailer’s first full-line department store to open in four years, and the reopening of John Lewis’ Home department at Oxford Street, following a £14m investment.

The partnership also announced a number of changes to senior management, including the appointment of Andrew Murphy as group productivity director, Mark Lewis as retail director, Paula Nickolds as commercial director, Craig Inglis as customer director, and an expansion of Dino Rocos’ role overseeing supply chain and merchandising to encompass omnichannel customer ordering, contact handling and Health & Safety.

Kettle is open for business Kettle Interiors’ in-house show, taking place on the 7th and 8th October at the supplier’s head office in Corby, Northamptonshire, will feature a new painted collection plus upholstered dining chairs, alongside the additions introduced at this year’s Manchester Furniture Show. The invitation-only show promises exclusive discounts and the supplier’s largest-ever display of furniture.

Jysk expands reach Jysk has opened a store in Athens, Greece, meaning the retailer now has 2275 stores in 38 countries.

“Greece has enormous potential, and I see great opportunities in the country,” says owner Lars Larsen.

The opening of further Greek stores – Larissa, Thessaloniki and Elliniko – is imminent. Jysk also opened its first store in Singapore last month. The retailer plans to open 20 stores in the country within the next five years.

Gallery Direct purchases Dreamworks Beds Gallery Direct has announced the purchase of the Westbury bed manufacturer Dreamworks Beds, in a deal that expands the supplier’s offer and adds further British manufacturing capacity to the group. Dreamworks Beds will continue to operate on a standalone basis as a sister company to Gallery Direct, under the group umbrella of Gallery Direct Holdings.

Following the hand-over, Gallery Direct MD Peter Delaney will be the MD of both businesses. “This is fantastic news for Gallery’s and Dreamworks Beds’ clients across the UK,” says Peter. “The Dreamworks Beds team produces well-designed, great-value quality products that are handmade in the UK and delivered within an incredible two to three weeks.

“They won the AIS gold standard award in 2013 and 2014 for outstanding quality and service, which is testament to Peter and John Ziemniak’s leadership and control, coupled with their dedicated and loyal workforce.”

Peter Ziemniak, current MD of Dreamworks Beds, adds: “The uniting of two strong businesses, which are ambitious, progressive and financially secure, is good news for our employees and clients alike.

It is business as usual for our staff, suppliers and customers, as we look forward to continuing to build on our existing relationships.

“After more than 40 years in the industry, the time for retirement for John and me is here.

Dreamworks Beds has just closed the books on another record year and is growing strongly, so it’s the right time to hand over to Peter Delaney and his team who will help maintain this growth and assist Dreamworks Beds to exploit new and exciting opportunities. Although the sale is effective immediately, I will be around to see a smooth transition and to help achieve our shared goals.”

The two businesses have agreed an undisclosed sum for the private sale.

January show attracts new exhibitors Brands from the UK and further afield continue to sign up to exhibit at the January Furniture Show, which returns for its second edition from 24-27th January 2016.

New to the event are Daro, Heritage Furniture, Contempo (Italy), Indian Hub, Panacea, Slumbernights, Indus Valley, EFS, Highgate Beds, CLX, Classic Furniture, Polish Embassy and Peressini (Italy). In addition, returning from last year are

GCL, Global Home, Wire Lamps and Annaghmore Agencies.

The Malaysian Furniture Council (MFC) has also taken over 500m2 and will be bringing 14 companies to the show, presenting a range of Malaysian designs from occasional and living room furniture to bedroom and dining collections. AMPR, the Romanian trade association, has also taken two large stands, both in hall 2.

New CEO at Sofa.com Vince Gunn will join the Sofa.com board as group CEO on 5th October, in succession to Gareth Williams.

For the last four years, Vince has held the position of MD for Crocs Europe. He has held senior executive roles in a number of retail and consumerfacing businesses including Marks & Spencer, The Body Shop International, Thomson Travel Group and Mothercare. He is also a non-executive director and shareholder in Pagazzi Lighting.

Justin Stead, chairman of Sofa.com, says: “Vince is taking on a strong platform at Sofa.com, which is well positioned for the next phase of its evolution.

Since the sale of the business in February, the business has been in a positive transition mode and progressing all areas to capitalise on an exciting future.”

Vince adds: “Sofa.com has a leading market position in an increasingly dynamic furniture sector.

“An ongoing focus on developing a high-value offer, a leading omnichannel strategy and an ambitious international growth agenda will allow us to deliver value for both our customers and our shareholders, capitalising on our current and future opportunities.”

AIS recognises best retailers and suppliers Buying group Associated Independent Stores (AIS) has announced its annual awards for suppliers and members. The year’s winning retailers, voted for by suppliers, were Stokers for the larger turnover group members, and Eyres of Chesterfield for the lower turnover groups. Second and third places were awarded to Fishpools and Sterling Furniture, and William Hill and Beadle Crome Interiors respectively.

The retailer-elected supplier of the year for the upholstery merchandise category was Alstons Upholstery, which achieved the accolade for the fifth successive year, with Parker Knoll the runner up and Himolla in third place. For the cabinet

sector, the winner for the first time was Baker Furniture. Unique Furniture came second and TCH received the third place award. Bed supplier of the year went to Hypnos for the first time, pushing Harrison Beds into second place, with Tempur in third.

All of the supplier winners also qualified for AIS’ Gold Standard Award for service and quality – along with Ashwood Designs, Celebrity, Duresta and Sherborne on the upholstery side, Andrena Furniture, Rauch, Value Mark and Venjakob from the cabinet category, and Breasley, Dreamworks Beds, Kaymed, Relyon, Sweet Dreams and Vispring in the beds section.

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NEWS

Mammoth appoints physiotherapy expert

UK mattress and seating brand Mammoth Technologies is continuing to drive its health and wellbeing strategy with the appointment of Sarah Smith, a health and physiotherapy expert who has joined the Mammoth team to drive its relationships and partnerships across the professional health sector.

The company recently celebrated signing an exclusive deal with one of the UK’s largest health organisations, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). The agreement will allow Mammoth to work with expert physiotherapists on the design and development of new products and technologies.

Sarah will manage the relationship with the CSP and its members to enhance awareness of Mammoth’s products amongst physiotherapists and to drive footfall into retailers’ stores.

Says Sarah: “I’m delighted to join such a forward-thinking, innovative company. Having worked in the health and physiotherapy sector for many years, it’s always exciting to see new technologies and ideas emerge. I believe in the Mammoth product, so I’m looking forward to using my skills to drive the brand forward in this area and to the general consumer as well.”

New Consumer Rights Act now in place This month sees the introduction of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a major reform of consumer law that brings together eight pieces of legislation in an easier-to-understand format that promises enhanced consumer rights, including the implementation of a 30-day time period in which to return faulty goods and receive a full refund, plus replacement rights for faulty digital content.

“This is the biggest shake up of consumer law for a generation, bringing legislation in line with the fact many people now buy online,” commented former Business Secretary Vince Cable.

Consumers now have a clear right to demand that sub-standard services are redone, or, failing that, a price reduction is given. They are entitled to some money back after one failed repair of faulty goods – or one faulty replacement – even if more than 30 days have passed, rather than having to endure repeated attempts to carry out a repair. They are also able to challenge terms and conditions which are not ‘fair’ or are hidden in small print. Measures have also been included to reduce the burden of understanding consumer law.

Nathan Group acquires Morris brands The newly-formed Nathan Group, which already has the Nathan and Sutcliffe brands in its portfolio, has acquired Morris Furniture Brands, comprising Morris, Zone and Relaxateeze, from H Morris and Co. The group’s combined turnover is set to rise to £20m, supplying over 600 retailers across the UK. Each of the three brands will remain independent operations, led by MD Andrew Cochrane, who has been part of the Nathan team since 2005, but will benefit from the group’s combined strengths in offshore sourcing and UK manufacturing.

Andrew comments: “I am delighted to be heading up Morris Furniture Brands, which has an established presence with its extensive living, dining and upholstery offer. We intend to build on the existing successful products within the portfolio and to continue to develop the individual identities and propositions of each of the three Morris brands.

“The existing sales team will continue its outstanding work in representing us and use its extensive product and market knowledge to ensure

that we closely meet the needs of our loyal and longstanding customer base.”

Operations for the three brands will be brought into Nathan Group’s base in Todmorden, Lancashire.

Meanwhile, Paul Lamb has been appointed MD of Nathan Furniture. Paul has worked in a number of businesses within the industry including Sweet Dreams and the Airsprung Group.

Nicholas Radford, who boasts a long track record in the industry, becomes chairman of the new Nathan Group.

As part of the acquisition, H Morris and Co has taken a 20% shareholding in the Nathan Group. Robert Morris, who brings over 40 years’ experience to the table, joins the new Nathan Group board to continue his family legacy.

The G Plan Cabinets brand has not been acquired

by Nathan Group, but has been sold to Sofa Brands International, owner of the G Plan Upholstery brand, giving the sofa group sole ownership of the G Plan monicker and the opportunity to add cabinet furniture to its offer.

Kingstown’s new territory manager Kingstown Furniture has welcomed Callum Day to its team of dedicated territory managers. Callum has joined Kingstown to cover the South-west and South Wales region and will manage a large portfolio of furniture retailers who currently deal with Kingstown.

Callum has worked in the furniture retail business for 22 years, progressing from salesman to sales manager for a major furniture retailer. Sean Frost-Palmer, Kingstown’s sales director, comments: “We all welcome Callum to the team and are sure he will be a valuable asset and his knowledge and experience of the industry will help to push Kingstown forward.”

John Lewis opens regional flagship store John Lewis opened its new £35m Birmingham shop last month. Anchor tenant of the city’s new Grand Central retail development, John Lewis Birmingham is the retailer’s largest shop to open in four years, and one of the biggest John Lewis department stores in the UK. The 250,000ft2 shop has created 650 new jobs across Birmingham and the wider region.

John Lewis Birmingham is the retailer’s most innovative shop to date, having been chosen to debut several brand new services and concepts, including fashion and lifestyle concept loved&found, and the first John Lewis-branded spa, &Beauty.

Andy Street, John Lewis MD, says: “The opening sends a clear message that John Lewis is firmly committed to the British high street, and that physical shops remain as important to us as they do to our customers.

“Birmingham is a city which we have wanted to be a part of for many years, and the New Street Station and Grand Central development offered us the perfect opportunity to make this a reality. Our new Birmingham regional flagship shop is a bold

expression of the very best of John Lewis in 2015 and it is particularly exciting that customers will be able to step directly from New Street Station into four floors of inspiring fashion, home and technology.”

Lisa Williams, head of branch, John Lewis Birmingham, adds: “Birmingham is a city that has always led the way, so it feels right that Birmingham is home to our most innovative shop to date. My team and I are looking forward to welcoming customers to what is a unique retail space.

“Our recruitment process has been incredibly successful, with unprecedented demand – at one point we were receiving one application every minute. We have built a great team, with our 650 partners coming from right across the region. Becoming a part of the local community is incredibly important to us and I was delighted to be joined by the three local charities we are supporting to officially open the shop.”

The store’s opening hours are 9am-8pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am-5pm Sunday, open for additional browsing time from 10.30-11am.

Download the free Furniture News app for mobile devices from Apple’s App Store or Google Play today

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INTERVIEW Alan Williams, Bensons for Beds

Behind Bensons As the new Comfort Station Adaptive technology is rolled out to Bensons for Beds stores nationwide, Paul Farley tackles MD Alan Williams on matters such as retail theatre, the customer journey, and the direction of the UK’s biggest bed retail operation ‌

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Alan Williams, Bensons for Beds INTERVIEW

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Bensons for Beds Rotherham

Operating through 267 stores, Bensons for Beds is the UK’s largest bed retailer. Bensons has enjoyed profit and turnover growth for the last four years – last year alone, the retailer opened 17 new stores and refitted a further 36. Store openings continue apace, with more due before Christmas.

It’s clear that this retail giant is not content to rest on its laurels. The latest developments are just the tip of the iceberg, a multi-million-pound investment by the brand’s owner – the South African group Steinhoff International Holdings, also owner of retailers Harveys and Cargo (the high street stores of Cargo will make way for further Bensons outlets early next year), plus manufacturing brands Slumberland, Myer’s, Relyon, Staples and Dunlopillo, via Steinhoff UK – designed to cement Bensons’ position in the bed retail landscape.

As a market leader, the retailer innovates by necessity. This summer, Bensons focused on building an emotional connection with its audience through a new advertising campaign, Be Bensons, which put an emphasis on customers’ varied and personal experiences, rather than price.

It then began promoting its new in-store initiative, Comfort Station Adaptive (CSA), a mattress demonstration platform which takes Bensons’ established Comfort Station approach to the next level, and lets customers lay back and experience a range of firmness levels without having to move from bed to bed, before making purchase recommendations based on their body shape and sleeping position.

Pressure-mapping technology is by no means new, but it has never been employed in such a cohesive way in store.

“Over the last few years, we’ve operated a system which rates the firmness of our beds from one (soft) to five (firm),” says Alan, “and it’s been very successful. However, it wasn’t very scientific.

It depended very much on an individual’s perception of feel, so it

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was hard to draw solid conclusions from a customer’s experience.

“We also discovered that consumers prefer being engaged and served, rather than sold to.”

Extensive research preceded 12 months of development, during which Bensons attempted to separate its offer yet further from that of its competitors. The result was CSA, a unique, pressure-sensitive mattress station which demonstrates how a customer’s body reacts to their sleeping position – and adjusts to suit.

