Furniture News #337

The essential guide to the UK domestic furniture and furnishings trade #337 April 2017 | www.furniturenews.net

Steens For Kids - intelligently designed bedroom furniture that develops with kids as they grow

INTELLIGENT DESIGN Jules Sturgess Design’s futuristic furniture

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PROTECTING PROFITS Weigh up costs vs benefits of change in business

ITALY IN FOCUS Salone del Mobile to highlight Italian design

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S

A

fter working for 10 years with Gearing Media Group, we now sadly say goodbye to long-standing editor of Furniture News, Paul Farley, as he departs to take up a new role in marketing copywriting.

Paul joined the publisher after completing a postgraduate journalism course in 2006, initially working across its two titles, Furniture News and Furniture Production. Within three years he was appointed editor of Furniture News, a position he held since then.

Paul has been instrumental in the growth of the brand over the past decade, helping define the magazine’s content and direction whilst ensuring its online presence is visible and relevant.

As well as developing The Furniture Awards alongside the January Furniture Show, and acting as a judge on several industry award panels, Paul has been a prominent member of the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP), which celebrated its 20th anniversary last month.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent in the furniture industry, in which I’ve encountered countless good people, and experienced so much.

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It’s a shame to be leaving such a rewarding and creative role, but the pressures of a young family means the time is right for a change,” Paul says.

“I wish all our readers, advertisers and partners the very best, and hope our paths cross again.

Thanks for your input, support, and all the fond memories!”

The Furniture News and wider team are sorry to see Paul go, but wish him all the best in the next stage of his career. Paul’s departure leaves big shoes to fill, and I will certainly do my best to ensure that this transitional period runs as smoothly as possible. I am looking forward to the new challenges that are now ahead of me, and to developing my relationships within the trade further.

Victoria Noakes Editor designate T 01424 776105 E victoria@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @Victoria_FNmag

04/07/2017 12:35

4 | Contents

INFORMATION

Editor designate Victoria Noakes 01424 776105 victoria@gearingmediagroup.com

7

Partner Comment

8

News

16

Interviews

22

Events

Salone del Mobile (24)

William Knight, former show director of, and now consultant for, Clerkenwell Design Week, discusses how the industry can prepare itself for post-Brexit business

Twitter @Victoria_FNmag Advertising manager Sam Horscroft 01424 776100 sam@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @FurnitureNewsAD Advertising executive Fiona Jefferies 01424 776100 fiona@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @FurnitureNewsAD Production manager James Ash 01424 775304

Designer Jules Sturgess explains the roots and philisophy of his design company Jules Sturgess Design, and Direct Home Living is this month’s e-tailer under the spotlight

james@gearingmediagroup.com Deputy production manager Katie Bate katie@gearingmediagroup.com Production assistant Stephanie Reading

Featuring a review of the London Fabric Show and a preview of Salone del Mobile

stephanie@gearingmediagroup.com Digital production assistant Nathan Khan digital@gearingmediagroup.com Copy administrator Steve Merrick 01424 776108

28 Resources

Including insights from Land of Beds’ Mike Murray, 528 Advisory’s Clive Hyman and GfK’s Anthony Creaby

Steens (34)

production@gearingmediagroup.com Proofreader Keith Fitz-Hugh Editorial director John Legg

Jules Sturgess Design (16)

01424 776104 john@gearingmediagroup.com 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

Gearing Media Group Ltd 4 Red Barn Mews, High Street Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AG ISSN No: 1475 - 3731

© Gearing Media Group Ltd 2017 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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Contents | 5

Hyder (40)

WWW

ON THE COVER

The essential guide to the UK domestic furniture and furnishings trade #337 April 2017 | www.furniturenews.net

Steens For Kids - intelligently designed bedroom furniture that develops with kids as they grow

INTELLIGENT DESIGN Jules Sturgess Design’s futuristic furniture

PROTECTING PROFITS Weigh up costs vs benefits of change in business

ITALY IN FOCUS Salone del Mobile to highlight Italian design

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 1

28/03/2017 16:35

Steens for Kids children’s bedroom furniture collection by Steens (www.steensgroup.com)

CONTRIBUTORS

32

Baa Stool (58)

34 Profile

The latest offering and developments from Steens

40 Beds & Bedroom

Anthony Creaby, British retail homewares specialist, GfK

30

48 Dining Room 56 Living Room 60 Trade Services Wood Bros (48)

A round-up of logistic and service solutions for the furniture industry

Clive Hyman, chair, 528 Advisory

32

68 Furnisher Soft furnishing and flooring options for the home

72 Designer Alex Gay dissects his F-Series Cabinet in this month’s In Design feature

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 5

William Knight, consultant, Clerkenwell Design Week

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Lebus JFS Advert artwork 297 x 216 (Sofa) Dec 2016 v2 copy.pdf

Comfort

1

29/11/2016

Style

11:04

Sophistication

Lebus Upholstery Ltd, Queensway Ind Est, Dunlop Way, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN16 3RN, United Kingdom

For more information contact:

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t. 01724 407 751

e. sales@lebus.co.uk

04/07/2017 12:35

Partner Comment | 7

Primed for post-Brexit business

W

hat kind of deal do we want? The question is likely to dominate the next two years - not just in London and Brussels, but across our industry too. As the UK forges a new path for trade, the struggle to combine multiple interests of our diverse economy will soon emerge. The UK furniture industry, like so many others, needs to define the opportunity, communicate it clearly, lobby and plan - and not just for the short and medium term.

The furniture industry’s infrastructure and representatives will be tested, through relationships with Government and policy makers, but also in raising the profile and importance of manufacturing and export capacity to wider and influential audiences: buyers and decision-makers.

This, of course, is where the role of the trade fairs and design weeks have increasing relevance. At each industry showcasing event it’s important to develop the visitor base, widen discussion and capture dialogue that will drive an understanding of the issues and ideas furniture manufacturers need to have in place to succeed.

The negotiation of flexible terms of trade, the ability to build skills, source materials, protect intellectual property and to access export markets on good terms are just some of these issues. Underpinning all of this is the price and quality of the product, much of which is driven by design and innovation.

Thankfully the design capacity, understanding and the ability to harness the power of design is now well established across the industry - it’s essential this is maintained, and the platforms to promote UK furniture are as effective as possible.

The issues listed above, and many others relating to

the contract, manufacturing and design elements of the furniture industry, will be raised at the forthcoming edition of Clerkenwell Design Week (23rd-25th May). Covering a multitude of brands, products and perspectives, the programme for the eighth edition of the award-winning event will boast somewhere in the region of 100 events a day. There will, almost by definition, be something for everyone!

For me, the need for events such as Clerkenwell Design Week - for attracting new and international audiences to the UK - has never been stronger. Trade shows such as the events I’ve been managing need to be primed and relevant for the current circumstances the UK economy is facing.

I believe they are, and the recent change in ownership of the January Furniture Show to Clarion Events, under the leadership of Ian Rudge – who established the other key show on the calendar, 100% Design – is a positive move that will strengthen the industry’s position.

The UK furniture industry has rebuilt its reputation, and to an extent, its capacity. Retaining this buoyancy and enhancing confidence means retaining the commitment to innovation and putting it out there through the events and exhibitions that bring buyers and influencers to this market. The industry is fortunate to have a well-developed, professionally-run infrastructure. Now is the time to use it.

William Knight is the former show director of, and now consultant for, Clerkenwell Design Week (www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com), one of Europe’s most vibrant design festivals.

Media Partners

Furniture News enjoys partnerships with a wide range of key global and national institutions and exhibitions

Exclusive UK member

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

Official media partner

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8 | News

Free Intellectual Property seminar Intellectual property (IP) law firm and ACID Affiliate lawyers McDaniel & Co, together with IP lobby and membership organisation Anti Copying in Design (ACID), is holding a free seminar in partnership with The Furniture Makers’ Company to educate the industry on how it can protect and exploit its designs.

The IP seminar is taking place at the Northern Design Centre, Gateshead on 24th May from 11am-2pm. Speakers awill include Niall Head-Rapson, director at McDaniel & Co, and Dids Macdonald, OBE, CEO of ACID, both experts in the field of IP law, in particular design law.

Harrison Spinks plans £9m investment Bedmaker Harrison Spinks is investing £9m as part of its five-year strategy to grow the business and develop the next generation of beds. The strategy follows a significant 40% growth over the last two years.

The investment includes a new site at the manufacturer’s Leeds-based factory to house a larger innovation and technology centre, and additional offices for the expanding team. This facility will also have a dedicated Somnus showroom. As well as quadrupling capacity at its natural fillings plant, the bedmaker is also investing in its machinery, wire drawing and spring technology.

As part of this investment, Harrison Spinks has refocused its business strategy to concentrate primarily on beds and components, and will no longer manufacture

Spink & Edgar Upholstery at its Leeds factory.

The company is looking for an upholstery manufacturer to make and supply the range using its springs and farm fillings.

Harrison Spinks makes foam-free mattresses and is reportedly “well on the way” to developing a glue-free, chemicalfree bed. MD Simon Spinks says: “We have been working on new technologies to develop the ultimate natural bed. We want to only use natural, locally-sourced materials. A mattress that is foam-free, glue-free and chemical treatment free is around the corner and will revolutionise the bed industry.”

As part of the investment, Harrison Spinks is also extending its laboratory to become UCAS accredited with new fire-testing facilities.

Losses narrow and revenues grow at ScS ScS has announced its interim results for the 26 weeks ended 28th January 2017. Gross sales were up 14.1% to £165.9m, and revenue up 14.6% to £157.9m. LFL order intake was up 2.7%, while EBITDA improved by £1.1m to £0.1m. The retailer made an operating loss of £2.6m – down from £3.4m in 2016.

Four new stores opened – in Aberdeen, Thanet, Straiton (Edinburgh) and Plymouth.

Highgrove appoints new manager Highgrove Beds Group has appointed Dave Marsden as its new area sales manager covering the North-east, Yorkshire and Humberside.

Dave is already well known to many of his customers in the area, with more than 20 years’ experience in the bed industry.

He will be responsible for the group’s Highgrove, Moresleep and Sanctum brands.

Dave Marsden

The group now trades from 100 ScS stores and operates 28 House of Fraser concessions – gross sales at which were up 22.9% to £12.8m.

ScS’ ecommerce platform saw online gross sales up 25% to £5.4m.

CEO David Knight comments: “For the 33 weeks ended 18th March 2017, LFL order intake growth was 0.9%. This is a pleasing performance against very strong prior year

comparatives, and represents a two-year LFL order intake growth of 12.5%.

“Trading in February was challenging, largely driven by reduced footfall. However, we have seen an improvement since the start of March. We remain mindful that the group still faces the key Easter and May Bank Holiday trading periods and faces strong comparatives during the remainder of the year.”

British exports on the rise, says BFM British furniture is increasingly being purchased overseas, according to the latest trade report by the British Furniture Manufacturers’ (BFM) association. The survey, which took place throughout 2016, reveals that exports to the EU rose by 19.8% – by 8.4% to non-EU countries – in comparison to 2015, bringing the total value of exports to more than £2b.

Jackie Bazeley, BFM MD, says: “Our report has revealed a number of positive findings despite the Brexit vote and the period of uncertainty that followed. While all sectors saw an increase in values, upholstery experienced the main growth, with exports of upholstered seats rising by 82% to the EU, and overall by 54.4%.”

The BFM report found that exports to non-EU countries now account for more trade than to EU countries. Chief among them is the US, which remains the largest market for UK furniture, worth £533m – 19% up on 2015.

It also showed that China is now the UK’s second major non-EU export market, having overtaken UAE, Qatar, Switzerland and

Australia, following a substantial growth, to reach a value of £83m.

Within the EU, the Republic of Ireland accounts for 30% of all UK exports and is the biggest market for British furniture, worth £277m.

The French, it seems, are also turning more towards British furniture, with imports worth nearly £211m in 2016 – an increase of 50% on 2015, in the process passing Germany as the UK’s second main EU export destination.

In other news, the BFM is one of seven European project partners working toward tackling the industry’s skills shortage by developing an International Masters Degree for the furniture sector.

The IM-Future (International Masters Degree for the Furniture sector) initiative involves a consortium of four universities and two technical research and training centres which, along with the BFM, aim to equip a future workforce with the skills to meet changing patterns of furniture consumption, such as the ageing population and greater reliance on assisted living.

Sign up to receive the Furniture News e-newsletter at www.furniturenews.net to keep abreast of the latest news, analysis and events

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10 | News

International magazine alliance celebrates 20th anniversary

MIFF celebrates the IAFP’s 20th anniversary Last month, representatives from the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to conduct the association’s AGM, elect a new board, and celebrate two decades of collaboration.

Hosted by the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), 16 of the IAFP’s 19-strong membership came together on 7th March at the event’s PWTC venue.

