SMG SMG News | AUTUMN 2014 | ISSUE 177 The Official Publication of SMG The National Furnishing Group
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CONTENTS SMG News | AUTUMN 2014 | ISSUE 177
NEWS JUST IN... CLICK HERE TO READ THE LATEST FROM PENTHOUSE CARPETS IN THIS EXCLUSIVE ONLINE EDITION!
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HARROGATE SUCCESS
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SENSATION NEW COLOURS
17 NEW BROCKWAY UNITARY 21 BACK TO THE FLOOR
REGULARS 11 AT THE SHARP END Rob Simpkins from Axminster Carpets
34 QUESTION TIME Jeremy Wilson from Ulster Carpets
66 MEMBER FOCUS Windsor Carpets in Redditch
FEATURES 24 AUTUMN FURNITURE SHOW 30 BRITISH WOOL IN SPOTLIGHT 33 TREDAIRE RANGES UPGRADED 40 QUIRKY B FROM ALTERNATIVE
ON THE COVER Asiatic Harlequin - Bowie
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Ulster Carpets Bloomsbury Summer Breeze
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SMG News | AUTUMN 2014
Dear Members, new distribution hub. It could be the launch of new unitary or the updating of key manufacturing technology. These investments and developments are not only designed to bring increased efficiency and profit to the suppliers but they can have a significant impact on your business too! Jeremy Wilson of Ulster Carpets offers some sage advice on how this can work in our Question Time article starting on page 34.
A
s always the year seems to have flown by and as usual there is plenty to talk about. In the past couple of years I have used this leader to reflect upon what we have managed to achieve in the year and how this should have a positive impact on your business. It would be easy to do this again as it has been another bumper year for the SMG Membership package. However, a few visits recently to Members of another Group has highlighted to me how all of us in the industry must continue to look to the future and develop our businesses to ensure that we keep pace with the changing market and consumer habits. As usual I get a sneak peak of SMG News before everyone else and there are plenty of examples from our Approved Suppliers that show the future is being catered for in their businesses. This could be a new product launch, an update of a leading range or the addition of a
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Our Member focus on Windsor Carpets is a great read and fantastic example of how a business has developed to the changing market, they have identified that they must ‘stand out from the competition’. Large retail chains have raised the bar in regard to what the consumer should expect in-store and in looking through the Windsor Carpets’ store photos it is apparent that they have a well organised retail space and this is a change that I have noted in most retailers I have visited recently. The choice remains, but stores are tidier and having removed poor selling products are easier to navigate and therefore more welcoming to the consumer as a result. This can be critical if footfall is low; if a customer is comfortable they will stay longer and give you a better chance to clinch the deal. Most people would now see their main ‘competition’ as the internet. As Rob Simpkins of Axminster (page 11) says “it’s not going away” and therefore we have to find a way of working with it. As independent retailers in heavily service driven industries like flooring and furnishing, making a difference shouldn’t be difficult. It starts with your
store being a reflection of your business and then leads to the people that you employ. Make sure that you understand your consumers’ requirements and how to translate them into a product; don’t just choose the cheapest product give them an option on price and the reasons why they should spend more. Then hit them with your service levels, a place where no Mac, PC or tablet can go! Whilst making these comments I am acutely aware that SMG has to ensure that it is also keeping ahead of the market. We will achieve this by enhancing the partnership between the Membership and Approved Suppliers so that there is value for both parties. Sadly I can’t be too specific about our plans in public (the walls have ears!) but I know that 2015 will bring even more value for everyone, just look at our recent track record for proof. I hope that you all enjoy a profitable and prosperous end to 2014. As always please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any advice or information that will benefit the Group’s development.
Best regards,
Mike Symonds 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: Lamport Gilbert Limited 3 Darwin Close, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0TB.