“We discovered that consumers prefer being engaged and served, rather than sold to” “If you sleep on your side, you quite often wake in the night and feel that your shoulder has gone numb,” explains Alan. “That is down to pressure.” The CSA profiling mat is able to highlight where these pressure points are on any given subject. Armed with a customer’s personal profile, Bensons’ customer advisors are then able to recommend a mattress type which will provide them with the support they need.

The CSA makes for compelling retail theatre, and it all takes place in one location. Use of the technology still requires the assistance of a salesperson, but, says Alan, it is a scenario that is much more likely to create a conversation than traditional selling methods might.

“Rather than going in with a script to understand a customer’s needs, they’re able to get into a normal conversation about how people like to sleep, based on their experience, before taking them around the most suitable products,” he explains.

The initial feedback from store teams and consumers has >>>

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INTERVIEW Alan Williams, Bensons for Beds Comfort Station Adaptive (CSA) – everything the consumer needs to assess their optimum bed firmness, all in one place

been encouraging. “Research carried out in the stores where we tested it originally saw 75% of the people tested rate it 9/10 in terms of usefulness, and we’re getting a good take-up on people buying products based on the results of the profile,” says Alan.

The CSA’s refined focus on the individual echoes the Be Bensons advertising campaign which aired from July, and hints at a desire to better engage a younger audience than Bensons generally attracts. “Historically, Bensons has been built around price,” says Alan, “and we’re trying to change that a bit. We still want to be known for our value proposition, yet value might mean different things to different people – it might be price, it might be comfort.

“The new ads were designed to help expand our customer base.

They’re very different from our conventional ads in that they don’t feature promotional offers, but I’m quite pleased with the results.

I feared that the numbers might drop off as a result of advertising that doesn’t have any price points to draw people in, but, actually, the business has continued to grow.”

Alan believes that Bensons is traditionally seen as a marketleading middle-market, second- or third-purchase bed retailer, yet still has some way to go if it wishes to establish itself as a destination for the more fashion-oriented younger generation.

Innovations such as Be Bensons and the CSA are pivotal to driving footfall into Bensons’ stores, where it is down to Bensons’ staff to close the sales.

“Our sales team’s vast knowledge makes it one of the best in the industry,” says Alan. “Last year, we implemented over 7000 hours of out-of-store training, and had over 10,000 learning sessions completed. This year, we’re planning to increase our budget for training because we really are convinced that it will make a difference.”

Bensons is certainly no stranger to self improvement. It boasts one of the industry’s most comprehensive training regimes, Smile,

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a programme designed to ensure sales staff are well equipped to take a customer on a buying journey – establish their needs upon arrival, identify a solution, then close the sale. As with the CSA, Smile’s approach is more focused on consultation than selling.

“There’s an element of sales pitching in there as well,” says Alan, “but it’s more about identifying what the customer is looking for rather than jumping straight into a pitch.”

There’s also Bensons’ e-learning platform, The Learning Store, which, helped perhaps by a growing proclivity towards online research and a degree of in-store downtime, has been roundly embraced by sales staff.

“I feared that the numbers might drop off as a result of advertising that doesn’t have any price points to draw people in” Bensons’ online performance has also benefited from its new web platform, introduced last year. “I’ve sometimes struggled with the notion that people can buy a bed online without even trying it,” admits Alan, “but we’ve all got to keep open minds when looking for ways to bring people into our stores.

“It’s so easy to research online. Time is very precious to people, so the more they can do their research and then go to a dedicated retailer or buy online, from their home, the better. The consumer holds all the cards nowadays. They can choose to shop where and how they want, and we retailers have got to find solutions to satisfy their buying habits.”

That said, other than the technologically-advanced CSA installations, Bensons is in no great hurry to bridge the gap

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Alan Williams, Bensons for Beds INTERVIEW A background in beds Alan’s career in the furniture industry began in 1982, as a salesman on the shopfloor at Great Universal Stores.

From here, he worked his way up within the trade, and was appointed sales director of the family-owned Sleepmasters in September 1999, where he went on to become operations director, and, in 2005, MD, when the business was taken over by the Steinhoff group.

Following the consolidation of Steinhoff’s bed companies – which included Sleepmasters, Bensons and Bed Shed – Alan was appointed MD of its newly-formed Bed Division, trading as Bensons for Beds, in 2011. As a result of further brand consolidation, he was appointed MD of Steinhoff UK’s retail operation in 2013, and charged with the overall management of Bensons for Beds, Harveys, Bed Shed and Cargo. between the bricks and the clicks by bringing further digital elements in-store.

“Whatever we do has got to enhance the experience,” explains Alan. “I don’t want to just create something that’s run of the mill – it has to be something that’s going to extend the visitor’s experience.”

The last 12 months have seen the retailer develop its product range considerably, both in terms of own-brand product – manufactured by its parent company – and those developed in partnership with leading UK brands.

“We’re strongly aligned with Myer’s and Relyon,” says Alan, “so we’ve done a lot under our own in-house brand, Sleepmasters.

We’ve also seen success with our Silentnight range – our iGel collection – and more recently, with some of our bedroom furniture. Next year we’ve got plans to work with Slumberland, and we’ve got a new Sensaform range coming.

“However, we would never go 100% own brand. I think brands are playing such a big part in our lives now, it’s important that we keep some of the bigger players. Over the years, we’ve been through a number of different branding iterations –Sleepmasters [Bensons’ former identity] as a business was, historically, 80% own brand, but now we’re using brands quite regularly. Right now, we’re looking at doing work with both Tempur and Mammoth.”

“This year, we’re planning to increase our budget for training because we really are convinced that it will make a difference” Bensons may be open-minded about bringing brands in store – after all, product turnover always helps refresh the look of a showroom – but the retailer is careful not to let them take over the feel of the space. “With over a dozen brands in store, it could become quite messy,” explains Alan.

Despite this, Bensons has enthusiastically adopted the labelling of NBF Approved products, Alan citing the comfort such guarantees offer the consumer, even if they “maybe don’t fully understand it. It’s a good endorsement – the NBF has sharpened up working practices in the bed market considerably over the last few years”.

As much as Bensons for Beds has benefited from the ongoing refinement of the UK bed industry at a supply level, it has led the way – carefully yet purposefully – in retail, in part thanks to the finances of its ambitious owner, and the industry nous of employees such as Alan.

“I think that the bedding industry, more than any other furniture sector, sees more people seeking advice before making a purchase,”

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he says. “Furniture, upholstery and carpets are aspirational and inspirational, perhaps, but bedding is such a key part of our lives that we cannot afford to get the purchase wrong.

“There’s no silver bullet when it comes to achieving growth in the market, but a combination of marketing, service, product and training here at Bensons is working pretty well right now.”

W bensonsforbeds.co.uk

The big issues On e-commerce “People say that a website takes away footfall, but our research tells us that as much as 75% of our customer base researches online before they go into a store – so we would question that commonly-held view, and say that the website is actually a significant footfall driver for us. The big challenge is the competition – the independent retailer base is quite big, and there are no real stragglers amongst them.”

On Sunday trading “There’s been lots of commentary around the increase of Sunday trading hours. In some ways I see it as a positive, because I think restricted hours in today’s retail climate is difficult, with people having such a limited amount of time.

People often research products on a Sunday afternoon, and that might be the only time they can get out to a shop.

“I don’t really have a major issue with it. I can’t control it, and I think it’s best to only worry about things that you can control.

Obviously, we’ll work with it, and we’ll work around it. I would welcome extended hours personally, because I think we should support our customers if they want to shop longer on Sundays.”

On delivery fulfilment “A few years ago we were caught up in the struggle to deliver everything the next day, every hour, on the hour. I did a test in one region, and in a month, the take-up was actually pretty poor. I think delivery turnaround is important, but it’s dependent on people’s need – if it’s a distress purchase and the bed is broken, then I can understand needing it tomorrow, but if the product is not broken then most would rather wait to get something that’s completely suitable for them, rather than speed up delivery.

“That said, I think it’s important that we work around our customers’ lives wherever we can, and we have plenty of flexibility in our service. I think it’s important that our drivers in particular – as the last point of contact – are trained well, and leave our customers with a positive experience.”

On innovation “We look at everything – as a market leader, we can’t afford not to. Then we put our own commercial slant on it – will it sell, do we test it in a small or a large number of stores? We’re very clear – we don’t just go in new directions for the sake of it.

“Innovation in UK product development – things like iGel, advanced memory foam and bespoke products – is resulting in the creation of things that are better than ever. It’s a difficult industry to change because it’s based on a very traditional product. The beauty of it is that every one of us needs a bed!

“Back in my early days, we used to sell the products at £299 – stack it high and sell it cheap. But we’re finding that there’s more and more made-to-order, fashion-oriented products coming out. I wouldn’t say that you’ll be able to completely design your own bed any time soon, but there are certainly opportunities to put your own stamp on what you want your bedroom to be.”

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INTERVIEW Clickthrough > Bed Guru This month, the homewares website in the spotlight is www.bedguru.co.uk – Furniture News explores the practices and philosophies behind the enterprise …

Clickthrough > Bed Guru Carl Walsh, director

Why visit your website?

We are a leading online bed brand specialising in a whole lot more than selling beds. Because no two people have the same sleeping requirements, Bed Guru will listen, educate and advise on a huge choice of beds, mattresses and headboards. We produce bespoke beds and have a wide range of special sizes perfect for unusal-sized spaces.

We also pride ourselves on our ‘We Deliver Anywhere’ ethos and have delivered to a variety of unusual spaces including a turreted castle in Scotland.

How did you enter the trade?

When I left school I started working with my father in the family bed business. Then in 1979 I joined the business permanently.

What started out as a Saturday job turned into a lifelong career in the bed industry.

Who is your e-commerce hero?

Kelly Hoppen (www.kellyhoppen.com).

Online isn’t about cheap products and poor service. This is a really great interiors and lifestyle website, stocking quality products and unique design pieces. The website is very attractive and gives users a real feel for the brand and conveys the products beautifully.

Describe a typical working day Today, for example: 5am start; at 6.15am I attend the BNI Network Central business group – there’s almost 50 people in the room for a great networking meeting; 11am – meet with a client, an apartment letting company in Leeds City Centre, and have lunch on the hoof; 1.30pm – back to the office to check all is ship-shape;

2pm – work with web developer over at digital agency Zeal on additional functions and develop social media campaigns with the social team; 3.30pm – arrange shipping of a bed to the US by sea; 3.50pm – payroll is organised; 4pm – check out new catalogue and product CD from Julian Bowen; 4.30pm – estimate for a client for 10 bed frames to a Nottingham apartment complex; and 5pm – phones are offline, so there’s time to check everything is ready for the next day!

What part of your job would you prefer to avoid?

Making the tea!

What has been your greatest challenge to date?

I think it has to be organising the delivery of 518 mattresses to some student accommodation in Leicester. All were delivered in just one day and 518 old mattresses were removed. It involved organising the timing of transport in and out using two articulated lorries.

How much do you invest in making your site more visible?

I employ Zeal, a digital agency, full time to work on the online marketing and promotion of Bed Guru. This includes affiliate advertising campaigns, blogger collaborations, daily social media posting and competitions and content marketing strategy.

What’s your take on how the relationship between online and physical retail might develop?

People only have so much time in a day and

“I think online companies will realise the importance of investing in digital marketing such as video and social media as it is the modern word of mouth”

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subsequently they cram in lots of things – work, family, entertainment – and as much as they would like to walk through a shop door it isn’t a priority to most people, so I believe online will become even more important. I also think online companies will realise the importance of investing in digital marketing such as video and social media as it is the modern word of mouth.

What are your growth plans for the business?

I plan to dedicate more time to increasing our overseas and commercial customers.

What advice would you offer an aspiring e-tailer?

Don’t try to do everything yourself.

Delegate, put good systems in place and get a good business coach who’ll give you an independent view of your business

Snapshot: Bed Guru retails online to domestic and commercial customers in the UK and overseas and specialises in bespoke and non-standard sizes Launched: 2007 SKUs: Over 9400 Growth: Looking to grow sales 60% in next 12 months

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EVENTS Furniture China

Review Shanghai mainstay stands firm Paul Farley returned to China last month to visit the 21st edition of Shanghai’s Furniture China. Whilst there, he saw the event reaffirm its position as the country’s leading fair for higher-end product and international exchange …

China’s industrial growth may be slowing, but there’s little evidence of this in the busy aisles of Furniture China. I’m told by the show’s founder, UBM Sinoexpo’s Wang Mingliang, that footfall was up an estimated 40% on the first day alone, and a further 10% on the second. Even when one considers that the show is a day shorter than usual, such a remarkable uplift is initially questionable – but there’s definitely more vigour to the event than I’ve experienced previously.

It’s worth noting that founder had reason to be on the defensive this year. The arrival of Guangzhou’s CIFF exhibition across town has put added pressure on Shanghai’s well-established fixture – yet the only consequence seems to be an even greater influx of Chinese visitors to Furniture China.

“Our situation hasn’t worsened,” says Wang.

He’s not surprised by the increased attendance, and argues that it’s because his event is uniquely placed to serve both the domestic and international markets – alongside the country’s other giants, the March edition of CIFF (Guangzhou) and 3F (Dongguan).

An official statement reports “record-breaking” attendance, presumably well in excess of last year’s high of 98,400. Rather than being diminished by the fresh competition, Furniture China’s exhibitor base of around 2500 furniture suppliers and 500 design

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“Rather than being diminished by the fresh competition, Furniture China’s exhibitor base has the venue bursting at the seams” enterprises has the venue bursting at the seams at 350,000m2, additional space added to house the That’s Mine and Design of Designers presentations.

