SMG News | Autumn 2019 | Issue 192 The Official Publication of SMG The National Furnishing Group
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CONTENTS SMG News | Autumn 2019 | Issue 192
NEWS 7
CORMAR CARPET COMPANY INTRODUCES PRIMO NATURALS
9 ULSTER CARPETS SUPPORT LOCAL CHILDREN’S HOSPICE 14 WESTEX OFFER SPECIAL DYE SERVICE 18 NEW LOOK FURLONG FLOORING INTRODUCE SERENITY
REGULARS 15 BUSINESS INSIGHT An insight from Richard Renouf 19 AT THE SHARP END Gavin Freebairn from SMG 22 A LETTER FROM MARTIN CURTIS, CHAIRMAN OF THE WOOL CARPET FOCUS GROUP 34 QUESTION TIME Steve Kaye from Associated Weavers
FEATURES 29 INSURANCE INSIGHT 30 CARPET RECYCLING UK 2019 AWARD WINNERS 37 COMPUTERS FOR FLOORING FITTER AND ESTIMATOR COMPANION APP 41 DYEING TO UNDERSTAND COLOUR 64 THE FLOORING SHOW REVIEW
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SMG News | Autumn 2019
Dear Members, As we begin the last quarter’s trading for 2019, who would have thought that we would still be in a period of economic uncertainty. It’s beyond wearisome to everyone involved in retail and to consumers too. Article upon article is released in the press espousing doom and gloom and tales of what dreadful things might happen post Brexit. However, when you actually look at the figures, 2019 is holding up quite well. Business is good in many areas of the country – with reports that although there are fewer customers, those that visit are spending more. The opportunities are out there, we just need to work a bit harder to obtain them. Making sure your store is inviting and interesting, with eye catching window displays and POS will all help to ensure the passing potential customer will be drawn in. There is so much material out there to help with this. The Wool Carpet Focus Group/Campaign for Wool have put together some great POS highlighting the properties of wool and the ecological story accompanying it. This is available to retailers at woolcarpetsnaturally.org The synthetic manufacturers have a story of their own too – Associated Weavers have Sedna, which is a nylon product manufactured from re-cycled fishing nets. Abingdon Flooring have a similar profile on their nylon products and Victoria Carpets have recycling credentials on many of their products. Why not use this information to create your own story to guide customers to a product that not only satisfies their aesthetic needs but also makes them feel good that they are saving the planet too?
With footfall down, it’s important to make the most of every sale. Upselling can make the difference between a retailer who is getting by and a retailer who is flying. Training staff, incentivising upselling and creating an enticing display can all help with this. Supporting British Manufacturers is essential too if we don’t want to lose them. Why not make this a point to champion in store? Customers are keen to help independents and support British manufacturing so why not ensure they know what their choices are. Enough of my meanderings. It is not long since we came back from the Flooring Show in Harrogate and I can assure you that there was an enormously positive vibe there. It was buzzing with retailers coming to see their current suppliers and have a look at potential new suppliers who all had new products and unitary on display. This is a fantastic show in a lovely town so visiting retailers could enjoy the local hospitality as well as a first rate exhibition. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the SMG team to talk with SMG Retailers and Suppliers to understand the market and the upcoming trends. SMG were showcasing the Pure own brand collection on our stand which, we were proud to say, won the gold Innovation in Flooring award in the Point of Sale category. This award is such a great achievement in return for all of the hard work which has gone into ensuring that this concept has been so well received by retailers and suppliers alike. New for the Show was a Pure Curtains offer from Ena Shaw which was extremely popular and the introduction of a Feature Table into the unitary
options which can make a fantastic centrepiece in store. For a full write up on the Show go to page 64. As part of our regular features, this issue we are pleased to welcome Steve Kaye, Sales Director at Associated Weavers to answer our questions in the ‘Question Time’ item where he gives us his take on the retail environment from a supplier perspective (see page 34). We also have our new Business Development Manager, Gavin Freebairn, featuring in the ‘At the Sharp End’ item. Read all about his views on the retail flooring trade on page 19. As always, this SMG News is jam packed with news, insights and information to keep you up to date and make for what we hope is a very interesting read. If you have any suggestions for features you might like to see in this publication, we always welcome reader feedback and ideas. SMG are on Facebook, so please do come and like our page to keep up to date on all things Group related and to share with us any interesting projects you have been involved with. We would love to see your pictures. On behalf of SMG, I’d like to thank our Members and Suppliers for their continued support and to wish you a very successful end to 2019.
Kind regards,
Mike Reed Head of Group Operations
SMG The National Furnishing Group 9 The Markham Centre, Station Road, Theale, Reading, Berkshire RG7 4PE Telephone 0118 932 3832 Fax 0118 930 4515 Email info@smg-group.co.uk Web www.smg-group.co.uk Published by SMG The National Furnishing Group. Printed by Hartgraph Limited, Unit 2 Amersham Commercial Park, Raans Road, Amersham HP6 6JY
INSPIRED BY NATURAL BEAUTY 10 new colours for the timeless Grange Wilton collection
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CORMAR LAUNCHES NEW ‘PRIMO NATURALS’ RANGE Multi award-winning carpet manufacturer Cormar Carpet Company has launched a brand-new collection - ‘Primo Naturals’. The latest addition to Cormar’s hugely successful Easy Clean Twist range, ‘Primo Naturals’, made from 100% Excellon Polypropylene, is bleach cleanable and stain resistant and comes with a 10-year stain and wear guarantee.
EVERYDAY, MADE EASY ‘Primo Naturals’ is perfect for high traffic, domestic areas of the home such as the living and dining room as well as the stairs. Produced using a durable 2-Ply yarn, the range is both pet and family friendly.
A NEUTRAL TOUCH The range comes in 13 heather shades including a rich pecan, a wild honey, a sterling silver and a warm walnut. The collection is sold in 4 and 5 metre widths through the Cormar Company website and select retailers across the UK and is priced at £20 RRP per sq. metre.
Pictured: Primo Naturals carpet in Wild Honey | Stockist information: cormarcarpets.co.uk Press Office | 01664 823 920 | Jess Brown Head of PR & Social jess@brown-dog.co.uk | Katy Westwood PR & Social Media Executive katy@brown-dog.co.uk
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 7
NEWS UPDATE BALTA LAUNCHES NEW STAINSAFE WEBSITE Keeping up with the demand for easily accessible information, Balta carpets has launched its updated website dedicated to StainSafe®. In a world where digital access and the web play such a key part of everyday life, Balta recognised the growing need to refresh its online portal where consumers can remain informed on the key points of StainSafe fibres and tackle some of the most common questions and advice that owners have about their carpets. The site includes four pages with insights on the StainSafe range from its bleach-cleanable fibres through to coping with maintenance and mishaps. A downloadable pdf of the care and warranty guide gives consumers the option to print out and retain key points such as how to deal with stains and the best cleaning method.
Bossche, marketing director said, “The new site shows our ongoing commitment to both the consumer and retailer. In a competitive market where aftersales are just as important as first impressions, we were keen to provide support for retailers throughout the sales timeline. For consumers, Balta wanted to provide an easily accessible page where they can refer to our warranties and best care advice providing consumer confidence.”
key part in instore sales presentations. The new website can be accessed using the straightforward and easy to remember stain-safe.com address.
For further information, contact Balta on +32 56 62 22 11 or broadloom@baltagroup.com
It’s not all practical advice as the gallery includes inspirational lifestyle shots that reflect modern homes and can also play a
Visitors also have full access to the details of StainSafe stain and wear warranties. This is particularly helpful for retail staff who want to highlight Balta’s commitment to providing a comprehensive platform which is easily accessible in the public domain. The consumer’s increasing desire for aftercare support has been satisfied with the StainSafe site providing the answers to the most frequent questions on how best to cope with household spillages. The online care guide looks at 26 of the most prevalent household accidents and the five best methods on how to tackle them. Commenting on the new site Geert Vanden
HECKMONDWIKE GOES GREEN Heckmondwike, the market-leading UK manufacturer of commercial fibre bonded carpets, has supported one of its customers in the education sector by joining their environmental project. Led by UK & Ireland Sales Manager, Bob Mortimer, Heckmondwike donated and planted a number of trees, via support through the Woodland Trust, at St Leonards Church of England Primary School in Banbury, Oxfordshire.
important, with millions of square meters of Supacord alone currently installed in schools, colleges and universities throughout the UK. “With the sector being crucial to the company, it’s always a nice feeling when you can give something back and offer
St. Leonard’s Church of England Primary School is a Heckmondwike customer and has been using the company’s products for a number of years. The school is currently carpeted with Supacord and Broadrib throughout, alongside Hippo for its entrance areas. Bob Mortimer said, “The education sector is Heckmondwike’s most 8
Pictured right: Bob Mortimer, UK & Ireland Sales Manager at Heckmondwike
support that goes above and beyond providing carpets. “The opportunity to support the school with an eco-friendly project was great, it was brilliant to see the children learn about the importance of their local environment.”
THE LATEST FROM ULSTER CARPETS ULSTER CARPETS PRESENTS NORTHERN IRELAND CHILDREN’S HOSPICE WITH A CHEQUE TO MARK THE END OF THEIR THREE YEAR PARTNERSHIP Ulster Carpets is overjoyed to be able to hand over a cheque for £28,246 to NI Children’s Hospice to provide end of life care and support for families all over Northern Ireland. Ulster Carpets and NICH have been in a partnership for the past three years. Throughout this time the employees at Ulster Carpets have raised funds through taking part in marathons, hosting bacon butty mornings and stew & dessert days. Each Christmas employees ran a raffle and vending machine promotions, which were always a great success.
Ireland Children’s Hospice, added, “This incredible donation from the employees of Ulster Carpets is fantastic to receive. It is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication by the team with people from right across the entire organisation involved in a range of fundraising and volunteering activities. Receiving such a significant donation is amazing and will make a big difference in our ability to care for children and young people with a life-limiting illness.”
In 2017/2018 NI Children’s Hospice delivered care to 337 children and provided 2,000 nights of care for children and families at Horizon House. Hospice care is free to families, however, it costs around £4million each year to provide. With limited government funding, each year the hospice relies on the support of local community and businesses to help raise as much money as possible for this invaluable cause.
Victoria Jackson, Marketing Executive, Ulster Carpets, and Jonathan Lamberton, Corporate Engagement
Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group Managing Director and Deputy Chairman, said, “We are delighted to present NI Children’s Hospice with this cheque that the employees from Ulster Carpets Ltd have raised. I know that the funding will be a tremendous help to all of the staff and services that are providing daily care for all of the children at Horizon House and in the community.” Jonathan Lamberton, Corporate Engagement Executive for Northern ULSTER CARPETS LAUNCHES NEW JOINT VENTURE Ulster Carpets has formed a joint venture with Mourne Textiles, a hand loom weaving workshop, to create a new company known as Mourne Weavers.