Outgoing association president Zeki Yucel from Turkey was recognised for his contribution. The outgoing board then led a discussion in which Romania’s MagMob was confirmed at that country’s representative publication, citing its greater suitability than rival publication Mobila following a dispute over membership.

A new executive board was then elected, comprising: Artem Vasiliev, from Russia’s Mebelny Biznes, as president; Casey Loo, from Malaysia/Singapore’s Furniture & Furnishing Export International, as vice-president; and Milena Kirilova, from Bulgaria’s MD Magazine, as secretary general. Japan’s Takayoshi Nagashima, from Home Living magazine, remains the association’s treasurer.

“I am honoured to take on this lead role,” said new president Artem Vasiliev following his appointment, “and I am committed to future growth of the IAFP and our global industry alike.” As well as developing the framework of the alliance, Artem made a commitment to greater cooperation with exhibitions and a renewed focus on creating business opportunities.

At MIFF’s buyers’ night, the event’s organisers celebrated the IAFP’s anniversary by presenting its members with a giant birthday cake, following the presentation of commemorative trophies earlier in the week.

The IAFP seeks to strengthen communication between the leading industry trade titles from countries all over the world, in order to better facilitate import, export and global marketing opportunities for its members’ clients.

Kindred Living hits the 50 retailer mark Kindred Living’s approved displaying retailer base has reached 50 across the country. Only four months since the launch of the Kindred brand of fitted bedroom furniture, Inline Kitchens and Bedrooms of Pontefract have become the milestone appointment.

Kathryn Bassett, category brand manager at Kindred, says: “We are delighted that Inline are working with us on Kindred, as an independent specialist they are an ideal partner for the brand. Kindred delivers a huge opportunity for our retailers to grow their bedroom business, bringing the fitted bedroom offer in to the 21st century.”

Inline Kitchens & Bedrooms is a longstanding customer of PWS, Kindred Living’s sister company, and has been selling Second Nature, its market-leading kitchen brand, since Inline’s formation in 2003.

The Kindred Living team Ian Winterburn, Inline’s MD, says: “We are thrilled to be Kindred’s 50th approved retailer and had no hesitation in working with the new brand. The marketing support is second to none, so much better than anything available in the market, showcasing photography that’s realistic and achievable for our target market, reflecting the quirks and different sizes and shapes of rooms that we have to design around on a daily basis.”

Gainsborough and Swanglen director change Jerry Yates, MD of bed and sofabed manufacturer Gainsborough, is set to retire after 30 years in the post. Jerry announced his intention to parent company Airsprung Group’s board some months ago, and has spent the intervening time working closely with his successor to provide a seamless transition.

Successor Nick Gigg, formerly sales and marketing director for headboard manufacturer Swanglen Furnishings, boasts experience of delivering substantial growth and innovation.

Nick first joined Airsprung Group over a decade ago and has enjoyed successful roles with every manufacturing subsidiary of the group.

Nick’s promotion left a vacancy at Swanglen which has been filled by another internal appointment, Peter Ridpath.

Peter has been a trade sector manager for

Airsprung Beds for 10 years and has worked with some of the biggest names in home shopping and digital retail.

His initial aim is to build on the successful initiatives that were recently introduced.

Peter says: “I aim to continue brand growth and market penetration. Ultimately, I want Swanglen to be the go-to manufacturer for all retailers looking for headboards and occasional furniture.”

Airpsrung Group CEO Tony Lisanti concludes: “Jerry has worked for the group for virtually his whole adult life and his contribution is immeasurable. I am delighted, however, to see the next generation of furniture professionals coming through within the business.

“With Nick and Peter’s history within the group it is extremely gratifying to see home-grown talent being recognised and rewarded.”

Carpetright begins two-year charity partnership Carpetright has selected the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as its chosen charity partner for the next two years. Last month’s superhero-themed launch event saw

Carpetright launches BHF charity partnership

colleagues at both the Stores Support Office in Purfleet and in stores nationwide dress up to raise cash.

The retailer is looking to raise at least £250,000 in the first year, and then to significantly increase the target in the second year once the partnership is established, to help fund research into heart disease.

The partnership will be largely centred on colleague fundraising. Alongside, all 2000-plus Carpetright employees will be trained in CPR, as part of the BHF’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign.

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12 | News

FIRA-CMA’s capabilities grow in the Far East FIRA International’s testing facility in Hong Kong has been bolstered by an accreditation to test storage furniture – specifically the performance of cabinets to BS 4875-7: 2006 and ISO 7170: 2005.

Phil Reynolds, general manager at FIRA International, says: “Broadening the scope of testing solutions offered

by FIRA-CMA brings wider benefits to UK retailers, importers and specifiers with business interests in the Far East.

Utilising the local Hong Kong lab saves time and costs in shipping products over to the UK for testing. Furthermore, the accreditation across FIRA-CMA’s services enables the team to test to key British and international standards including flammability, stability, durability and safety.”

Agent’s record attempt for cancer charity Established industry agent Gavin Boden is planning to set a Guinness World Record this May to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Formerly an agent for TCS – and a rep for Parker Knoll and Guardsman before that – Gavin is a well-known figure in the industry, and is hoping to gather support from the trade to raise money for a cause that is close to his heart.

Macmillan supported Gavin’s sister for three years as she fought bowel cancer, its nurses providing the support she needed to fight the disease for as long as possible.

“It is almost three years since we lost her,” says Gavin, “and there isn’t a day goes by without thinking about her or the people around her who helped through her last days.”

When considering how to raise money for the charity, Gavin hit on the idea of a tenpin bowling world record attempt. “Three years

ago, Robert Hendricks and Hector Navedo of El Paso, US, set a world record of 30,537 pins knocked down in 24 hours,” he says. “We are looking to smash this record, and at the same time help Macmillan Cancer Support. Please help us as much as you can.”

The Guinness World Record attempt will take place on Monday 8th May – anyone interested in donating can find out more at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ tenpinbowlingworldrecord.

Gavin’s sister passed away from bowel cancer three years ago

John Lewis invests in digital customer service John Lewis plans to invest £4m in a customer service initiative in 20 of its shops to strengthen its omnichannel customer experience.

The investment will see 8,000 partners who work on the shop floor receive an iPhone loaded with a dedicated Partner App designed to enable them to quickly help customers with information about products, stock availability, and orders.

The app was designed and built by John

Shire joins BFM The Shire Bed Company has become a member of the British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM).

Fara Butt, Shire’s sales and marketing director, has already been appointed as the first chairman of The Furniture Makers’ Company’s new Yorkshire and Central region fundraising committee, and is also a board member of the National Bed Federation (NBF), and chairperson of the NBF marketing committee.

BFM MD Jackie Bazeley says: “We are delighted to welcome Shire Beds into BFM membership. It is excellent that one of the larger bed companies has chosen to become a member, and the BFM looks forward to them utilising all the membership benefits.”

Shire Beds is a family-run company which combines tradition and modernity.

Lewis’s in-house online team using feedback from partners in its Cambridge shop where the project was tested with customers for five months.

Craig Inglis, John Lewis’ customer director, says: “During the trial in our Cambridge store, customer feedback was overwhelmingly positive. It consistently speeded up response times to customer queries as partners didn’t need to leave the customer to find answers, or complete a purchase.”

The news came after John Lewis announced proposals to improve efficiency and customer experience that mean the loss of around 387 roles, principally in home estimation, fitting and catering.

Under the proposals, around 773 members of staff will enter a period of consultation, and 386 new jobs will be created. According to the retailer, these new positions will enable staff to work more flexibly, with more potential for career progression.

Dreams announces record results Dreams has announced impressive unaudited results for the 52 weeks to 24th December 2016, highlighting sales growth of 20% to £280m, and LFL sales growth of 14.1%.

The initial £53m capital investment from owner Sun Capital has now been repaid in full.

Dreams continues to make progress across all of its strategic initiatives.

Fourteen new stores were opened in the period, including three relocations, taking the total to 181. Ten stores were refurbished in the period.

The period saw the launch of Dreams’ Hyde & Sleep bed-in-a-box mattress, as well as the M Line Orthopaedic mattress range in conjunction with Victoria Pendleton, Joe Root and Billy Vunipola.

Investment in the digital offer resulted in 16.7m website visits in the period, with

ecommerce sales up 34%.

Over £1m was invested in machinery at Dreams’ factory in Oldbury, while the retailer’s Replace Every 8 campaign was relaunched.

CEO Mike Logue comments: “2016 was a pivotal year for Dreams, building on the last three years of growth.

“Our significant investment, matched by the incredible efforts of our 1850 colleagues across the UK in our factory, our 181 shops and our delivery centres, have enabled us to achieve these record results.”

The company will launch a new store concept and a new digital store format later this year.

Dreams is a British business, committed to continue making its products in this country, as it does now at the Dreams Bed Factory in Oldbury.

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14 | News

BedzRus now rugby league partner Retailer BedzRus has become the official digital partner for the Rugby League Dacia Magic Weekend and the Kingstone Press Summer Bash.

The two weekends will bring together over 100,000 fans, and BedzRus will play an important role in the digital coverage of the sport’s busiest weekends of the season.

As part of the partnership, children’s divan beds will be given to every Super League and Championship club in England.

The Bradford-based business has also teamed up with its supplier Deep Sleep Beds to offer a unique rugby divan set.

BedzRus has brought former Super League winner and BBC rugby pundit Robbie Hunter-Paul on board, who will present a weekly video blog on sleep and wellbeing.

BedzRus MD Mark Moore says: “The business is very much a family – everybody from the shop floor to the warehouse feels the love for the job, and Rugby League is a family sport.”

BedzRus offers a wide range of kids and adult mattresses.

Hypnos invests in workforce Bed manufacturer Hypnos plans to fill 40% of its projected 150 jobs over the next five years through apprenticeships.

The scheme, which has been running for six years, has recruited a number of talented apprentices, offering new recruits on-the-job training, and ensuring that traditional skills are not lost while providing the opportunity to move into further education.

Hypnos will be also introducing its ‘popup job shop’ scheme over this month and the next.

Visiting secondary schools within a 10-

mile radius of its Princes Risborough and Castle Donington sites, the initiative will help to educate youngsters about the job opportunities available in the manufacturing industry.

Hypnos has also announced children’s charity, Magic Breakfast, as its charity partner for 2017.

To mark its commitment, Hypnos has already provided a £20,000 donation as a percentage of its 2015/2016 financial profit, and has pledged to show further support for the charity in 2017 through a series of events.

QFC retains Manufacturing Guild Mark Lincolnshire manufacturer QFC has successfully passed the audit to retain the Manufacturing Guild Mark, which demonstrates excellence in furnishing manufacturing.

Awarded by The Furniture Makers’ Company and sponsored by Lectra, the mark is only open to companies that manufacture

most of their products in the UK. Companies undergo an audit every three years by FIRA International to ensure their standards of operation remain high.

First awarded the mark in 2013, QFC held an event at its manufacturing facility in Grantham on 23rd February to celebrate retaining the accolade.

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BRITAIN’S BEDTIME HABITS Infographic created by wholesaler Manchester Furniture Supplies (www.manchesterfurnituresupplies.co.uk)

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16 | Interview

Furniture of the future Jules Sturgess Design is an independent UK design company manufacturing bespoke, limited edition furniture and interior design products, based near Cambridge. Founder and designer Jules Sturgess gives Victoria Noakes insight into the inspiration behind the company and its main aims ...

Words: Victoria Noakes

D

uring his time studying art foundation and industrial design in Cambridge and Newcastle, designer Jules Sturgess became aware of the artistic possibilities of new materials and techniques in furniture design.

This, combined with his interest in the structural design, advanced materials and manufacturing processes utilised in the design of racing and super cars and aircraft, led Jules to incorporate these elements into the realm of furniture design.

“I founded Jules Sturgess Design by myself but not without the support of my family. The business is based on the same site as my brother’s car company and I must acknowledge the significant input from my father, an engineer and

physicist, who has both invested and provided invaluable advice – regularly visiting to see how things are coming along, especially in the workshops. Ruth, my partner, works for the company too, so we really epitomise the concept of a family business,” says Jules.

The business was established 10 years ago when Jules started working on one of the company’s signature products, the Marea chaise – which took around 20 seconds to design and eight years to perfect – after finishing his degree in industrial design.

“I took CAD designs and 3D prints to manufacturers who didn’t believe it could be done, so I built a workshop, curing oven and the moulds, and built one myself. Today the company has a

Poleiro stool

growing product line and direction but the Marea chaise remains an iconic piece and has a real place in my heart – it represents the start of the journey and still represents where we are heading,” explains Jules.

Initially Jules focused on the use of

Jules Sturgess

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Interview | 17

carbon fibre in his products, but today he works with a much wider range of materials. The company’s signature pieces – the Marea chaise, the Poleiro bar stool and the Amaca chair – are all manufactured from carbon fibre, but aluminium is the key material used in the company’s Mololito table, and concrete forms parts of the Megalito table.

These larger pieces are complemented by a growing range of smaller interior pieces such as bowls, lights, and homeware products in various materials.

The customised finish of all of the company’s products make each one unique – with paint, wood veneer, leather, alcantara and gold leaf touches giving the pieces a dinstinctive and

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exclusive look.

The company focuses on manufacturing products that are original and striking but also challenge conventional thinking about what is possible in furniture design. Carbon fibre’s structural properties have enabled Jules to make pieces that look as if they should not work. The material is strong, flexible and lightweight – all of these structural properties are important in the design of the company’s pieces and make the products stand out.

“No matter how we grow, our ethos is to maintain our personal service and make bespoke furniture that fits with our clients’ setting. That personal touch cannot be lost, especially when you >>>

Marea chaise

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18 | Interview are customising products that are so particular to an individual and their environment. We pride ourselves on our personal service and make the effort to involve the customer as much as we can in the process, keeping them updated on the stages of manufacture,” Jules states.

“As the company expands, it is also important to me that I lead the creative direction of all aspects of the business. My partner has joined me in a managerial role, and relinquishing some responsibility and leadership was a significant moment in the company’s growth. Having a more developed management structure is great, because

it enables me to focus on the purpose of the business – designing innovative, exciting furniture and interior homeware products.”

Jules Sturgess Design is currently at a turning point, having progressed from selling to just individual clients now to selling through companies such as luxury kitchen and bathroom retailer Nicholas Anthony and modern furniture retailer Chaplins. The company is keen to establish a strong position in the UK marketplace, and is hoping to makes its mark internationally, too.

“Working with Nicholas Anthony is pivotal to our growth strategy. We are

“Today the company has a growing product line and direction but the Marea chaise remains an iconic piece and has a real place in my heart – it represents the start of the journey and still portrays where we are heading”

Amaca chaise

working with each store manager to provide them with the products they think will suit their customers. We are also supporting numerous Nicholas Anthony events and have other exciting developments coming up. We feel privileged to be working with such an organisation, and trust that a customer will get the same service buying it from them as they would with us,” says Jules.

“Another exciting prospect is that we have been approached by an international organisation that wants to sell one product on a large scale initially in North America. This move to international sales of significantly high proportions, rather than to overseas interior designers, is a potentially fantastic opportunity but will need to be carefully orchestrated to keep our company ethos, vision and identity central to what we do.”

Along with the prospect of development and growth comes different challenges, especially for small businesses. Jules acknowledges that in order for the company to maintain high productivity levels and evolve, it will need to adapt, reviewing all aspects of manufacturing and resources and increasing staffing.

“Working on a wider scale brings exciting challenges – it is great that Ruth deals with a lot of this! We all have our strong points and mine is being creative.

I have lots of ideas and plan to spend as much of my time as possible in the workshop designing and making new things, so that the company will continue to have a distinctive offering and voice.”

W julessturgess.co.uk

Monolito table

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IAFP.in

Go global Are you looking to develop business overseas?

The International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) is a 20-yearold association comprising the leading trade publications – based on editorial quality and circulation – from 19 countries worldwide.

Its aim is to assist its members, and their advertisers, to better communicate with foreign markets. When promoting or seeking information from abroad, the IAFP network is the one to trust.

Furniture News has been the UK member publication since 2012, and has since helped its readers and advertisers reach high-quality foreign information, contacts and readership.

Contact Samantha Horscroft on (+44)1424 776100 to find out more.

www.iafpalliance.com

Member publications

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20 | Interview

This month, the homewares website in the spotlight is www.directhomeliving. co.uk – Furniture News explores the practices and philosophies behind the enterprise ...

Clickthrough > Direct Home Living Marcel Duffy, general manager

Why should I visit your website?

We pride ourselves on selling highquality furniture with a low price tag.

We select products made only from strong and durable materials – our furniture is made from sustainable forests and reclaimed timber, and we won’t be beaten on price on any likefor-like product. Our customers seem to love that too. We have a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Reviews.co.uk.

How did you enter this industry?

Because of previous experience as a wholesaler and auctioneer, retail was the natural next step. I also couldn’t turn down a fantastic opportunity to help promote and sell such a fantastic quality product.

Who is your e-commerce hero? eBay. They pretty much re-invented the online selling space with their pioneering auction website. Now a more holistic online shop that includes auctioned and buy-it-now items across pretty much every category you can think of, eBay has become a trusted source for buyers and sellers alike. It has a fantastic and simple-to-use user interface too – an essential attribute of any online store.

Describe a typical working day My day starts at 8am with a coffee whilst going through and responding to emails from the following evening. Then it’s onto my task list to see what tasks I have for that day and add further tasks that need addressing.

Then, I plan the workload for the warehouse staff. After that it’s on to checking what orders have come in from the previous day and making sure these are checked and ready for collection by our courier. Order collections happen around 2pm, which is why we can offer

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same-day dispatch if goods are ordered before 1pm. Lunch is always at 1pm.

I will then probably have one or two meeting in the afternoon with our agency and/or marketing teams where we discuss strategy and ideas. I’ll leave the office around 4.30pm, mainly to miss the traffic. I’ll probably do another hour at home but do try to keep this to a minimum or my wife tells me off!

What part of your job would you prefer to avoid?

To be honest I can’t really think of anything. I love my job and couldn’t think of anything more satisfying and fulfilling than this. It’s a great feeling knowing we’ve worked our socks off to bring fantastic products to the public at the best possible prices. It’s not really like working quite frankly.

What has been your greatest challenge to date?

We’ve made whole scale changes to our product ranges and to help promote this we decided to rebrand the business to better reflect our new ranges. Managing the operational changes, and rebranding and re-building our website from the ground up in a short period of time was challenging. Lots of sweat and hard work, but in the end, the efforts were worth it.

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

Although much of our time is spent ensuring that we offer a great online user experience, this would be fruitless if people couldn’t find our website and as we now have a new website and domain address at directhomeliving. co.uk, we’re currently investing heavily in both time and money to rank well in search engines.

Our campaigns also spread across

social media, email, newspaper advertising, radio and direct mail.

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

We believe there is a close relationship between online and physical retail. This is the reason behind our decision to convert part of our warehouse into a physical retail space. It allows people to experience both our product and our customer service more directly. It is also important to make sure that both your online and physical environments offer the same overall experience. Consistency is what customers rightfully demand.

What advice would you offer an aspiring e-tailer?

Make sure the online user experience of your website is as strong as it can be.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and walk through your whole customer journey from start to finish, improving any areas that cause even the slightest frustration.

Snapshot: Direct Home Living is a business dedicated to providing premium solid oak and hardwood furniture without the high street price tag.

Launched: 2013, but rebranded last year Average monthly visitors: 39,000

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07/03/2017 09:17

22 | Events

REVIEW

BRINGING FABRIC TO THE FORE The third outing for the new-look London Fabric Show, held at Chelsea FC at the end of February, proved successful for both exhibitors and visitors. An increase in pre-show registrations of over 62% resulted in a bumper number of visitors, up by 26% on 2016. The number of companies represented rose by almost 50%.

M

omentum for the London Fabric Show is gathering year on year and was boosted this year by the new show website which offered live registration and easy-toaccess show information.

Visitors praised the quality of the exhibitors and breadth of fabrics on show. Karl Walker, MD at Lebus, says: “The radical transformation of this exhibition over the past couple of years has elevated it to the top of our mustattend exhibition list. It now offers the depth and variety of supplier base to fully justify a two-day trip. The choice of venue and organisation works extremely well, it is now very much a permanent fixture in our diary.”

The show brought together 35 highend fabric producers and suppliers from Belgium, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK. It offers UK upholstery, bed and soft furnishing manufacturers a unique opportunity to see some of the best fabrics available and meet the people who design and produce them.

Visitors included the majority of the

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UK upholstery industry and a large proportion of major UK furniture group retailers, who were there to select fabrics for upholstery and soft furnishings, which will be exclusive to them.

Jackie Bazeley, MD of the BFM, confirmed that The London Fabric show will return to Chelsea FC in 2018, with the dates to be announced shortly. She says: “We are delighted with the success of this year’s show and have received many complimentary comments from exhibitors and visitors. All of the British and Belgian exhibitors, along with many others, have already confirmed their attendance at next year’s event.

“The substantial increase in the visitor numbers proves the value of this show to UK upholstery manufacturers. We have also had great support from UK furniture trade press and are grateful to them for that.

“We will announce the dates as soon as we can confirm them with Chelsea FC and look forward to another successful show next year.”

W londonfabricshow.uk

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24 | Events

PREVIEW

SALONE DEL MOBILE GEARS UP FOR 56TH EDITION The upcoming edition of Salone del Mobile boasts a new format and two new events displaying contemporary design and workspace offerings. The event holds a close partnership with Milan, making the city a capital of design during the exhibition.

S

Credit: Alessandro Russotti

Credit: Alessandro Russotti

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alone del Mobile is the sector’s acknowledged presentation of excellence and quality of design and product. It attracts more than 300,000 visitors from over 165 different countries with its comprehensive and extensive range of goods – from furnishings to lighting to the workspace.

The are five concurrently-running exhibitions – the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition, Euroluce, Workplace3.0 and SaloneSatellite, will run at the Fiera Milano Rho from 4-9th April, open to professionals every day from 9.30am to 6.30pm, and to the public on the Saturday and Sunday.

“Both the companies involved in Salone del Mobile and the organisers of the event are looking forward to the upcoming exhibition with great optimism. This positive mood is driven by the sector’s upbeat performance during the first ten months of 2016, and it will hopefully maintain this trend over the next few quarters,” says Salone del Mobile’s president, Roberto Snaidero.

“Italian furnishing continues to gain ground on almost all the international markets. Salone del Mobile’s strong international vocation saw the return of 67% of the high profile foreign professionals with solid buying power at the last edition.”

Data processed by the Federlegno Arredo Eventi Study Centre shows that exports during the first ten months of 2016 confirmed Salone del Mobile as a powerful driver for the growth of Italian furnishing and lighting companies.

Foreign sales rose above €11b between January and October last year, with signs of significant growth in France (+5.3%),

the United States (+8.1%) and China (+18.4%) in particular.

“We’ve run an extensive on and off line communication campaign in the leading foreign sectoral newspapers in the run-up to the Salone over the last few months, while numerous promotional meetings have been scheduled during the year, involving China, the US, Russia and Iran, which are our priority export markets,” says Giovanni Sacchi, director of the Made in Italy export promotion department of ICE – Italian Trade Agency.

Salone del Mobile is reprising its role as a major resource for the Italian system, thanks to its ability to attract professionals, visitors, designers, buyers and journalists to Milan from all over the world, a strength that has helped Milan become the capital of furnishing and design. The Italian communication campaign slogan Be the First to see the Latest is further affirmation of Salone’s role.

Following the successful launch of the last edition of xLux – the section devoted to timeless luxury reworked in a contemporary vein – Salone del Mobile has brought in an innovative format for classic furniture and furnishing accessories, in Pavilions 2 and 4, under a new name, Classic: Tradition in the future, and with a more homogeneous, balanced and fluid layout.

A central promenade takes visitors into a space that draws on values such as patrimony of knowledge, craftsmanship and the skills needed to create classic furniture and objects.

The exhibition will also feature the theatre and one room from the successful Before Design: Classic project presented

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Events | 25

Credit: Saverio Lombardi Vallauri

Credit: Saverio Lombardi Vallauri

at the last edition of the event, along with a short film by multi-award winning director Matteo Garrone.

The two biennial exhibitions will be running in full synergy with Salone del Mobile – Euroluce, in Pavilions 9-11 and 13-15, and Workplace3.0, inside Pavilions 22-24 dedicated to the workspace – as well as the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition and SaloneSatellite.

Now in its 29th edition, Euroluce presents some of the best the lighting market has to offer, from decorative products to illuminotechnical products – used in the industrial, street, theatrical and hospital lighting sectors – as well as lighting and home automation systems, light sources and lighting application software, all with a particular focus on energy saving, environmental sustainability and light pollution.

Workplace3.0 – now in its 18th edition – is based on an innovative concept based on design and technology for designing workspaces and is an event that responds to the rapid change in the world of work and the latest market demands.

The exhibition will display furnishing solutions for offices, banks, insurance offices, post offices and public spaces, plus chairs for offices and community spaces, acoustic products, internal partitions and coverings, office furnishing accessories, audio-visual technologies and technical and security systems.

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SaloneSatellite, in Pavilions 22 and 24, with free public entry from Cargo 5, is an unmissable event. It brings together a selection of young designers from five continents with entrepreneurs, architects, interior designers and the press. The theme of the 20th edition is DESIGN is …?, an open, topical and crucial question.

The 20 years of SaloneSatellite will be celebrated with the SaloneSatellite 20 Years Collection – a special edition of bespoke pieces designed by international designers whose careers took off at SaloneSatellite – and with SALONESATELLITE. 20 Years of New Creativity, a large exhibition curated by Beppe Finessi at the Fabbrica del Vapore.

It will consist of an anthology of pieces presented during the 20 editions of SaloneSatellite as prototypes, which then went into production, marketed by prestigious, large-scale companies and other key manufacturers.

This year also marks the eigth edition of the SaloneSatellite Award. Alongside the purely commercial exhibitions, the fair will feature two events, at the fairgrounds, tying in with the two biennial themes, light and the workplace.

The first, DeLightFuL, a portmanteau for Design, Light, Future, Living, is curated by Ciarmoli Queda Studio, which produced Before Design: Classic for the last edition of the Salone del Mobile.

Milano, and will feature a short fantasy film d’auteur by multi-award-winning director Matteo Garrone.

The second event, A Joyful Sense at Work, curated by Cristiana Cutrona, is a visualisation of the evolving workplace scenario of the future, using innovative content to recast the theory of office product and workplace design with four installations, each representative of the cultural characteristics of the international architects’ areas of provenance.

America, Asia and Europe will be produced by Primo Orpilla and Verda Alexander/Studio O+A (United States), Arash Ahmadi/Ahmadi Studio (Iran), Ben van Berkel/UNStudio and Jeff Povlo/ SCAPE (Holland) and Alfonso Femia and Gianluca Peluffo/Studio 5+1AA (Italy).

Back for a second edition, space&interiors puts the spotlight on architectural finishes. Curated by Migliore+Servetto Architects, the exhibit will highlight interior surfaces, floors, doors and finishes at The Mall – Porta Nuova, in Milan’s Brera Design District from 4-8th April.

A lounge area will be turned over to Archicocktails – various figures from the design and architectural world will discuss design and execution trends with visitors.

The exhibition Absolute Lightness will round off the 2017 edition, harnessing an innovative digital display on contemporary architecture.

The free Salone del Mobile.Milano 2017 App – available for iPhone, iPad and the leading Android devices – is a useful tool for negotiating the fair.

W salonemilano.it

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NATUZZI:

OUR LEADERSHIP MEETS YOUR SUCCESS...

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A D V E R T O R I A L

Pasquale Natuzzi - Founder and CEO

Natuzzi is the best known brand in the global furniture industry, distinguished by a style dedicated to harmony and an unrivalled manufacturing tradition. Today, the Group is expanding rapidly, with a determination to pursue the best retail strategy on the international market. In Natuzzi Italia stores, customers will be able to enjoy the harmony experience first hand, thanks to the company’s long-established expertise in effectively combining design, functions, materials and colours. Natuzzi is also a byword for the Italian lifestyle, constantly evolving in line with style and fashion trends in the furniture market.

Founded in 1959, the company now boasts 387 stores, 66 of them directly owned, in five continents.

One of the Group’s crucial assets is a production chain managed directly from its Italian headquarters. The Style Centre, plants, tanneries, padding factories and carpentry workshops are all proprietary: every phase of manufacturing is entirely “Made in Natuzzi”, from the initial design to the final assembly of each piece of furniture. The Italian Style Centre analyses trends in art, fashion and furnishing and observes emerging lifestyles. Working with internationally renowned designers like Maurizio Manzoni and Roberto Tapinassi of Studio Memo, Victor Vasilev, Claudio Bellini, Mauro Lipparini, Bernhardt & Vella, and Jamie Durie, it creates products in line with the expectations of the various consumers. In factories around the world, designs take shape in the hands of professional craftsmen. Each phase occurs under the strict control of the Group, so that quality is both certain and certified: from leather and wood to padding and fabric, all materials satisfy international regulations regarding health and ecosustainability. A clear commitment, attested by ISO 9001 and 14001, OHSAS 18001 and FSC certifications.

NATUZZI ITALIA. THE SUCCESS OF HARMONY.

There is plenty of news to report, starting with the product: entirely made in Italy, the collections now offer furnishing solutions dedicated not only to the living room but also to the dining and sleeping areas. Around the world, the company is also establishing a new distribution model and an innovative retail concept to showcase the Natuzzi Italia offering to the full. 800 square metres of sales floor, where customers can experience the promise to combine design, functions, materials and colours, creating harmony in any space. The new configurator and the new website, along with the new online and offline communication strategy, are all there to support partners, with the help of a dedicated organisation: from the architects who design the stores and the Style Centre that furnishes the living spaces to the strategic merchandising, marketing and customer care teams.

SALONE INTERNAZIONALE DEL MOBILE, APRIL 4-9, 2017 N AT U Z Z I I TA L I A - H A L L 1 6 S TA N D E 4 1 - F 4 0 F O R A P P O I N T M E N T W R I T E T O PA R T N E R @ N AT U Z Z I . C O M OR CALL +39 335 8450150 N AT U Z Z I . C O M

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28 | Resources

There are an estimated 2.34b social network users worldwide. If your company has no social media presence (or a limited one) you are missing out, believes Land of Beds’ Mike Murray. In this article, he discusses how businesses can make the most effective use of social media.

MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS In the past 18 months at Land of Beds we have seen our Facebook following grow by 500% and by 400% on Twitter. And while social media is only one part of our digital marketing strategy – which includes Search Engine Optimisation techniques discussed in my previous articles – I am happy to report 2016-17 is set to be yet another record-breaking year for our annual turnover.

New York Times best-selling author and habits guru Gretchin Rubin teaches: What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.

Intermittently using a social media platform is – in some ways – worse than not having one at all. Once people have made the conscious choice to follow your account or to look you up, they expect you to be a regular, accessible presence.

Research shows that 71% of Facebook users and 83% of Twitter users expect a response the same day they reach out for customer support. While that standard may sound impossible to meet, Bain & Company research suggests it’s worth the time investment – people increase their spending by up to 40% with companies who provide customer service support through social media. Engaging with people seven days a week via social media is the Land of Beds way.

The two principle platforms we use are Twitter and Facebook for sharing our original content and viral posts. Both platforms ensure that when consumers have a product query or customer service issue, we can respond in real-time in a transparent way – promoting confidence in us as a business.

If someone contacts you via Twitter or Facebook, don’t ask them to pick up the telephone or to email you instead. They want and expect you to reply on the platform they have messaged you on. Even if you do not immediately know the answer to their query, acknowledge their message and keep them updated at regular intervals as you gather information and prepare your response. (If you need to know an order number of person identifiable information, ask them to provide it to you via private message for security).

Where Twitter comes into its own is the opportunity

THE AUTHOR Mike Murray (jnr) is the MD of Land of Beds, a third-generation family-run retailer based in Frodsham, Cheshire.

W landofbeds.co.uk

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it provides to cheerlead your suppliers and network with industry contacts. Twitter will very quickly become an echo chamber if you use it solely as a hard sell tool – relentlessly pushing your products and services.

Instead, use it to strengthen relationships, share best practice and enjoy the lighter side of life by reposting other peoples’ content, commenting on statuses and celebrating the myriad of national awareness days!

My top tip for growing your Facebook following is competitions. Even better, link up with one of your suppliers to run a giveaway jointly and you’ll immediately increase the number of Facebook users you can engage with. Beyond that, do not be afraid to share (carefully judged) viral content.

There are more than two million cat videos on YouTube, according to ReelSEO.com, which have been watched more than 25 billion times. We make this work for us at Land of Beds by sharing plenty of cute cat posts that feature beds and mattresses!

More seriously, paid Facebook advertising is the next frontier in terms of sales conversions. It’s possible to devise ad campaigns that allow you to remarket your products and services to Facebook users who have visited select pages on your website. Using Facebook’s tracking pixel, you can then monitor conversion rates and do more of what works well.

Video content is king on Facebook – there are over 4b video views on the platform every day. The best technique is to upload videos directly to Facebook, rather than sharing YouTube links. That way, the video will start playing immediately as people scroll through their newsfeeds and you can see how many views your video has had.

If you’re a braver soul than me, you may also want to use Facebook Live to live-stream a video.

Other users can comment in real-time while you’re broadcasting – a great innovation for conferences, events and live demonstrations!

There are other social media platforms – all with their own benefits. If you have a visual product you may also wish to consider Instagram, which allows you to share photos publicly or privately.

Similar to Snapchat, you can also combine photos and videos to create Instagram Stories (but beware, they will disappear from your timeline after 24 hours).

As with Twitter, use hashtags on Instagram to pull together conversational threads around the same topic – for example #sleep.

04/07/2017 12:36

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RE-Engineered Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 29

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30 | Resources

Change can make or break a business. 528 Advisory’s Clive Hyman explains why it’s important to understand the costs versus the benefits of any change you decide to push forward in your business.

PROTECTING PROFITABILITY WHILE IMPLEMENTING CHANGE WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS

Very often the driver behind change is reducing costs. These are frequently attacked and managed – sometimes overly aggressively – without adequate attention given to growing revenue. So how do you manage change while boosting profitability? Here are my nine top tops: 1. Success measurement of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Rather than making your main KPI cost reduction, make it revenue and profit increase. All change projects should focus on growing revenues and profits, and setting fair and reasonable KPIs which are in the best interests of the company as a whole, not just of the management or a certain internal team, or someone’s bonus structure.

2. Alignment of remuneration and incentives Change is reinforced by ensuring the remuneration and incentives attached to the proposed change support the new actions required. It must be coherent with the new vision for the business and by doing this it ensures management, employees and shareholders are all pulling in the same direction.

Too often people leave the shareholders out of the discussion – especially when it comes to director remuneration. Frequently these decisions are made by non-executives who wish to please (or at least not upset) the directors. Care and attention is needed to make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction.

3. Joined up thinking Too often the resources allocated to implement the cost cutting are then subjected to cost cutting themselves! For example, hiring contractors on dayrates rather than interim executives, with no-one to co-ordinate their input or manage them on a daily basis.

Any, and every, project needs to be planned and managed to its conclusion – don’t abscond part way through.

Think about the bigger picture and the wider impact of subsequent changes, rather than making new decisions that impact negatively on existing projects.

It sounds obvious but in many instances it seems the

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right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

4. Bringing in help Bring in help where needed. In my experience, companies repeatedly focus on costs of the project rather than the benefits. It is important to step back and work out what value you can garner from a project – it’s not just about getting it done as cheaply as possible. Cheap can sometimes end up being very expensive.

Look at the overall project and the benefits it will bring, and the best and most effective way to achieve this, factoring in issues like your own time, missing deadlines, having to re-do work, etc. In other words, ensure you fully and accurately scope the project. Once all the possibilities are considered you can make an informed choice on the cost vs the benefit of bringing in help.

5. Protecting value Value can be destroyed by people not looking at the impact a change will have on customers. Walking the floor and visiting locations and talking to people is the simplest way to work out how to protect the value embedded in your business. Any change should be organised around a clear company vision and strategy – and that always includes considering the customer’s needs.

A lack of attention to this detail and taking only the big picture view can lead to executives being out of touch with their own customer base. Many global businesses have lost their edge, and their profitability as a result of this sort of thinking. Yet the management team continue to reward themselves for under performance. This must change.

6. Wood for the trees Owners, chairs and CEOs sometimes get stuck on working in the business and not on the business. They lose their perspective. Allow the management and their teams to do their jobs, so you can do yours and put your focus where it is needed.

Book in regular strategy away days. These can pay handsome dividends if staff are engaged and communication is clear and delivered with empathy.

04/07/2017 12:36

Resources | 31 Managers sometime focus too much on the cost of these days, rather than thinking about the benefit of everyone understanding the business and being able to answer routine questions and work towards a common goal.

No-one wants to deal with a company where the employees are so demoralised that they simply transfer the call as they don’t know how to answer and get stressed because they haven’t been given the information to deal with basic queries.

7. Towards the common good Everyone within the business should be working towards what is best for the company – not for any one individual or group of individuals. For example, set bonuses where 80% relates to overall company performance.

Too often bonus and remuneration are narrowly focused on the particular silo a person operates in. This tends to lead to competition rather than co-operation, and selfish decision making rather than considering

the common good of all stakeholders – staff and customers.

8. Innovation Most large businesses struggle to innovate – shareholders and directors won’t tolerate short-term profits being hit by the investment required to get a new idea moving. Unless the company is working for the common good, is clear on its vision, is engaging all the stakeholders and has a clear understanding of the costs vs the benefits of any new project, it is likely the required changes and the initial costs will stop innovation in its tracks.

9. Be nice and have fun Work should be fun. Too many people are being abused in today’s workplace – low wages, long hours and poor leadership resulting in disillusioned employees.

Imagine if all your staff were empowered and happy at work. Would they go the extra mile? Undoubtedly.

These nine tips will make a difference to your profitability as your business steers its way through a major change. We worked with one CEO throughout the process of selling his business, supporting the management team as they navigated the massive changes this sale brought. By helping the managers focus on keeping the business achieving growth, the company added $150m to the sale price.