The exhibitors are principally Chinese companies, but Furniture China remains one of the region’s most popular platforms for international exhibitors.

A total of 248 non-Chinese exhibitors, many within one of the show’s nine country-specific pavilions, help create a truly global feel.

Some seek to engage the country’s burgeoning domestic market, while others are content to meet the traffic on this eminently international crossroads. Whatever the reason for exhibiting, there are many familiar faces.

France and Belgium are particularly well represented, and, buoyed by favourable rates of exchange, the European exhibitors in general report strong sales.

Gautier’s export key account manager, Hervé Soulard, praises the amount of business taking place, whilst Theuns’ Philip Thuys, whose business in the UK is up 25% year-on-year, already opened a

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Furniture China EVENTS

number of good international accounts by noon of the first day alone.

Despite the organiser’s report that preregistrations of overseas visitors saw double-digit growth this year – after reaching a record high in 2014 – there remains, however, some disillusion at the number of international visitors present this year, in terms of UK visitors and Europe in general.

UK visitors questioned on the matter suggest that there are simply too many shows taking place in general – and that, with ongoing market consolidation, the number of individual buyers is simply not as large as it was a few years ago.

It could be that rising costs, driven by the Chinese government’s greater focus on workers’ rights and pollution control, among other things, is making outward trade increasingly difficult.

China’s lack of design nous is certainly one reason why Furniture China’s product does not appeal to every buyer, and, as a flagship entity within the Chinese furniture industry, Furniture China recognises its own responsibility to championing creativity.

The show coincides with Shanghai Home Design Week, an attempt, according to the organiser, to “break the barrier between furniture and decoration” by incorporating within the event showrooms, installations and boutiques around the city.

The sheer number of designers represented meant there is a good deal to see, supplemented by specialised conferences and awards schemes.

China’s design community has some way to go – and might need to be a little more open to external influences if it’s ever going to challenge the world’s best – but this exhibition takes the matter seriously.

The show’s conference programme delves

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“There’s definitely more vigour to the event than I’ve experienced previously” into subjects such as domestic design, China’s development and advances across the Asian producing countries, whilst adjunct shows feature office furniture, machinery and components, making Furniture China a very well-rounded event.

And, according to its principals, an event with a future – the venue’s general manager Michael Kruppe takes to the stage during the exhibitors’ gala dinner to rebuff rumours that there are plans to turn Shanghai New International Expo Centre into a department store, and affirming the support of the exhibition centre’s shareholders.

On the matter of the new player in town – the government-backed CIFF Shanghai – both Wang Mingliang and Zhu Changling, president of the China National Furniture Association and chairman of the Council of Asian Furniture Associations (CAFA), agree that both exhibitions, and their visitors, might be better served if their offer and audience was clarified in the future.

“China has 60,000 furniture manufacturers,” explains Wang. “That’s one reason why two shows can co-exist! We benefit from this competition.”

“Co-operation between the two events would be the best way,” adds Zhu, “but we cannot find a short-term solution – it would be much simpler if both were run by commercial organisers.”

With a reported 90% of exhibitors already prebooked for next year’s edition – taking place from 8-11th September – and an (as-yet unclarified) alltime high in visitor numbers, these gentlemen have good reason to be confident in the show’s future.

W jjgle.com

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EVENTS Autumn Fair

Review Home is at the heart of Autumn Fair This year’s Autumn Fair saw over 150,000 new product launches from around 1400 UK and international suppliers, making the event an ideal place to source items ahead of the Christmas season. Victoria Noakes visited the show to discover what it had to offer ...

Interior designers and retailers of all sizes from over the UK and abroad attended Autumn Fair’s 25th anniversary edition last month, drawn to the event’s impressive cross-over buying options, including sectors such as Contemporary Gift & Home, Volume Gift & Home, Retail Shop, The Light Show and more.

With Home being a growing market within Autumn Fair, this year’s show put all things home interiors front and centre, with a comprehensive offering of soft furnishings, furniture, wall art, interior decor and more on offer to visitors.

Halls 2 and 3 housed the latest product lines from around 100 home interiors suppliers, with 10% of those new to Autumn Fair this year, including Dutch company PTMD, Premier Interiors and Edge Sculpture. Newcomer Abigail Ahern presented her new extensive collection of furniture, lighting and accessories as well as faux flowers and plants.

Returning furniture industry names included Coach House, Chic Antique, Gallery Direct, Ian Snow, Sifcon and PD Global – many of which decided to take out larger stand space at the event this year.

New for this year was the Carpet Export Promotion Council – a group of Indian rug and flooring companies which collaborated on a group stand in hall 2 of the event. Companies such as Ansari Rug Bazar, Asian Handloom, Signature Weave and Ayub Rugs presented creative and innovative flooring ideas to enthusiastic visitors seeking something fresh and different.

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Another key feature of the event which provided an ideal complement to the striking selection of home interiors was The Light Show – which made its debut at Autumn Fair – in partnership with the Lighting Industry Association (LIA). Incorporating around 100 brands including Dar Lighting, Searchlight, Interiors 1900, Endon Lighting and Illuminati, the Light Show was the only LIAendorsed decorative lighting event which will take place in the UK this year.

Drawn to the British market, a number of international suppliers aimed to make an impact on UK retail players with major new product launches at Autumn Fair. These included I B Laursen, Light & Living, Kaemingk and Baroque International.

“The feedback on this year’s show has been extremely positive and we’re very happy with the result.

“The majority of exhibitors have done very good business at Autumn Fair and we expect as much as £1.2b of orders to be placed by retailers as a result of their attendance here,” says Autumn Fair portfolio director Naomi Barton.

“The inaugural edition of The Light Show in particular was a resounding success – everyone was delighted to see such a stunning display of product lighting up the aisles. We would like to thank all our exhibitors and visitors for supporting the show.”

Next year’s Autumn Fair will take place from 4-7th September at the NEC. W autumnfair.com

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EVENTS Long Point

Review Long Eaton earns its reputation Long Eaton once again played host to Long Point exhibition last month, attracting visitors to showrooms presenting some of the finest upholstery that the UK market has to offer, coupled with furniture for all areas of the home. Victoria Noakes takes a look at what stood out at the event ...

After Long Eaton was recognised as a UK Centre of Quality Upholstery Manufacture in July, around 25 companies exhibited in showrooms across the town from 14-16th of last month. These included recent additions Wiemann, Cavendish Upholstery and Collins and Hayes.

Wiemann focused on its VIP ranges, Loft, Scarlett and the new Westside sliding wardrobes and Eastside hinged wardrobes, as well as presenting Serena from its smart semi-solid collections and Hollywood and Berlin from its core ranges.

Meanwhile, Cavendish Upholstery launched four new sofa ranges and an array of new fabrics, and Collins and Hayes displayed three new items – a grey two-seat sofa, Stoop, a corner unit, Pause, and the Idle chair.

Carlton Furniture displayed its Derwent solid oak range of cabinets, tables and chairs, plus its painted Windsor dining range with a unique finish and oak tops.

Plus, Iain James Furniture presented its comprehensive collection of traditional reproduction and Art Deco cabinet furniture, highlighting the striking grains and patinas of burr walnut, burr oak, mahogany and Japanese ash.

In Origin Red’s open plan showroom at Harrington Mills, the company had a wide choice of product on show, ranging from Country House – a hand-painted dining and bedroom collection – to

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the York range, featuring solid rubber wood in natural or painted options.

Wade Upholstery displayed Barnaby, a new model in leather and fabric available with either scatter back or formal back options, in addition to an extension of the Welbeck collection which had a successful launch at the January Furniture Show.

Alexander & James’ Langar sofa from its autumn collection made an impact on visitors, with deep buttoning detail combined with rolling curves. The sofa features woven linens to keep it looking fresh, and a unique cloud-inspired colour palette.

Matt O’Flynn, Collins and Hayes MD, says: “Although there’s slightly fewer companies exhibiting this year, the calibre of exhibitors is definitely more important than quantity. It’s a really positive thing that more companies are choosing to establish a permanent showroom space in Long Eaton, and the visitors to Long Point are always of a high quality.”

Providing such a comprehensive offering of furniture covering varied product areas and displaying a high level of quality and craftsmanship – coupled with the town’s impressive manufacturing history – it’s clear to see that Long Eaton’s accolade is a deserved one, and that Long Point is surely set to continue its success for some time to come.

W longeatonguild.co.uk

28/09/2015 14:14

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EVENTS Brussels

Preview Brussels to present Belgium’s potential

Brussels Furniture Fair has a growing international appeal

Being held from 8-11th November at Brussels Expo, Brussels Furniture Fair is now in its 78th year, continuing to present local and worldwide exhibitors and steadily attract more international visitors.

This year will see around 300 companies exhibit at the fair – around 40% Belgian manufacturers including Karel Mintjens, MTE Theuns and smaller names. In addition, there will be several Dutch companies such as PMP, Richmond, Eleonora and

By Boo, large Italian players Natuzzi, Calia and Egoitaliano and big German names like Himolla, Rauch and Nolte.

“Belgium is a small country, but with an important furniture industry that has a lot to thank to export, and not just on a European level – the most important players export all over the world,” says show director Lieven Van den Heede.

“Brussels Furniture Fair is a no-nonsense fair with a lot to offer. Therefore we seek to have an interesting mix of collections from our exhibitors so there is something to see for every buyer. To streamline this offer, the fair is subdivided into segments, that group the same style of furniture.

“On a European scale, we are a rather small fair – certainly if you compare it to Milan and Cologne. But the fair is also big enough to be worth the travel to Brussels to discover the unique and inspiring collections from our exhibitors.”

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EVENTS Heimextil

Preview Heimtextil presents 20 halls of textile product

Protect, one of WGSN’s Theme Park trends

The world’s largest range of home and contract textiles is ever expanding – for industry buyers, Heimtextil, taking place from 12-15th January in Frankfurt am Main, will be the first port of call in 2016.

The show will feature 20 exhibitor halls, comprising over 2759 international exhibitors keen to build new networks and present their latest designs.

For the 2016 show, the Heimtextil Theme Park moves to a new area in hall 6 – at the heart of the fair, visitors will not miss this unique, larger area of top fabric trends, where they will discover the colours, patterns and textures for 2016/17. The hall offers additional creative options that have been welcomed by WGSN, the US trend agency responsible for this year’s Theme Park.

Hall 4, the former location of the trend showcase, will present upcoming and prominent product segments. Reflecting the market trends, Heimtextil will make room for significantly stronger product groups such as developments in window and upholstery fabrics. The decorative furniture and fabric offer found here will be significantly bigger at the next edition.

W heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

AM UK Phone 01403-734 999 Fax 01403-734 888

info@am-uk.eu

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GB

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For further details and tickets visit heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

1.09.2015

Heimtextil brings together all the most exciting innovations in textile interior design under one roof. Only here will you find more than 2,700 exhibitors from all over the world showcasing such a comprehensive and high-quality range of products and ideas. High-calibre events on key industry topics, including sustainability, provide additional inspirations. And with the theme park “Well-Being 4.0” Heimtextil offers unique insights into the trends of 2016/2017. Come to the industry’s leading international trade fair – in 2016 from Tuesday through Friday.

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RESOURCES Utilising Fast Data

THE AUTHOR

Anders Ekman is the president of DataMentors, a provider of Data-as-a-Service marketing solutions based in Florida.

E aekman@datamentors.com

Customer acquisition through Fast Data Finally on an upswing, the furniture industry has been slowly acclimatising to the new trends, among them the challenge of online marketing and data exploitation. Anders Ekman explains why retailers should take notice of terms such as Big Data, Data-as-a-Service and Real-Time Data …

It’s no secret that Big Data can provide a myriad of competitive advantages, but there are still some lesser-known applications for Big Data solutions that can specifically benefit companies in the furniture industry.

The days of marketing strategies based solely on newspaper and television ads are now a thing of the past. Industry leaders are finding that claiming a stake in the digital marketplace is no longer an option, but a necessity. With this uncharted territory comes bigger opportunities than ever before to tap into the troves of data that in-market consumers are unknowingly leaving behind.

A study by Franklin Furniture Institute found that 51% of respondents research furniture online prior to purchasing, and every click leaves behind a virtual trail of crumbs leading straight to consumers, where a purchase is imminent. If furniture retailers learn how to follow the trail they can reap unending benefits.

Tapping into Fast Data Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) is the facilitator of data-driven marketing strategies. The term DaaS comprises the processes of gathering and leveraging various types of Big Data resources to ultimately improve revenue.

There are three main types of data that can be leveraged by DaaS: Foundational Data – internal data combined with additional demographic and firmographic enhancement and Hard-to-Find-Data; Onboarded Data – offline data transformed into addressable online identities; and Fast Data – real-time behavioural data.

The most successful data-driven marketing plan integrates all three data sets into a comprehensive database to effectively segment and target prospects – but for a

furniture company looking to test the waters of data-driven marketing, tapping into the Fast Data resources is a good place to start.

Fast Data is an invaluable asset to the furniture industry as it aggregates eventand behavioural-driven data to determine purchase intent as it occurs. Retailers who tap into this resource enjoy an almost unfair competitive advantage in having exclusive knowledge about who is actively searching for specific categories of furniture that they, or their competitor, sell.

The retailer now has the first opportunity to reach out to the consumer who has inadvertently already shown interest in making a purchase, and focus their marketing spend on an already-warm lead that just needs some encouragement.

Types of Fast Data There are three main types of Fast Data that marketers can employ for their targeted marketing. Most Fast Data-driven marketing strategies utilise a combination of all three categories, as they will often overlap.