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NEWS UPDATE MISSION COMPLETE... WELL DONE ASSOCIATED WEAVERS Earlier this summer Associated Weavers took on the challenge of a 42 mile walk across the North Yorkshire moors for the Martin House Children’s charity. The aim of Martin House is to provide family led care for children with life-limiting conditions. It is a place where children, young people and their families can come to stay from time to time along their journey and find support, rest and practical help. Understandably at times it can be a peaceful place but one that also has a lively, friendly atmosphere full of fun and laughter, where children and their families can enjoy the best quality of life. The Associated Weavers’ team had planned to complete the walk in 14 hours and actually achieved it in just under 16 hours 30 minutes which included just two hours for breaks along the route. “We wanted to do it as a team and we completed it together as you can see from the photographs.” commented Associated Weavers’ Managing Director Steve Elliott. He continues “We set ourselves a target for the year of £13,500 which is the cost
The team looking quite refreshed considering it was 4am!
of running the hospice for a day. With everyone’s generosity we reset our target to £20,000.” Although the walk itself was tough and probably more demanding than they had originally expected it was very satisfying for all members of the team to complete.
organisation we are supporting is so worthwhile and helps these most unfortunate children to enjoy the rest of their lives and gives their parents the support they need and deserve.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support, the
SECOND CROSS DOCK CENTRE FOR CORMAR Cormar Carpets has opened its second cross-dock distribution centre in Bristol following the success of its Northampton operation, opened last year, to further support growth in retail sales and meet forecasted order demand. The operation sits alongside existing outbase depots, providing additional support to current facilities within the loading bay and cut-lengths department at Cormar’s Brookhouse Mill in Greenmount Bury, which has seen increasing volumes over the last 18 months.
“Going forward we are looking at opening two more outbase facilities as well as three additional next day collections points for our retail customers.” All Cormar ranges are produced in the UK on site at its Lancashire mills and distributed throughout Britain and Ireland via its own delivery fleet.
Customer orders are loaded in bulk on 44ft trailers in Bury to then trunk to Bristol overnight, unload and finally reload onto individual local delivery routes. Craig Marshall, head of order channels and logistics at Cormar Carpets comments “Our logistics partners will run the operation out of our existing outbase site in Portbury, near Bristol. It will be capable of handling 15% of our current volume through a night loading team and eight delivery vehicles, with drivers operating from the site.” 6
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ADAM CARPETS CATCH THE EYE OF SCARLET OPUS Adam Carpets unique approach to their stand at Harrogate was highlighted in particular, the use of the mood boards on the recognised by influential Interior Design bloggers ‘Scarlet Opus’. Adam stand. Here’s what they had to say: During their time at The Flooring Show in Harrogate, the team at Scarlet Opus named their Top 10 Finds at the show. They
“We love the sample boards displayed on easels on the Adam Carpets stand. They had purposely set out to find an alternative method of displaying their range to the usual lecterns, carousels and waterfalls that dominate most flooring exhibition stands.” “By bringing product together on these boards, the colours, qualities and patterns from their collections can be easily compared and the products feel much more connected to current interior design trends. We also loved the smart style of the classic men’s suiting fabric-inspired carpet designs laid in pattern blocks on their stand floor.”
Axminster Carpets Reinvents the Carpet Bag Leading British carpet manufacturer Axminster Carpets has updated the ‘carpet bag’ for Spring Summer 2015 and created a luxury oversized clutch handbag in partnership with Pittards Leather. Pittards have been manufacturing leather from their Somerset headquarters since 1826 and have become the preferred supplier of high performance leather for many global brands of gloves, shoes and luxury leathergoods. The performance properties, quality and consistency of their products sets them apart from their competition and made them the perfect partner for Axminster Carpets in this new concept. Inspired by the original ‘Mary Poppins’ style carpet bag, the team at Axminster Carpets has designed and produced a beautifully textured oversized clutch bag with today’s lifestyle in mind, ideal for iPad and tablet users on-the-go, as well as an everyday, or special occasion handbag. Made from 100% British Axminster Carpets premium woven wool and soft white Pittards leather, the Axminster Carpet bag is a truly British creation.
Designed in line with the modern trend for grey in both the fashion and interior sectors, this unisex bag is made from ‘Richmond Steel Light Grey’ carpet, from the new Axminster Royal Borough range. The carpet clutch bag is an example of the versatility of high quality carpet, of the beautiful colours and textures available from Axminster Carpets, and of the close relationship between the interior design and fashion industries.