THE AUTHOR Clive Hyman FCA is chair of the 528 Advisory which works with CXOs to set the direction for a successful company transformation.

W 528advisory.com

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Kaye & Stewart is a leading contract bed maker in the hotel and leisure industry. Using traditional techniques, our master craftsmen have produced a quality range of stylish beds in natural fabrics.

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For more information on our range of product or to become a stockist, contact us on +44 1484 427 373, or email; enquiries@deluxe-beds.co.uk. www.deluxe-beds.co.uk

For more information on our range of product or to become a stockist, contact us on +44 1484 427 373, or email; enquiries@deluxe-beds.co.uk. www.deluxe-beds.co.uk

Deluxe Beds.indd 1

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T: 01438 777 700 E: info@fira.co.uk

09/03/2017 14:10

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32 | Resources

The curtain has fallen on 2016, offering opportunity to review how the year ended. As seen in GfK’s Anthony Creaby’s previous article, Q3 at a total market level for furniture declined by 3.6%. Anthony explains how the last 13 weeks of 2016 improved somewhat, with the deficit being reduced to -2%.

FURNITURE MARKET CONTINUES TO DECLINE

When looking at the data from the last 13 weeks of 2016 to a subcategory level we see that the areas of the market that drove the overall decline are upholstered (-3%), living/dining room (-7%) and bedroom furniture (-4%).

However in contrast to this, we do have much stronger performing categories. Highlights include outdoor living furniture, up 17%, home office, which achieved 4% value growth, and also kitchen furniture, where a flat performance for the period was seen.

The volume performance for the last 13 weeks of the year is a very different picture to the value one which we have looked at so far. At a total level the market is in growth of 2% and the only sub sector to witness a decline is kitchen furniture. Upholstered furniture performed noticeably well (+4% year on year) and when drilling a little further we see this was heavily driven by three-seater sofas (+32%) and corner sofas (+44%).

One thing we do need to keep in mind however is that even though we are seeing a further period of positive news here the performance is down on that of Q3 where the total market was in growth of 4.3%.

The trend of falling average selling prices continued into the final period of 2016 – a 3.3% drop is evident.

The total 2016 picture was a 5.7% decline, most obviously the result of living/dining room furniture and bedroom which fell 7.2% and 7.5% respectively.

When we consider the final period of 2016, it is apparent that although the overall picture is that of a decline, October did however buck this trend, increasing by 1% in value and 4.2% in volume terms.

This was significantly helped by performances in bathroom, kitchen and the lesser value category at this time of outdoor living. Granted declines in upholstered, living/dining and bedroom were recorded, however these were much lower than where they were

THE AUTHOR Anthony Creaby manages British retail homewares coverage at global data analyst GfK, which employs around 13,000 researchers.

W gfk.com

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for the rest of this time frame.

If we continue with the focus on October 2016, it is clear to see the areas which we’ve seen performing well already (three-seater and corner sofas) continue to do so, and adding to this, four- or more seater sofas, armchairs and footstools and pouffes. Between them, they contribute an additional £1.5m to the total market.

We also have at our disposal a view of the first two months of 2017 where the furniture market is continuing to struggle, down 6.2% in value and 6.6% when volume performance is analysed. As expected, we are seeing strong pockets of growth, but these are coming from more seasonal areas including garden benches (+53%) and garden tables (+21%) for the year to date.

It will be very interesting to see how this develops as we continue through 2017. My personal opinion based on the data seen in the last couple of years and so far this year is that 2017 is likely to be a real challenge.

It has been widely reported about the slowdown in property transactions since the EU referendum vote with the uncertainty leading people to stay put in their current property and therefore not needing to buy furniture for a new dwelling.

It is also clear that depending on where retailers have their products manufactured that price increases will certainly start taking more effect in the next 12 to 18 months.

In my piece which studied the performance in Q3, I was hoping the picture for the last 13 weeks of 2016 would be more positive than it has proved to be.

In conclusion, 2016 has been a struggle to varying degrees and I expect value performances to continue to fall as we move through 2017.

The interesting part will be to see how long retailers can keep prices – often higher average selling prices in the furniture sector – competitive. Some retailers are likely to feel the price pinch hit them sooner than others in the market.

A final point to add is that GfK will be relaunching its homewares report in Q4 2017. This will allow us to include even more retailers and increase the coverage and relevance of the report. There will be more to follow on this in due course.

04/07/2017 12:36

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04/07/2017 12:36

34 | Profile

Norfolk

BROADENED OFFERING AND FRESH DEVELOPMENTS FOR STEENS The January Furniture Show is an essential part of Steens’ yearly activities, providing an ideal opportunity to present new and updated products. The company also made an important announcement about its new Irish distributor at the event.

Steens presented new ranges introduced in 2016 with additional options and finishes at the January Furniture Show. These new ranges were brought in in August, and now retailers can take advantage of readily-available stocks and PoS materials.

As with all Steens’ ranges, these can be delivered into retailers’ stock or drop shipped directly to the consumer. As there is no middleman and the company produces all the ranges

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 34

in house, retailers are provided with great value for Europeanproduced furniture.

Kids furniture is a major part of Steens’ offering, and an updated and expanded Steens For Kids range was on display.

This included a new grey finish and the introduction of a triple bunk. At the show, Steens displayed what it considers to be the largest children’s bed ever produced. Accessories also continue

04/07/2017 12:36

Profile | 35

Steens produces a wide range of bedroom furniture

Softline bedroom

to be an important part of Steens’ story, and a number of new designs were launched at the show.

New internationally-focused products include the Skyline Hallway range and the updated popular Z Up sliding door modular robe system with its many features and options, maximising space utilisation.

For Steens, the January Furniture Show was mainly about showing the new ranges introduced throughout 2016 combined with a number of new finishes and individual pieces, which will set the direction for the first half of this year. In the second half, the company expects kids furniture to be a major development focus.

Apart from new products, this will also be about the company enhancing its service offering. Steens has begun a new partnership with a Danish carrier providing guaranteed twiceweekly collections from the factory into the UK. This will ensure lead times are kept to a minimum.

Steens has also appointed Décor Ltd its exclusive sales and distribution partner for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The company has for some time been reviewing

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how best to serve and support its customers in these regions.

It became obvious early on in this review that the best way forward was to find a partner with extensive experience and knowledge of these markets.

Steens was looking for a distributor be able to provide customers an exceptional level of service based on prompt and reliable deliveries from stock held locally. Having considered a number of options, Décor was an obvious choice.

Steens will retain its sales manager for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Chris Lester, who will work closely with Décor to support and develop sales with existing and new customers. However, the main point of contact for all orders, deliveries and support will be with the Décor team. The team will be touch in the near future regarding product ranges, pricing, deliveries and key contacts.

Steens will be increasing the ranges it stocks in the UK and will expand its next-day delivery offer. The company will be one of the only EU-based furniture manufacturers to have all its ranges also stocked in the UK. W steens.dk

04/07/2017 12:36

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40

BEDS & BEDROOM •••

Warwick, Sweet Dreams

Young Chic, Matza

Sweet Dreams’ (01282 830033) Pocket Air collection of divans continues to show strong sales across both the 4000- and 3000-spring beds. The Pocket Air spring system features alternate shortened pocket springs to provide a flexible feel as the springs contract and the volume of air increases. The sleeper’s weight is evenly distributed for comfort.

Warwick 4000 has plenty of extra features, especially for those who like their mattress to adapt to the changing temperatures of the seasons for sleeping comfort. The fillings contain British wool to one side of the springs for winter warmth, and to the other side, cool cotton. The mattress cover is soft handle luxury viscose. The smart divan base comes in a choice of colourways, wheat or nickel, and in three sizes with full storage options.

For almost 40 years, Hyder Living (www.hyderint.com) has been at the forefront of the bed and mattress sector and has grown to be one of the most relied-upon brands in the industry.

The Huddersfield-based manufacturer is set to raise the bar once more, with a series of enhancements to product and service that will ensure its go-to status for all bed and mattress requirements.

Copenhagen, Hyder Living

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Bedmaker Matza’s (01924 458699) new children’s range, Young Chic, is proving popular since it was unveiled at this year’s January Furniture Show.

Young Chic offers youngsters a sophisticated sleeping experience, filling the gap in the market between character-themed children’s beds and cabin beds and a traditional ‘grown up’ single bed.

Matza MD Asif Ayub says: “We have had a lot of interest in Young Chic and will be adding to the range over the coming months. Young Chic was developed in response to requests from customers for us to offer a childhood-to-teen option. Young Chic is a natural bedfellow with our Vintage Chic collection of design-led bedframes and all part of the Matza family.”

The recent introductions unveiled at the January Furniture Show took the total product line close to 100, with new models added to the already-impressive adult double and children’s bedroom collections. Each of these innovations used the latest in manufacturing technology to ensure quality of design, housed in a 40,000ft² warehouse facility ready for immediate delivery.

Also part of the impressive portfolio is Hyder Living’s mattress collection, a growing part of the business, and one that continues to go from strength to strength as retailers look for the best in value, choice and service. With over 20 mattresses available from stock, the vertically-integrated company can also use its in-house manufacturing facility to fulfil made-to-order requests, supplying directly on its fleet of vehicles in as little as seven days.

Biny Hyder, director, Hyder Living, says: “For four decades, Hyder Living has enjoyed a leading role in the UK furniture sector. We have had fantastic success during this time thanks to our commitment to product and service evolution. However, we are not the type to rest on our laurels, and over the next few months, our retail and contract partners will see added momentum as we strive to be the single source for all bed and mattress demands.

“Improved product choice, dedicated account management, fast delivery promises and a consumer media drive are just a few developments we are working on, and we look forward to rolling out the new generation Hyder Living over the spring and summer period.”

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42 | Beds & Bedroom

Seaton, Relyon

Boston, Wiemann

Relyon, (www.relyon.co.uk) has a new website which offers not only a brand new look and responsive design, but also additional content. It has been redesigned to better serve both retailers and customers.

Extensive product information is available throughout all of Relyon’s product collections to help consumers understand the company’s complete range.

In addition a new Bed Buying Guide, easily accessible from the homepage, has been added to assist customers with common queries when it comes to choosing the right mattress and divan for them.

Working with a professional interior stylist, the brand has received a sophisticated overhaul which has enabled Relyon to increase brand awareness through social coverage in the lead-up to the website launch.

The addition of a new blog section and social channels will also increase leverage of the new website and help keep customers up to date with company news and campaigns, as well as tips and guidance on better sleep.

As the Shire Bed Company (www.shirebeds.co.uk) celebrates 20 years in business, it can look back on an extensive period of expansion and growth in the last three years. In the past 12 months alone the company has invested nearly £2.5m expanding its manufacturing facility in Dewsbury, demonstrating its commitment to the continued development of its extensive portfolio and bringing new innovations to customers.

Recent investment of a further £300,000 was on new equipment, including purchasing state-of-the-art interlining and handle-making machines, a 3D border maker and a new digitally-driven embroidery machine that sews foot mats and pillow covers. A second mattress rolling system and embroidery machine are also on order and new point-of-sale displays have been designed, including back boards and totems.

The company is also is working to complete a brand new head office and showroom at its expanded premises by this summer.

New developments to Shire’s range include the company’s second-generation Active Response collection of four mattresses with performance finish covers. The range includes Active Fresh, Active Care, Active Breeze and Active Cool.

Also new to the portfolio is the boutique-inspired pocket mattress collection, comprising the Elegance 1500 and Opulence 3000. The soft pocket-sprung mattresses contain high quality

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Boston, one of the newest VIP ranges introduced by German bedroom manufacturer Wiemann (www. wiemannuk.co.uk) at the 2017 January Furniture Show, helps consumers create a statement feature in the bedroom coupled with maximum storage capacity thanks to the range’s unique dual-depth bi-fold doors.

Available in sophisticated champagne, crisp alpine white or sultry Havana, the versatile bi-fold system which features door widths of 33 and 50cm, maximises every inch of space in a bedroom and turns it into useful storage or display areas with its wide selection of widths, extended depths, drawers and corner units.

Alongside its contemporary appearance, the collection also offers a comprehensive selection of bedroom pieces such as bedside units, night cabinets, storage chests, plus lighting options. Other optional extras include dressing benches and mirrors, plus smart VIP accessories consisting of a tie, belt and utensils pull-outs and a pullout trouser holder.

fillings, including cashmere, silk and wool.

Fara Butt, sales and marketing director, says: “It’s an incredibly exciting year for Shire Beds. As well as our expansion and investment plans we are also celebrating 20 years in business. We are committed to ongoing investment to support continuing development of our extensive portfolio which will enable us to bring new innovations to our customers.”

Jasmine from Shire’s Roll and Rest collection

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44 | Beds & Bedroom

Mammoth started building its Mammoth will provide sleep advice to the RPA

relationship with the RPA five years ago

MAMMOTH’S NEW RUGBY PARTNERSHIP Health and wellbeing specialist Mammoth has strengthened its relationship with the Rugby Player’ Association (RPA) by signing an exclusive partnership to provide sleep and wellness advice, education and support to professional rugby players throughout England.

As well as continuing to be a Benefits Provider to the players, Mammoth will play a key role in providing education and welfare programmes for professional male and female players throughout the domestic and international game.

Mammoth’s road to this exclusive deal began five years ago when a relationship was built with the RPA based on Mammoth’s expertise in the ‘science of comfort’. Since then, the two organisations have worked together to broker a partnership that will enable RPA members to learn about and benefit from the technologies and innovations used in Mammoth’s range of sleep-enhancing mattresses, as well as the upholstery ranges, and the stringent clinical testing that has gone into their development.

“At Mammoth, we are driven by success and our passion for educating the world about the importance of sleep and comfort,” explains John Tuton, MD and founder of Mammoth.

“Our ethos surrounding the ‘science of comfort’ and the technologies and innovations we’ve designed to be encompassed in our mattresses have been soundly tested by experts and have been proven to be massively successful. The

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 44

team at Mammoth is very excited about this partnership with the RPA and we can’t wait to start working with the Association in April to educate its members about the role of sleep and all round comfort in performance, recovery and wellbeing.”

The RPA is the organisation which looks after the collective interests of professional rugby players throughout England, as well as a number of former professionals. By working with Mammoth, the RPA hopes to add value to the benefits it already provides to its members, using the expertise at Mammoth’s disposal.

Mammoth’s Medical Grade Foam mattresses have been clinically proven to improve sleep by Northumbria University’s Centre for Sleep Research and been highly commended by NHS Innovations in the field of pressure relief.

The technologies and innovations used in Mammoth’s mattresses has also been designed into the company’s upholstery range, which is currently available across the UK. Mammoth also works in close partnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

W mammothcomfort.co.uk

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The Official Bed, Mattress, & Upholstery Partner of the Rugby Players Association

Read more about our exclusive partnership with the RPA at mammothcomfort.co.uk/rpa or contact us on enquires@mammothuk.com

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48

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DINING ROOM •••

M & P Chairs has experienced a successful start to 2017

TT butterfly extending table, Kettle Interiors

The first quarter of 2017 was a busier period than expected for M & P Chairs (www.mandpchairs.co.uk) and some of the upsurge in business came from new customers the company gained from the January Furniture Show and other marketing and advertising efforts. In addition, the company has found that holding many of its core product prices at 2016 prices has given it a competitive edge.

M & P Chairs is experiencing continued strong demand for its farmhouse chairs, rocking chairs and high-back grandad chairs. The company is anticipating these positive trends to continue through the spring season.

M & P Chairs endeavours to maintain good stock levels of its core products in the UK at all times, helping the company to meet tight delivery deadlines.

Wood Bros (01920 469241) launched Oskar in January this year.

Oskar is a striking contemporary collection of dining and living furniture that offers a mid century modern twist. Made in oak with a Natural Chalk finish, the tops feature a mitred corner detail.

The dining group comprises two sizes of extending table – 5

Oskar dining, Wood Bros

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As the trend for painted dining and occasional furniture continues unabated, Kettle Interiors (01536 444960) now has four different collections, giving retailers scope to meet any request.

With the well-established DG Dining collection, the supplier provides classic English country style, while in the new for 2017 TT White and TT Grey, a more modern influence is found in two different paint finishes. Rounding out the painted dining and occasional collections comes NR, another new introduction for 2017 and a range owing much to French provincial style with its flag pattern grey lime-washed oak tops.

All painted dining and occasional collections are available with fast delivery right across the UK through wholesale, stockist and container services, each offering a combination of quality and value.

a

F f

and 6ft – and has a distinctive shadow gap which is featured throughout the collection. The dining chair is offered in a choice of six textured plains.

The sideboards and TV cabinet have soft-close doors ad drawers and the display cabinet features push-to doors. A coffee and lamp table complete the group.

Oskar living, Wood Bros

04/07/2017 12:36

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50 | Dining Room Febland’s (www.febland.co.uk) Stephen Ward reports encouraging results from the January Furniture Show and Spring Fair, and states that the company has made a conscious effort to keep stocks high, as it is enjoying a loyal

and regular customer base. Internet sales are said to have risen dramatically at Febland, and its customer base has increased due to the company’s flexibility in wrapping and packing for courier collection.

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Furniture 337 Pages.indd 51 WoodmanNews Chairs.indd 1

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52 | Dining Room

Aleal provides pieces for all areas of the home

Seville dining table, Serene

Aleal’s (www.aleal.pt) collections are made of pieces of furniture with originality, characterised by refined finishes. Aleal is a family business with an innovative vision, but maintains a commitment to producing furniture of a high quality. The company’s varied product portfolio opens up the possibility for people to express their personality and to custom-make their own settings.

Aleal has a wide offering, ranging from pieces for the living and dining room to bedroom and design accessories. Aleal’s collections are all made from highquality wood, lacquer, metals, leathers and glass. When combined, these materials create a medley of sleek, striking products to furnish the home.

A recent addition to the Core Products (01738 630555) flat packed furniture collections is the Corona Grey range of living and dining furniture. The range maintains all the attributes which have made Corona a popular and affordable choice, combined with the current trend for painted and washed finishes.

The Corona Grey range is created using only real pine, onto which a grey wax is applied, along with a contrasting antique wax finish to the top surfaces.

Elegant mouldings and traditional cabinet construction such as raised and fielded panel doors are further accentuated by the use of gunmetal coloured hinges and handles to give a contemporary, subtle industrial feel to the overall product.

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Serene’s (www.serene.co.uk) new Contemporary Dining collection was launched to complement the existing Serene Dining collection which was met with a positive reception in 2015 and sensitively added to at last year’s January Furniture Show.

The new Contemporary Dining collection is a range of pace-setting designs tailored to the modern home, comprising a rich mix of styles to suit a variety of tastes.

The Seville dining table features walnut veneer legs and the Cordoba dining chair in soft brown faux leather.

The Seville dining table is presented in a choice of oak or walnut veneer legs and a clear or smoked 10mm tempered glass top, and there is a fixed and extendable version depending on individual requirements.

The Cordoba dining chair is a generously cushioned, sophisticated design with a pocket sprung seat and brushed stainless steel cantilevered legs. Along with brown, Cordoba is also available in anthracite.

The dining tables are made from solid pine laminated boards for quality and stability, with a delicate angled moulding and subtle groove detailing. The chairs are traditionally designed with solid wood seats and traditional wood joints are further strengthened with steel bolt construction.

The cabinets feature deep moulded drawer fronts and real dovetail drawers. The ample storage possibilities offered throughout the range is benefited by the inclusion of internal shelves within the sideboards and two-door bookcase.

Stocks are available now for quick delivery with no minimum order value. There is the choice of bulk store deliveries or orders can be delivered direct to the customer’s home in a matter of days.

Corona Grey dining table

Core Products’ Corona

and chairs, Core Products

Grey dining table detail

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53

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04/07/2017 12:36

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Capturing classic English country style, this painted collection features a delightful contrasting natural oak top for a range that looks great in any setting. Featuring metal or wood handles supplied with every piece.

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When it comes to painted furniture, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better choice from one supplier. At Kettle Interiors, you can find a range of painted furniture styles, each featuring an exquisite paint finish designed to stand the test of time. From traditional lines to modern takes on classics, all of our painted dining furniture is available from stock for fast delivery right across the UK. Mainland UK Orders Kettle Interiors Agencies www.kettleinteriorsagencies.com

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01536 444960 sales@kettleinteriorsagencies.com

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D I S C O U N T S Stockist

A V A I L A B L E Wholesale 04/07/2017 12:36

Dining Furniture.

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Whether taking advantage of our fast and free* Wholesale service from time-to-time, placing regular orders through Stockist, or making the most of bulk discounting with our Container service, our painted dining furniture is ready to cause a storm in your store. Contact us today for a price list and to place your order. *Minimum order of £500 Mainland UK Orders Kettle Interiors Agencies www.kettleinteriorsagencies.com

Ireland Orders Decor Furniture Ltd info@decorfurnitureltd.com 028 3844 6000 I ROI Dedicated: 01 9014285 www.decorfurnitureltd.com

01536 444960 sales@kettleinteriorsagencies.com

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D I S C O U N T S Stockist

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LIVING ROOM •••

NT Living, Kettle Interiors

Baa Stool provides a range of sheepskin footstools, stools and chairs

Baa Stool (www.baastool.co.uk) celebrated a successful first visit to the January Furniture Show this year. The company creates stylish furniture using real British sheepskin in its upholstery workshop in North Wales.

Baa Stool’s aim is to make practical, functional pieces that can fit in anywhere but act as statement pieces.

The result is a range of quality, unique and contemporary sheepskin furniture that complements modern and period interiors equally. The sheepskin covers are removable, making Baa Stool’s offering of footstools, stools and chairs practical as well as stylish.

All styles of Baa Stools are available in natural shades of Ivory, Chocolate, Rare Breed – a mixture of ivory, brown and/or grey – and a range of dyed fashion colours – Aubergine, Mink and Slate Grey, Teal, and more.

“Mid to high-end British mainstream products are in our experience enjoying a resurgence,” says Jackie McGarvey of Sweet Dreams (01282 830033).

In Sweet Dreams’ British upholstery range, Knightsbridge, Glenmore and Carmen are currently performing well. A new fabric selection was well received at the January Furniture Show and retro Carmen in a new check turned heads.

By contrast, Knightsbridge and Glenmore epitomise more

Kettle Interiors’ (01536 444960) NT Collection was launched at the start of the year, picking up on the rise of Scandinavian interior style in homes throughout the UK. With a natural oak finish, tapering legs and curved edges, the NT collection takes the hallmarks of Nordic furniture design, reinventing it in a range of items designed to fulfil the needs of UK homeowners.

“The NT Collection really offers something unique, bringing a clean and minimal contemporary style that is elegantly proportioned and sized for UK homes. NT is an exciting step for Kettle Interiors and marks our intention to stay right on top of the latest interior trends,” says Simon Ainge, sales director.

Featuring a total of 31 items across dining and occasional furniture, NT is now available through wholesale, stockist and container services with fast delivery covering every corner of the UK.

traditional styling.

An adjustment to the seat specification has increased their already high levels of comfort.

The use of luxurious Duratech carded fibre characterises Knightsbridge and Carmen while high density Reflex foam is used in Glenmore – further evidence that it is the top-end models with the highest specifications which are proving most successful for the Lancashire manufacturer.

Carmen, Sweet Dreams

Glenmore, Sweet Dreams

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 56

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57

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Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 57

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58 | Living Room Bluebone’s (www.bluebone.co.uk) soft industrial-style range remains popular. The concept includes several boutique ranges - Hairpin, Birdcage and Mango Lounge – alongside classic industrial reproductions. All combine the same brushed gunmetal and solid mango to give a commercial finish that fits easily into both contemporary and more traditional showrooms and homes.

With furniture stores increasingly looking for lifestyle accessories, Bluebone has provided a new range of fun oversized sculptures – the Ballet Class in particular caught the attention of visitors to the January Furniture Show.

Patchwork quilts and throws, and a new range of wooden buffalo horns were also popular.

Bluebone has launched its 2017 Stylebook, packed with striking lifestyle photos of all current ranges, and Bluebone continues to launch new product throughout the year. The company’s live stock and online ordering facility shows new products as soon as they arrive in stock.

Bluebone supplies furniture for the bedroom Bluebone has a wide painted furniture offering

and dining room as well as the living room

00

£2

BE PART OF A WINNING TEAM IN 2017 Reach the trade by advertising with Furniture News, the leading magazine for the UK furniture sector

Comprising a monthly magazine, website and various supplements and digital products, Furniture News offers greater reach than any other brand in the sector – and consequently has the strongest advertiser following.

Since 1986, Furniture News has offered market news, insight and new products, and its international scope is unsurpassed – it is recognised by the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) as the UK’s leading publication.

Furniture News delivers results for every requirement and budget!

To discuss advertising opportunities, contact: Sam Horscroft: T 01424 776100 E sam@gearingmediagroup.com www.furniturenews.net

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60

TRADE SERVICES •••

Greenwood Retail sales provide

Midland Furniture Auctions –

strong results for its clients

weekly stock disposal, no hassle

“Bookings for Greenwood Retail (www.greenwoodretail. com) sales are up 25% compared with the same time last year, following unprecedented interest during the January Furniture Show. Even though economic factors are generally positive, retailers are always looking for ways to increase their sales and profits,” says MD of the British sales promotion company, Bernard Eaton.

“Greenwood sales continue to generate record-breaking results for our retail clients. It’s never too early to book your Greenwood sale. If you book early, you ensure exclusivity for your business in your marketing area – we already have several bookings for 2018!”

Furniture logistics specialist Andrew Porter (www. andrewporterltd.co.uk) has been appointed by Furmanac, one of the UK’s largest adjustable bed manufacturers and an industry leader for lift and recline chairs, to provide countrywide retail deliveries as well as warehousing.

Furmanac had been using various carriers for its retail deliveries, but had experienced problems including product damage, missing items and failed deliveries. Andrew Porter, based in Lancashire, invested time and money to create bespoke handling and storage solutions to minimise any risk of damage and to make picking easier.

MD Tim Aspey says: “Bed products can easily become damaged during transit and handling, so we spent a significant amount of time planning how to overcome this.

“In our warehouse we created individual product locations with protective soft flooring and invested in bespoke bed trolleys to move the items, rather than them being carried. All elements of each order are stored together in their respective bays, minimising the chance of mis-picks and damage.

“All our delivery vehicles are purpose built to carry furniture. To enhance this further we have installed carpet to the floor of eight retail delivery vehicles, to ensure the best possible transportation conditions for the products and reduce damages.”

In addition, warehouse and delivery teams have been given additional training on the specific handling of bed products.

All this has led to a damage rate of less than 1% over the three months the firms have been working together.

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 60

Every Wednesday buyers visit Alfreton, Derbyshire for the weekly Midland Furniture Auctions (MFA, 01773 832555, www.mfa.bid) sale. The bidders are eager for the latest styles and types of furniture, so there is always a demand for new stock – for anyone with furniture that needs to be sold quickly and effortlessly, MFA might be the solution.

End of lines, seconds, returns or excess furniture all reportedly sell well.

After 10 years of trading and selling hundreds of items each week, with no fee to pay if no sale is made, Midland states that sellers have nothing to lose by trying out the service.

Andrew Porter’s furniture logistic vehicles will deliver Furmanac’s products across the country

Andrew Porter fulfilled around 200 shop floor deliveries during December, and the firm will continue to support Furmanac with hundreds of deliveries every week.

Gee Hilliard, operations director for Furmanac, says: “Since we began working with Andrew Porter we have been extremely impressed at their commitment to our product and their attention to detail. Their decades of experience in working with furniture are very evident and we are delighted with the quality and reliability of the service we receive, as are our customers.”

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Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 61

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62 | Trade Services

Inside one of Trucksmith’s low-loading Luton vans

The furniture sector has been a keen supporter of the low-loading Luton since it was pioneered by Trucksmith (www.trucksmith.co.uk) in the early 90s, due to the benefits of low-loading entry and exit height, high payload and increased fuel economy with the Renault Master LoLoader, Vauxhall Movano KneeHi and Fiat Ducato Canniloader variants available.

The van industry gave Trucksmith a firm vote of confidence when the company was announced as Van Converter of the Year 2017 at the What Van? Awards.

Readers of the leading industry magazine voted for Trucksmith ahead of 14 other vehicle convertors.

Daniel Trebble, MD, says: “To think that readers voted for us over some worthy competition makes us incredibly proud and is an exceptional achievement for our business.

It reflects our focus on innovation and quality. Our investment in state-of-the-art production facilities and well-trained staff has been key to our success as well as listening to our customers and their needs.”

Trucksmith is not the type of business to rest on its laurels. As well as some product launches planned through 2017, it has expanded its production facility to more than 64,000ft² and can now build up to 25 lowfloored Luton vans per week to meet demand.

Bosses at direct sales bedroom furniture retailer Starplan have chosen Mercedes-Benz (www.mercedes-benz.com) vans to help keep up the family firm’s reputation for customer service.

The Northern Ireland-based company’s latest six Sprinter 314 CDI Long chassis cabs are now working alongside six established Sprinters and a pair of 7.5t trucks – its English fleet – which undertake deliveries across mainland Britain.

Supplied by the Hull branch of Dealer Northside Truck & Van, they are fitted with high-capacity boxes by Alloy Bodies, of Manchester – these provide sufficient internal height to accommodate Starplan’s largest wardrobes, which stand 2.2m tall, and are decorated with images of Starplan products.

The Sprinter 314 CDI’s fuel-efficient, 143hp four-cylinder engine employs both exhaust gas recirculation and BlueTEC selective catalytic reduction diesel technology to limit emissions, and meets the latest Euro 6 standard.

The subjects of CharterWay contract hire agreements from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, four of the new vehicles are based at Starplan’s West Midlands warehouse and showroom, the other two at an outlet in Warrington.

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Flexibility and customer service are hallmarks of Panther Warehousing’s offering Panther Warehousing (www.panthergroup.co.uk) has helped deliver a win for one of its loyal customers, which scooped a top accolade at the recent NBF Awards for the second year running. Mattress Online won the title of Bed Retailer of the Year (over five million beds turnover) at the awards ceremony, an event held every year to shine a light on bed champions across the country who are considered best in class.

The business was chosen from a bumper crop of entries after impressing a panel of judges with its top and bottom line performance – with average order values rising over the last 12 months. Judges also recognised the high customer feedback for the bed retailer, despite operating in the value segment market.

Mattress Online has been working with Panther for almost two years – with the firm providing two-man services for 40% of all its deliveries. This year, however, the retailer has introduced a one-man delivery service for standard products, with the option for customers to upgrade to two-man for an additional cost.

This year Panther has also launched a new Bank Holiday collection service. The business has also announced plans to introduce Sunday collections for Monday deliveries.

Sprinter 314 CDIs deliver Starplan Bedroom’s products nationwide Starplan provides its customers with an all-embracing service – the company does not use sub-contractors, but relies on its own employees to design, manufacture, supply and fit its furniture. The Sprinters are a vital link in the chain.

“The support we receive from Mercedes-Benz is first class.

Our vans are maintained by dealers who offer servicing outside our own working hours, which keeps downtime to an absolute minimum.”

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SUCCESS STRATEGY 5 ESSENTIAL WAYS TO MAXIMISE YOUR SALES AND PROFIT 63

Greenwood 290_Layout 1 16/04/2013 14:39 Page 1

YOUR 2013 SUCCESS STRATEGY

• ADVERTISING – Most advertising does not work, so if 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.

Generate 25%, 50% even 100% • PRODUCTS – Be ruthless with your precious floor space. of Your Annual Sales If a product or collection is not pulling its weight after being given a fair chance to shine, then clear it and replace it with a in Just Days… better performing line. Test17 and measure the selling potential

5 ESSENTIAL WAYS TO MAXIMISE YOUR SALES AND PROFIT 63

• ADVERTISING – Most advertising does not work, so if 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.

Generate 25%, 50% even 100% • PRODUCTS – Be ruthless with your precious floor space. of Your Annual Sales If a product or collection is not pulling its weight after being given a fair chance to shine, then clear it and replace it with a in Just Days… better performing line. Test17 and measure the selling potential of all your products in a Greenwood Sale.

Will your January 2017 sales be the best month’s total • SELLING SKILLS - Get good at this selling. you’re going to see year? Most retailers

don’t bother with a proper sales process or sales training. The Wouldones you like see sales of and two,money four, sixinorquality even eight successful do! toInvest time sales timesGreenwood what is normally your best know-how. Call to arrange an month? effective sales training course.

As our clients know very well (and will tell you), the above sales results are not exceptional for a Greenwood

• COMPETITION Check your competition to find out what Sale. They are–standard.

You could enjoy such recordbreaking sales Avoid results all-out too – with high margin they are offering. price wars.

Bemaintained. sure to out-do your competition on the most relevant beneficial USP’s including choice, quality, value and service. Call Greenwood to mystery shop your competitors.

of all your products in a Greenwood Sale.

Will your January 2017 sales be the best month’s total • SELLING SKILLS - Get good at this selling. you’re going to see year? Most retailers

DISCOVER THE FORTUNE THAT LIES HIDDEN IN YOUR BRAND…

• PROMOTION – Promote your business effectively. Every good retailer from Tesco to Harrod’s does. Consider using a ‘Greenwood’ sales promotion to increase sales, turn stock into cash and win future market share, while protecting your profit at the same time. Call Greenwood!

don’t bother with a proper sales process or sales training. The Wouldones you like see sales of and two,money four, sixinorquality even eight successful do! toInvest time sales times what is normally your best month? know-how. Call Greenwood to arrange an effective sales training course.

Why not call me today on 01565 650101 for a free, confidential, no-obligation business consultation? I can outline sales projections and costs over the phone.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GREENWOOD SALES...

Limited bookings for 2017 and 2018 are now being taken

Take aon look at our website or call us now on 01625 521010, a first come first served basis.

The best launch dates alwaysand go first. or, send an e mail enquiry, we’ll gladly call you to discuss the exciting possibilities we can offer you, To find out morewithout withoutobligation. obligation, or to book a sale,

As our clients know very well (and will tell you), the above sales results are not exceptional for a Greenwood COMPETITION Check your competition to find out what Sale. They are–standard.

You could enjoy such recordbreaking sales Avoid results all-out too – with high margin they are offering. price wars.

Bemaintained. sure to out-do

call now on 01565 650101, or send an e mail and I’ll gladly call you.

•

We are now booking events right across the UK and Ireland for the rest of 2013 on a first come first served basis.

Book your sales event early to guarantee exclusivity for your business.

your competition on the most relevant beneficial USP’s including choice, quality, value and service. Call Greenwood to mystery shop your competitors.

GREENWOOD RETAIL LTDLTD GREENWOOD RETAIL Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion since 2002

Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion sales@greenwoodretail.com

www.greenwoodretail.com

1 Wilmslow House, Grove Way, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AG sales@greenwoodretail.com www.greenwoodretail.com Greenwood Retail Advert 336.indd 1

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 63

20/02/2017 09:54

11/04/2017 15:55

DISCOVER THE FORTUNE • PROMOTION – Promote your business effectively. Every THAT LIES HIDDEN IN

good retailer from Tesco to Harrod’s does. Consider using a ‘Greenwood’ sales promotion to increase sales, turn stock into cash and win future market share, while protecting your profit at the same time. Call Greenwood!

YOUR BRAND…

Why not call me today on 01565 650101 for a free, confidential, no-obligation business consultation? I can outline sales projections and costs over the phone.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GREENWOOD SALES...

Limited bookings for 2017 and 2018 are now being taken

Take aon look at our website or call us now on 01625 521010, a first come first served basis.

The best launch dates alwaysand go first. or, send an e mail enquiry, we’ll gladly call you to discuss the exciting possibilities we can offer you, To find out morewithout withoutobligation. obligation, or to book a sale, call now on 01565 650101, or send an e mail and I’ll gladly call you.

We are now booking events right across the UK and Ireland for the rest of 2013 on a first come first served basis.

Book your sales event early to guarantee exclusivity for your business.

GREENWOOD RETAIL LTDLTD GREENWOOD RETAIL Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion since 2002

Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion sales@greenwoodretail.com

www.greenwoodretail.com

1 Wilmslow House, Grove Way, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AG sales@greenwoodretail.com www.greenwoodretail.com Greenwood Retail Advert 336.indd 1

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 63

20/02/2017 09:54

04/07/2017 12:37

64 | Trade Services

Maxi Mover aims to help businesses streamline their processes and save money with its low loader Luton vans

MAXIMISING BUSINESS WITH MAXI MOVER Maxi Mover is the original low loader Luton van, designed and hand-built to exacting standards for the demanding business user.

All Maxi Mover’s low loader vans are hand-built to individual specifications by master coach-builders. The company listens to and delivers what its customers require and demand, striving to be the best at what it does. Many years ago, the company went to the drawing board with its professional specialist coach builders and leading material manufacturers to produce the blueprint for its Maxi Mover low loader big vans.

After several years of research, talking and listening to many of the UK’s leading transport and logistics companies, the company listed all the issues and obstacles faced using 3500kg and 7500kg traditional Luton box and large panel vans for deliveries.

After evaluating many design drawings and testing the latest materials for lightweight, durability and most importantly strength, Maxi Mover believes it is the answer for both optimum design and build specification, ensuring that all the obstacles and requirements have been rigorously addressed,

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 64

tried and tested.

The Maxi Mover van improves the efficiency and profitability of businesses by saving time and money every day. The design team at Maxi Mover has created a complete range of sizes, from 4.1m through to the Jumbo 5.1m, extra-high roof version using the latest generation of materials.

Maxi Mover also offers bespoke build options and customised van changes which range from fitting a reversing camera and upgraded, heavy duty road springs to constructing a show van with side-entry doors, shelving and windows exactly where the client wants them.

All Maxi Mover vans are hand-built by professional coach builders, ensuring that every low loader is delivered to a high standard. The company holds both new and used Maxi Mover low loader vans in stock for immediate delivery, and offers a complete range of low deposit finance and lease options.

T 01673 863300

04/07/2017 12:37

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66 | Trade Services

Lectra’s technology solutions can help furniture manufacturers and suppliers to streamline their processes

GODFREY SYRETT POWERS FAST INNOVATION WITH LECTRA Lectra’s expertise and technology has helped Godfrey Syrett, the design-led manufacturer of healthcare, education and office furniture continue delivering functional, on-trend furniture while increasing speed to market and reducing operational costs.

The contract market has changed immensely since furniture supplier Godfrey Syrett’s founding in 1947. Over the years, the popularity of steel frame, straight-lined furniture in public spaces has given way to softer, more innovative and complex designs. Office furniture must be flexible in order to adapt to the nomadic nature of contemporary work environments.

A rising number of companies are also ordering furniture equipped with charging docks and power sockets for reception areas.

Customers are becoming more demanding not just in terms of style and function but also of delivery times. “Three or four years ago, we would have had six to eight weeks to deliver furniture to the customer. That has now been reduced to three or four. We even have products where we have to deliver within seven working days on receipt of an order,” explains Michael Donachie, operations director.

The company’s manual manufacturing process was no longer suitable to its design, manufacturing and growth ambitions, creating capacity and quality challenges. In addition to continuing to produce practical yet innovative furniture solutions, Godfrey Syrett aspires to expand its market share in the private and student accommodations sectors. Growth in these sectors will help the company reach its target of becoming a £40m business within the next five years.

Technology solution company Lectra approached the Godfrey Syrett team to determine how it could help the company on its transformation journey.

“Lectra took the time to fully understand our needs right from the outset of the relationship. Whereas we were primarily focused on improving capacity, Lectra demonstrated that they

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 66

could help us improve capacity, efficiency, quality and bring product to the marketplace with a much quicker process,” says Michael.

Godfrey Syrett’s visit to Lectra’s Bordeaux campus, which coincided with Lectra’s annual furniture seminar, presented the double opportunity to gain an overall vision of Lectra’s furniture offer and perform benchmarking tests to see how Lectra’s technology and expertise could benefit Godfrey Syrett specifically.

With its new, digitised process – which, in addition to a VectorFurniture fabric cutter, includes Brio, Lectra’s automated spreader, as well as its automated pattern making and marker making solutions - Godfrey Syrett has improved manufacturing capacity by 70% compared to manual cutting.

“Lectra helps us meet the strict deadlines. Our team of upholsterers used to cut the fabric manually; as a result the wastage was greater, and the time needed to cut the fabric was five to ten times as long as it is now with the Lectra machine,” says David Hall, group sales and marketing director.

A more efficient process, including automated nesting, has also enabled the company to reduce fabric waste, resulting in a material savings of £150,000 per year. Minimising waste matters to Godfrey Syrett not only for profitability reasons but also for environmental ones.

As customer demands for modularity, speed, and style continue driving the market, Godfrey Syrett’s investment in Lectra’s technology is a valuable strategy to satisfy current market demands and future-proof the company for the inevitable changes to come.

W lectra.com

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GRASS DYNAPRO

THE BEST JUST GOT BETTER. Häfele are proud to be the exclusive distributor for the very latest version of the outstanding Grass Dynapro Tipmatic soft close slide system.

Featuring: > Touch to open as an add on to your soft close runner system. Our touch to open cartridge is easy to retrofit giving you freedom of choice > 4D adjustment as standard provides sideways, back/forth, tilt and up/down adjustment > Integrated liquid damper ensures continuous soft close motion - smoother and quieter than ever before > Minimal pull out force results in easy opening - delicate movements mean opening drawers just got easier

EXCLUSIVELY Ideal for bespoke drawer boxes and applications where the drawer slider needs to be concealed in-situ, Dynapro offers unparalled quality and the freedom to create truly unique furniture pieces.

AVAILABLE NOW FROM HÄFELE Visit

www.hafele.co.uk/grass-dynapro

for online ordering and product information please

SALES MANAGER REQUIRED We’re growing, are you?

Heritage Furniture due to its continuous growth in its customer base is on the lookout for an additional Sales Manager to join the existing growing UK Sales Team.

ABOUT HERITAGE FURNITURE Heritage Furniture is an established, reputable design led company serving Furniture Retailers, with well designed and price led product portfolio of furniture for the Bedroom, Living and Dining room.

Operating from a 100,000 sqft distribution warehouse based in Blackburn Lancashire.

For us it’s all about being different and unique in the way we do business, from our products to our service it’s all about

the customer. With phenomenal growth since the inception of new ranges this year, there is now an exciting unique opportunity for the right candidate who is fired up for success to cover the North of England.

THE ROLE REQUIRES • Management of existing accounts • Building relationships and continuing growth with existing customers • Seeking out new sales opportunities The Company will provide support with product training, show van and comprehensive marketing support, including participation in key industry exhibitions.

YOUR PROFILE You are a people person with a positive work attitude who can maintain and build strong relationships with customers. You have a charismatic personality and are self-motivated.

You need to have flair for the current trends in furniture design, be good at structuring your work and time and are goal oriented in your approach to sales.

• Attractive Salary • Bonus Scheme • Company Car Please email your CV and covering letter to Heritage UK Sales Manager: email sid@heritagefurnitureuk.com

Heritage Furniture UK Ltd. Prospect Mill, Walter Street, Blackburn BB1 1TJ T 01254 660777 F 01254 694611 E sales@heritagefurnitureuk.com W W W. H E RITAG E FU RN ITU REU K .COM

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FURNISHER

The eagerly awaited roll-out of Granorte’s (01785 711131) eyecatching new point-ofsale is already capturing the imagination of consumers up and down the country, with the first wave of retailers to receive the stands Granorte’s new PoS display already reporting significant interest.

Granorte, the highly-acclaimed manufacturer of quality cork floors, has been the driving force behind the resurgence of this natural product, and store owners are exploiting the upturn in demand as they, and consumers, seek an alternative to timber when selecting wall and floor surfaces for the home.

Known for the versatility of its cork portfolio, Granorte uses the new PoS to present 54 tiled options, all of which demonstrate the brand’s intent for 2017 and beyond.

Featuring original, luxury vinyl and recycled leather cork tiles, the PoS provides an array of rustic textures and colourways, resulting from hours of dedicated trends research carried out by the Granorte design team.

All products arriving on this unique PoS option are backed by Granorte’s 48-hour delivery promise, with generous sample sizes that really capture the essence of each collection on show. Retailers looking to introduce the display in-store are encouraged to get in touch.

Wilton Carpets (01722 746000) has launched the Mansion collection of luxury axminster carpet, inspired

by London’s historic mansion buildings. Created by the Wilton Carpets design team, this hand-picked collection relies on strong linear geometrics, echoing the period features of these illustrious buildings, which are considered among the city’s most unique architectural treasures.

Made for communal areas in luxury apartment buildings, but just as suited to use in hotels and other hospitality locations, the Mansion collection features 16 unique designs, from contemporary concepts to classical sophistication. The Wilton design team has played with scale too, creating compact and refined designs ideal for smaller corridors, to large patterns that remain entirely elegant and best-suited to larger areas such as entrances.

Any of the 16 designs within the Mansion collection can be recoloured to match any interior design scheme and in various qualities depending on the footfall demands of the building. Wilton makes all its woven axminster carpets from a blend of 80% pure new wool and 20% nylon for the best combination of luxury and durability.

The Mansion collection is designed and made in Britain for high quality.

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•••

Lano’s new Touch of Luxury website is home to the X collection

Lano Carpets’ (00800 5266 5266) popular X Collection is now displayed on the new Touch of Luxury website, an interactive facility that brings visitors inspiration.

The X Collection, holding four fibre qualities, has long required a website to match its quality-driven approach.

Retail partners and customers are now able to explore the portfolio in its entirety, with its soft nylon and innovative Smartstrand qualities, to renewable bamboo and wool.

Touch of Luxury has established itself as a UK favourite thanks to its far-reaching colour bank, and combination of trending design and high manufacturing standards, all of which are presented on the new website – www. touchofluxury.be.

The Touch of Luxury website is fully backed by a coordinated consumer PR campaign.

Mansion collection, Wilton Carpets

04/07/2017 12:37

SHOWROOM OPEN EVENT MONDAY 22ND MAY – THURSDAY 25TH MAY

New lines added to the UK showroom, arrange an appointment with your Account Manager to see what’s new at Light & Living.

Pre-order your Autumn collection and make sure you’re topped up for those summer sales. www.light-living.co.uk

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70 | Furnisher

Kids’ Collection

TrendEdit

Marques cow hide rug

FLAIR RUGS’ FRESH APPEAL Following the success of its launch edition last autumn, Flair Rugs has released TrendEdit 2 for the spring/summer 2017 season – a portfolio of styles that enhances the brand’s position as a trend-focused producer of forward-thinking rug designs.

The TrendEdit concept has gained popularity since its inception, and is a collection of Flair’s most exclusive rugs that has on-trend design at its heart. Strikingly displayed in an eye-catching brochure, each range is backed by a spectrum of inspirational photography, resulting in a publication that presents readers with the back story leading to each collection’s development, adding substance to the style found within.

This season, TrendEdit welcomes six new lines, including Persian Fusion – wool/viscose blends that are handcarved in a time-honoured traditional method, and Cairo, with silky 100% viscose that pays homage to the high sheen materials adorned by the Egyptian gods.

Also presented are the varied fibres of Eclectic, a collection that takes a journey to all four corners of the globe, and the 100% stain-resistant acrylic Palais.

There are two more Flair Rugs exclusives in the luxury cowhides of Marques, and a unique Sheepskin fibre. These collections will sit alongside existing success stories from TrendEdit 1, including New Jersey Print, winner in the Décor category at this year’s Furniture Awards.

The Kids’ Collection by Flair Rugs is one of the most farreaching on the UK market. It is a diverse range that caters to all ages and tastes, for homeowners searching for the final component in their children’s bedrooms, playrooms and dens.

Always a highlight within Flair’s Kids’ Collection is its licensed Disney line, bringing rooms to life with character

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favourites including Nemo, Tinkerbell, Frozen’s Elsa and Cars.

All are produced in 100% washable nylon. Matrix Kiddy, also a 100% nylon, equally plays an important role in the Kids’ Collection, with educational value found in its planets and times tables.

For children’s design in alternative fibre types, customers are encouraged to explore Kiddy Play, with highlights including Zoe Zebra and Leah Leopard prints that feature 100% wool. The Kids’ Collection also keeps in mind children at the younger end of the age spectrum, with the Nursery line allowing toddlers to experience a combination of vibrant colour and pattern-work in soft microfibre form.

Showing at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show for the very first time, Flair Rugs is looking forward to presenting its latest product and point-of-sale developments to a new audience. With adaptations made to the brand’s TrendEdit and Simplicity stable unveiled, along with selected highlights from the core product range, the brand promises to be a valued, eyecatching addition to the show.

New point-of-sale developments include a unique rug slider and eye-catching brochure lectern, both playing their part in promoting Flair products. Also on show will be selected rugs from Flair’s core product range and newly updated Simplicity portfolio, the latter championing a value-driven approach that refuses to compromise on style and fibre choice.

W flairrugs.com

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TCS Fu

72 | Designer

3D Design graduate Alex Gay’s F-Series Cabinet won the Company of Furniture Makers Book Award 2016, and is an interactive piece which celebrates the user creating an occasion when using and opening it.

In Design: F-Series Cabinet, Alex Gay “My key philsophy is to simplify an object and its functions to its bare essences before deciding how to give it delightful details to make it special”

“The F-Series Cabinet’s door uses

“The 100% natural woolen felt can

magnets to keep it under tension from one side to the other”

be interchanged easily, meaning that new colours can be ordered”

“The design is minimal. The wood creates the complexity of the design as the use of the ash planks creates a busy feel to the surface textures”

“Magnetic door fixings give a fun opening method and straight-forward door construction, with no hinges and a simple construction process”

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 72

Training: Alex attended Nailsea school, led into design through taking three technology GCSEs. He graduated from Plymouth University with degree in 3D design – Designer Maker.

Achievements: Alex won the Rotary Designer of the Year 2011 award, plus the Nailsea School award for special achievement in Product Design in 2011 and 2013.

W alexgay6.wixsite.com/alexgaydesign

04/07/2017 12:37

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The Carpet Specialists

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On the web this month The Furniture News website is constantly updated with fresh stories. Browse www.furniturenews.net on your desktop of mobile to access the latest content, or sign up for our newsletter

Further Reading Do you have a story to share?

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

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

To advertise or submit product information, call the sales team on 01424 776100, or email sam@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.

News: Harrison Spinks plans £9m investment

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

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.

News: Singapore continues to forge a path for design

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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Resources: How making reviews helps the buying process

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: Bedroom, Living, Dining and Furnisher features | Long Point preview

Furniture News 337 Further Reading AprPages.indd 17.indd 1 74

04/07/2017 28/03/2017 12:37 10:17

17 10:17

Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 75

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01673 863 300 Furniture News 337 Pages.indd 76

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