Mario Sierra, Creative Director, Mourne Textiles (left) and David Acheson, Head of Strategic Operations at Ulster Carpets, pictured in the new workshop of Mourne Weavers
The collaborative partnership will create a number of new jobs and will also allow both companies to share knowledge and expertise to explore global opportunities. Mourne Weavers will combine the key strengths of both companies to produce luxury woven furnishing fabrics, curtain fabrics, cushions and blankets for the commercial interior design sector. Ulster Carpets is aiming to build on the company’s success within the artisan sector, following the 2016 acquisition of Herefordshire-based Roger Oates Design, which designs and hand produces unique stripe runners and rugs. Nick Coburn, Group Managing Director at Ulster Carpets, said, “This investment in Mourne Weavers is indicative of the forward-thinking ethos of both companies and is in line with the core values of quality and design at Ulster Carpets.
“Despite the many challenges within the global market, we continue to show confidence in the marketplace and we are excited about the new opportunities that this new joint venture will bring.
the development of similar businesses and allows us to widen our portfolio into this exciting niche sector in Ireland.”
“It also underpins our ongoing growth and diversification strategy to invest in SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 9
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NEWS UPDATE SELIT PRESENTS NEW XPO UNDERLAYS Always one innovation ahead. That is the promise of SELIT Dämmtechnik GmbH and the company is keeping its promises and adding the new XPO underlays from the SELITPRO series to its range. For the first time in the history of the company, non-crosslinked closed-cell polyolefin foam becomes a high-performance underlay for wood and laminate flooring.
the compensation of unevenness and a pleasant installation. SELITPRO XPO lies flat, unlike conventional roll material, and is wonderfully easy to cut.
Last year, a completely new XPO extrusion line was installed specifically for the production of XPO foams. With a capacity of approx. 10 million square meters per year, it manufactures the high-performance SELITPRO XPO underlays for retail and industry. The total 2020 investment exceeded â‚Ź2 million.
The new polyolefin foams are available
as SELITPRO 2 mm and SELITPRO 2 mm AquaStop.
selit.com
Like all products in the SELIT range, the XPO also has the easy cut raster print, which guarantees the exact cut and thus professional processing.
Since 2018, SELIT, in cooperation with the flooring industry, has been supplying the first polyolefin foams for vinyl flooring. XPO foams have established themselves particularly in this market segment. The advantage lies in the high compressive strength in connection with the excellent impact sound insulation as well as the very good levelling ability of unevenness in the underground. Due to these impressive performance parameters in acoustics and loadbearing capacity, SELIT is now adding the new XPO foams to its range of wood and laminate underlays. The product is part of the professional SELITPRO series. An optimum combination of density and thickness ensures high pressure stability of the 2-mm thick underlay, which resists the daily stresses of a floor and effectively prevents damage. In addition, the flexible material brings with it a maximum value in radiated walking sound insulation. The fine, even foam structure also allows
Pictured above (clockwise from top left): SELITPRO XPO; SELITPRO XPO 2mm AquaStop; SELITPRO XPO 2mm
NEW ADDITION TO THE TOMKINSON TWIST FAMILY Manx Tomkinson are launching their brand new Tomkinson Twist Plains. A 45oz, 10th Gauge 80/10/10 Twist with 20 vibrant, on trend colourways, this new addition is sure to be a big hit.
manxtomkinson.co.uk
Tomkinson Twist Plains in Apple 12
MOORLAND MAKEOVER Balta has breathed new life into its longrunning and hugely popular Moorland Twist collection with a brand-new look that brings the range’s marketing collateral bang up-to-date. As one of the manufacturer’s most successful StainSafe® carpets, Moorland Twist continues to be a popular choice in homes around the country and with colours in on-trend grey, as well as neutral hues of cream, beige and brown; it’s 12-strong palette is certainly ready for today’s interiors.
the attention and cement the style’s place at the centre of stores across the country. Available with a coordinating stripe pattern (4m wide only), StainSafe Moorland Twist comes with a 10-year StainSafe warranty. The carpet features Balta’s Texflor® backing for improved underfoot comfort and easier fitting.
For further information, contact Balta on +32 56 62 22 11 or broadloom@baltagroup.com
Geert Vanden Bossche, marketing director, Balta, comments: “Moorland Twist is a classic StainSafe heather style that’s great value and with a colourbank that holds something for almost any setting. However, as a longrunning collection the image set by its presenter and swatch book was beginning to feel a little dated, and certainly not reflective of its position as one of our most popular collections with a long lifespan ahead of it. “To make sure that the range appeals to a new generation of homeowners we’ve given Moorland Twist a facelift, bringing a striking look for point-of-sale while leaving the collection’s heart untouched and ready to bring its great value and StainSafe performance.” Inspired by the moorlands of Scotland from which the collection draws its name, the new-look imagery is a powerful reminder of our connection with the outdoors. Reflecting Moorland Twist’s natural-looking heather effect, it’s certainly made to draw
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 13
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BUSINESS INSIGHT IN A REGULAR FEATURE RICHARD RENOUF HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANT BUSINESS ISSUES TO HELP MEMBERS STAY UP TO DATE!
“
I didn’t expect the customer to come to the door covered in spray tan liquid, with only a flimsy top and tracksuit bottoms clinging to her wet skin. She’d agreed the timing of my appointment, and although she chastised me for being four minutes and 28 seconds early (which hinted at her fastidious nature) she still wouldn’t have been ready if I had been an hour late.
experience and you can read your customers as well as anyone, but rejecting a complaint, or sending the fitter out to ‘fix’ things on the basis of your pre-conceptions is likely to cost you much more than properly investigating and dealing with the real issues. A home visit shows the customer you are taking
But the surprising and unexpected is a feature of most visits I undertake. No matter how long I’ve spent talking with the customer or retailer, there’s usually something learned during a site visit that is different to the information I’ve been given and which helps to define the cause of the problems I’ve been asked to look at. And what surprises me most is the high proportion of visits I am asked to make where the customer tells me no-one from the shop has been out to look. As a result the customer feels they are not being given good service and, they often say, no matter what the outcome of the complaint, they won’t be going back for their next purchase.
them seriously, and if you find their complaint is not a valid one, telling them on their territory is far more likely to be accepted. If not, you have the product right there and can deal with their questions or kickbacks more easily.
It’s hard to make a good and fair assessment of any complaint in the shop. You may have years of
However much you feel you know what’s wrong, or isn’t, go out with an open mind, a watchful eye and
listening ears. Don’t be influenced by the customer’s attitude. They may be difficult and demanding, or they may be meek and reluctant to complain, but if you judge the issue on this basis you’ll spend out on non-complaints and leave less vocal customers with issues that will cost you business over years to come. A home visit lets you assess things for yourself and to deal with issues on their merit. Listening is vital. Recently I inspected some laminate flooring which was swollen along the joint lines and chipping as a result. It could have been a manufacturing problem or a fitting issue but my investigation had eliminated both of these possibilities. I was standing at the open front door ready to leave when the customer said ‘I look after the flooring really well and wash it at least once every two weeks.’ Although I had worked out the damage was the result of incorrect maintenance, this gave me the information I needed to help the customer understand the ‘why’ about the problems with her flooring. Yes, it takes time to visit a customer, and there’s a cost. But the opportunities a visit brings far outweighs the cost of not visiting.
”
Richard has worked in floorcoverings and furniture retail for more than thirty years. His experience includes independent family businesses and a major national retail chain. In 1992 Richard established the Qualitas Conciliation Service (now the Furniture Ombudsman) to help resolve disputes about furniture and floorcoverings and is now working as an independent consultant and is a consultant member of the Contract Flooring Association.
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 15
NEWS UPDATE DESIGNER STYLE WITH ABINGDON CARPET TILE DIVISION With the brand-new Designer Carpet Tiles collection ready to transform a wide range of commercial interiors, Abingdon Carpet Tile Division is driving forward with British made products that deliver designer style, powerful performance and great value. Made from solution-dyed nylon for the best performance in demanding commercial spaces, the Designer Carpet Tiles collection presents three tufted loop-pile designs that deliver impressive looks. Whether the staccato accent pinstripe of Kensington and Knightsbridge, or the tonal random geometric of Mayfair; the collection brings a sophisticated look in a wide range of interiors. “We’ve created the Designer Carpet Tiles collection so that we can provide projects with products that not only deliver faultless performance under heavy traffic, but that also offer a refined appearance ideal for a wide range of interiors including office spaces,” explains Martin Peace, sales director, Abingdon Flooring. “Bringing high-specification flooring, the three designs have been inspired by urban spaces to bring the best in modern style.” Available as standard in 50cm x 50cm carpet tiles or 100cm x 25cm planks, the Designer Carpet Tile collection can be used to create inspiring layouts that bring an extra dimension to commercial spaces. With all designs in the series multidirectional and a range of highly-usable coordinated colours, Abingdon Carpet Tile Division is ensuring that the Designer Carpet Tiles collection is versatile enough
to be used in any project. Featuring a polymer modified bitumen backing as standard, the heavy contract rated collection is also available with Abingdon Carpet Tile Division’s Comfort Backing. A 100% recycled felt that reduces sound, improves comfort and absorbs wear; Comfort Backing brings even more performance to the Designer Carpet Tile collection.
with free samples available through the website.
For more information, call 01274 655 694, email info@abingdonflooring.co.uk, go to abingdonflooring.co.uk
The 10th gauge Designer Carpet Tile collection is presented in architect folders
ULSTER CARPETS AND LAWTON YARNS JOIN WOOLSAFE Becoming an Associate Member of WoolSafe is a natural step for Ulster Carpets. As the world’s largest single site producer of Axminster and Wilton carpets, wool has been at the heart of the company’s success since 1938. Andrew Gicquel, Retail Sales Manager at Ulster Carpets, explained. “For over 80 years we have pioneered a range of innovations and technologies that have set new standards for residential carpets. This includes our patented weaving technology PSYLO™ and our state-of-the-art Dyehouse and Energy Centre, which opened last year. “However, one aspect that hasn’t changed is the fact that wool remains the perfect choice for our carpets. We have always 16
promoted the many attributes of wool so it makes sense to reinforce that message in partnership with WoolSafe. We look forward to working with WoolSafe to promote best practice in carpet and rug care to our retailers and consumers and to avail of their expert advice, performance testing and laboratory services.”
through to more modern, contemporary designs.
Ulster Carpets takes pride in offering extensive levels of choice to the residential market and, in line with changing trends, is continually launching new collections and adding new colourways.