Every Axminster Carpets bag is bespoke and made to order if you’d like further details please talk to your account manager or the Axminster Carpets customer service team on 01297 32244 or 01297 33533. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 7
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NEWS UPDATE Growth and optimism in plenty at The Flooring Show 2014 The 52nd edition of The Flooring Show, the UK’s longest-established and only national flooring event, was held in its traditional Harrogate in September. After a few years of marking time, largely due to overall economic conditions, the show is back on a growth track. The exhibition was a sell-out, with just over 150 exhibiting brands present. The show had more visitor features than ever before, including the Wool Trends Centre put on by British Wool Marketing Board and the Campaign for Wool. Attendees were met by a smart enclosure of Dalesbred and Roughfell sheep at one of the main entrances, to show clearly how the wool for carpet grows. A special Wool Pavilion was supported by the industry’s leading carpet brands – Adam Carpets, Axminster Carpets, Brintons, Brockway Carpets, Bronte Carpets, Cavalier Carpets and Ulster Carpets, all surrounding a stunning Homes & Gardens ‘Wool Inspirations’ room set, and supported by seminars running on each day of the event.
a comprehensive seminar programme in the Business Enrichment Theatre, featuring top speakers such as celebrity designer Oliver Heath and Giles Kime, executive editor of Homes & Gardens magazine; and a space dedicated to hosting the live Floor Covering Apprentice of the Year Skills Competition.
Wendy Adams, Event Director, comments “The show team pulled out all the stops this year to put on an exciting, feature-rich event that had something for everyone, and which looked good as well. We feel sure this contributed to the lively and friendly atmosphere that so many Other core features included the dramatic visitors commented on.” and informative ‘Wool – the Wonder of Many exhibitors declared themselves as Ewe!’ area put on by Curtis Wool Direct; being happy with the direction of the two floor fitting demonstration zones; show and the success of the 2014 edition. Another key area was the Trends Hub, conceived as a feature that could be used to inspire retailers, manufacturers and the trade press about the possibilities for product development, and ways in which to connect with consumers.
Ann Shaw, Sales Director for Ball & Young said “We showed our new underlay range Cloud 9 Caviar & Champagne at the exhibition. With several hundred visitors to the stand we had a superb response, not only attracting new business but meeting old friends from the different segments of the Flooring Trade. The combination of optimism and a fabulous setting was the recipe for a very successful show and the best for years”. David Cormack at Cormar added “I think it is going to be a good autumn. It has
taken a long time to feel that the industry is getting over the recession but I think finally it’s happening. Independent retailers are doing better – and they will do better still in the months ahead.” In summary, Paul Stott, director of The Flooring Show commented “We’re delighted that the hard work and financial investment by the new management team over the past three years appears to be bearing fruit, and we’re extremely grateful to the core of loyal exhibitors who have stayed with us through the past few tough years... without them the show simply couldn’t have survived. Exhibitor rebooking rates for next year have far exceeded expectations, and the whole Flooring Show team will do its utmost to ensure that the 2015 show is bigger and better still.” The 2015 show will take place in Harrogate on 20th - 22nd September 2015, put the date in your diary now!
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SENSATIONAL NEW COLOURS FOR SENSATION David Cormack, marketing director of Cormar Carpets comments “We’ve had great success with our Sensation family of easy-clean carpets over the past two years. With colour trends constantly Sensation is made with 100% Luxelle; the evolving, it made sense to re-vamp our ground breaking polypropylene fibre that Original and Feeling ranges with an has been engineered to feel softer and updated colour palette.” more luxurious but with all the All Cormar’s wool twist, wool loop and practical living qualities of a standard easy clean polypropylene ranges are polypropylene, including a 10 year stain produced on site at its Lancashire mills warranty. The range is available in two and distributed in the UK and Eire via qualities heavy weight Original and its own delivery fleet. lighter weight Feeling. Award–winning UK carpet manufacturer, Cormar Carpets, has re-launched its hugely successful easy clean Sensation range with six brand new colours.