The first type is social purchase signaling, or signals derived solely from social media outlets. DaaS solutions scour the internet in search of qualifying phrases posted to social sites that are proven to imply imminent purchase in certain products – for example, ‘excited about the move’ or ‘shopping for a new couch today’.

Such signals signify the opportune moment to market to consumers who are already primed for purchase and open to accepting a product offer – so it might as well be yours.

Second is discretionary purchase signalling, or leveraging signals which imply an influx of discretionary income. Consumers who find themselves with a suddenly higher

“Fast Data is an invaluable asset to the furniture industry as it aggregates event- and behavioural-driven data to determine purchase intent as it occurs”

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allocation of discretionary income are more apt to make a purchase which they previously considered a luxury – such as a new bedroom set or sectional sofa. These signals include customers who have secured new credit sources or have recently been promoted or transferred to a better-paying occupation.

The third category of Fast Data is life event signalling – being aware of big changes that are generally followed by certain purchases.

For example, baby shower registries or web searches on being a first-time parent signal the impending purchase of nursery furniture.

Weddings also have a similar pattern with registries and search behaviour.

New movers are the most substantial resource of life event signals as they represent a gold mine of opportunity for retailers.

In the US, new homeowners spend more within the first six months than the average consumer spends in three years. DaaS solutions access current, real-time databases of new movers and provide this information to retailers for targeted outreach.

But won’t they find it odd?

A concern of many retailers is whether or not poignant strategies based on mined information will turn consumers off their brand. The good news is consumers are becoming more accustomed to their information being used to construct personalised outreach, and now generally expect it. A recent study by Yahoo and IG shows that 55% of consumers are more likely to engage in a personalised ad versus a general one. A study by Accenture showed that 68% of Millennials react more positively to that approach too.

Although implementing Big Data can be overwhelming at first, investing in Data-as-aService can provide an unparalleled competitive advantage for retailers looking for a more finely-tuned customer acquisition strategy

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RESOURCES Selling with vision

THE AUTHOR

Brian Barfield is a two-time published author who specialises in retail sales training. His Modern Day Selling series offers a unique perspective in teaching sales associates how to reconnect with their customers and achieve greater success in their sales career.

W moderndayselling.com

Selling with vision and insight Having explored customer types and selling methods, Brian Barfield turns to the importance of knowledge and truthfulness when looking to close a sale …

In my last column, I shared some ways to manage your sales presentation to become more effective and efficient with your time and energy. Today, we move forward by focusing on selling with vision and insight.

In the past you were trained in ways to take control of your sale and guide your customer in the direction you wanted them to go. For a season this appeared to work well, but there was one major flaw with this concept in selling – it was often fuelled by greed, selfishness and manipulation.

Therefore it eventually led to a disconnect between sales associate and customer.

Let’s face it, your customer simply does not trust you these days, unless you give them reason to. The sales floor has become a grind and the time has come for change!

During your sales presentation there is a skill that can help you achieve greatness if it is properly utilised and understood – the advantages of selling with vision and insight.

Now that you have changed your selling mindset back to caring for your customer and giving them an amazing experience, a new avenue in selling success has opened up for you. No longer will you need to manipulate your customer or force them in a certain direction. Now that a bond of trust has been established and you understand what the modern-day customer desires, selling should become easy and almost effortless.

In the past you were actually playing a game of mental chess against your customer.

You are now teaming up with them and helping them overcome their obstacles together.

Now is the time to sell with your customer rather than against them. As their guide through the sales process, it is your knowledge, skill and professionalism that will help your customer achieve their goal of a satisfying experience. Once the bond of trust is established, the customer will actually lead you through the sale at a much quicker pace.

Since they know that you have their best interests in mind, they will listen to your advice when obstacles arise. This is why it is important that you learn the skill of selling with vision and insight.

Take a moment and picture someone having to go through a haunted house when they really did not want to go. This is the way that most customers feel when they enter your store (especially men). They would rather not be there, but have to go in anyway to get to where they want to be.

So, if you hate haunted houses, wouldn’t it be nice to have someone you trust navigate you through the process? As a sales associate it is your job to know the horrors that lie ahead and warn your customer of what is to come. Your job is to make the experience as painless as possible for them. In the end they will appreciate you for working with them through the unknown.

The important thing to remember is that customers are people just like us. They often

“Your job is to make the experience as painless as possible for them. In the end they will appreciate you for working with them through the unknown”

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believe what they are told by the media and others. It is the same way in our sales trainings. We are told that you need to sell this way. Many sales associates never ask questions and do what they are told.

However, when they are given new insight they begin to question their training and look more closely at what they have been taught.

They are often amazed to see that there is a different road that could be taken that is much easier and faster.

Here’s an example from my experiences in the jewellery trade. With my customers, a common misunderstanding and horror is the value of a certification. Customers are told to ask for the certification and dissect it with their little knowledge and understanding.

The customer believes that this will give them comfort and security when buying a diamond. As their guide who is working with them, I share new insight that certifications can be misleading and inaccurate. I tell the truth, and effectively show them the difference.

Customers are blown away when they realise that most places were selling them a G colour and it really is a J. Now they understand how the previous place was able to give them such a good price. By working with my customers I very rarely have to pull out a certification to sell to them. At this point they know that I am being honest and looking out for their best interests. Often, they quickly lead me where they want to go, and I see them through to the end. I am selling with vision and insight.

Next month we will finish the series by understanding how to close a sale more effectively and efficiently

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RESOURCES Staff retention

THE AUTHOR

Jason O’Brien is the COO of TollFreeForwarding.com, an international telecommunications provider based in Los Angeles, which brings businesses around the world instant access to new and existing customers via its huge inventory of international phone numbers.

W tollfreeforwarding.com

Retaining and motivating staff Acquiring – and then retaining – the most capable and competent professionals is one of the main priorities for businesses today.Nurturing existing staff can help avoid a high turnover rate, says Jason O’Brien, who suggests a few approaches …

The economic situation and global competition have had a great impact on the framework of today’s human resources departments. These factors have also had serious effects on employment and the motivation levels of employees.

In an increasingly competitive business world, it is essential to maximise each and every resource at your disposal in order to avoid being surpassed by the competition.

Not only that, but the cost of training employees only for them to later move on – in the worst case possibly even to a competitor – can be a severe drain on resources.

Motivate and enhance employees Companies have a tendency to focus on the individual performance of employees, investing time in identifying their weaker areas. However, it can be easy to neglect addressing how these individuals perform as part of a group. Increasing the attention placed on developing social skills and other factors such as collective productivity is the real key to business development.

This can motivate employees to contribute and buy into the company by promoting freedom of expression and communication, and through the exchange of best practices and experiences. For example, including further training programmes in your employee offering can have the dual effect of improving employee performance – and therefore also the business operation – as well as increasing your employees’ sense of personal development.

Horizontal management Traditional hierarchical structures are rigid and nowadays unsuited to the needs of a

fast-moving industry. Market changes and innovative work processes are increasingly at odds with the new generations of workers.

More efficient management of employees in this framework may have a role in stimulating social interaction between managers and employees, and in turn simplify dialogue between the different functions. These in turn trigger a climate of greater freedom, and therefore employee satisfaction.

A company applying a horizontal management structure would involve self-managed teams, in which decisionmaking time is shortened and unhindered by layers of management. This decentralised decision-making process promotes employee involvement as they are in turn made more responsible in steering the business success, making employees feel more valued and therefore more motivated.

Provide employees with the best tools Developing employee skills is undoubtedly important, but it is also necessary to provide them with the right utensils for them to perform their job. As technology is ever developing, the tools available to your staff should also be upgraded so as to accelerate and encourage development in the digital realm. Using 10-year-old software when a competitor is using more innovative solutions will not only hamper your staff’s ability to perform but will also give your competitors the advantage from a client’s perspective.

When staff recognise that an investment has been made towards improving their ability to complete their work effectively, they will consequently feel that their work is valued, and in turn, this will improve motivation.

“The cost of training employees only for them to later move on – in the worst case possibly even to a competitor – can be a severe drain on resources”

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Career paths and internal progression Employees want to feel they are making progress and that their careers can advance.

You could review the organisation of your company or department to examine how to create different roles and responsibilities, which can be turned into specialised career paths for employees. A career path is the ability to move towards a number of specialised positions that provide several benefits to the employee, whether they are professional titles, new responsibilities, additional authority or higher salaries.

Promote a sense of participation Many companies are emerging from a phase of complex internal reorganisation, involving resource optimisation and cost cutting as a direct result of the recent economic environment. Recent times have seen the rise of new policies and reporting systems to monitor performance, with the aim to return more autonomy to managers.

When re-shaping the structure and applying such changes, it is important to establish a forum whereby everyone from within the organisation can have a degree of input. Whilst this might not result in everyone’s needs being satisfied, it can enable managers to make decisions and steer the organisation’s operations in a direction that will allow a large majority of the workforce to feel that their input is valued.

We are moving towards a more collaborative work environment, characterised by flexibility, advanced technologies and optimised processes. All of this is crucial to attracting and retaining employees – and the cost of replacing talented people is often very high. Ultimately, the goal is to create as comfortable as possible a working environment. This will not only result in a motivated workforce but will undoubtedly aid staff retention

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Melton Dining range

Classic DPS 1.indd46 1 FN_319v23.indd

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www.classicfurn.co.uk Classic Furniture (Binbrook) Ltd, Hangar 4, Binbrook Technical Park, Brookenby, Lincolnshire, LN8 6HF / Tel 01472 398280 / Fax 01472 399247

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PROFILE Classic Furniture

Due to an increasing demand, Classic Furniture’s portfolio additions feature a more natural feel, with recycled collections dominating its release schedule this autumn …

A natural direction for Classic Furniture

Melton

“It’s high time Classic Furniture offered some recycled ranges,” says Dave Rippin. “Consumers are demanding an ever-wider range of products from the retailer, so as one of the UK’s leading suppliers, it’s our responsibility to meet that demand by continually diversifying our offer. Recycled is an area that we weren’t in before, but it’s a style that’s very much in vogue, and will be for some time.”

Three new ranges lead the charge: the rough-sawn Camrose farmhouse-waxed dining and occasional range, which features a few quirky pieces; the darker, reproduction-style Driftwood, a refined, traditional and comprehensive bedroom, dining and occasional range; and the traditional plank Outback dining and occasional range.

Handmade from old pine homes and bridge beams, these unique ranges comprise 100% recycled solid wood.

Worth noting is Classic’s reclaimed pine range, Melton, painted in

“Recycled is an area that we weren’t in before, but it’s a style that’s very much in vogue, and will be for some time” a stony ground colour with weathered pine tops and bronzed knobs.

This eco-friendly range has a rustic, distressed appeal, and lends itself to a living or dining room setting.

A further recent launch comes in the form of Porto, a off white-

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painted dining range topped with rustic elm parquetry. In additon, there’s the Furniture Origins oak range, Colorado, a lighter, revamped version of Classic’s mainstay Bordeaux, featuring additions such as new handles.

Other new ranges, particularly Camrose and Driftwood, are performing notably well for the supplier, as director Andy Rippin explains: “We were taking orders on Driftwood as the displays were being put out on the floor! There’s been a lot of interest in our new eco-friendly ranges from the furnishing stores, and higher-end retailers.”

Classic will launch a further two recycled ranges this year, and another two in January when it returns to the January Furniture Show.

“We’ve expanded our range in terms of style, design and pricing, and have reached a better offer than we’ve had in a long time,” says Dave.

“From painted to mid-market, clean oak, and from French oak to recycled pine, every range in our portfolio is different, yet has a specific place in the market.

“We believe in the market, and, consequently, now offer a level of choice that’s appropriate for it.”

Bolstered by impressive display offers, these ranges are an attractive proposition to those Classic Furniture stockists looking to give their shopfloors a more natural look in time for Christmas.

T 01472 398280 W classicfurn.co.uk

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Class

Camrose

Classic New Releases

Porto

Malmo

Driftwood

Colorado

www.classicfurn.co.uk Classic Furniture (Binbrook) Ltd, Hangar 4, Binbrook Technical Park, Brookenby, Lincolnshire, LN8 6HF / Tel 01472 398280 / Fax 01472 399247

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PROFILE Kettle Interiors

Hot on the heels of the launch of the Oundle Oak dining and occasional furniture collection, new items in the Wansford range and the introduction of the Stamford bedroom collection within the last three months, Kettle Interiors is set to reveal yet more developments at its in-house show, taking place from 7-8th this month at the supplier’s head office in Corby, Northamptonshire …

Stay ahead with Kettle Interiors

Stamford bedroom

Oundle dining

Well received at its Manchester Furniture Show launch, the Oundle Oak collection brings contemporary styling, offering a range of 34 items for every size and shape of home, including four dining tables.

Kettle also introduced 20 items to the Wansford Oak dining and bedroom ranges, two new Chester chairs and a further 17 in the shape of Stamford bedroom’s rustic oak.

At its in-house show this month, Kettle will also launch a new painted bedroom collection with an oak top in the DG range. The first collection to feature Kettle’s new naming convention, designed to combat online price comparison and trading solely on price, DG expands the supplier’s painted offering.

“DG sees the reintroduction of contrasting top furniture into our portfolio,” explains sales director Simon Ainge. “Styles within the painted segment of the market have changed quite dramatically over the last few years and so it is important for us to make sure that our collections respond to this. DG reflects the latest subtle shifts in the painted segment, with a look that is sure to appeal to homes wanting country style and with a choice of wooden and chrome knobs in every box.”