But long before the creation of various designs in a wide spectrum of colours, Ulster starts by sourcing the highest quality wool from the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.
Andrew added, “We have a dedicated team of designers who are constantly evaluating and developing our residential collections to offer everything from a classic look
“It is only by using high quality wool that we are able to create the distinctive designs
“A perfect example of this is Grange Wilton. This collection remains hugely popular, but this year we are set to unveil 10 new colourways which will ensure it meets the latest trends.”
Continued on the next page >>
and luxurious feel that Ulster is famous for,” said Andrew. “From spinning, dyeing, design and weaving, we control every aspect of the manufacturing process, to ensure the highest quality finish, but it all starts with selecting the right wool.” Peter Guy-L’Amie, Lawton’s Sales Director, says “My colleagues and I look forward to working with WoolSafe and supporting the positive message they promote about the easy clean properties of wool carpets and rugs. It is in the interest of all stakeholders in the wool industry to get behind this message regardless of how removed from the end user they are.” Established in 1902 by Fred Lawton, the business has seen many changes throughout the century. Originally based in Huddersfield, the company was founded
at Lockwood Mills and for many years thereafter at Firth Street Mills. Today the factory is located at Ravens Ing Mills in Dewsbury. This site accommodates a wide range of yarn producing activities to provide the carpet industry with quality yarn products. It houses state of the art showrooms and colour matching facilities. The R&D and customer development service with a full-scale pilot plant guarantees immediate and efficient response to sampling requirements. All the sales team, who are technically qualified with years of experience, work with customers to develop new and innovative products.
with different fibres (for extra twist lock) can be produced. The company excels in dry spinning in singles, folded and to all colours, yarn count and twist specifications.
For further information about The WoolSafe Organisation, call 01943 850 817, or email office@woolsafe.org
Yarns for hand tufting, broadloom tufting, Axminster and Wilton carpets in 100% wool or wool-rich blends combining wool
Terræn Frond Kaffe by Ulster Carpets
Terraen Ryg Grå by Ulster Carpets
AWARDS SUCCESS FOR ULSTER CARPETS Ulster Carpets has picked up a series of awards in recent months that recognise the company’s high standards in design, environmental credentials and customer service.
The Environmental accolade was in recognition of the new state-of-the-art Dyehouse and Energy Centre while the terraen range was recognised in the Design category.
At the Wool Carpet & Rug Awards 2019, the company was presented with the Award for Innovation for terraen Ryg and the Creative Marketing Initiative Award for the launch of the Vescent collection.
Adding to this success, Ulster Carpets also collected the Outstanding Performance (Flooring) Award from premier trade publication, Interiors Monthly. Ulster Carpets was chosen in the Editor’s Choice category in recognition of the company’s outstanding performance in the residential sector.
Ulster Carpets was also named as a Finalist in the Carpet Design Installation of the Year category for the work on the Abbey Hotel, Bath and as Second Finalist in the Residential categories for Vescent Linea (Woven category) and terraen Frond (Tufted category). This followed on from Ulster’s success at the National Flooring Innovation Awards, organised by leading trade publication, The Stocklists, where the company won both the Environmental Award and the Carpets & Rugs Design Award.
ulstercarpets.com
Retail Sales Director Jeremy Wilson with the Creative Marketing Initiative Award
Jeremy Wilson, Retail Sales Director at Ulster Carpets, said, “Customer service and innovation remain at the heart of everything we do, so we are delighted that this has been recognised with these awards. “The continued support of retailers is also an essential part of this success and we want to thank you for the important role you play.” SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 17
New for Autumn / Winter 2019
Serenity
Serenity specifications: 2 Ply Twist
An easy-care, moth-proof alternative to wool
10th Gauge Class 33, Heavy Commercial 1950g
Serenity is a game-changing carpet range that gives your customers the wool look they want with the easy-care finish they need. Sitting in our affordable and popular Twist collection, Serenity is available in 17 modern colours and has a classic wool appearance.
Moth Proof
100% manufactured in the UK, this contemporary range satisfies increasing customer demand for a wool-style carpet that also has the practical benefits of being stain-proof and entirely resistant to moths and pests. It’s the perfect choice for customers who need hard-wearing, durable carpet, matched with the natural look and finish of wool.
Made in the UK
We offer this range with our industry-leading 10-year guarantee against all stains (except gloss paint) and our service commitment to next-day or preferred day delivery, helping you to give your customers the best possible experience.
Industry leading 10 year guarantee 17 colours
Stress-free fitting with Combi-bac® Available with our preferred day and next day delivery commitment
Perfectly practical for every setting Wool is a desirable carpet fibre, bringing style, luxury and warmth to any room. Maintaining wool, however, requires a great deal of chemical treatment and protection – and even that doesn’t always prevent staining or moth damage. That’s why Serenity is the best choice – delivering style, luxury and warmth that’s fully moth and pest-proof and comes with our top-ofthe-range stain resistant features. This is a practical, long-lasting carpet that makes life easier. Wool also has a reputation for excellent resistance to wear. Traditionally that has come alongside coarse fibres and a rougher feel, meaning customers have
to compromise. Using our specially constructed Carefree fibres, Serenity has been engineered to have a softer feel, whilst still achieving a class-leading Class 33 Heavy Commercial wear rating. This means Serenity can add a touch of luxury to even the highest-traffic area in the home. We’ve also added our popular Combibac® backing to the Serenity range. This soft backing makes the carpet easy to fit in any room or location and reduces the chances of creasing in transit or scuffing during the fitting process. It’s a backing material that’s revolutionising the carpet fitting industry, delivering a fantastic finish every time.
Find out more by visiting: www.furlongflooring.com
Free 10 year wear and stain warranty for complete peace of mind.
Carpet protected from moths & pests.
100% bleach cleanable fibres. Keeping your carpet looking great and easy to clean.
Combi-bac. The ultimate backing for a carefree installation.
To arrange a sample or enquire about stocking the range, call our team on:
01322 628 700 or email enquiries@furlongflooring.com
AT THE SHARP END EACH ISSUE SMG PUTS TEN QUESTIONS TO PROFESSIONALS IN THE FURNISHING INDUSTRY TO HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS FROM ‘THE SHARP END’. Gavin Freebairn has recently joined the SMG team as Business Development Manager. He has experience of the trade from a retailer’s perspective and from a Supplier perspective through his time as sales representative for Abingdon Flooring and more latterly Balta - which makes him ideally suited to answer our usual At the Sharp End questions… HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TRADE? “After I left school, I started my working life with Thomas Cook. In order to supplement my income, I began helping out at a neighbour’s carpet shop - just cutting carpet and doing general warehouse duties. I was then offered the chance of a full-time position at the shop looking after the warehouse, which I took. After I had been doing that for a while, I found I really enjoyed speaking to customers and selling and so, that’s how I moved into the sales side of the business.” WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN CHANGE THE MOST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS? “For me it has to be the massive increase in the LVT and general smooths market. It has exploded over the last five years and looks set to continue for a while yet.” AS A MANUFACTURER’S REPRESENTATIVE, WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE? “I think it was managing expectations with regards to deliveries and logistics. Retailers always wanted next day delivery and that pushed them towards
wholesalers, however with the right advice, they could buy directly at a much better price.” OF ALL THE RETAILERS YOU VISIT, WHAT COMMON DENOMINATOR CONTRIBUTES TO THEM BEING SUCCESSFUL? “It has to be those who buy the right products at the right price. This is where buying groups come in – when retailers join a group and buy direct from manufacturers, they can be sure they are making the maximum possible margin on every sale.” WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE KEY MARKET CHALLENGE FOR RETAILERS AT THE MOMENT? “The biggest challenges I would say are gaining footfall and also internet comparison shoppers. This is where independents have to shine in terms of their customer service. You don’t get that from internet purchases and that is the independent’s strength.”
up and make more margin on every sale. Always competing on the lowest price or guiding the customer to the cheapest product is just not doing anyone any favours.” OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS? “I have a Harley Davidson which is my passion and I love to ride around Europe on it. I am also a very keen cyclist.” IF YOU DIDN’T WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING NOW? “Well if I had stayed at Thomas Cook the future would be challenging right now. Seriously though, I think I might well have opened my own shop!” WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? “Always plan - if you do that you don’t fail!”
IF YOU COULD ASK RETAILERS TO CHANGE ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE? “It would be to stop devaluing your sales – put your prices SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 19
WOOL CARPET FOCUS GROUP WOOL IS - PART OF ME! MARTIN CURTIS, CHAIRMAN OF THE WOOL CARPET FOCUS GROUP
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There are times when I wonder why I bovver! There are times when I think I could be doing something else; enjoying the fruits of my labour and perhaps flying off to sunnier climes and playing golf on a fabulous Tom Fazio designed course; enjoying the company of friends and family; meeting new interesting people from different parts of the world; looking for new challenges and opportunities... The simple fact is that I am doing all the above whilst at the same time doing something else I enjoy. Hassles, frustrations, not always getting my own way, sleepless nights, fighting the common enemy it’s all part of life and I keep trying to get on with it. Wool is still a major part of me and with my son developing his own wool textile-based business it looks like it will be for the foreseeable future. What makes it worthwhile, among a few other things of course, is what transpired at the Flooring Show in Harrogate in September. The Wool Carpet Focus Group had designed a brand new collection of wool carpet centric point of sale material (Wool is…) which was officially launched at the Show. A new Campaign for Wool / WCFG demonstration area was designed with a fresh look. Open spaces, four corners of information on sheep inspired workstations, videos playing the new films developed by the Campaign for Wool... it came together wonderfully. I confess, at first, I wasn’t a fan of the cut out sheep that formed the base of the work stations and I canvassed opinions from many visitors and exhibitors. Obviously, I was completely wrong and they were a big success! Comments on the whole wool area display were unanimously supportive. I gave a talk on “Why wool is the best fibre for your carpets” and rent a crowd came up trumps. I was planning to write some notes all morning before the talk and I started to look at wool industry statistics and such like. I never managed 22
to get past the first line - which might suggest that I fell asleep counting sheep numbers or I could have been busy talking to people about wool - I will keep you guessing on that one!
against synthetics and inform the public about the reasons why “Wool is” the best fibre for carpets and rugs and many other textile products! BUT, we need your support.
Anyway, I gave my talk. I played the Campaign for Wool videos on the large screen and I asked for questions. I was ready for someone from the plastic fibre sector to come up with some nonsense about why plastics are good for you but they didn’t - they probably saw the video and decided to move on without suffering any more collateral damage. On the whole I think it went down ok. Despite nervousness at the start I guess years of working with wool and understanding most of what I was talking about helped me get on a roll. Only a couple of digressions along the way but I managed to drag myself back on to topic!