Made on 1/8th gauge using a two-fold specialised fine yarn to create a lustrous handle, the six new popular shades available are Atlantic Seal, Icing Sugar, Moccasin, Rydal Stone, Tuscan Clay and Ventura Opal. Available in four and five metre widths, the range will continue to retail from around £24 per square metre.
For further information on the Sensation range or any other Cormar Carpet range visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk
AXMINSTER CARPETS EXPAND POPULAR DEVONIA RANGE Help your customers create a beautiful look in their home this winter with 5 new colour introductions to the luxurious Devonia range from Axminster Carpets.
greys, blues and beiges, ideal for both the we’ve just launched complement the traditional and modern home. current trends for greys and soft hues in the home and mean that whatever Director of Design at Axminster Carpets, the interior style and colour scheme a Gary Bridge comments “Our Devonia customer has in their home, we will have The Devonia collection now contains collection has always been popular, a carpet to meet their needs.” 60 exquisite colours, including dark rich due to its soft feel underfoot and the tones, neutrals creams and contemporary wide choice of colours. The new colours Tufted Devonia carpets are manufactured from 80% pure new British wool and use 2-ply yarn for supreme longevity and appearance. Carpets from the Devonia collection are available in two widths, 4m and 5m, making them the perfect choice for quality and luxury flooring in any home. For more information please contact your local representative or visit www. axminster-carpets.co.uk
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AT THE SHARP END Each issue SMG puts ten questions to a sales representative to hear their thoughts from ‘the sharp end’.
With over 29 years of experience in the flooring industry Rob Simpkins of Axminster Carpets was the perfect candidate for this issue of ‘At the Sharp End’. He spent 13 years at both the Headlam Group and then Cavalier Carpets plus two years at Mohawk before joining the Axminster team in April 2013. Rob covers Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire and South Wales.
How did you get into the trade? “I joined a wholesale flooring distributor in Bristol the same week that I left school. I went on the road as a representative for them two years later.” What have you seen change the most in the last five years ? “There is definitely an increase in ‘very’ soft fibre ranges on the market. The softer of the options seem to be more expensive alternatives to polypropylene i.e polyester and nylon. Many of these products are now of equal or similar prices to decent wool products. This could possibly help drag average retail sales values a little higher rather than continuing the other way.” What’s your favourite product? “For me it has to be our own Simply Naturals. It is made from 100% pure new wool and being six ply yarn, there is nothing that compares with it. We will be adding several fashionable new colours to the collection in the new year which I am sure will only add to its popularity.” As a representative what are your biggest challenges? “Representing a manufacturer whose products command a better than ‘average’ retail price, the challenge is to remind and convince some retailers of
the benefits in the long term value of our products for the consumer and the added profitability for them. I believe many retail sales people will likely have a top 3 or 4 ‘go to’ ranges that they sell regularly based on initial consumer comments. The challenge for me is to become one of the retailers’ ‘go to’ product.” Of all the retailers you visit what common denominator contributes to them being successful? “I think that the majority of the most successful retailers would typically be a buying group member and would be reasonably well established. They would display well known branded names alongside their own group labelled products and would be knowledgeable, polite and professional.” What do you see as the key market challenge for retailers at the moment? “It has to be the internet, because it’s not going away. It affects almost every retailer, but I think more so now than ever that retailers are learning to deal with internet pricing. They understand that most consumers still do want a one stop shop service.
They are prepared to highlight the difference in service levels, whilst justifying the added value in what they offer. Unfortunately, there will always be some consumers where price comes before service, and those customers most retailers would not always want.” Outside of work, what are your interests? “I have a 15 year old son and an 11 year old daughter - they seem to keep us busy throughout the week. Outside of that it’s a varied interest in sport, though mainly football.” If you didn’t work in this Industry what would you be doing now? “I enjoy this industry because it is quite ‘close knit’ between suppliers and retailers. Everyone seems to get along whether they are in competition or not, so if I was not in this industry I would like to think I could be in one equally as friendly.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “Think before you speak and listen to who is speaking to you.”