The in-house show will also reveal a new dining chair, with Kettle

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Wansford living

venturing into upholstered chairs with PR. Finished in an attractive yet durable linen-look fabric, this button-back chair comes with oak legs, making it a good match for the supplier’s popular oak dining and occasional collections, including the new Oundle, Wansford, Stamford and Oakham.

“Our in-house show is back in full force, and with the DG bedroom collection and PR upholstered dining chair, retailers visiting our showroom in Northamptonshire are promised to be the first in the country to see great new items,” continues Simon.

“Making sure we stay in line with the latest changes in the market, as well as providing a broad portfolio, is vital in ensuring we maintain our position as a key supplier. Falling between the industry’s two annual shows, the two-day event gives us the perfect opportunity to show that we are busy developing new ideas right throughout the year, to make sure we stay ahead and remain one of the nation’s favourite furniture names.”

The inviotation-only show promises exclusive discounts and the supplier’s largest-ever furniture collection on display.

T 01536 444960 E sales@kettleinteriorsagencies.com

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PROFILE Besp-Oak Furniture

Following a devastating fire in January, Besp-Oak Furniture has completely refurbished its sixfloor Coventry showroom to present an offering that is bigger and better than ever. As well as an open house event taking place from 5-9th this month, the showroom is open on weekdays by appointment, providing through access to over 5000 products …

Besp-Oak’s offer is better than ever

Besp-Oak’s extensive offering includes over 5000 products suitable for garden centres, furniture stores, hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes, holiday homes, rental properties, villas and more. Free parking and on-site catering is available to trade visitors, who will receive a guided tour.

Besp-Oak suggests that trade customers should ask themselves if they are getting the best deal on their furniture and accessories, and boasts exclusive products, available to purchase at a fraction of recommended retail price, with stock items available for direct delivery within 10 working days.

Indoor and outdoor furniture, accessories, lighting and giftware are just some of the products available. Besp-Oak is the original seller of the high-grade oak collections Vancouver Premium and Vancouver Petite – and also the new Vancouver Expressions collection, which features oak tops and units painted in a choice of seven on-trend colours.

For chairs and benches, English leather and a range of tartan fabrics are amongst the latest additions to this season’s offer, as well as a choice of interchangeable handles.

Besp-Oak has firmly established itself as the brand of choice for over 500 retailers, interior designers and contractors worldwide. According

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to the company, there is no comparison when it comes to the build quality and value for money its products offer.

Besp-Oak boasts one of the largest furniture and accessories stockholding facilities in the UK – a 100,000ft2 wholesale storage and distribution depot, situated just five minutes away from the M6.

For small volumes, customers can enjoy wholesale trade prices. If buying in volume, they can pay factory-direct prices by creating their own mixed container in 20, 40 and 40ft high cube sizes.

W besp-oak.com

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PROFILE Corndell Quality Furniture

Corndell has made so much progress this year that it’s easy to forget that the brand was bought out of administration just 14 months ago. Its principals’ aim to secure the continuity of the business, whilst developing the quality furniture ranges for which the brand was renowned, remains healthily on track, discovers Paul Farley upon speaking to MD David Hudson …

Corndell’s swift recovery

Annecy bedroom in cotton

Was Manchester Furniture Show a success for Corndell Quality Furniture?

The show created the next step change in the continuing growth of the Corndell brand. The order intake was impressive, with buyers, who browsed in January, now committing to substantial display orders.

Our trade press activity since January has also built momentum, and it encouraged a number of national retailers to visit us at the show – the combination of trade press and the show builds awareness which will generate business in the second half.

Following the restructure, what new directions has the brand taken that it might not have otherwise?

We now enjoy an element of financial security and independence which allows us to drive the brand in its own direction, developing our design and quality niche. Investment in the manufacturing and finishing plant in Witney enables us to improve productivity and produce a product finished to order – in turn allowing us to offer a broader range of colours, handles and finishes than any other UK supplier.

What has been the most significant challenge in getting the brand back on its feet?

There is, understandably, an element of caution in the trade when dealing with a re-formed company. We’ve had to work hard to convince the UK retail trade that not only have we survived, but we’re

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“Unlike other manufacturers we’re able to hold good stock levels in Witney and then finish to suit customers’ requirements. This enables us to be fast on our feet and meet the growing demand from consumers for choice and personalisation” in a better place now – well positioned to create new product, but at the Corndell quality levels they recognise. We believe that the work we’ve done over the last few months has built levels of trust to a point where substantial orders were being placed at the Manchester Furniture Show, for example.

What will your new staff appointments bring to Corndell?

Melanie Mills has been appointed design manager, and is soon to become design director. Upon graduating from Nottingham Trent University, Melanie worked for one of the industry’s most influential designers, Maarten Baas. Subsequently, working in Asia for the last five years has broadened her knowledge across many different cultures and creative styles.

Having an in-house dedicated design director demonstrates the level of emphasis being placed upon the development of Corndell’s design handwriting, and also allows us to work in collaboration >>>

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PROFILE Corndell Quality Furniture Arlingham bedroom

Fairford dining featuring wine rack console

with key retailers and buying groups to develop exclusives – the launch of Milton for AIS members is a key example.

Anthony Lewer has been appointed as our new Midlands region area sales manager. Anthony is a well-known figure in the industry, with over 20 years’ experience in the furniture trade, having spent the last 10 years working with UK retailers and, prior to that, supplying UK furniture manufacturers with timber, components and hardware with Totem Furniture.

With his experience in manufacturing, wholesale and retail, he brings a unique set of skills which are ideally suited to Corndell.

Finally, Simon Richards, who has been with Corndell for a number of years running our logistics operation, was promoted to factory manager due to his exceptional management capabilities and understanding of the Corndell business. Following this appointment we’ve seen a dramatically positive change in our output.

What other developments have been made in the manufacturing side of the business?

We have really focused on transparency to our management team and employees, to help them understand what Corndell as a business is trying to achieve in the short and long term. This has allowed us to make significant changes to the way we operate our business due to buy in from the workforce, thus improving productivity, building levels of the right stock, and making people aware of the costs, without compromising quality – which is the key driver of the Corndell brand.

What prompted you to introduce the ranges you have this year?

The launch of Fairford and Arlingham at the January Furniture Show provided the ideal opportunity to demonstrate our quality and price positioning. These products, with their strong Corndell design styling, both represent the strength of our product design expertise.

We recently relaunched Annecy with its new colour palette, the wooden detail option and a wide range of handles – this is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate our finishing capability.

Where has Corndell managed to maintain its point of difference from the competition?

The developments we’ve made to the Annecy ranges have proved pivotal. Unlike other manufacturers we’re able to hold good stock levels in Witney and then finish to suit customers’ requirements. This

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It has certainly been a busy year for Corndell, numerous exhibition appearances and product developments keeping the team occupied …

January – Completed the re-engineering of the manufacturing process at the Witney factory, developed a new brand platform and marketing, and created Cotswold Chic alongside a new attitude to creativity and design handwriting, as well as launching Arlingham and Fairford at the January Furniture Show March – Melanie Mills was appointed design manager April – Took part in the AIS bed show, and created a new colour palette for the Annecy range May – Developed Annecy Wooden range additions July – Displayed front of house at Manchester Furniture Show August – Design and development on the Nimbus range September – Taking part in the AIS members’ show October – Will be present at Minerva’s Autumn Furniture Show, plus embarking on the design and development of new ranges for January 2016 enables us to be fast on our feet and meet the growing demand from consumers for choice and personalisation. Our price pointing, quality finish and brand reputation are also clear differentiators for us in the industry.

Are there any new developments in the pipeline?

Our next area for development is the well-known Nimbus range of product, which has been well exposed in UK retail for a number of years. There’s a number of key developments being lined up ready for January 2016, too.

T 01993 776545 W corndell.com

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PROFILE Steed Upholstery

With the town now officially recognised as a UK Centre of Quality Upholstery Manufacture, it’s a good time to be making furniture in Long Eaton – and what better time to reach a milestone?

Furniture News caught up with Caroline Steed, director of the Steed Upholstery and Peter Guild brands, to find out more about the business as it celebrates its 50th anniversary …

Steed marks 50 years of business The Steed Upholstery showroom in Long Eaton

How did you mark the occasion?

We had a party coinciding with Long Point last month.

Caroline Steed

Who founded – and now runs – Steed Upholstery?

The company was founded by my father Michael, and his brother Frank, in 1965. My father subsequently bought his brother out of the business in 1988. They both trained at Wade Upholstery. Whilst my siblings and I trained to do other things, we are all now in the business – my brother is the production director, and my sister is the buyer and service manager.

What was the most defining event in the company’s history?

Probably the acquisition of the Peter Guild upholstery brand in 2007.

How would you describe your unique approach to manufacturing?

Our focus is on producing beautifully handcrafted u ​ pholstery.

Manufacturing our own frames allows us the flexibility to produce designs to suit individual needs – be they contract, interior design or one-off commissions.

Has reaching this milestone prompted you to re-evaluate your approach?

Along with the Steed and Peter Guild brands, we also have the Ashley House name, within which we have introduced a more contemporary, affordable range, allowing us to open doors to a new market.

What is the greatest challenge UK upholstery manufacturers face today?

The greatest challenge is retailers’ lack of desire to display highpriced items on their floors, with most going down the more midmarket route. There is still a market out there for good-quality, UK-manufactured furniture, but in the main I don’t feel the consumer

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is being helped to fulfil this demand.

How do you envisage the company operating 10 years from now?

Going forward we will not change our approach towards standards – we pride ourselves on quality, and in particular service, which is central to the ethos of our business. Naturally, trends change, and we will adapt to these and hopefully grow our export market too.

W steedupholstery.com W peterguild.co.uk

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PROFILE Heritage Furniture

Blackburn-based importer and distributor of high-quality solid hardwood furniture, Heritage Furniture, has officially launched its biggest-ever oak range. Following a successful soft launch of some of the pieces before selected retailers earlier in the year, the full Earlswood Oak range of 38 pieces – one of the largest oak ranges in the UK – is now available to the trade …

Heritage launches biggest-ever oak range

Earlswood Oak dining

Heritage Furniture carried out extensive market research before embarking on the development of its exclusive Earlswood Oak range, speaking to retailers, customers and industry experts to gain knowledge of current and upcoming market trends.

The company’s key finding was that although people are living in smaller properties these days, they still want to have access to high-quality furniture to style their homes. With that in mind, the Earlswood Oak range features some specially-designed petite pieces that also satisfy the current demand for elegant modern lines combined with homely rustic charm.

Developed exclusively by the Heritage Furniture design team, the 38-piece Earlswood living and dining collection is a naturally attractive range, featuring a combination of clean, contemporary lines and warm oak tones that promises wide appeal. Each piece is as practical as it is attractive, and has been finished by hand with a wax lacquer to highlight its unique grain patterns and characterful natural markings.

The extensive range includes pieces for the living room, dining room and hallway, so it is easy to put together a complete look. And, because Heritage recognises that not everyone’s needs are the same,

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the supplier has included a variety of sizes and configurations for most items, including key pieces in petite sizes.

With four sideboards, four dressers, four bookcases and three lengths of extending dining table included in the collection, customers will enjoy a high degree of choice, at highly-competitive prices.

Rich with detail that gives it a unique character, the Earlswood Oak range features reassuringly chunky tops, subtle peg detailing, traditional dovetail joinery on the drawers, rounded-off corners and stylish brass-coloured handles. Set to appeal to a wide range of customers, this versatile range is built to withstand the demands of modern family life and the vagaries of fashion.

In its 10th year and with a growing reputation for sourcing and supplying high-quality furniture at competitive prices – as well as delivering strong customer service – Heritage Furniture now operates from a 100,000ft2 warehouse in the North-west.

During 2015 the company has invested heavily in the business, and has appointed a specialist design team to develop new ranges in line with market trends and customer feedback.

T 01254 660777 E sales@heritagefurnitureuk.com

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BEDS & BEDR0OM

Stamford Bedroom, Kettle Interiors

Westside centrally-opening wardrobe with sliding doors in Havanna glass finish, Wiemann

Kettle Interiors (01536 444960) has launched a bedroom accompaniment to the popular Stamford dining range. With its striking design and finish combination, Stamford Bedroom is set to be the supplier’s bestselling bedroom range by the end of the year.

With a carefully selected range of items to provide storage solutions for all sizes of bedroom, the Stamford Bedroom oak and oak veneer collection comes with a rustic finish that gives a warm glow ideal for making bedrooms feel cosy and comfortable.

Including three different wardrobes, three beds, chests and more, this collection is ideal for retailers looking to offer customers contemporary style and can be ordered through the wholesale, stockist and container supply packages, each one delivering great value and fast delivery.

Wiemann’s (01482 635283, www. wiemannuk.co.uk) reputation for betterend bedroom furniture is on the up – and has resulted in a positive response to the introduction of complementary VIP ranges

Westside and Eastside this year.

Both available in the same finishes, Westside is a sliding door system, while Eastside offers versatile hinged door combinations.

Says Peter Hewitt, MD of Litmus Furniture, Wiemann’s sole agent in the UK and Ireland: “We are gradually repositioning the Wiemann brand in the UK away from the budget end and more towards the middle- to uppermiddle market sectors. Our continuing success with AIS and AIS retail members >>>

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BEDS & BEDROOM

illustrates this shift in perception – as does our acceptance into the Long Eaton fraternity, with the opening of a new trade showroom there.”

The Myer’s (www.myersbeds.co.uk) brand has undergone a significant overhaul, the mattresses, divan bases and headboards in the range enjoying numerous enhancements in a bid to help them stand apart from the competition.

These include: the implementation of ball-bearing drawer runners, a high-end feature that is set to reduce the problems caused by loose drawers in transit; taller spring units, improving the look and feel of the mattresses; improved edge zoning; added probiotic treatment; and the application of upholstery fabrics instead of ticking on headboards.

“We’ve added further value to this already-strong value brand,” says

Painted Provence, Bluebone Steinhoff UK Beds’ design and development director, Richard Naylor.

“We looked at what our customers wanted that wasn’t already on the market – and the developments have been very well received.”

The brand’s identity has also been transformed, the PoS featuring simplified language and presentation to better appeal to today’s consumer. “Just because it’s a value brand, there’s no reason Myer’s shouldn’t be an aspirational product, with its own personality” concludes Richard.

With a wide selection of cabinets and chests of drawers, Bluebone (www.bluebone.co.uk) offers complementary furniture for any bedroom. The Painted Provence collection – still an all-round bestseller – offers a range of side tables, wardrobes and bedroom chests to complement the striking bed

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BEDS & BEDROOM Feature Focus – TCH Furniture

Feature Focus TCH Furniture In this regular feature, Furniture News asks an industry figure about their strongest product area and the issues surrounding it. This month, Elijus Noreika, MD and owner of TCH Furniture, answers Furniture News’ questions.

What is your current bestseller?

With the bedroom furniture category being so popular within TCH, there’s a new range introduced to the market every season. The most recent one, yet reaching the heights of current bestsellers, is the Cromwell bedroom range. Designed exclusively for TCH, it features a combination of subtle pastel paint finishes and natural solid European oak. Complemented by soft curves and profiles, which evoke a traditional French style, the combination of the colour, natural oak and bright nickel plated hardware gives it a fresh look that suits both modern and country living. It comes painted with oak tops as well as with the option to have it completely in oak.

What are your historic bestsellers, and why are they so popular?

Even though according to the latest trends our customers seem to favour painted ranges. Historically our bestselling established range is Windsor, a natural oak furniture collection, which has classic good looks and a wide variety of furniture pieces including bedroom, living and dining. The key selling point of this collection is that we constantly strive to improve our offering to the customers by adding new finishes, handle options as well as different sizes, which allows us to add a fresh look to our well-established collection. The Windsor range is well made, good looking and good value. As I like to say – it’s furniture made to last.

What trends are you currently experiencing?

While oak will always be popular, when it comes to the bedroom, this year homeowners are opting for painted pieces. The pastel and neutral colours that TCH can offer give a subtle, sophisticated look to the furniture and suit any home. Across the standard natural oak finishes like oil or lacquer, a new trend in the market is brushed oak combined with sleek lines and antique handles, to give that timeless feeling and sense of nature.

Have customer preferences changed much over time?

Since our living spaces are shrinking, we have seen furniture with a smaller profile over time that gives more of a contemporary look.

Customisation of furniture seems to be a trend that continues to develop and evolve – as we produce each piece of furniture to order, the choice of fabric, handles and colour can be offered with the same lead time as with standard pieces.

What are the key issues affecting your bestseller at a retail level?

Providing our stockists with unique character and helping to stand

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Cromwell out from the competition is crucial in today’s retail business. A secret drawer behind the top profile on all bedroom pieces is unique to TCH’s ranges and has already become a standard.

We are always supporting our retailers with the best marketing material and as much information as they need. It is essential that the knowledge about our products is always available for our customers.

Exceptional customer service is another strength that we have developed over the years. … and at a supply level?

Quality. Each piece is individually made and the oak is crafted from the finest selection of European oak, sourced from sustainable and responsibly-managed forests. Unique to TCH, the manufacturing process actually starts with the slicing of the logs, to kiln drying, and then through the whole process, all within the factory’s control.

What are your observations on how best to retail that product?

It needs to be presented in a clean, natural and sophisticated way, to be completed with a hint of stylish, yet modern decor pieces. Personal preferences can be adopted when choosing the fabric and handles, to suit any shop floor. The key in selling bedroom furniture is the home feeling – the lighting to create cosiness, pillows and duvets to match the style of the furniture, and other details to make it unique.

What is your personal preference?

As for bedroom, I would opt for a painted range with an oak top, most probably Cromwell. I would choose a pastel finish such as Toasted Almond, combined with our latest mist finish for the oak tops.

W tchfurniture.eu

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DINING ROOM

Milano dining/pool table, Sam Leisure

Wansford dining, Kettle Interiors

Sam Leisure (024 7646 1234) is expanding its offering of its popular Milano dining/pool table range. The company has been supplying this multi-functional table range for the past two years and has seen consistent increases in demand and positive customer reaction.

Sam Leisure previously offered a stock range consisting of Mid Oak, Piano White and Piano Black in both six to eight and eight to 10 seat sizes. As demand has increased, the company has introduced another stock colour – Limed Oak with grey cloth – as well as offering a full custom build facility

Neutrals Humber

where individuals can specify almost any finish veneer, size and cloth colour, ideal for discerning clients and interior designers.

Launched last year, Wansford Oak has become one of Kettle Interiors’ (01536 444960) most popular oak living and dining collections and so the supplier has introduced a new range of items to extend the flexibility of this stylish contemporary furniture range.

Introducing small and large fixed top tables, a large cupboard and sideboard, a wine cabinet, display cabinet, bookcases, corner cupboard and matching top as well as

RE-Engineered British Vintage

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TV units a hall bench and desk, the updated Wansford collection is now one of Kettle Interiors’ most diverse collections.

With the recent addition of new bedroom lines, the Wansford collection now features a total of 59 items for dining, occasional and bedroom use. Retailers across the country can make the most of great value oak furniture through the Wholesale, Stockist and Container packages. With fast delivery and structured pricing, these services allow retailers of all sizes to make the most of the Wansford collection. >>>

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Lichfield dining group in new Fumed Oak and Milford Linen and Slate fabrics, Old Charm

Old Charm’s (www.oldcharm.co.uk) new finish, Fumed Oak – a paler and more weathered colour enhanced with a subtle charcoal grain strike – is proving popular with the trade. The new oak colour provides a more contemporary feel as well as offering the consumer a wider choice of wood finishes, with seven colours in total.

The new Lichfield dining group was successfully launched at the Manchester Furniture Show, and features an extending refectory table available in 2 sizes –5’ and 6’ – and a sideboard. An elegant wing back dining chair featuring a comfortable high back and tapered legs completes the group.

Lancaster, one of the oldest styles in the

Clerkbar stool and Lindon, YOTFC

Lancaster table in Light Oak with Heritage finish, Old Charm

collection, features a traditional H-frame base and turned legs which create an enduringly classical look that complements many styles.

With over 25 years of hands-on experience guiding dining chair specialist YOTFC (01604 890956, www.yotfc.eu) through challenging times, MD David Harrison firmly believes that the company’s ‘old traditional’ values are still a high priority for his repeat customers – and assured, consistent quality and competitive prices are still at the core of the business.

“Thousands of successful transactions with happy clients must point to a degree of success,” he laughs. “We do great trade with so many customers because we maintain our levels of quality, in terms of both product and

service – but we’re also very flexible these days, and can work miracles for clients with specific demands.”

European oak, beech and pine products, with customised upholstery and bespoke colour matching, are available to YOTFC’s varied customer base of independent retailers, furniture manufacturers and contract furniture specifiers.

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DINING ROOM Exclusive UK

Belgravia

Exclusive UK’s unique appeal Exclusive UK is maintaining its position as a go-to supplier of glass, marble, high gloss and foil-finished wooden furniture – its original style continuing to strike a chord with the market.

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Exclusive UK started out as a small company selling coffee tables and figures mainly to independent furniture retailers, many of which it still supplies today. The company sold dining tables purely as a possibility, testing the market and the response of its customers by launching the New York dining table, which then turned out to be a success. As a result, the company introduced a full range including occasional furniture.

From testing the market with glass dining and occasional furniture, Exclusive is now a market leader in this field. Due to the fragile nature of its products, customers can expect a personal delivery service from Exclusive, as it carries out all of the deliveries with its own drivers in its own lorries. This ensures all of the products purchased reach the retailer in good condition and promptly, without added delay.

Year in, year out, the company launches striking new modern designs which are of a high quality of design. Exclusive is known for its attention to detail and the high standard of its products, which are all competitively priced. This is something the company prides itself on and strives towards with every range it introduces to its expanding portfolio of designs.

All of Exclusive’s products undergo rigorous testing to ensure they comply with the necessary British Standards Trading regulations.

The company launched six new ranges earlier this year, and recently expanded its warehouse capacity and its sales team, making Exclusive well equipped to meet the demand it anticipates.

“The idea is to hold more of the right stock, reduce lead times, and get the orders out quicker,” says the company’s Reg Pangali. “In general, we want to run more of an efficient warehouse. Consumers are increasingly impatient, asking for faster delivery, and stockists are feeling that pressure – if we can meet their demands, we’ll help keep everybody happy!”

W exclusiveuk.co.uk

28/09/2015 15:41

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LIVING ROOM

JF700, Jual Furnishings

Jual Furnishings (01443 816982, alex@ jualfurnishings.co.uk) is introducing two new ranges for the living room and home office.Designed in-house, the new ranges put a retro twist on the popular curve range products that have made Jual one of the country’s leading suppliers of occasional and home office furniture.

The JF700 lounge collection offers everything required to furnish any living area.

With two choices of TV stand, coffee table, lamp table, nest of tables and console, crossselling is straightforward. JF700 comes in a matt walnut finish.

Next is the PC700 home office collection,

PC701 laptop desk, Jual Furnishings

which is available in two new colours, ash and white ash. As with JF700, the range offers a complete package – two desks, filing cabinet, pedestal, two bookcases and a chair.

Jual Furnishings director Julie Powell says: “Designing these new ranges has taken a lot of time and effort, and we are excited to start promoting them and seeing them on our customers’ shop floors. The real beauty of these products is the service we can offer.

Every single product from each collection is available using our free next-working-day delivery service.”

The Faux & Leather Collection by Serene (www.serene.co.uk) comprises bedsteads, sofa

Naples, Serene

beds and headboards, harnessing aspects of the traditional and contemporary.

Naples is a comfortable sofa bed created using a combination of bonded and faux leather. A simple pull-out mechanism converts this two seater into a small double bed, while quality upholstery, plentiful padding and a soft foam mattress makes it a versatile addition to the home.

As with the wider collection, the faux leather on Naples receives numerous treatments to help make it easy to maintain.

Naples is available in black, brown and cream.

The new Lavenham and Blakeney upholstery collections from Wood >>>

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Westminster

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LIVING ROOM

Bros (01920 469241) offer flexibility in fabric and timber choice to complement all the cabinet ranges available from the supplier.

Lavenham features traditional scroll arms and a choice of back cushions. The new Blakeney recliner features a channel back and turned wooden feet, available in all of Wood Bros’ timber finishes and its extensive fabric and leather swatch.

Well grounded, Bluebone’s (www.bluebone.co.uk) Neutral and Natural offer pairs factory finds with neutral colours for unique displays. The use of recycled materials, environmentally-friendly timbers such as mango, and naturally-inspired lights combine to result in impressive living room furniture

Lavenham, Wood Bros

Neutral and Natural, Bluebone

At Sen Furniture, we pride ourselves in developing innovative, high quality furniture designs to suit client needs both large and small and at amazingly affordable prices. With an ever expanding retail client base our team of in house designers are focused on consumer taste and brand quality, while our customer support and operations team are proud to offer an order fulfillment and after sales service programme that is second to none.

Contact us on: 01978660768

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Blakeney, Wood Bros

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LIVING ROOM Sylvawood Furniture

Since production at Sylvawood Furniture began in 1983, the company has progressed from being a small producer of waxed pine beds and tables to a manufacturer of several high-quality, handmade, solid wood cabinet furniture ranges, and now offers five comprehensive collections of dining room, bedroom, occasional, hallway and office furniture, all made at its Wiltshire factory. An outsourced selection of beech and oak chairs complements these collections.

Cavendish joins Sylvawood’s strong portfolio

Large scribed bookcase, the Cavendish Collection

The latest range is the Cavendish Collection, which comprises dining, bedroom and occasional pieces with a painted finish inside and out, solid (24mm) oak tops as well as soft-close drawers and exposed metal hinges and matching polished chrome handles.

Cavendish is already proving popular. It is also available in solid oak in a selection of finishes including the contemporary opaque white oil which gives a subtle limed oak look, and the opaque grey oil which, when combined with one of the soft muted paint colours, enhances the classical understated styling of the range.

Sylvawood employs materials including top, A-grade oak and pine, high-quality undercoat primers and paints plus solid wood and metal handles. The build quality is of a high standard, and utilises a mix of traditional cabinetmaking skills and modern machinery.

Nick Pitcher, Sylvawood’s customer relationship manager, comments: “British-

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Two over three chest, the Cavendish Collection

made products are known throughout the world for being top-quality merchandise, and customers expect excellent value for their money. Sylvawood Furniture enables the retailers to offer many options – there being, for example, over 24 different wardrobes available in the bedroom collections, 25 paint colour choices, nine different oak finishes and a choice of 20 handles.

“This means that their customers have a lot of choice when it comes to ordering their furniture – it’s a great USP for our retailers.

“Another thing our retailers appreciate is that we are unbranded, so it’s much more difficult for prospective customers to root around on the internet and instigate a price war between stockists.”

The short lead times are also an advantage for the retailer.