Retailers and buying groups are at the coal face of our industry and it is vital that we let you know why you can feel safe, secure and comfortable when you offer it to your customers. There is help out there - ask your wool carpet suppliers. Check out the Campaign for Wool and WCFG (woolcarpetsnaturally. org) websites. Point of sale material under the “Wool is” banner is available. Plan a special Wool Week event in your showrooms and send us photographs which we can put out on social media. The Campaign for Wool videos have been viewed by over 500,000 people so far and those are your customers. Invite them to “Step inside...” your shop and chat about why “Wool is” the right choice for their home, family and the planet!
There is no doubt in my mind that we are on the right track. Working alongside the Campaign for Wool has presented is naturally the wool carpet Wool sector a ocean-friendly fantastic opportunity. We can and will fight back
naturally ocean-friendly
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naturally flame resistant
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Wool is naturally beautiful for longer
Wool is naturally easy to clean
Wool is naturally flame resistant
naturally easy to clean
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Wool is the natural choice 1/2 Wool is the natural choice 2/2
@campaignforwool #ChooseWool www.campaignforwool.org/wool-is
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Pictured above: Posters from the “Wool is” campaign from Campaign for Wool
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There will be bumps along the road but on the whole I think we have a campaign that can and will evolve into something much bigger. Wool has been around for a long time and it is here to stay. Competition from synthetics? Do I look bovvered? Wishing you Wool.
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Woolcarpetsnaturally.org
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 23
NEWS UPDATE A REPORT FROM THE CARPET FOUNDATION NEW OFFER WITH EBUYER In July, we launched our new initiative with ebuyer.com, the largest independent online retailer of computer and electrical goods. ebuyer.com has over 40,000 products, from Smart TVs to laptops, kettles, digital cameras, washing machines, hi-fi’s and a wide range of products for the home and garden. SMG Members who are also members of The Carpet Foundation get preferential pricing and priority customer service. To take advantage of this offer, simply type in the email carpetfoundation@ebuyer. com with whatever your enquiry is. It could be for a specific product or simply help in setting up an account. This will go directly to Zac Penn, our point of contact at ebuyer. com who will respond to you personally. Alternatively, if you would prefer to speak to Zac, call him on his direct line which is 01430 433 667. Remember that this special offer is open to you, your staff and your family. It could be the solution to your Christmas shopping!
The English Home had a feature on flooring and we got images from Brintons and Brockway in there as well as mentions for the bespoke services offered by Brockway and Hugh Mackay. We also tapped into a non-flooring related piece in the same magazine stressing the importance of buying early for Christmas. In Homestyle we highlighted the insulation benefits of carpet while in Homes & Antiques we had a whole section given over to us as the ‘expert’ on carpet.
TSI AUDIT Our annual audit by the Trading Standards Institute took place in September. This involves a whole day of them going through our procedures and documentation to prove that we, and our members, adhere to their guidelines. They look at how we run the Code, how we ensure compliance among our members and how we communicate it to our members and consumers. We must publish the results on our website for all to see. Failure to comply could result in the TSI removing their accreditation of the Code. While lengthy, the process does highlight that compliance is both formal and ongoing and shows consumers that the Code is a ‘live’ entity and not just something that once gained can be taken for granted.
PRESS COVERAGE FOR CARPET With the season about to change and clocks going forward, magazines are already turning their thoughts and content to autumnal matters – and that means carpet! We have been working closely with several titles to ensure carpet gets its fair share of editorial exposure. The October issues of The English Home, Homes & Antiques and Homestyle all included items on carpet and comment from us. 24
This coverage illustrates how we secure exposure for carpet in both flooring features but also related content.
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Prism Seen in a new light
Shown: Amber
We’ve added new fresh shades to Prism, our best selling wool rich carpet, to complement both contemporary and classic interiors. Presented in ten jewel rich fine heather tones, this beautiful, vibrant cut pile carpet will breathe new life into any room of the home. It is of course crafted by our dedicated and experienced team at our mill in Rochdale, using the finest raw materials, to ensure the consistently high quality you’ve come to expect from Penthouse. Available in 40oz and 50oz options, and guaranteed full 4m and 5m widths; Prism offers a great choice of affordable colours and superb performance, without compromise.
For samples and further information call 01706 639 866 or email sales@penthousecarpets.co.uk
penthousecarpets.co.uk
NEWS UPDATE A SMALL MUSEUM WITH A BIG HISTORY At the Museum of Carpet, carpets are reborn as objects of historical importance, pieces of woven art and the remnants of Kidderminster’s long and proud heritage. As a centre of Arts, industry and heritage the Museum aims to challenge the perceptions of woven formats and provide a fascinating insight into the industry that made Kidderminster the town it is today. Although Kidderminster still has a presence in the industry it is far from what it once was, with carparks and shops standing where carpet factories once wove products to be sent around the world. Originally built in 1855 as a carpet factory, The Stour Vale Mill is now the Museum of Carpet that celebrates the weaving history of Kidderminster, Worcestershire. From the 1700’s to its peak in the 1960’s, Kidderminster became famous for its carpets, exporting its beautiful and high quality products across the world. Visitors to the Museum are introduced to our skilled team of dedicated volunteers who spin and weave in live demonstrations throughout the Museum. See traditional techniques on our 19th century handlooms before being amazed by magnificent 20th century power looms. These live demonstrations are a unique opportunity to discover developments in the weaving process and witness the trade in action. At the Museum of Carpet we aim to preserve more than machinery, we are trying to preserve something even rarer; the skills and experience of those who worked in the trade. Our volunteers are always willing to share their stories and memories, making each trip to the museum unique and captivating. You too can help preserve the history of the town by visiting the museum and sharing in the fun. If you feel like doing something extra special you can also sponsor a spool on our Axminster Power Loom and help sustain the running of the looms for the future. For those with a crafty nature the Museum is also a centre for Art that hosts a series of courses and workshops all year round. This Autumn/Winter celebrate Wool Week in style by learning to make a needle felted sheep, or get into the festive spirit and weave a Christmas Wreath using the traditional method of rag rugging with artist Jenni Stuart Anderson. Our full list of Craft Courses is available online. Craft Courses, enthralling weaving demonstrations and the history of Kidderminster are just a few reasons to 26
visit the Museum with many more to be discovered on arrival. Forget what you think you know about carpets and prepare to be amazed. Rain or shine the Museum of Carpet offers a great day out in the heart of the Midlands so start planning your visit now at www. museumofcarpet.org.uk or drop by the Museum at the Stour Vale Mill, Green Street Kidderminster.
museumofcarpet.org
The Museum is a place to remember and be proud of the industry that breathed life into a town.
Museum of Carpet spools
Power loom weaver Ged
Wilton loom
VISIT US Working Looms Weaving Demonstrations Tailor-made Group Visits Interactive Galleries Exhibitions Archive Tours
www.museumofcarpet.org| enquiries@museumofcarpet.org.uk 01562 69028 | Stour Vale Mill, Green Street, Kidderminster, DY10 1AZ
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interfloor.com 01706 238 810
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INSURANCE INSIGHT IN THIS ISSUE MATT GOWING HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE EXCLUSIVE INSURANCE BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO SMG MEMBERS AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDED WITHIN THE SMG INSURANCE POLICY
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In this article I’d like to look again at the SMG Insurance Policy and why it is of great benefit to you as members of SMG. I have spoken to a number of members recently who have both a shop policy that covers buildings, stock, contents, plant & machinery, public & employers liability and also have a tradesman policy to cover work away from the premises for carpet & flooring fitting and the use of subcontractors. SMG Insurance The SMG policy can provide cover for stock, contents, computer equipment, buildings, tenant’s improvements, stock in transit, money, employers & public/products liability, commercial legal expenses and in addition also include cover for manual work away from your premises such as carpet and flooring fitting, delivery & installation including cover for your use of subcontractors all under one policy. The policy includes, as standard, a number of enhanced covers exclusive to members of SMG and I’d like to outline and discuss these extensions in further detail: Direct Debit Spread the cost of your insurance across 12 monthly instalments. Ageas have agreed to offer 0% direct debit where premiums are above £1,000 and 7% to premiums below.
Criminal Acts Included as standard, this new extension covers your legal liability arising from criminal acts such as arson, theft, malicious damage, fraud, dishonesty or embezzlement committed by your employees whilst working at your customer’s premises. Mechanical Breakdown Cover Included as standard provided you have taken either contents or buildings cover, this provides cover for faults and the subsequent repair costs of items in and around the building such as heating systems, lifts and other non processing equipment. Loss of Customers’ Keys During the course of your business you may at times need to use a customer’s keys to enter their premises, perhaps to measure up or to fit carpet or flooring whilst they are not there. If you or your employees were to lose the keys whilst they are in your custody or control the policy will provide cover up to £75,000 for the cost of replacements and/or the alteration of keys or affected locks. Failure to Secure Customers’ Premises In the unfortunate event of you or your employees failing to secure your customers’ premises, which results in damage to or theft of their property, this extension will provide cover up to £75,000.
Misuse of Customers Phones In the event of any misuse of a customer’s phone by you or your employees at the customer premises the policy is extended your liability from the cost of any misuse up to £50,000. Damage to Property Whilst Being Cleaned Including Treatment Cover is provided under the policy to protect you in the event of the incorrect application of cleaning products to a customer’s carpet, soft furnishings, curtains or upholstery up to the limit insured under the Public Liability section of the policy (£5million any one occurrence as standard). All of the cover extensions mentioned here are automatically included at no extra cost, so in short the SMG Insurance policy gives you more Insurance cover and is designed specifically for your business. In addition to this we can also provide competitive quotations on a range of Insurances including Motor Fleet, Commercial Vehicle, Property Owners, Directors & Officers, Cyber Liability and many more, please do get in contact on the number below and I will be happy to assist.
”
SMG Insurance Solutions is a comprehensive insurance scheme arranged by Stackhouse Poland, a top 10 UK independent insurance broker. It is available exclusively for SMG Members and designed to protect you from the risks faced by Carpet, Flooring and Soft Furnishing retailers and installers.