Axminster Carpets are proud of their heritage, people and designs. Quality in design and craftsmanship is guaranteed with every Axminster Carpet – each one is made using their traditional methods and is individually inspected. Today Axminster Carpets is still weaving beautiful designed carpets in the Devon town of Axminster for the royal household, stately homes, luxury hotels and homes around the world. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 11
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NEWS UPDATE Another Successful Year at Harrogate for Ulster The Ulster stand at this year’s Flooring Show was hard to miss with eye-catching, contemporary photography adding a “wow” factor and showcasing a marked change of direction. On display were the brand new Boho Collection - a range of vintage inspired designs in beautiful pastel shades and the new additions to the best selling Open Spaces Collection; Monaco, Panama and Capri.
something for the more fashion-led consumer, without compromising on the inherent quality of an Ulster carpet. There was a general buzz and positivity at the show this year, which is a good indication of the market.”
Jeremy Wilson, Residential Sales Director commented on the success of the show as a whole, “It was encouraging to receive such excellent feedback from the industry on our new products and the fresh and contemporary feel of the stand, inspired by our new website. Ulster are still producing the traditional wilton and axminster for which we are renowned, but our new trend driven ranges offer Ulster’s Boho Collection was a hit.
Ulster’s new look stand at the Flooring Show.
TOMKINSON TWIST gets an upgrade This September at The Flooring Show Tomkinson Twist took pride of place on the Mr Tomkinson stand. The hugely popular range has been relaunched this year with the pile construction changing to 80% Wool 10% Polypropylene and 10% Polyester, plus an increased number of twists per inch on the yarn, to give the carpet greater definition and improved
performance. On top of that there are four new colours whilst retaining the four weight and two width options for maximum choice and flexibility. Mike Dobson, General Manager at Mr Tomkinson comments “We are proud to boast Tomkinson Twist as being ‘the world’s best-selling wool twist carpet’ and are confident that these improvements
to the range will only help to grow the business more.” For more information please contact your local representative alternatively call Mr Tomkinson on 01827 831450.
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NEWS UPDATE CORMAR OPENS NEW EXTENSION Award winning manufacturer Cormar Carpets has expanded its Ramsbottom-based Holme Mill site in a move to further improve stock availability and service to customers. Representing a £900,000 investment, the new warehousing space which was commenced earlier this year, was opened by Cormar’s chairman Betty Cormack, increasing the storage area for un-backed carpet.
It puts us in a better position to drive improvements in service to our customers.” All Cormar ranges are manufactured in the UK on site at its Lancashire mills and distributed throughout Britain and Ireland via its own delivery fleet.
The new warehouse features cutting edge construction technology with state-of-the-art electrics and fittings and gives 41,744 sq ft of new floor space with racking for up to 791 unbacked rolls (or 300,000 sq m of carpet). There is also the option to double stockholding capacity in the future. Paul Murphy, Cormar Carpet’s production manager comments “The extension is another significant step in future proofing our operations, ensuring we continue to efficiently handle the high volume growth levels we’ve enjoyed in the last few years.
New Colour LauncH Following the success of the current 14 wood designs in the adore touch range, adore have now increased this to a collection of 20, offering an additional 6 fresh new wood designs with the same, luxury design and feel. For use in both a commercial setting and in the home, the full range of Adore Touch is available in two methods of installation; 4 mm click and 3 mm glue-down which are backed by a 25 year residential warranty and 15 year commercial warranty. The complete collection now gives consumers a choice of 10 tile designs and 20 wood designs to choose from. For more information, visit uk.adorefloors.com or contact your local Home Foundation representative
COMMERCIAL STRENGTH FoR ADAM It may come as a surprise to some that Fine Worcester Twist, one of the finest wool twists in the market, is not just used in domestic installations. It actually achieves a heavy commercial rating too. When local contractor Kircman and Dolman were searching for a luxurious, yet durable wool rich twist for a prestigious solicitors office in Birmingham, Adam Carpets’ Fine Worcester Twist stood out to them. Tony Cook, Business Manager at Adam Carpets comments “The contractor knew that the client was going to be very exacting about the carpet he wanted on the floor. This is a major solicitors chambers and they had set their minds on something that reflected the quality of service they would be providing. Fine Worcester Twist ticked all the boxes. As you can see from the image it makes an impressive statement.” For more information about Adam Carpets or if you are interested in opening an account contact 01562 829966.