Sarah Hayford, Sylvawood’s MD, adds: “We work hard for our retailers by providing top-quality full-colour brochures for all of our ranges to assist with a sale. We provide

Glazed linen cupboard, Antique Bedroom Collection free marketing in store and a graphic design service for PoS and advertising. We are proud of our customer service.”

T 01985 840012 E nick@sylvawoodfurniture.co.uk

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Sylvaw

Serving retailers since 1982 • Choice of 30 Paint finishes • Manufactured in the UK • Free High Quality Colour Brochures • Lead Time 4-6 weeks • Choice of Handles • Competitively priced • Six Collections of Furniture in Pine and Oak • Hand finished products Contact Nick Pitcher or Sarah Hayford T: 01985 840012 F: 01985 840781 E: nick@sylvawoodfurniture.co.uk E: sales@sylvawoodfurniture.co.uk Contact us today to find out more about our six extensive ranges of solid wood Bedroom, Dining, Occasional and Home Office furniture.

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TRADE SERVICES

Midland Furniture Auction’s new website

Syscom MD John Moses

Syscom (www.syscom.co.uk) believes that manufacturing based on delivery schedules is the most sensible way to operate – cutting down transportation complexity and cost and making sure that finished product is not gathering dust awaiting delivery.

Syscom’s Furniture Manufacturing ERP Service allows the user to align deliveries with suitable products, maintain total control and visibility of sales through to invoicing, all without any capital investment required. Microsoft Dynamics AX along with its new furniture plug-in is now available to

LITHO DIGITAL FULFILMENT

DESIGN

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companies of all sizes, and is Cloud-hosted.

Midland Furniture Auctions (MFA) (01773 832 555) has recently launched its new website – www.mfa.bid. It is designed to help buyers find furniture for sale quickly, over at the popular weekly auction. Buyers can view the catalogue at home, or even browse via mobile as they walk around the saleroom.

This is just one part of the continued investment MFA makes into connecting buyers with stock, and to make sure furniture is sold fast and effortlessly for its vendors.

Due to demand, MFA is always looking for

new stock from sellers wanting to clear end of line, returns, excess or any other furniture.

Each lot is sold with a no sale – no fee promise at the saleroom in Alfreton, Derbyshire, so new vendors have nothing to lose by giving the auction a try.

Dean Carpenter, senior auctioneer at MFA, says: “We would love to welcome even more new vendors to the saleroom and show them the great service we provide. Please visit our new website to find out more or come along on a Wednesday. We are easy to find, just off junction 28 on the M1.” >>>

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print solutions for today’s business

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TRADE SERVICES Trucksmith has found success with its low-floored Luton vans

The use of mechanisms and electrical components in furniture brings with it requirements and considerations for all parties. A new course that focuses on CE marking has been launched by FIRA International (01438 777700), and will take place on 12th November.

A CE mark shows that a product is compliant with EU legislation regarding safety, health and environmental protection, and ensures its free movement within the European Economic Area.

Business process improvement consultant Bruce Lovell says: “Responsibility for CE marking lies with whoever first places the product on the EU market, so it is important to know your legal obligations and how to properly check if products meet the criteria to be sold and purchased in the EU. “For a product to be affixed a CE mark, it must have undergone an assessment and comply with all applicable directives. The training course explains which directives are relevant, which standards can be used to prove compliance to the directives, which products can be self certified, which need to be CE marked and how this can be achieved.”

Low-floored Luton vans have been meeting demand in the furniture market since being pioneered by Devon-based manufacturer Trucksmith (www.trucksmith.com). After nearly 30 years, the company’s well-known van conversions have become a popular choice for removals and furniture delivery businesses that demand the convenience of near groundlevel loading.

MD Daniel Trebble says: “When we started out we set out to build a conversion that overcame obvious drawbacks

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FIRA International’s CE marking course will shed light on the requirements that motorised furniture needs to meet in the Luton design, including aerodynamics, handling, roof height and of course the high floors. We’re now producing more vehicles in the UK than at any time in our history.”

The class-leading low loading height of 550mm makes access with bulky or heavy loads easy, and for those requiring a taillift, this option is still available to provide the best of both worlds.

Executive sales and brand manager Simon Partridge says: “In addition to bespoke 3.5t GVW to 12t GVW utility bodies available directly through Trucksmith, we’re best known for the approved conversions on three major marques – Renault Master Loloader, Vauxhall Movano Kneehi and Fiat Ducato Canniloaader – that are made available through national dealer networks.

“We’re constantly investing in research and development, and we’re implementing new build techniques and material use that improve access, centre of gravity and fuel economy. We are also set to complete an additional new 50,000ft² production facility to help us meet demand not only for fleet orders but for bespoke builds”

28/09/2015 14:16

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yours isn’t, stop wasting your money now and re-design your advertising campaigns using a benefits-orientated-style. Call Greenwood for effective copywriting know-how.

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FURNISHER Lausanne bedding, Gallery Direct

Mosaiq, Louis de Poortere

Loire Round Velvet Cushion, Gallery Direct

Gallery Direct (01795 439159) launched its Autumn/Winter Look Book at Autumn Fair, presenting collections ranging from elegant to modern, comprising around 160 new products across Gallery’s five brands.

Gallery’s range of soft furnishings is complete with sequins and velvets – there are three new bedding ranges along with a variety of cushions and throws. The bedding collections include Lausanne, a luxury quilt cover set with a top cuff faux leather sequin panel and pleated detail, completed by coordinating cushions and a bed runner. The Jacquard quilt cover set in grey features a geometric glimmer design with a plain top

border detail and 200 thread count reverse.

Next is the Deco Sequin – this set has fanstyle sequin detail and a pleated top cuff.

Part of the new cushion range, the Loire Round Velvet Cushion features a brooch detail in the centre and is available in red, teal and gold. Further velvet and crushed velvet cushions, along with soft double-sided throws and printed cushions, add a wide variety of new soft furnishings to Gallery’s catalogue.

Belgian luxury rug producer Louis de Poortere’s (www.louisdepoortere.com) Mosaiq collection is differentiated from the supplier’s stable by its texture and vibrancy.

Designs combining delicate flower motives and geometric tribal elements have been condensed into an intricate mosaic pattern.

Louis de Poortere is known for its classic, vintage looks, but the choice of colour tones and different levels of texture promote the contemporary vibe this latest collection is looking to achieve. The collection is available in eight sizes, and five vivacious hues.

Mosaiq is woven on Wilton looms from 100% cotton chenille, worked together and finished by hand. The result of an extended research and development phase, Mosaiq is a high quality, design-led introduction to an already versatile range of products

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DESIGNER Rob Scarlett Meets … Adam Daghorn

meets ...

Rob Scarlett

Adam Daghorn, Marks & Spencer

Burchill

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Rob Scarlett Meets … Adam Daghorn DESIGNER

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Design underpins this industry, regardless of one’s place in the market. While creating something from nothing can appear to be the province of high-end European designers, the UK has a core of solid, hard-working creative professionals that keep the industry alive. In this exclusive series, Rob Scarlett of Scarlett Design UK goes in search of the unsung heroes of the industry to find out what makes them tick. This month, Rob meets Marks & Spencer’s Adam Daghorn …

On Adam

Adam Daghorn

“

Adam is the lead furniture designer at Marks & Spencer (M&S), an area worth over £135m.

After studying Product Design at Nottingham Trent University, Adam moved to London and worked for a small design firm, First Man Standing, before moving on to Robert Timmons Furniture, and then on to Next.

His work has been shortlisted for the Design Guild Mark by the Furniture Makers Company, and has been featured in a multitude of consumer publications.

W adamdaghorn.com

“Working in the retail industry limits the amount of prototypes and models that you can make by hand – instead you have to rely almost completely on the accuracy of digital modelling, which in turn becomes the technical drawing”

What was the most valuable part of your education?

The ability to translate an idea into a 3D digital model has underpinned my design process from day one. Working in the retail industry limits the amount of prototypes and models that you can make by hand – instead you have to rely almost completely on the accuracy of digital modelling, which in turn becomes the technical drawing. Ensuring that the proportions and scale are correct is vital.

What was your first design job?

My first design job was for a small design company based in North London. Mainly industrial design based, I learnt so much in my first six months that I felt like a complete novice. I was part of the team that developed a new design of wheelchair to help reduce repetitive strain injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome. The role included making prototypes, 3D modelling, sourcing materials and completing patent drawings.

Where might I have heard your name before?

I doubt you have, but I’ve designed several best-selling furniture ranges for M&S such as Burchill, Jakob, Colby and Dawson.

What are you working on right now?

Right now I am about to start designing the new products for autumn/winter 2016.

The last few weeks have been about finding inspiration and deciding the new types of product that I want to design to ensure we continue to push forward as a company. I have visited exhibitions and shops in Milan, Paris and New York to see what new types of products and materials are being used or are coming through. I then decide what is right for the product I am designing – and, more importantly, the customer I am designing for – and try to factor in the inspiration I have gathered.

On design

Nayoko desk

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How do you mentally prepare yourself for work each day?

I clear my desk. I often find that if I can declutter my work space, it’s as if I have decluttered my head. It then feels like I have a fresh start or a clean break to start the next design. >>>

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DESIGNER Rob Scarlett Meets … Adam Daghorn

A blank sheet of paper can be daunting – what inspires you to fill it?

I always keep an A3 pad in front of me on my desk, and by turning over to a clean page I feel like I have a blank canvas to work with. A blank sheet of paper doesn’t daunt me – in fact, I find it inspiring. I get to start a brand new design process every time I start drawing.

We often compromise designs to make them commercial – how do you maintain your quality despite such pressures?

Compromise is very important when working in a retail environment. The product is a combination of price, style and quality.

Being true to your own beliefs and ideals is important to ensure that the product doesn’t lose its soul, and also to make sure it is as unique as possible. You have to be confident enough to know what can and can’t be compromised, but you can only know this through experience and by developing your own set of ideals.

Which is your favourite designer retailer, and what is it doing right?

My favourite designer retailer is West Elm. The materials they use and the quality of the products seem to be the most important factors they consider when designing furniture.

Which area of your work do you enjoy the most – and the least?

My favourite part of the job is visiting the

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“

“Creating furniture that could be a future antique is something that is disappearing from the high street

factories and seeing the prototypes for the first time. Being able to see my idea or design come to life is extremely satisfying. What is less satisfying is the excessive amount of long-haul flights I have to take to get to the factories in the first place!

Which range are you most proud of, and what inspired its creation?

My favourite design is the new M&S Hampden range. It was inspired by Scandinavian mid-century furniture by companies like Ercol and G Plan and designers like Hans J Wegner. The use of the material and the shapes and details involved hark back to a golden age of furniture making, when the materials and processes were designed around delivering the best product possible.

It is true furniture design.

On today’s furniture market Pick three words that sum up UK domestic furniture design today Cheap, soulless, uninspiring.

What aspects of it make you despair? And, conversely, hopeful?

For some retailers, furniture is becoming a throw-away item. They have dropped their price along with their quality. Rather than offering an investment piece that will last years, like a product from Ercol, for example, the pieces are made of cheap materials that are designed to be replaced quickly. There

Adam’s favourite M&S range, Hampden, is inspired by Scandinavian mid-century furniture

are some companies who are resisting this trend, such as Marks & Spencer, West Elm, Ercol and Conran, who continue to produce products that will become future heirlooms.

We can all remember some random piece of furniture from our childhood that our parents or grandparents still own. Creating furniture that could be a future antique is something that is disappearing from the high street.

What’s the last design that really caught your eye?

At the Milan Furniture Fair in April I saw the new Zio dining chair, designed by Marcel Wanders for Moooi. The chair has some beautiful details, with chamfered edges and soft curves, and the seat back is supported by a wrap-around section of timber which helps tie all the different elements of the chair together. It’s a stunning chair.

What do you believe is the future of furniture design?

I think the future of furniture design will involve rapid prototyping. I have used the process before – albeit on a very small scale – to check proportions and the scale of my designs, but I think it will play a major part in how we sample products across the industry.

Instead of sending production drawings off to factories on the other side of the planet and then waiting six weeks for samples to arrive which could be wrong, a drawing could be sent to a 3D printer, and the prototype is ready to examine the next day – for a fraction of the cost and the time. >>>

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DESIGNER Rob Scarlett Meets … Adam Daghorn

On the industry In your opinion, which industry event or platform gives a designer the best career step up?

New Designers and 100% Design are great events to see new products and designers. The furniture fair in Milan [Salone Internazionale del Mobile] is also massive, and a great place to network and meet fellow designers and companies.

“

What design website do you visit most often?

Dezeen is a great website if you’re looking to find out about the latest news and products in design, technology, architecture and interiors.

It’s also great for showcasing emerging brands and companies that aren’t mainstream yet.

How do you think the industry views designers?

I think designers are viewed as a necessary component to delivering a product. No-one is irreplaceable, so being able to adapt and change what you design and how you design is extremely important.

“A blank sheet of paper doesn’t daunt me – in fact, I find it inspiring. I get to start a brand new design process every time I start drawing”

Having an understanding of the market is paramount, and I think designers that can illustrate that knowledge and translate it into commercial, aspirational products are well respected.

Hampden

What’s the biggest challenge you face?

Never standing still. I constantly have to push the boundaries of what I design with the aim of attracting new customer types, styles and formats.

What advice would you give to young designers just starting out in the furniture industry?

Don’t give up. It takes a long time to build up a reputation and a catalogue of work that is worth someone investing in, so you have to be strong and confident in your own ability.

Decide what you want to achieve from your career and then go for it

Rob reflects …

“Don’t give up. It takes a long time to build up a reputation and a catalogue of work that is worth someone investing in …be strong and confident in your own ability.”

Wise words indeed for anyone entering the design industry, and particularly pertinent to cabinet designers as well, as the development timeline can be rather long from initial design to launch.

In fact, a designer may never receive portfolio-standard photography as that is down to the client to produce – as often as not, photography is not forthcoming.

All that makes the ability to produce accurate and attractive 3D models more important – both for a designer’s portfolio, and for presentation to retailers. I actually learnt to ‘model’ on the job, but I’m glad to hear that universities are beginning to catch up with the needs of the workplace.

I still feel that our industry lags behind others in promoting the digital side of design, though – mainly because it is quite a large time and cost investment.

The process of realising one’s designs

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digitally is time-consuming, and more like an art than a science, but once they have been built it can actually end up saving time and cost further down the line. A company might only need to make one set of samples rather than two before they’re happy with a product, if only they would front-load the design and development process.

Adam seems quite confident in the future of 3D printing, and I will be watching the development of rapid prototyping closely to see how it could be used in the future. However, at the moment I think it needs to develop a long way before there’s much application for mid-market furniture. Scale is currently an issue, as well as achieving any kind of accurate finish or colour – although no doubt some enterprising developer is already pushing the boundaries of texture and material. I haven’t even mentioned the potential costs of these prototypes and the inherent waste potential from human error.

As always though, I balance my

optimism with practicality, and fear that the cost and time investment in rapid prototyping will be a bridge too far for our industry until the merit can be proven conclusively. However, I’d prefer to leave you on a lighter and more optimistic note from the great Winston Churchill: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity – an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” The future can be great if we make it so.

Scarlett Design was established in early 2010

by British designer Rob Scarlett, who began his career when he was named the 2003 Young Designer of the Year. Subsequently, Rob has played a key role in the design teams of some of the best-known brands and businesses in the UK furniture industry, including Willis & Gambier, Nathan Furniture, Mark Webster and Yinihome. He has also enjoyed success with ranges launched through UK retailers such as Heal’s, Marks & Spencer, Furniture Village and John Lewis.

W scarlettdesignuk.com

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DESIGNER In Design – Robyn Hinchcliffe

London-based home textile product designer Robyn Hinchcliffe’s Herdwick Dot Carpet is inspired by the soft geometry of agricultural landscapes.

In Design: Herdwick Dot Carpet, Robyn Hinchcliffe “I like to create playful and intriguing fabrics that people can’t help but touch”

Training: Robyn received a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design from Manchester Metropolitan University, then a BA (Hons) in Textile Design from the Chelsea College of Art and Design, specialising in knit.

E robyn@robynhinchcliffe.com

“The inspiration behind this piece is the way we control and constrict nature within our increasingly built environment – maintaining and restricting nature to grow into very organised, geometric patterns of relief”

“Designed on a traditional, hand-operated, industrial knitting machine, the Herdwick Dot Carpet challenges the more traditional aesthetics of knit”

“Using a combination of both machine knitting and hand-weaving techniques, the carpet is both a distinctive and inviting textile for the home, with a playful depth of pattern and texture”

“I have controlled areas of raised and flat textures within the knitted fabric structure, creating geometric patterns with a soft embossed aesthetic”

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the decorative panels group

dp-BioCoteÂŽ Quartz Making germs a thing of the past

YOUR PERFECT PARTNER

Will not wear off or wash away.

Abrasion results far exceeds that of standard high pressure worktops.

99.9% germ free lamination board material suitable for furniture and fit out manufacture.

Works continually for the life of the product.

Available from stock in unicolour and woodgrain finishes.

dp-BioCoteÂŽ Quartz has applications in market areas such as hospitals, health centres, schools, care homes, student accommodation and of course office and contract furniture.

These would all benefit from product manufactured from a sheet material with high abrasion and antibacterial resistant properties.

Contact us for more information.

Century House, Premier Way, Lowfields Business Park, Elland, West Yorkshire, HX5 9HF

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Download our app

Scan for Apple Scan for Android

T: +44 (0) 1484 658341 F: +44 (0) 1484 658812 E: info@decorativepanels.co.uk www.decorativepanels.co.uk

28/09/2015 14:16

AWARD WINNING PROTECTIVE PACKAGING FOR MATTRESSES AND FURNITURE ounts er disc d r o lk go Bu poke lo s e b d an able g avail printin

- Reuse up to 70 times - Reduce damage and Packaging Costs - Improve Manual Handling

Range also includes; Kitchen Worktop Covers Furniture Lifting System The Britwrap concept can be adapted to protect almost any product.Enquire for bespoke applications

Designed and supplied

by Weir & Carmichael LTD

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100-130 St Johns Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 8BH Tel: 0151 934 1250 email: info@weirbags.co.uk Web: www.weirbags.co.uk

22/06/2015 14:16 10:54 28/09/2015

Ready

15 10:54

Ready 2 Drop Italian Designer Furniture & Manufacturer Direct

193-195 Balaam street, London, E13 8AA Tel: 0208 4718222, Fax: 0208 3383089 Email: sales@ready2drop.co.uk

www.ready2drop.co.uk

Special Sales Now On Christina

Italian de

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LEATHER SUITE

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R-2032L Recliner S uite, available in black and brown soft PU, for imm ediate delivery or collection

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when y with u ou order ÂŁ1 s, 0 gorge you will ge 00 ous M t this e d mirror usa sm for a us now free! Conta ll ct to gra b th fantas tic dea is l!

T&C apply, delivery charge apply

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EXPRESS DELIVERY / VAST STOCK HOLDING / NO MINIMUM ORDER

CASA BELLA FURNISHINGS Manufacturers of inspired fabric sofas & chairs

CORE PRODUCTS

DISTRIBUTOR FOR NORTHERN & SOUTHERN IRELAND

core

Core Products are an established supplier of flat packed furniture to products the trade. From our base in Scotland we supply retailers throughout England, Scotland and Wales as well as overseas distributors.

An opportunity exists to develop in Northern and Southern Ireland selling and / or distributing our furniture products. www.coreproducts.co.uk | 01738 630555 Warehousing and distribution facilities are a pre requisite along with the desire to capitalise on a proven, successful collection of flat packed furniture products. The ability to deliver to customers throughout the territory is essential, whilst the sales route can either utilise our existing sales operation or be run independently.

New range of fabrics for 2016 Trade showroom now open!

Suites from ÂŁ445-ÂŁ995 direct from manufacturers no agency cost.

Why go to middle men when you can buy direct!

Credit terms (t&c)

Independent manufactures of bench made upholstery supplying independent retail outlets.

Specialising in bespoke upholstery and made to measure.

Network delivery throughout UK and Ireland.

Tel: 01254 661661 | 07720 073043 Fax: 01254 661802 Email: casa.bella@btconnect.com Call for our new brochure

Interested parties are invited to contact Stuart Wallace in the first instance by email at stuartwallace@coreproducts.co.uk

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National Sales Manager and Sales Rep required

Hyde Line Furniture Ltd is a UK based company based in Milton Keynes with an office, showroom and warehouse. We sell high quality leather sofas in the UK and Ireland and are looking to expand our sales team to help generate high sales and create excellent customer relationships.

SALES AGENTS EAST ANGLIA/HOME COUNTIES & NORTH EAST/NORTH WEST

National Sales Manager

Must have at least 10 years experience in the leather sofa industry and previous National Sales Manager experience. Be able to provide excellent service to our existing customers and to be committed to developing new business. The successful applicant must be self-motivated and have a personal desire to generate sales, a passion for the product and genuine enthusiasm for quality.

Sales Agent

Kyoto, a family owned business based on the borders of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, has undergone rebranding and major new product development within the sofa bed, upholstered bed and headboard arena.

Manufactured both in the UK and abroad, we are actively looking to enhance our Sales presence in the independent sector promoting the Kyoto Range in the above territories; actively seeking new opportunities whilst maintaining our existing client base and ultimately raising the company profile and increasing sales.

Must have at least 10 years sales experience, including 5 years within the furniture industry. Have the drive to create new business and customer relations within their area. Areas that require covering are: South West, South East, Greater London, East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and North East.

This role would suit enthusiastic, energetic, self-motivated individuals with a proven sales track record and excellent communication/liaison skills. This job involves a fast moving manufacturing environment and requires an existing knowledge of the market. So, if you are a well-connected agent with no conflicting agencies, please send a CV in the first instance to Julia Scott (julia@kyoto.co.uk).

If you are interest in either of these positions, please send your CV with a covering letter including your salary expectations to:

Kyoto Futons Ltd Hards Lane, Frognall, Deeping St James, Lincs, PE6 8RP

Email: jonathon.tan@hydeline.co.uk

www.kyoto.co.uk

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James Stevenson LAST WORD

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James Stevenson National sales manager, Baker Furniture

Based in Middlesbrough, Baker Furiture is renowned for supplying the furniture trade with unique bedroom, dining and occasional furniture, with an impressive quality of design and craftsmanship.

How did you enter the trade?

I was working for ASDA and wanted to get onto their management training scheme.

Months dragged by with the promise that I would be accepted onto the scheme but nothing came to fruition. I saw an advert in the local paper for a sales consultant at Wade Furnishings and I thought I had nothing to lose and went for the job. The rest is history.

Who is your inspiration?

In my early days on the sales floor I was inspired by the stories of the industry giants such as Ercol who have evolved over the years reacting to consumer trends in a very tough market but still trying to stay close to their original ethos of supplying high quality hand crafted furniture.

Over the past few years I have worked closely with a lot of wise people from within the industry who have given me invaluable advice and inspriration.

What has been your career high point so far?

Being promoted to national sales manager of Baker Furniture.

… and low point?

Being made redundant at 24, a fortnight after moving into a new house and having two-year-old twin girls to contend with.

Everything worked out in the end but at the time it was frightening.

… and the turning point?

Getting my first job as an area manager with Wade Upholstery.

Describe a typical working day Every day is different. I’m generally out on the road with our fantastic team of area managers meeting with customers. I try to have one day a week in the office to catch up on paperwork and emails.

If you had to start over, you’d probably pursue which career?

I always enjoyed science at school and would probably pursue a career in environmental science as protecting the environment is such an important world issue.

What date on the business calendar do you most look forward to?

I don’t have a specific date but I do have a specific month, which would be January. I love the buzz of the January Furniture Show – at Baker Furniture we have an amazing team of people, from the ASMs to the warehouse lads and the team in our sales office who all muck in to get the stand ready and prepare everything we need to make the show a huge success.

What is the most important issue affecting your business right now?

To be honest business over the past few months has been great. The main issue I think we have at the moment is deciding what ranges to launch and when. We are always looking for new things and we have some fantastic ideas at the moment but we can’t launch everything at once.

What would you most like to change about yourself?

I’m a big guy and don’t have a lot of time to exercise but I should really try and lose some weight as I’m not getting any younger.

What do you enjoy most about working in the trade?

I love the people and characters that work within the trade, from retailers to manufacturers. I get a real buzz from being out on the road seeing Baker Furniture ranges on shop floors and engaging with the sales staff to make sure the ranges are a success.

Leave us with an industry anecdote please!

In my first position as a sales consultant at 19 I worked with some very wise old salesmen who drilled home the fact that people buy from people and whatever I do I should always be myself. This has stuck with me over the years and it is something that I tell my sales team constantly

Career digest 1996 – Assistant manager, Wade Furnishings 1999 – Assistant manager, Conroys 2002 – Assistant manager, John Peters 2003 – Sales consultant, Barker and Stonehouse

What company do you most look up to?

Any company that moves with the times and

“ I get a real buzz from being out on the road seeing Baker Furniture ranges on shop floors and engaging with the sales staff to make sure the ranges are a success”

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evolves with changing trends rather than just plodding along.

Jan 2008 – Northern area sales manager, Wade Upholstery May 2008 – Area sales manager for the Midlands and North of England, Baker Furniture 2014 – National sales manager, Baker Furniture

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Further Reading On the web this month:

Do you have a story to share?

To contribute, call the editorial desk on 01424 776105 or email victoria@gearingmediagroup.com

The Furniture News website is constantly updated with fresh stories.

Visit www.furniturenews.net to access the latest unique content, or sign up to the weekly newsletter

Are you looking to place product before the UK’s buyers?

To advertise or submit product advertorials, call the sales team on 01424 776100, or email sam@gearingmediagroup.com or trisha@gearingmediagroup.com.

Do you wish to receive a copy of the magazine every month?

You can subscribe to receive the magazine monthly by emailing subscriptions@gearingmediagroup.com.

On the move?

To download issues of the magazine to mobile devices, you can download the updated Furniture News app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

News: Furniture Village opens new store in Enfield

Keep up to date You can also sign up to receive free access to the digital edition each month, as well as the weekly Furniture News e-newsletter, at www.furniturenews.net/magazine – or email sam@gearingmediagroup to be signed up automatically.

Don’t forget to follow the Furniture News Twitter feeds, @FurnitureNewsED and @Victoria_FNmag, to keep up with the latest news and opinions from the team.

Resources: A snapshot of the French furniture industry

Furniture News is an invaluable resource for those operating in the UK domestic furniture and furnishings sector – but it’s just one of the titles published by Gearing Media Group.

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Those involved in the contract furnishings market should take a look at Hospitality Interiors magazine (www.hospitality-interiors.net), while anyone seeking furniture manufacturing machinery or supplies should check out Furniture Production (www.furnitureproduction.net).

In next month’s issue:

Den Living’s Danny Healey interviewed | NBF Bed Show reviewed African Trackwoods profiled | Beds & Bedroom, Dining Room, Living Room and Furnisher features

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