Visit www.stackhouse.co.uk/smg-insurancesolutions to register your interest, alternatively call the SMG team on 01202 647444. SMG Insurance Solutions is a trading style of Stackhouse Poland Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 29
NEWS UPDATE CARPET RECYCLING UK CONFERENCE CELEBRATES 2019 AWARD WINNERS Carpet Recycling UK celebrated the achievements of its members at its eleventh Annual Conference and Awards Event, while pledging to ‘do more and be more proactive’ in supporting innovation and helping the flooring sector to reuse and recycle more of its carpet waste. Taking the theme of ‘Design for recycling and the circular economy’, the oneday conference, sponsored by Invista, manufacturers of ANTRON® Carpet Fibres, was held at Edgbaston Cricket Stadium, Birmingham. The not-for-profit industry association’s 2019 event celebrated the achievements and significant contributions by members – both individuals and organisations – who continue to drive forward sustainability and circular economy principles in the flooring sector. Delegates heard inspiring presentations on how carpet tile reuse and take back schemes are making a real difference in diverting increasing volumes of carpet waste from landfill. Last year, 175,252 tonnes of carpet waste including carpet tiles were diverted, representing a diversion rate of 44%. CRUK’s target is to increase this tonnage by a minimum of 10,000 tonnes year-on-year. CRUK currently has more than 110 members and its core funders are Cormar Carpets, Lifestyle Floors/Headlam, Brintons Carpets, DESSO, ege Carpets, Milliken, and Balsan. CRUK Scheme Manager Adnan Zeb-Khan emphasised how their second decade will see a renewed focus on tangible member support; helping organisations throughout the carpet supply chain to divert as much carpet waste from landfill, thereby creating savings on their waste disposal and increasing opportunities for reuse and recycling.
product development to create value for a circular economy. Our new Gold products are made from a mono material, making them easier to recycle as they don’t contain different materials. They can be recycled into a purer granulate that almost equals virgin material and has a high value as a raw material resource for recyclers.”
carpet has been diverted from landfill into outlets ranging from the equestrian sector to new underlay. He added: “Not only have we benefited from cost savings as a result, we have shown that as the UK’s largest flooring contractor we are serious about the environment and the impact we have on it.”
Speakers included Tony Spreckley, Director of Envirocycle London Ltd who explained the importance of targeting waste at source and discussed the impact of rethinking waste strategies, waste segregation and engaging demolition and flooring contractors to save waste from landfill and increase reuse across the nation. In 2.5 years, his company has diverted over 422,300 carpet tiles from landfill to reuse; almost enough to cover every football pitch in the premier league.
Andy Hall, CRUK’s Managing Director presented seven companies with their awards, recognising how their efforts have helped to divert over one million tonnes of carpet waste from landfill to date.
Tony said: “Our clear ethos is based upon the waste hierarchy: rethink, reuse and reduce. The demolition and strip-out refurbishment sector has become a fruitful source of waste materials and we actively urge and educate our providers to rethink their waste strategies. By tapping into the source of waste via our demolition and flooring connections, we’ve been able to recover some very large uplifts for used carpet tiles. And in turn, attract repeat business from private landlords with large commercial spaces, increasing reuse and reducing waste to landfill as a result.” Glenn Mitchell, Distribution Manager at Designer Contracts reported on success in taking back carpet waste for recycling from national commercial carpet fitting contracts. Each year, around 250 tonnes of
The awards mark the achievements of members who have demonstrated innovation, commitment and best practice in the sector. There were double celebrations for two companies: Designer Contracts Ltd won Take Back Partner of the Year with their Distribution Manager Glenn Mitchell clinching Recycling Champion for his commitment in encouraging all regional sites to return carpet waste to the central depot for reuse and recycling. While Edward Clay & Son Ltd took the Best Newcomer and Recycler of the Year awards. Carpet Tile Recycling was named Reuse Member of the Year for their ‘tireless’ work over the past 13 years collecting, grading and marketing carpet tiles for reuse. The 2019 Outstanding Achievement accolade went to Mike Dobson, General Manager at Headlam for his ‘responsive and supportive engagement’ with CRUK’s aims.
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“The industry has made great progress voluntarily in the past ten years to become greener by working to minimise production waste, develop sustainable products and recycling outlets,” he said. “In turn, this has created resource and cost savings for companies across the supply chain.” Amplifying the event’s theme, Marcel Knobbe, Business Unit Manager Automotive at carpet manufacturer Betap® Tufting B.V. highlighted the development of their ‘next generation’ 100% recyclable single polymer carpets that aim to close the recycling loop for carpet. He said: “Our key focus is transparency in our footprint calculation and sustainable 30
Pictured above: 2019 CRUK award winners
Wools of New Zealand’s long-term commitment to sustainability in the carpet industry by supporting CRUK and its activities was recognised with the Longstanding Support award. Founded in 2008 by leading UK carpet manufacturers and distributors to tackle the 400,000 tonnes of waste carpet arising in the UK annually, Carpet Recycling UK welcomes enquiries from all types of organisations interested in finding new outlets for their waste carpet with potential savings on disposal costs.
For more information, please call Marie Rhodes on 0161 440 8325 or email: Marie@carpetrecyclinguk.com or visit carpetrecyclinguk.com
Pictured above: CRUK Scheme Manager Adnan Zeb-Khan at the CRUK Conference
TWO NEW FACES AT HECKMONDWIKE FB Heckmondwike FB, a UK-leading manufacturer of fibre-bonded heavy contract carpet and carpet tiles, including its market-leading Supacord range, has recently made two appointments to its team of area sales managers. Martyn Grove and Mike Sanders have joined the company to manage the South West and North West regions respectively. Both Martyn and Mike have significant knowledge of the flooring sector, having worked for some of the largest companies in the industry, with over 40 years of experience between them. As a result, Martyn and Mike are well versed with working in partnership with distributors, flooring contractors and main contractors, alongside the company’s key sectors including, education, architecture and development and apartment to build long-standing successful relationships and provide new business opportunities.
Manager at Heckmondwike FB, said: “We would like to welcome both Martyn and Mike to the team at Heckmondwike FB. The appointments have been bought on board to enhance our existing depth of knowledge in the sales team, while adding their own account management skills.
be highlighting to our customers how Heckmondwike FB can provide key product lines, including Supacord on express delivery while maintaining a high quality and cost-effective product.”
“It is important for both of them to get to know our customers, therefore, over the coming weeks and months, they will be contacting and visiting as many as they can across their respective regions. “As we are currently in our busiest time of the year - due to our expertise in the education sector, Martyn and Mike will
The pair will be covering the same regions as their predecessors, with no boundary changes taking place. This provides a seamless transition for all customers in both areas. For a detailed breakdown on area boundaries, and to contact Martyn or Mike, please visit heckmondwike-fb.co.uk/ contact-us/sales-team/. Bob Mortimer, UK & Ireland Sales
Martyn Grove
Mike Sanders SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 31
Silken (Poetry) & Plush (Principle)
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Our latest collection presents six beautifully detailed designs in a traditional and versatile parquet woodblock format. Each contemporary finish combined with your desired laying pattern creates a truly personalised living space. Harmony Parquet is not only engineered with the same patented embossing technology as the Harmony collection but features our thickest and most durable surface layer for an accentuated bevel and lifetime residential warranty.
LGHAUSYS-FLOORS.CO.UK SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 33
34
QUESTION TIME STEVE KAYE - SALES DIRECTOR AT ASSOCIATED WEAVERS
In this issue of Questions Time, SMG took the opportunity to invite Steve Kaye, Sales Director of Associated Weavers to join us and answer our usual questions. SO STEVE, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ON YOUR CAREER PATH SO FAR? “I left school at 15 having completed my O levels; I wanted to get a job and wasn’t interested in further education at the time and I was successful with the first job I applied for which was as an office junior in a local Swinton Insurance office. I worked at Swinton Insurance for around 5 years until I applied for a job as merchandiser at Associated Weavers where I started in March 1993. I have had various roles at Associated Weavers; I progressed from a merchandiser to a sales representative around 1994 when a vacancy arose in the South West of England. I worked in the south west for 4 years before I returned to the North West of England to help AW launch a new brand called Prado. Prado was a brand comprising of high quality wool twists and loops which was then merged into the general AW portfolio in around 2002, when I was then appointed as an area sales representative for the North West of England. In 2007 following a colleague’s retirement I successfully applied for the position of Key Accounts Manager where I was responsible for managing our key accounts in the North of the
UK. Following a further restructure in 2011, I was appointed as Northern Sales Manager, where I combined my key account duties with managing our growing independent retail sales team. Finally I was appointed as UK Retail Sales Director in January 2018, where my responsibilities include managing all aspects of our independent retail sales business.” WHICH WAS THE MOST REWARDING ROLE AND WHY? “I think my most rewarding role was working as a Sales Representative in the south west in the 1990s. It taught me many valuable lessons about dealing with customers, colleagues and life in general and as a result it stood me in good stead for my future career.” HOW DOES THE FLOORING INDUSTRY DIFFER FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES YOU HAVE WORKED IN? “I have worked in the flooring industry for many years so I can’t really compare it to my previous work, or should I say I can’t remember!” HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE VALUES THAT HAVE MADE ASSOCIATED WEAVERS SO SUCCESSFUL? “For many years Associated Weavers have been market leaders in tufted carpet and I believe the true strength of our business is the ability to adapt to changing market conditions and trends; whatever style of tufted carpets are selling, AW can produce a good quality and affordable product.
When I started working at AW in the 1990s we were renowned for the colouring of our printed carpets, in the early 2000s trends were changing and plain twist carpets were in fashion, mainly wool but polypropylene was gaining popularity. Plain carpets remain the most popular to this day with saxony carpet being more popular than ever. Over the last few years AW have produced many market leading products in a variety of different yarn types - in recent years we have also developed and invested in strong branding to complement these products.” WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU ARE CURRENTLY FACING AS A MANUFACTURER? “As a carpet manufacturer the biggest challenge both AW and our industry face is a declining market; consumers have more choice on how they spend their income with cars, holidays, leisure and electronics being a higher priority than home furnishings and therefore gaining market share is vital to our business.” INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ARE ALSO FACING MAJOR CHALLENGES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER THEM? “As low footfall is often a problem, I believe carpet retailers also need to ensure they gain as much market share as possible, so my advice would be to show your business off to potential customers in the best way possible, a current website and a retail store that is
Continued on the next page >> SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 35
inviting for consumers to visit with up to date point of sale.” IF YOU COULD ASK RETAILERS TO CHANGE ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE? “I would ask them to place all of their general orders via our sales office, a lot of retailers like to give an order to their local sales representative, however, using the sales office is much more efficient for all involved.” HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE INDUSTRY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE? “I would like to see more promotion of our industry to the general public, carpets is way down on the list of consumer priorities and until this changes, carpets sales will always be challenging.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ASSOCIATED WEAVERS PRODUCT? “My all-time favourite is the original Imagination range which was a nylon saxony made with a DuPont yarn, we no longer sell this range so my current favourite is Serenity from our iSense collection, both are luxurious products and best sellers.”
ASIDE FROM ASSOCIATED WEAVERS WHICH OTHER MANUFACTURER DO YOU MOST ADMIRE AND WHY? “This is a difficult question to answer, most of our competition in the UK have aspects of their business that I admire but I couldn’t name any above another.”
when I completed my first marathon - I ran in the London marathon in 2013 in just over 4 hours and raised money for a children’s charity. The second is that I have played well over 500 matches for my local cricket club - I still play regularly during the summer months and hope to play over 600 before I retire!”
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS?
DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
“Being appointed as Director of Associated Weavers, it was extra special as I have moved through the ranks starting my career as a Merchandiser in the 1990s.”
“Fortunately, I can’t recall any regrets; any decisions I have made were always for the right reasons at the time they were made, even and if they were wrong in hindsight, I don’t regret them.”
OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS?
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
“Sport is my passion, I enjoy both participating and watching different sports with my favourites being football, cricket and golf. In recent years I have also taken part in various triathlons, marathons and also obstacle races.”
“I like two pieces of advice, ‘treat people as you would like to be treated’ and also ‘input equals output’ - both are selfexplanatory.”
IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE, WHAT MAKES YOU MOST PROUD/WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT? “Aside from my family which would be the most obvious answer, I am proud of two sports related achievements. Firstly
PICTURED ABOVE: INVICTUS MAGNIFICUS IN SLATE 36
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NEWS UPDATE BALTA REACHES NEW HEIGHTS Balta has raised the bar for budget-driven StainSafe® style with an update to its Aim High range and the launch of High Life collection, bringing them together in a powerful presenter designed to maximise the appeal of these versatile carpets. Balta has added a further six colours to its duo tone effect Aim High range, bringing the style up to date for today’s home. This contemporary carpet works its clever mix of colour tones giving it a great soil hiding effect along with its resistance to stains and spillage.
Aim High and High Life carpets are created with a tufted 5/32” loop pile in StainSafe® polypropelene with Texflor® felt-backing. Both come in a four-metre width and six colourways. Aim High has a 440 g/m² pile weight and 5mm pile height, while High Life offers a 520 g/m² pile weight and 6mm pile height.
For further information, contact Balta on +32 56 62 22 11 or broadloom@baltagroup.com
High Life is a new modern high-low three tone loop-pile style. Each colour is a combination of three different matching tones in dominantly grey and natural hues providing a perfect solution for homes looking for carpet that works with various décor styles and colour palettes. As with the Aim High range, High Life provides a durable stain resistant finish which is both bleach cleanable and durable enough to cope with the most demanding of households. Priced and aimed at the economical consumer sector, both ranges have a competitive price bracket that provides retailers with an excellent offering for consumers where value for money and affordability is a key buying factor. Commenting on the new range Geert Vanden Bossche said: “High Life and Aim High are our focus on the broader cost-conscious sector. While this is a competitive price bracket we are confident that the extra attention to providing two good looking ranges really sets them apart. Everyone from homeowners to landlords can be confident that these ranges provide a bleach-cleanable carpet that copes with a multitude of rooms within the household setting.”
ULSTER CARPETS CUSTOMERS WILL BE INSPIRED WITH THIS NEW-LOOK WEBSITE Retailers are set to benefit from the launch of a new-look residential website by Ulster Carpets. The new website – set to be launched soon includes a variety of features aimed at inspiring the general public and, importantly, it will direct customers to their nearest retailer. Jeremy Wilson, Retail Sales Director at Ulster Carpets, said, “The general public are more informed than ever and will use the internet to get all the information they need before purchasing a carpet, so it’s vital that we have a website that meets these demands.
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“Our new-look website has been designed to inspire customers, with the help of brand new areas such as #Ulsterathome. This new section is customer-led to inspire others by posting pictures of the new carpet in their own home.
“Of course, the Find Your Stockist section will then ensure that these suitably inspired customers can find their nearest retailers.”
Visit the new residential website at ulstercarpets.com/residential
NEW FROM INTERFLOOR EXCLUSIVE PURE UNDERLAYS FOR SMG MEMBERS Europe’s largest underlay manufacturer Interfloor has introduced a special Pure range of quality underlays for SMG members designed to give them access to preferential pricing across a selection of PU and rubber underlays suited to different applications. Pure will make it easy for you to offer something exclusive to customers and set yourselves apart from the competition. All the underlays in the Pure range are manufactured at Interfloor’s UK factory and include a high-density PU underlay, a crumb rubber underlay and a specialist underlay for hard floors. For more details check the latest SMG Underlay & Accessories brochure.
and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label Plus accreditation, meaning its products conform to the CRI’s high standards for indoor air quality and low VOC emissions. REBRANDED DURAFIT ADHESIVES When it comes to high quality, environmentally friendly low VOC adhesives, Interfloor’s Durafit range are second-to-none. The re-branded products include STK950 Double-stick Tackifier adhesive, STK900 Doublestick Carpet adhesive, STK300 Fast Grab Multi-purpose flooring adhesive and STK100 Very Low Emission Acrylic flooring adhesive.
More information about the Durafit adhesives and Interfloor’s other products can be found in the new catalogue, available to order now by calling Interfloor on 01706 238810 or to download from their website at interfloor.com/accessories
LOW-TOG UNDERLAYS FOR UNDERFLOOR HEATING With more homeowners and businesses considering underfloor heating a mainstream heating option, Interfloor has a specialist range of low-tog underlays from Duralay. Heatflow underlays all have lower ‘tog’ ratings, which allow the warmth generated by underfloor heating to pass quickly into the room. They conduct more heat than other underlays bringing greater heating efficiency and the potential of reducing heating bills. Now Heatflow Carpet is available in a 10m² roll size. 80% RECYCLED CONTENT Interfloor manufactures most of its underlays from recycled material; crumb rubber and PU foam underlays contain approximately 80% recycled content. Kensington Deluxe is a crumb rubber and felt underlay suitable for stretch-fit carpet installations in areas of high traffic. The felt is made from recycled material, making this an environmentally-friendly option for heavy domestic use. All Interfloor’s underlays hold the Carpet
Pictured above (clockwise from top left): Kensington Deluxe; the range of Durafit adhesives; Heatflow Wood; Heatflow Carpet; Interfloor accessories catalogue issue 11 SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 39
NEWS UPDATE WOOLS OF NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONING THE BENEFITS OF WOOL TO THE WORLD Telling the story of wool is one of the keys to its successful resurgence as the global fibre of choice, says Wools of New Zealand. It is with that idea in mind that Wools of New Zealand launched its new 12part ‘wool benefits’ marketing program, re-introducing the world to what the company believes is an outstanding natural, sustainable and renewable fibre. Wools of New Zealand Executive Director Mark Shadbolt said the recently launched program had gained immediate traction. “The messages are simple, premised on the fundamentals of style, people and planet, backed by research to give front line retailers and others through the supply chain the confidence in promoting wool as a truly sustainable, naturally occurring fibre,” he said.
The creativity of the approach was recognised with a flooring innovation award for marketing at this year’s National Flooring Innovation Awards at Harrogate in the UK. Mark Shadbolt said recognition in a key market like the UK was a great start. “British consumers are the biggest per capita consumers of wool carpets in the world so educating the retail sector there is a key focus for Wools of New Zealand. On a wider scale, there has been a significant increase in demand for certified wool and fully traceable products from brands looking for a trust mark for consumers so Wools of New Zealand wool ticks those boxes,” he said. Wools of New Zealand have long standing partnerships with many UK leading textile brands including manufacturer Ulster Carpets.
Andrew Gicquel, Retail Sales Manager at Ulster Carpets, said the company had worked in partnership with Wools of New Zealand for a number of years, notably to develop the popular Open Spaces Auckland, Queenstown and Wellington Stripe ranges. “It can be overwhelming for retailers to communicate the extensive range of benefits offered by wool but this marketing program has made the process both simple and effective. Combined with our own initiatives, this can only help create a better understanding of the many attributes and benefits of wool, providing retail staff and, ultimately, consumers with more confidence around selecting and buying wool-rich carpets.”
woolsnz.com
BROCKWAY CARPETS WIN THE GOLD AWARD FOR INNOVATION Brockway Carpets have been awarded the Gold Innovation in Flooring Award for their Lakeland Herdwick range in the category Fibre Development. Lakeland Herdwick is a collection of 100% British Wool, 3 ply yarn, 5/32nd gauge loop pile carpets which contains a good proportion of Herdwick grown wool in each style. Hard wearing benefits, a firm handle and rustic appearance are the appeal of this exclusive Herdwick content.
For more information on this, or any other Brockway Carpets product visit brockway.co.uk
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Lakeland Herdwick in Ambleside from Brockway Carpets
Lakeland Herdwick in Silverhow from Brockway Carpets
Shaun Lewis, Brockway Carpets Sales Director receiving the Gold Innovation Award from Bridgette Kelly
DYEING TO UNDERSTAND COLOUR One of the main characteristics of a carpet is its colour. Fashion changes all the time – nowadays in the UK carpets are mainly beige and grey; gone are the lively colours and vivid patterns of the 1950s Axminsters! But not so in rugs, which still have all the colours of the rainbow when new – but will they be the same after cleaning? Not causing the colours to bleed is one of the main worries of many professional cleaners, and so it is the topic of many training courses and trade articles. We all know that wool is dyed under acid conditions with a range of acid dyes. These negatively charged dyes attach themselves to, and penetrate, the positively charged wool fibre at low (sometimes very low) pH. You disturb that low pH at your peril: if you do, you might end up with the dreaded colour bleed! Dyeing, as well as the subsequent cleaning of rugs, employs complicated chemistry, but the important factors can be demonstrated in simple experiments. To do this, Woolsafe collected 16 different coloured samples from four wool rich carpets, measured their pH, and attempted to change it to make the dyes run. As expected, all the wool yarns had an acidic pH, which we raised by adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The starting pH of the yarns ranged from 3.5 to 5.9; the end pH of the same yarns ranged from 10.6 to 11.7.
dye and the composition of the dye bath have a lasting effect on the behaviour of the resulting coloured yarn. In our initial test, the most colour bleeding was observed on series 1, 4 and 7, which showed the least pH change here. Their initial pH was amongst the lowest, and evidently the dyer adjusted the pH of the dyeing process according to the type of dye used and the depth of colour required.
Picture 1
In conclusion: The light green yarn (series 6) changed its pH the easiest, but it did not bleed at all, indicating that other forces are binding the dye to the fibre. If you are lucky enough to clean only this type of carpet, you may not encounter any dye stability issues. But if you meet the pink (series 4) and the dark green (series 7) yarns, you’ll be glad you always use WoolSafe Approved cleaning agents, making sure not to disturb this delicate balance.
For further information about The WoolSafe Organisation, call 01943 850 817, or email office@woolsafe.org
Picture 1: Colour bleeding of wool carpet yarns under alkaline conditions
Picture 1 shows that some yarns (5, 6, 14,15, 16) remained colourfast (did not bleed) even at this high pH; other yarns (7, 8 and 13) did bleed. Next, Woolsafe investigated the differences between the dyed yarns under less extreme circumstances by changing the pH gradually and again observing the colour bleeding.
Pictured below: Change of pH of dyed wool due to the increasing additions of alkali
We selected twelve of the yarns that had shown the most colour change in the original experiment. 0.5g of each yarn was placed in a separate boiling tube and 10ml of distilled water was added to each. After thorough mixing the pH was taken. Small amounts (0.5ml) of dilute NaOH were added to each tube a total of 10 times, the pH taken after each addition, and these pH measurements for all 12 yarns were plotted and 8 of the most representative are shown in Picture 2. As you can see, not all dyed yarns behaved the same way: some resisted the change in pH much better than others. (The colour of the line in the graph represents the colour of the yarn.) The research shows that the nature of the SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 41
Introducing the new Laura Ashley collection by Brintons. Brintons latest collaboration with iconic brand Laura Ashley sees the launch of elegant new floor coverings that combine heritage with innovation. Taking inspiration from Laura Ashley’s extensive archive, the new collection boasts 12 new Axminster designs including soft blossoms, smart stripes, elegant scrolls, damask patterns and bold blooms alongside 4 new Bell Twist plains to complement them. Visit the website or contact your local business manager for further information.
www.brintons.co.uk Š Brintons Carpets Limited 2019 Brintons is a trademark of Brintons Carpets Limited
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Forty Colours, Hundreds of Designs
THE INTREPID COLLECTION New designs embrace the desire for colour, pattern and maximalism! Bring out your wild side with our Intrepid collection. View the full Intrepid collection at brochure.axminster-carpets.co.uk
UK Head OďŹƒce: Axminster Carpets Ltd, Axminster, Devon, England, EX13 5PQ Tel: 01297 32244 Email: custom@axminster-carpets.co.uk
CARTER
THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR COMPACT, DESIGN LED FURNITURE AND THE CARTER TICKS ALL THE RIGHT BOXES. THIS MODEL COMBINES A SLEEK AND CONTEMPORARY SLIM ARM WITH A COMFY DEEP SIT. THESE FEATURES COUPLED WITH LUXURIOUS AND ON-TREND FABRICS MAKE CARTER THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR ANY MODERN LIVING SPACE.
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ETERNAL: TRUST IN DESIGN, PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY Having been the ‘go-to’ general purpose sheet vinyl collection for over 17 years, Forbo Flooring Systems’ trusted Eternal collection has recently been updated to include a selection of colourways and designs that reflect the latest trends, including a popular terrazzo and marble aesthetic, as well as an improved digitally printed offer. Split into three categories: Wood, Material and Colour, the Eternal collection has been refreshed to align its colour palette with other ranges found within Forbo’s large portfolio, allowing specifiers, contractors and end users to create contemporary, integrated flooring schemes for a wide variety of application areas.
Within the Wood category, there are now 31 realistic designs to choose from, 15 of which are completely new. This includes a new customisable option, whereby colourful planks can be added to the wooden effect Gymfloor, as well as a new Hungarian Point design, which is akin to the popular herringbone design found within Forbo’s Allura LVT range. There are also many new designs to choose from within the Eternal Material portfolio. The selection of concrete designs has been expanded and features a new unique PUR Concrete embossing for a true to life, authentic aesthetic, which still remains easy to clean and maintain.
Reflecting the move towards more natural interior finishes, the collection sees the addition of a new sleek and contemporary marble design, as well as a completely customisable terrazzo option, whereby different colour chips can be chosen. Janet Lowe, Head of Marketing UK and Ireland at Forbo Flooring Systems, comments on the new collection: “In addition to our newly improved Wood and Material categories, the biggest change can be found within the Eternal Colour range. Before developing this range, we ran a series of workshops with our designers to ensure that the new
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Eternal Colour in Aqua and Eternal Wood in Cream Oak
Eternal Wood in Warm Chestnut
Eternal Material in Smoke Cement and Eternal Colour in Lilac
Eternal Material in White Marble and Eternal Wood in Washed Beech
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palette would have a consistent colour story to those found within our other ranges, such as Sphera homogeneous vinyl, Step safety flooring and Flotex flocked flooring, to help our customers easily combine products to create impressive and functional integrated spaces. “Subsequently, we have now introduced over 30 new shades to the Eternal Colour collection, meaning that there is now a very broad palette of hues to choose from, including two customisable designs: Rainbow and Paint. As the names suggest, Rainbow is a design that shows different tones morphing through either a light, medium or dark colour spectrum. Paint, on the other hand, is a
Eternal Material in Colourful Terrazzo
playful design that looks similar to paint strokes, which again, can be chosen in light, medium or dark tones.”
better environments in which to work, live, interact, relax, heal, learn and play in.
Furthermore, each range found within the Eternal collection all have a selection of designs that can be co-ordinated with Forbo’s STEP safety flooring range, meaning specifiers, contractors and end users don’t need to compromise on integrated design, when it comes to ensuring safety underfoot.
With a total of 96 items now available from one collection, Forbo has ensured that there is something for everyone – no matter what the application is.
Designed and manufactured in Forbo’s European factory using 100% electricity from renewable resources, Eternal contains at least 60% recycled material in the backing. It is also 100% phthalate free, contributing to the creation of
Eternal Colour in Dark Paint
For more information about the collection, please visit forbo-flooring.co.uk/eternal or for information about the new customisable options available, please visit eternalbespoke.com
Eternal Wood in Cream Oak SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 49
EVERYBODY HAS A SOFT SIDE Super soft • Ultra resilient • Extremely durable
Super soft carpets
Super Soft
iSense® is the embodiment of tenderness and strength, so cuddly yet so resilient. In only a few years, iSense ® has become the UK’s first and favourite brand when it comes to super soft carpet. More
Ultra Resilient
than 120.000 households already enjoy its comfortable touch and luxurious feel. Which one of the unique carpet collections of iSense® will you choose?
Extremely Durable
iSense® carpet is not only soft, but also extremely durable. In wear resistance tests, it easily outperforms all other soft residential carpets on the UK market. Get ready to be amazed and ask your Associated Weavers area sales manager for a presentation of the exceptional test results of iSense®.
: without a doubt the most durable and most popular soft carpet available on the UK-market!
cleaning starterset FREE with each iSense purchase of min. 16sqm Ask your AW area sales manager for full details. A UK brand since 1964 iSense-carpet.co.uk
Associated Weavers Ltd - F Mill – 2nd Floor East Dean Clough Mills - Halifax - West Yorkshire - HX3 5AX - UK
Tel: + 44 1422 431100 sales@associatedweavers.co.uk - www.carpetyourlife.co.uk
The IA Collection With a characterful grain and light oak finish, teamed with boxy lines and metal hairpin legs, The IA Collection is a headturning industrial style dining and occasional furniture range with wide appeal. Featuring slender bar-style metal handles, soft-close drawers and metal runners, The IA Collection is packed full of quality details to match its stylish looks. In 12 cabinet pieces, along with six matching chair options, this brand-new range is now available from Kettle Interiors. “We’re excited about the huge potential of The IA Collection,’ says Simon Ainge, sales director, Kettle Interiors. “With its ontrend styling that manages to bring that chic warehouse look without over-egging the pudding, the range is set to make a striking addition to any store, or any style of home for that matter.” Including three sizes of dining table, two sideboards, a practical Large Bookcase with three drawers and a cupboard, along with an assortment of occasional tables and TV Cabinet; The IA Collection is now available from UK stock. Make this high-impact collection a feature of your store in this busy selling season.
The IA Collection
Show off the Scandi Style of NT The NT Collection from Kettle Interiors delivers striking Scandi style for a look that’s on-trend and proving extremely popular. In a natural oak finish, NT is the perfect range for stores looking to bring oak furniture that offers something out of the ordinary. Made for today’s UK homes, the collection comes in 31 items for dining and 16 pieces for the bedroom, each supplied with a choice of wood or metal knob handles to bring a touch of individuality. With a choice of seven cupboards, cabinets and sideboards and five sizes of bedroom chests; NT is certainly a collection with depth and variety. As part of the Kettle Interiors collection, NT is made to deliver an ideal blend of lasting quality and value. It’s a range that’s well-suited to retailers wanting to give their customers solid feeling furniture in fully proportioned sizes. 52
The NT Collection
For further information contact Kettle Interiors Agencies on 01536 444960 or email sales@kettleinteriorsagencies.com
Display Deals for the GAO Collection Launched earlier this year, the striking GAO Collection from ‘Essentials by Kettle Interiors’ has enjoyed phenomenal success and is now among the supplier’s most popular collections. Bringing versatile style, much of the range’s success is down to the value-engineered construction that offers exceptional value. Providing 21 items for dining and occasional and 12 items for bedroom, The GAO Collection’s looks are sure to appeal to shoppers hunting for stylish furniture. Featuring rounded corners with bevel detailing to tops and tapered legs, as well as brushed metal handles, the GAO Collection is packed full of thoughtful detail. Crafted in proportions ideal for today’s homes, the natural oak finish collection is ready to take the market by storm. Underlining that style doesn’t have to cost the earth, GAO’s exceptional value and price position, makes the collection a natural choice for retailers keen to lead the charge on promotions, window displays and in-store incentives.
The GAO Bedroom Collection
The MN Collection Fusing classic style and current trends, The MN Collection from Kettle Interiors features beautiful oak tops paired with soft grey painted cabinets to give an elegant look in living spaces and bedrooms. A handsome addition to any home, this quality range is a true all-rounder, ready to take on duties in traditional homes, or equally furnishing modern interiors looking to select timeless pieces. Featuring a full range of items across dining, occasional and bedroom, The MN Collection is defined by sophisticated details including carved legs and bun feet. Each piece features chrome knob handles for a touch of contemporary flair. Available through Wholesale, Stockist and Container services, the MN Collection is ready to ship from large UK stocks.
The MN Living Collection
For further information contact Kettle Interiors Agencies on 01536 444960 or email sales@kettleinteriorsagencies.com SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 53
M
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MAKE THE
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Flare Manufactured from premium UK wool in our Factory in Kidderminster. Available in 4 Metres & 5 Metres widths
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SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 55
T H E E STA B L I S H E D CARPET BRAND I N V I C T U S ® N OW B R I N G S YO U L U X U R Y V I N Y L F LO O R I N G www.invictus.co.uk
INVINCIBLE CARPET & FLOORING
Associated Weavers, the maker of Invictus® carpet, presents Invictus® luxury vinyl flooring. With the same attention to quality, the same eye for exclusive designs, and a unique performance level, Invictus® luxury vinyl flooring is the perfect match to Invictus ® carpet.