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NEWS UPDATE Brockway’s WALL displays are now available Customers will love Brockway’s superb new retail display systems, which they’ve purposely designed for maximum impact of their latest ranges in store. Brockway’s ‘limited edition’ retail display units come in four or five exclusive collections - Florian with Orion, Jubilee with Jubilee Stripe, Cavendish with Lakeland Herdwick / Lakeland Twist, Solar plain colours and Vogue with co-ordinating Solar plain colours.
Expertly designed, the stylish colour range includes popular neutral tones, fashionable greys, bright whites and stunning exotic colours from deep purples, greens and oranges to gentle pinks, lilacs and blues. All 64 Solar plain colours - including Loganberry, Pomegranate, Tangerine and Forget-me-not – are available in traditional 4 metre and 5 metre widths. Plus there are seven complementary stripes to choose including Metal stripe, Battleship stripe, Seaweed stripe and Key Lime stripe which are all available in 4 metre widths.
They’re designed to showcase the maximum number of colours in each range - and you can choose all five or a collection of four units, depending on the ranges you want to present to customers. For further information please Plus other unitary is now available including the hugely popular Solar tombola. Solar is a range of premium wool rich carpets available in sixty four vibrant plain colours and seven contemporary co-ordinating stripes.
contact your local representative or telephone Brockway Carpets direct on 01562 828200.
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NEWS UPDATE OUT WITH THE OLD... IN WITH THE NEW Adam Carpets are on the verge of completing the installation of two new boilers at their on-site dyehouse in Kidderminster. This major long term investment has included an extension to the boiler house buildings and new chimneys to ensure that both boilers will be up and running prior to the peak autumn retail period.
With the roof removed, the 90-tonne crane lifted out the old boiler
“The old boiler, although fully capable, was coming to the end of its life span” said Managing Director, Chris Adam. “The opportunity to secure the long term future for continued dyeing of our plain ranges by purchasing these new boilers was too good to turn down.”
one lagging demand for steam, Adam Carpets say this will cut energy usage and increase efficiency and ultimately lead times on all their plain coloured ranges as well as their patterned overtuft ranges.
The two new smaller boilers will replace the current in situ larger one. By using two smaller boilers with one leading and
Both new boilers in situ, the near one is running whilst the farther one is being installed
Cloud 9 Caviar & Champagne Proudly made in the UK Cloud 9 Caviar & Champagne, as featured on the TV programme ‘60 Minute Makeover’, is the latest underlay range from Northampton based manufacturer Ball & Young Ltd. Introduced to the industry at the Flooring Show in September Ball & Young had a superb response, attracting new business and meeting old friends from the different sectors of the flooring trade. Visitors to the stand remarked on the pure luxury feel to the carpet on the stand which of course was supported by the 11mm Caviar & Champagne, the star of the show as the Champagne flowed. The launch of WoodTec, an underlay for wood and laminate flooring which is 4mm thick on a 140 density core, was also very well received. “A combination of optimism and a fabulous setting – a recipe for a very successful show...The best for years.” said Ann Shaw, Sales Director for Ball & Young Ltd. 18
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MANX launch natural plain twist Manx Carpets brings another winner to all home interiors with the relaunch of its successful wool loop carpet range - Natural Shades and its brand new complementary matching twist - Natural Plain Twist .
Made from 50% wool and 50% polypropylene, Natural Shades and Natural Plain Twist are high quality tufted carpets in two different constructions, making them ideal for high traffic areas, such as stairways and halls. Both are available in 4 metre and 5 metre widths and will be presented on smart new natural lecterns .
Natural Shades hits the right note with one of the best choices of fashionable colours for the home using 3 ply wool and polypropylene fibres. The 13 strong For further information please contact palette with 5 pinstripes has been infused your local representative or Manx with 13 inspirational matching twist Carpets directly on 01827 831434. colours, including three new colours; Hessian, Mocchiato and Italian Marble to create special areas of interest within the home .
TOP SPORTS PERFORMANCE Jaymart’s Sports & Leisure division are forging ahead with a new ‘Supply and Fit’ option through their specialist in-house team, and this is now successfully being used by a wide range of customers.
rubber eco-flooring Bladerunner is their new sports flooring of choice.
Jaymart specialises in rubber gym flooring, heavy weights matting, stretch mats, performance sprint tracks, Crossfit flooring and much more... they have what Nick Bunyard has expanded his sales force and is growing his product portfolio you need for a multitude of demanding sports applications. in order to offer an enhanced package and improved customer service for the For further information please contact sports and leisure arena. CrossFit boxes the Jaymart Sales Team on 01985 are now benefiting from Jaymart’s new 218994 or email sales@jaymart.co.uk Xfit weightlifting mats – these provide great force reduction on bumpers and Below: Jaymart’s Bladerunner at Xercise4less, Burnley. offer secure footing. Shockpad Underlays Right: The Sporting Bet logo mat at Wolves Stadium. and temporary lifting platforms are also available. Line or logo marking and supply and fit are offered for sports and leisure installations. Included in the increasing, versatile range are roll and interlocking solutions, high-impact acoustic/force reduction rubber tiles, throw-down sports mats, several indoor and outdoor sprint track solutions, artificial grass prowler tracks, stretch mats, foam jigsaw matting and much more! Jaymart’s logo mats for sportingbet have been used on Wolves’ home ground. Burnley is Xercise4Less’ 19th gym to open, with a wealth of fitness equipment and classes on offer and Jaymart’s robust, SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 19
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NEWS UPDATE The art of recycling with Forbo’s Back to the Floor scheme Forbo’s Back to the Floor take back scheme for installation off-cuts continues to expand as it heads towards its second birthday this autumn. Volumes of waste flooring are rising for recycling back into new Forbo flooring products and new mixed cushioned flooring collection trials have been launched.
Having already filled three large one-tonne Marmoleum bulk bags with off-cuts in the first two months, Directors Chris and Stephen Yeomans are convinced that closed-loop recycling is the right way to go – and they’ll get their old off-cuts back in new supplies.
Launched in November 2012, this successful closed-loop scheme collects and reprocesses Marmoleum, Tessera Carpet Tiles, Flotex, cushioned vinyl and Smooth Vinyl installation off-cuts.
“We signed up knowing that our 10 tonnes per year of off-cuts will be recycled and we’re going to be saving money on landfill costs,” says Chris. “It’s also a good thing to do. There’s no point
the trial by collecting cushioned flooring off-cuts, which were sent to the Ripley factory to be tested. Back to the Floor Scheme Co-ordinator, Michelle Brewer comments: “This initial material was of sufficiently high quality for recycling, so a selected number of distributors are being offered bins. As a welcome extension to the scheme, it provides a new exclusive recycling outlet for this type of flooring.” BTTF plays a key part in Forbo’s drive to reduce its environmental impact by 25% by the end of 2015 through applying its 4R’s – Reduce, Renew, Reuse and Recycle. Forbo believes environmental responsibility begins with the way products are designed and raw materials are sourced. The re-use and recycling of both internal and external waste PVC has led to increased recycled content backings in its products. Forbo’s General Manager UK and Ireland, Angus Fotheringhame comments: “We take our environmental responsibilities seriously. Back to the Floor is evidence of this commitment and ‘creating a better environment’ for future generations.”
Chris Yeomans, Educational Art & Craft Supplies
New members from a wide variety of different sectors are joining the scheme. The latest being Worcestershire-based Educational Art & Craft Supplies which responded to a letter sent out to key customers outlining the benefits of participating and how they can join. This family-run business is literally demonstrating the ