32 minute read
Review
Innovation
IVC Group was part of the inaugural Flanders Flooring Days
Bringing together 10 of west Flanders’ most significant flooring companies, Flanders Flooring Days on 2-5 May gave visitors a unique chance to gather insight into the innovation driving the flooring industry.
For IVC Group, it was an opportunity to explore how its in-house design, product innovation, manufacturing flexibility and service come together to build unique collections.
Marking 25 years of successful business and revealing its plans for continued growth, IVC Group welcomed visitors to the landmark Flooring Development Centre for the inaugural Flanders Flooring Days. With a striking multi-purpose interior designed by Glenn Sestig Architects, the centre in Waregem has been home to the manufacturer for three years.
IVC Group began in 1997 manufacturing sheet vinyl, which remains a key part of its solutions today. Alongside presenting innovations and new designs for 2022 that capture the latest interior trends, the manufacturer encouraged visitors
Visitors to the Flooring Development Centre received updates
to think again about the floor’s easy installation, unique comfort and ease of living. It also unveiled its status as the first flooring company to begin using Social Plastic from Plastic Bank.
The company says the average kitchen or bathroom fitted with textile-backed vinyl will be using 100 recycled PET bottles, of which 10 will be Social Plastic.
Using the non-Social Plastic Luxatex textile backing on ranges allows faster installation as no glue is needed, in most conditions. The backing helps create floors for quick refurbishment projects and instant room makeovers, soaking up imperfections for a floor that lies flat and level under most conditions. The Luxatex backing also helps to battle noise, reducing impact sound by 19dB.
The company’s LVT is a unique chance to enjoy the in-house design and manufacturing capabilities of IVC Group in collections made to provide retailers with the best quality and service. Using the latest flooring technologies in flex and rigid categories, IVC Group presented a broad range of qualities and designs.
The event also saw the group exhibit the latest products from Moduleo. Constantly researching trends for designs that deliver a contemporary range of luxury vinyl floors for the home, Moduleo presented the newest development to its LayRed collection: herringbone floors. The latest innovation makes popular herringbone patterns simple to install without the need for A and B planks, while guaranteeing the design, comfort, strength and ease of maintenance of the collection. Visit: www.ivcgroup.com
Visitors watched a product presentation at the Ronse showroom Vivendi is being rebranded
Next steps
Associated Weavers shared new additions, new branding and future plans
Associated Weavers expanded its carpet offer and previewed a made-to-measure rug offer and new branding.
Indus and Dorado were relaunched as part of the polyester Gaia collection and recoloured. All four Gaia ranges now have the ECO-Fusion backing made from 100% recycled PET bottles. Using polyester provides high-quality colour fastness and a rich lustre and the carpet is bleach-cleanable.
Dorado is the heaviest ranges with a weight of 1,900g per sqm and is available in 14 shades, including six new ones. Indus has a weight of 1,400g per sqm and 14 colours, including six new ones.
Next year will see the introduction of Sarno and Mekong.
The Sedna collection saw Oshun introduced in a 2,205g weight and 12 colours. Invictus saw the addition of Aurelius, a 2,500g weight, and Tiberius, a 1,800g weight, both in 12 colours.
The made-to-measure rug collection will feature a small selection of shapes, choice of carpet and backing allowing shoppers to create a design to their taste. The rugs will be delivered direct to the consumer in a handful of weeks.
The Vivendi collection – debuted in 2018 – will have the tagline ‘The best a home can get’.
Vitality and Karma, at 2,300g per sqm the collection’s heaviest carpets, were shown, while Soul and Vibes have been recoloured, both with four new shades.
The full rebranding will be introduced at The Flooring Show in September.
Grace and Mood will appear in 2023. Visit: www.carpetyourlife.com
The showroom marked Flanders Flooring Days
New beginning
Balta plans to return to its strengths
Following Victoria Group’s purchase of Balta’s carpet operations, Balta will continue to operate as an independent brand and this with a firm focus on the UK and Republic of Ireland markets, with new launches, re-introduction of leading carpet makes and excellent service.
Balta’s product development and range architecture will be focused on the UK and Ireland and Balta will continue to promote and sell the ITC-manufactured nylon ranges such as Satino and Eternity, securing continuity for its customers.
The company will be tapping into the group’s delivery network, further improving service levels and offering 24 to 72-hour delivery times.
‘Great product and service will be at the heart of our drive to maximise the exposure with our customer base again. What we were doing, we will do more of and do it better,’ says Filip Poelman, Balta sales and marketing director.
‘There will be plenty of new launches in September, building on the brand’s historical strengths of twists, Saxonies and wool. We will bring back the Woolmaster and Made in Heaven brands, and we will be introducing a carpet with 100% recycled pile and backing.’
Balta will be exhibiting at The Flooring Show in September. Visit: www.balta-carpets.com
JUNE LAUNCH
Kingsdale Twist
Hamilton
Come and create
Talamanca Oak
Beauflor is urging us to be creative
Beauflor is set to allow just about any idea to become a vinyl floor as it opens a London showroom and doubles its digital printing capacity at its Slovenia factory.
The showroom, due to open in early June, will be in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, and will promote its create offering of digitally printed floors.
Customers can choose from a huge selection of designs, which can be customised – by changing colours or adding logos, for example – for the perfect floor design or can provide their own image. The company also offers a floorplan service for custom designs.
Designs can also be made over multiple rolls for large projects. Once a design has been selected, samples are delivered within 10 days and the completed floor in four to eight weeks.
Beauflor also showed innovation with its core collection, with new designs for Blacktex; a revamped Silvertex collection with a new backing and 0.3mm wear layer; Tex-Style has been updated with a third of the collection now made up of new designs, and the new Elite range has tile and large plank designs.
It has also updated its marketing materials, with residential and contract ranges now split as Beauflor Home and Beauflor Pro, with brochures featuring more roomset photography. Visit: www.beauflor.co.uk
Aquarium and Banana Leaves are part of the create offer
XL-END Egmont 50
Think big
COREtec has opted for size as it rolls out Essentials to the UK
Essentials Texas Oak H54
The star of COREtec Floors’ introductions and previews was XL-END, as the company looked to target the parquet market at a time when timber supplies are disrupted because of the war in Ukraine.
‘When you think of a luxury floor the chances are you’ll think of the warm look of parquet flooring. and especially of stunning long planks. Using such planks enables you to give a sense of space to rooms. Luxury also means having time and peace of mind,’ says Thibault Lanchon, COREtec Floors quality manager.
The planks are 2.1m x 228mm and are 15mm thick, with an extra-thick core layer and a bottom cork layer.
‘You also get luxury protection at the surface: the 0.8mm wear layer is 60% thicker than with the other COREtec collections,‘ says Lanchon.
‘All our floors are based on a click system. They combine the best of vinyl with an extremely stable core underneath, which makes your floor fully waterproof. So, no problem laying the planks in your bathroom. The cork layer allows you to compensate for unevenness in the existing floor. There is no need for a separate underlay whatsoever. This also applies if you install XL-END on a new screed. You can lay the planks on that new floor as soon as you are allowed to walk on it, and enjoy luxury straight away.’
The company also announced plans for a UK consumer advertising campaign for the Essentials collection from September and an Essentials display stand. The range has 62 finishes in a variety of plank and tile sizes, including herringbone planks in 910mm x 230mm, and several planks are available with bevels on the length sides. Visit: www.coretecfloors.com
Essentials display stand Essentials Texas Oak M54
Genius
New looks
Heathertwist Elite
Lano has been busy updating several collections
Lano highlighted the latest updates to a number of its ranges.
Fairfield Creations has seen the introduction of two new shades and a new stripe colour, while Pembridge Heathers – a popular housebuild quality where volumes in the existing colours were already high - saw two new shades.
The tenth gauge Genius using Lano’s Eccelena soft yarn saw seven colours replaced and seven retained while Star Twist Edition – a 32oz twist in combination of colours from Star Twist and Heather Twist – saw 10 new colours added and five existing colours retained.
Heather Twist Supreme and Elite saw nine shades retained and seven more heathered colours added.
Star Twist Supreme and Elite saw seven new colours added along with improvements in the yarn finish with more vibrancy and sheen.
Lano is also revamping its nylon offer in the X collection, with new colours in Satine, Evita, Traviata and Euphoria.
The collection’s artwork has also been refreshed: it is no longer in black, and is much softer, more romantic and design-led. Visit: www.lano.com
Startwist Elite Fairfield Creations
Celebration
More than 600 people gathered to acclaim FFD
To celebrate the success of the first Flanders Flooring Days, more than 600 customers and staff of the 10 participating companies – Associated Weavers, Balta, Beaulieu International Group, COREtec, ITC, IVC Group, Lano, Modulyss, Ragolle and Unilin – gathered at the Kortrijk Xpo exhibition centre on the evening of 4 May for Flanders Flooring Night. They were treated to the finest Flanders food and drink, music and entertainment.
At the centre of the event was an artwork created by fifth-grade students at the Design & Art School Kortrijk, using materials provided by the 10 participating companies as they looked to stimulate creativity in the region. The students had just a day and a half to complete the project and were free to use the materials how they liked. The result was a gigantic mobile made from the rugs, carpet and flooring.
The 10 companies donated €2,500 to the school and €22,500 to the Ukraine 12-12 charity fund. Visit: www.flandersflooringdays.com
Natural world
Visitors were given a general preview in the Exhibitor Forum
IMAGES: DONATELLA SIMONETTI
Sustainability rose up the agenda
The 29th edition of Proposte saw 69 exhibitors present new collections from 26-28 April at Villa Erba on the banks of Lake Como, and visitors were given a general preview of the materials, designs and colours in the Exhibitor Forum installation.
The influences of the natural world stood out, both in the extensive use of yarns made from vegetable fibres, with experimentation in the use of unusual types and blends, and in the colour palette, dominated by warm earth tones alongside greens and blues. Familiar off-white and neutrals are applied to new fibres and designs. Prints feature mainly animal and botanical motifs.
Bouclé and slub yarns are often used, giving heft and irregular textures to fabrics. Metallic yarns and laminated finishes are experimented with in both curtains and furnishings.
An increasing number of exhibitors paid special attention to sustainability, both from the production cycle standpoint and in the presentation of products, characterised by the choice of recycled materials.
‘I would like to sincerely thank all the exhibitors who continue to show their faith in Proposte by presenting their exclusive collections at Villa Erba,’ says Massimo Mosiello, Proposte director.
‘The trade show confirms its standing as an international showcase. This edition recorded 70% foreign visitors and 30% Italian visitors.’ Visit: www.propostefair.it
Post-show aperitifs were held in the Villa Erba park
Back home
Look
January Furniture Show returned to the NEC, a little later than originally planned
Bentinck Furniture showcased the highbacked, dark-wooden legged Cosmos sofa range alongside Loft sofas and chaises with a love chair, foot stool and accent chair and the large modular Snug
The return of the January Furniture Show proved to be a great success for Buoyant Upholstery, meeting with so many of its customers. As it had been just over two years since the last show, it was eager to display some of its new models, such as Fairfield, and existing models that had been refreshed with luxurious new fabrics.
Celebrity’s Canterbury is available as large, medium and small recliner, chair and fixed two and three-seater. It has the option of an adjustable headrest. Birlington is a curved corner sofa while Camden is a 1970s-style chair.
Core Products will plant 842 trees in Brazil this month: one for every visitor to the stand who filled in a card, doubled by the company. Show introductions included the Dunkeld bedroom with brushed-steel metal cup handles and contrasting hardwood tops in an antique wax finish and the industrial-look Texas dining and bedroom range.
Devonshire Pine expanded the colour options of Pebble and previewed two other designs.
Dormeo introduced DNA, allowing shoppers to customise the make-up of the mattress, mixing the foam springs to suit their individual needs.
La-Z-Boy clinched its NFL deal Quito
Thank you to all who came to see us at the January Furniture Show 2022! Featured here is the Millie, which was well received at the Show! To see our full range visit our website - www.lebus.co.uk
Furniture Link recognised the move towards living in smaller spaces with storage beds, its new Jenson retro/ Scandi-style collection in clean, sleek oak and the addition of smaller tables – rectangular, square and oval – to its Manhattan range. Dining chairs saw new options including ochre, mustard and green. ‘People used to be wary of fabric but now they are updating their dining chairs in the latest colour every two or three years,’ says James McConnell, Furniture Link md.
Among Gala’s new designs was the modular Look, available in many different fabrics and configurations.
Highlights from Julian Bowen included Padstow, a contemporary rattan and occasional range; the Largo modular sofa with wool-effect fabric; the modular Arms seating unit; the Findlay mid-century dining table and the Minori glass table with brushed gold frame, which co-ordinates with the Victtoria cantilever chair.
Kathy Ireland Home made its UK debut, looking to replicate its huge success in the US. ’The concept is mainstream but unique; aspirational without the aspirational price point,’ says Adam Holmes, ceo of importer Homeworks Asia.
La-Z-Boy officially launched its association with the NFL in which it will become the official partner of three NFL games to be played in London in October for three years. Its new Durham model is a lift and rise no-entrapment chair with three motors, while Lawton offers a two-seater, three-seater, love seat, chair, and power and static recliner. Otta features a storage ottoman with reversible top/tray and Anderson saw the introduction of phone charging.
DNA
Exeter
Lebus’ Sunset features twin piping detail on the narrow arm, while Clive has wide arms and a high back. Lusso is a corner unit and St Tropez features curved arms and brushed gold legs. Sky sports mid-century arms while Millie has a country style and Medina combines curved arms, chrome legs and high back with a chaise option.
LPD extended its Zara dining bench offer and Laura now features a white boucle Ted pouffe, available in two sizes with a gold-effect base.
Sealy UK had an adjustable version of Elevate, slated for production in 2023 and aiming to capitalise on the younger generation’s lockdown-born trend of streaming box sets in bed.
Staud made its JFS debut with the new Bodega and its core range Sinfonie Plus, which is available in more than 50million variations.
Vogue Beds updated its bed frame collection and revamped Helix.
Wiemann’s introductions included the VIP premium Quito and entry- level Tampa. Visit: www.januaryfurnitureshow.com
Fairfield Millie
www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk
Sitting comfortably
Tierra
Whitemeadow offered a variety of styles
Whitemeadow showcased a plethora of new designs and fabrics.
Highlights included Manhattan, a large modular sofa including a generously sized love seat and the latest addition to the company’s Statement collection, while Bellagio features tapered metal legs and is its narrowest plinth design.
Tierra is the new eco model, while the new Artemis bedframe includes an ottoman version.
The company also reintroduced leather designs for independents after demand from retailers, and an additional 40 new scatter cushions were introduced. Visit: www.whitemeadow.com
Artemis Manhattan
Farah
Breadth of styles
Alpha Designs showed new designs and proven winners
Pandora
A family-run business creating handmade upholstery in the heart of the Midlands, Alpha Designs is a progressive UK manufacturer that strives to remain at the forefront of design and fabrics – which it once again demonstrated through its newest collections.
Alpha’s new models came hot on the heels of its successful autumn launch, which saw the manufacturer introduce the now-proven Audrey, Selsey, Ciara and Niamh models, all of which were presented in vibrant new fabrics.
‘Our 2022 ranges, which have been designed and developed in partnership with a leading furniture designer, are set to further fuel Alpha Designs’ growth in the marketplace. The new ranges, which include motion furniture, offer a breadth of styles to complement our successful existing ranges, with total flexibility on fabrics across all models.
‘All in all, it is an enticing proposition from a company with a supportive, can-do attitude,’ says Barry Webb, Alpha Designs sales director. Tel: 07702 603 971
Merchant
Clementine
Winning ways
Shire Signature Collection
Shire left the NEC with another award
The Shire Bed Company has won three major awards since September. It won the coveted Product of the Year award at the Bed Industry Awards, and followed that up with the Best of British category at the Furniture Awards 2022 at January Furniture Show. And last month Fara Butt, Shire Bed Company sales and marketing director, won Business Woman of the Year at the Yorkshire Choice Awards.
The company also marks its silver jubilee this year. Shire Beds started out as a small cottage industry in 1997 and has grown to become one of the most successful bed-making businesses in West Yorkshire. It was originally the brainchild of Safdar Hussain, who had been in the bed manufacturing trade since the 1980s. Today, Shire is headed up by his daughter and son-in-law Fara and Sajid Butt and the company employs some 70 people.
Shire has seen tremendous success in the mid-market since the launch of the Artisan collection in 2019 and the award-nominated Constable. It has been able to move into the higher end market through increasing the quality of offering whilst still keeping a close eye on costs. This is a challenge it has continued to meet in creating its award-winning Shire Signature Collection.
Shire Signature Collection is a range of handcrafted mattresses that contain natural fillings of wool, cotton, cashmere, silk and latex. The products are available in spring counts of 6,000, 8,000 and 10,000. The mattresses feature two or three rows of classic, handstitched borders, dependent on the spring count selected. The hand side stitching ensures the highest quality of finish and product longevity.
The quality offering in line with eco design principles has elevated the Shire Beds brand to a wider range of retailers. Being able to access high value retailers and move its traditional consumers upmarket is something Shire is proud to have achieved with the quality products of recent years.
The Dewsbury company’s ongoing commitment to investment in its facilities, staff and machinery has ensured that Shire remains ahead of the game. In recent years, the business has invested more than £2.5m in expanding and upgrading its facilities, including new top-of-the range automated machinery to help speed up processes. The flow of the factory has also been re-engineered to improve output.
Achieving A-rated NBF audits and demonstrating compliance through SMETA and ISO audits offers customers confidence in the brand and shows the company’s focus on quality and continuous improvement. Future plans include delivering on environmental targets, and achieving FSC certification in May is a major step towards that.
‘We are incredibly proud of what the company has achieved over its 25 years. Winning these awards is a huge affirmation of our products, and our brand in the furniture industry,’ says Fara Butt.
‘This is an incredibly challenging time for business and for our customers and we are responding by developing products that are award-winning and commercial. We feel honoured that the industry has recognised our efforts.’ Visit: www.shirebeds.co.uk
T A
THE FURNITURE AWARDS 2022
Solace
New standard
Bellagio
Think Rugs enjoyed record orders
‘We were unsure as to the outcome we could expect with the show being in April but we ended up enjoying the best January Furniture Show, with more orders taken than ever. The show gave a great opportunity for us to show off our current product ranges and our new launches,’ says Sam Tippett, Think Rugs director.
‘Our launches for 2022/2023 include the 100% recycled polyester Solace
Hemp range made from recycled plastic bottles; our high-quality Bellagio range created with ultra-high density polypropylene and polyester yarn, and further additions to our sustainable and eco-friendly Jute and Hemp ranges, hand-made with 100% jute.
‘Our 2022 brochure sees the launch of 10 new ranges as well as many additions to our already incredibly popular ranges. New range launches include Apollo, an abstract machinemade range woven with a combination of polypropylene and polyester, creating a wonderful two-tone feel and look, available in 70 different variations.
‘Other launches now available include new colourways and designs in our sought-after Royal Nomadic and Boho ranges as well as the new Aspen range. The popularity of these ranges continues to grow, with trends such as Recharged Wellness and Scandi Simplicity gaining more and more momentum and driving demand.
‘Our recently introduced Craft range has been greatly expanded to include 14 options in a variety of sizes. Taking inspiration from trends such as Metal Meets Rock and Brutal Force, Craft consists of metallic designs overlaid on marble backgrounds. This is a range and a style in its infancy that is already generating great impetus and pushing forward to become one of our most popular ranges.