Always a trailblazer when it comes to branding, Associated Weavers reinvents the in-store display and brings an experience unseen in the flooring business. With traditional samples and an intuitive digital module, Invictus® luxury vinyl flooring invites the customer on a fun-to-do purchasing journey.
A UK brand since 1964
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ABINGDON FLOORING PROVES PEDIGREE WITH LAUNCH OF SOPHISTICAT Recognising a consumer demand for a luxury carpet suited to the modern busy home, Abingdon Flooring has responded with the launch of the Sophisticat range.
we can combine practical elements such as bleach-cleanable yarns and stain resistance with the finesse of luxury feel fibres.
Debuted at the recent Harrogate Flooring Show, Sophisticat comes in 16 new colourways all named to reflect its market-leading luxury pedigree. With shades from neutrals such as Champagne to the cool turquoise tones of Azure there is a colour choice to match all on-trend interior palettes and styles.
“Sophisticat really sets this bar very high and provides an engaging range that retailers can use to attract demanding consumers. Sophisticat is proof of our commitment to provide ranges for today that withstand the rigours of tomorrow without compromise on luxury.”
“We’re really excited to add Sophisticat to our StainFree carpet offering,” explains Martin Peace, sales director, Abingdon Flooring, “Drawing on our expertise and lead in carpet technology
A generous 11.5mm pile in a 1700g weight provides that sumptuous underfoot feel, and Abingdon Flooring’s Soft Fleece Bac ensures enduring comfort along with ease of fitting. Using a new 100% Silk Tec PP yarn gives Sophisticat its lifetime StainFree
guarantee and its 1/10th gauge Saxony construction marks it as a superior luxury carpet. The range is available in three width choices from 2.5m ideal for small spaces and 4m and 5m widths for medium to larger rooms. With such a positive response from professionals and retailers at The Flooring Show, Sophisticat has set itself as a benchmark in luxury Saxony carpet and will provide retailers with a confident offering throughout 2020.
For more information, call 01274 655 694, email info@abingdonflooring.co.uk, go to abingdonflooring.co.uk
Sophisticat in Azure 60
Hot off th
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..
Sharing a bank of 14 colours carefully selected by thorough research at our Centre for Development and Excellence, the USA Collection is a range of versatile Saxony style carpets that allows homeowners to choose the perfect weight carpet for every room in their home. Available weights included range-topping Stainfree Miami, Stainfree Dallas middle weight and the lighter Stainfree New York. Featuring: New York Platinum
ALTERNATIVE STAIR ART Alternative Flooring’s new Stair Art opens with expressive patterns created in collaboration with some of our best British designers.
Deco by Divine Savages sees flamboyant print take to the floor! Divine Savages Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy comment:
Taking part are Divine Savages, Margo Selby and Ella Doran with archive carpet designs by Lucienne Day, one of Britain’s most influential and best-loved 20th century designers.
“We’re so excited to be joining forces with Alternative Flooring who share our love of bold colour and print. We have reworked our iconic ‘Deco Martini’, one of our very first designs, for this eyecatching carpet runner. Inspired by the Jazz Age, our Deco Martini print brings Art Deco opulence to your interior in two exquisite colours - Teal and Blush. Style up your staircase and make it the star attraction in your home.”
The new Quirky patterns are stamped with the personality of the maker – crafty, witty, ambitious and just great fun. Each is expertly woven in British wool by Alternative Flooring on axminster looms in Wilton, uniting traditional techniques and contemporary design.
Patch and Fair Isle by Margo Selby are vibrant graphic patterns inspired
Deco by Divine Savages
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by hand-woven textiles developed by Margo Selby on her loom in her Whitstable studio, recreated and blown up to make beautifully crafted stair art. Margo Selby comments: “I love working with Alternative Flooring who celebrate my ethos of ‘Art into Industry’ enabling me to design flooring which reflects ideas developed in my handwoven artworks. Patch is a grid based design using contrasting tones in a mathematical bead-like texture.” Camo and Waterlake by Ella Doran both take nature as their muse. Camo is inspired by the bark patterns of
Continued on the next page >>
Waterlake by Ella Doran
Plane trees in London Fields, Ella Doran’s local park. Waterlake reimagines the flow of water in the lakes of the awardwinning Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Ella Doran comments:
of British wool, was Alternative Flooring with Waterlake – a bespoke runner created by designer Ella Doran using wool from the sheep at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
“It has been wonderful exploring how my designs have adapted through a new material and process, caught between new limits and new possibilities. The results are fantastic and Alternative Flooring have been brilliant to collaborate with.”
Graham Clark, Director of Marketing at British Wool said:
Alternative Flooring are also proud to announce that the winner of The Campaign for Wool’s British Wool Carpet Award, which highlights the best showcase of the natural features
“Waterlake showcases a great local manufacturing story. Part of a collection of bespoke products created by designer Ella Doran using natural biodegradable materials from the land, Waterlake is truly British throughout - from the raw materials to the designer to the manufacturer.” Octagon and Squares and Diamonds
Camo by Ella Doran
by Lucienne Day are true works of art. These two Lucienne Day designs from the sixties in their original vibrant colourways are back in production and are woven in the same factory as they were in the 1960s. Stars is an Alternative design bringing magical stars to the floor. Tribal is an Alternative design fusing fashionable folk and tribal chic. The Stair Art runners are 69cm wide. Stair Art is part of the Quirky collection.
For more information, call 01264 335111, go to alternativeflooring.com
Patch by Margo Selby
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 63
The Flooring Show 2019 Highlights: What an amazing show The Flooring Show 2019 proved to be! Vibrant, busy, buzzing and full of positivity. A mass of suppliers, innovative products, displays and services – all invaluable to Independent retailer. The SMG team didn’t stop throughout the 3 days – seeing Members, potential new members and potential new suppliers as well as catching up on all the latest developments from current Approved Suppliers. The stands were stunning with many SMG Approved Suppliers exhibiting. Some Show headlines were: •
Abingdon Flooring showcased their brand new Stainfree Ranges – Sophisticat and Maximus.
•
Adam Carpets had some amazing Geometrics on display.
•
Ball & Young as ever had a very classy stand where retailers could view their products and receive a very warm welcome.
•
Brockway Carpets were gold innovation award winners for their Lakeland Herdwick product.
•
Cavalier Carpets were featuring their two distinctive polyester products Silken and Plush.
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Cormar Carpet Company were showcasing their new Primo Naturals – a winner for sure.
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Distinctive Flooring had new unitary and extended ranges on their extremely eye-catching stand.
developments and innovations that will ensure that the British flooring retail trade goes from strength to strength.
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Furlong Flooring had two stands – one for their carpet ranges and one for their LVT ranges. Their new product Serenity 60oz was unveiled to retailers.
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Hugh Mackay had a fantastic stand featuring their new Quintessential Twist range which was a definite winner.
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Interfloor focused on their fabulous accessories offer, with their Premium door bars and underlays.
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Penthouse Carpets were showcasing their whole product range and had show promotions on offer to visitors.
SMG have proved they are THE flooring buying group to be reckoned with after winning the Gold Flooring Innovation Award for the Pure concept in the Point of Sale category. A total honour to receive this in recognition of the Group’s aim to support the needs of Retail Members; ensuring they have the best advantages available to help make their businesses more and more profitable. The Pure concept allows you to choose the unitary you like, choose the products you want and gain from the advantageous pricing to put you a step ahead of the competition. The strength in numbers that the Group gives helps ensure that you overcome the difficulties of the market today.
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Ulster Carpets as always focussed on their amazing pattern and textured products as well as revealing the new colours in their Grange Wilton range.
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Victoria Carpets showcased their new First impressions colours as well as introducing their Ultimate Impressions range.
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Westex were a blaze of colour on their stand. Showcasing both carpet and LVT options, they really had something for everyone.
theflooringshow.com
The industry turned out in force to showcase the amazing product
Distinctive Flooring
Interfloor
SMG
Cormar Carpet Company
64
In conclusion, another amazing trade show at Harrogate this year. There is truly so much to see and so many interesting products and suppliers exhibiting – it’s got to be a must visit for the diary in 2020.
Wool Carpet Focus Group
Furlong Flooring
Hugh Mackay
Cavalier Carpets
Abingdon Flooring
Westex
Penthouse Carpets
Adam Carpets
Ball & Young
Ulster Carpets
SMG
SMG News | Autumn 2019 | 65
No longer on the QT, introducing...
Quintessential Twist • The Premier 3 Ply, 80% Wool, Satin Twist • The look of a velvet with the performance of a twist pile • 20 fashionable shades • Manufactured in the UK SCOTLAND JOHN STUART M: 07860 565 200 E: johnrstuart@btopenworld.com NORTH EAST & CUMBRIA BECKY GIBBONS M: 07970 491 215 E: rebann2@btinternet.com YORKSHIRE JOHN ALSOP M: 07860 572 220 E: alsopagencies@yahoo.co.uk
LANCASHIRE JOHN ROSTRON M: 07973 733 208 E: johnrostronagencies@hotmail.com EAST MIDLANDS STEVE FURNISS M: 07773 384 787 E: furnissagencies@btinternet.com WEST MIDLANDS DEAN STANLEY M: 07572 758 010 E: dssalesagencies@gmail.com
OXFORDSHIRE, WILTSHIRE, HAMPSHIRE, BRISTOL, & GLOUCESTERSHIRE DAVID MAY M: 07976 204 778 E: mayatthelimes@talktalk.net SOUTH WEST BRENDAN HART M: 07850 130 221 E: ba.hart1@yahoo.com NORFOLK, SUFFOLK, CAMBS, NORTH ESSEX ROBIN SAUNDERS M: 07968 344 892 E: rsagencies2004@aol.com
SOUTH WALES PAUL POWELL M: 07968 186 150 E: paulpowellagencies@gmail.com
NORTHERN IRELAND GARY O’BOYLE M: 07831 220 675 E: goboyle@ntlworld.com
SOUTH EAST & SOUTH LONDON MIKE ALP M: 07770 861 441 E: alp.michael@googlemail.com
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND LARRY WHITE M: 03862 594 126 E: thelarwhite@hotmail.com
N LONDON & HOME COUNTIES DAVE MARNEY M: 07794 221 443 E: d.marney@sky.com
SALES DIRECTOR KEITH MORGAN M: 07710 701063 E: keith@hughmackay.com
CENTRAL LONDON NICK WOOD M: 07976 945 505 E: nick@essentialflooring.co.uk
MANAGING DIRECTOR VINCE HOLDEN M: 07900 262 434 E: vince@hughmackay.com
H U G H M A C K AY Support your British manufacturer
W W W . H U G H M A C K AY. C O . U K
66
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