‘We are committed to the support of every one of our valued customers and will continue to strive to ensure that we provide the best possible service. We have committed ourselves to ensuring that our stock levels are constantly kept as high as possible and that our lead times are as short as possible. With Think Rugs you can be confident of a very high service level, which will be available now and in the future,’ says Tippett. Tel: 01782 747 713
HALL 2, STAND 2-C50
Focus
Delivering for customers is key for Ordorite
Ordorite Software used the show to explain its focus on innovation, development and service.
‘Steve Jobs [co-founder of Apple] said: “Do not try to do everything. Do one thing well.” He knew a thing or two about the technology business, that’s why we have taken this quote so much to heart,’ says Darren Lee, Ordorite Software business development director (UK). ‘As I look around Darren Lee the furniture retail technology sector in UK I see our competitors doing the exact opposite. Rather than focusing on giving the absolute best to their customers in terms of innovation, development and service, I see them trying to force their way into other sectors where they don’t have the expertise or experience. Suddenly everyone is an expert on omnichannel and payment providers, spreading themselves ever thinner.
‘I get it. It’s about leveraging the client base, monetising everything that can be monetised. But at what cost to the client?
‘We don’t want to build websites; instead we have developed stable, reliable integrations with all of the major web platforms used in our industry. We don’t want to sell payment services; instead we’ve built an integration that can connect you with many of the main payment providers. We don’t want to sell credit services, so we built an integration with Hitachi Finance, with more providers on the way. We don’t want to sell delivery services, which is why we have integrated with delivery partners so you can easily use most external couriers.
‘As a business, our team has many years of furniture retail experience, which helps when it comes to understanding the industry and adding new features. But what we’re really good at is listening. We listen to our existing and prospective clients. They guide our road map.
‘At Ordorite we do that “one thing well”, with over 15,000 hours of annual development activity, and a POS and back-office system that is powerful and feature-rich. With a rolling development roadmap, we have been able to give our clients industry-beating functionality. Features that enable you to map your customers’ journey so they can be automatically informed when their goods arrive to your store or warehouse, then allow them to pay the balance online and book their delivery having only been offered slots relevant to their postcode.
‘There are pop-ups at point of sale to prompt add-on sales such as warranties or footstools, product specific terms and conditions, and digital signatures to be truly paper-free. Container building, route planning, product kitting and a suite of apps for handheld scanning and stock-taking are all part of a full warehouse management system.
‘We know we are not perfect, but we are going to keep trying to do that one thing well,’ says Lee. Visit: www.ordorite.com
GLOBAL FURNITURE ALLIANCE
The Furniture Show Review
It’s been a month since the return of The Furniture Show at the NEC in Birmingham, and what a show it was! GFA were excited to be back after a long 2 years, with lots of new product to showcase. We were thrilled with how well it was received - so much so it was our most successful show to date! There was a mix of product on offer, from new Scandinavian inspired swivel recliners to newly developed fixed sofa sets. For more information on GFA’s new range please vivit www.gfa.uk.com.
Mia 3 Seater in Oat Fabric
Nordic in Navy Leather/Match
Boden in Lead Fabric
Ready to go
Gallery Direct highlighted its stock availability
Gallery Direct’s stand at the January Furniture Show proved to be incredibly popular with customers. Exhibiting a huge selection of products across all its categories, the stand featured a number of roomsets, focusing on key trends to give customers ideas of how to put together coordinated looks. There were also category areas, featuring outdoor living, textiles, accessories, lighting and wall décor, designed to showcase a wide selection of category-specific products together.
One of Gallery’s key messages was that it has almost all of its stock lines, including the new outdoor collection, in stock in the UK ready for quick delivery. And on the made-to-order side, including mattresses, divans and upholstery, it is offering lead times of around four to six weeks thanks to its manufacturing team and holding components at its Wiltshire factory.
Gallery’s ethos is ‘leading by design’, regularly bringing stylish new quality products to market. At the January Furniture Show, this approach was rewarded when the company won the Furniture Awards’ Design Innovation category. Key to helping secure this win was its Design Series Projects, Packed-Flat and Sofa in a Box, which received a special mention in the judges’ comments.
Packed-Flat offers design and quality without the price tag. It features an extensive collection of furniture ranges, with varied styles to suit different interiors. Sofa in a Box offers a range of sofas, armchairs and a sofa bed, hand-made at the Westbury factory and held in stock. Both collections are designed for easy delivery to any room in any property.
Products from both Design Series Projects were on display at the show, along with other furniture and made-to-order upholstery. Gallery also launched its new collection of House Sofas, which are hand-made at Westbury but offer lower price points than other ranges, to widen its audience reach.
Gallery’s next event is the Harrogate Home & Gift Show from 17-20 July, while appointments can be made to visit one of the company’s showrooms at the head office in Sittingbourne or the new northern distribution centre near Chesterfield. Visit: www.gallerydirect.co.uk
THE Michigan
DUAL BATTERY OPERATED SWIVEL RECLINER
Shadow FABRIC
The Michigan is designed for ultimate relaxation - from the deep, supportive comfort of moulded foam cushioning, to the inbuilt dual battery operation. The high back and adjustable headrest give you all the support you need as you put your feet up in smooth, sleek style. This beautifully crafted chair has elegantly curved arms and a stylish star shaped base in a black or brushed chrome finish.
Available in Elephant and Shadow Fabric and Charcoal, Tan and Husky Leather/Match.
Charcoal LEATHER/MATCH
In Stock Now!
Tan LEATHER/MATCH Elephant FABRIC
Great start
Above left: Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill was the headline Retail Insights speaker Above: Emma attracted new retail partners
The first INDX Beds & Bedroom has been hailed a success
The debut INDX Beds & Bedroom on 24-27 April saw upbeat retailers displaying a strong appetite to buy.
Supported by suppliers including Emma, Gainsborough, GNG Group, Harrison Spinks, Healthbeds, Highgrove, Hypnos, Julian Bowen, Kaydian, Kaymed, Limelight Beds, MA Living, Millbrook, Relyon, Rest Assured, Sealy, Silentnight, Sleepeezee, Sweet Dreams and Tempur, the show has been heralded a success by the industry, and exhibitors have been quick to praise the format of the show and the business written there.
‘INDX Beds & Bedroom has been a fantastic opportunity for us to present all our ranges to a wide selection of customers in a professional setting with great facilities,’ says David Wescomb, Relyon Beds brand director.
‘We had a fantastic couple of days at INDX Beds & Bedroom and we signed up some serious new retail partners, with others pending,’ says Neil Robinson, Emma The Sleep Company sales director – UK & Ireland.
Organised by buying group AIS, the show saw a series of keynote speaker sessions entitled Retail Insights, which offered a retail and industry-focused exploration of the business of sleep. Tackling topics including sustainability, circularity and the importance of sleep, the Retail Insights were led by a selection of industry experts, headlined by Sleepeezee ambassador Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and were popular with visitors and exhibitors alike.
‘We had a great show. We thoroughly enjoyed it and thought the guest speakers were a great concept,’ says Maria Jones, Land of Beds head of sales and buying.
‘The new guest speaker sessions were also well attended: it really shows our industry’s passion for momentum and development. It’s been great to see so many of our customers and retail partners at INDX Beds & Bedroom and it’s been great to be able to talk about new product and new developments.,’ says Richard Gretton, Hypnos sustainable development director.
INDX Furniture will take place from 30 August to 1 September, with the first day being exclusive to AIS members. Visit: www.indxshows.co.uk
Retailers were keen to buy
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Univ rsal
Field Sales Manager - North
Due to expansion, we are looking for an enthusiastic, results driven individual to strengthen our UK sales force in the North (Sheffield upwards). Victoria Carpets & Design Floors house an extensive portfolio of both carpet and hard flooring (LVT) solutions spanning over 125 years
The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate:
• Experience of working within the flooring industry. • A managerial background with experience of developing, coaching and motivating a team. • Key customer account management. • Strong communication, numerical and analytical skills. • Great organisational skills and digitally competent. • Drive and professionalism to deliver on the targets set for your area.
Benefits of the role include a competitive basic salary, uncapped bonus, company car, phone, tablet and expenses.
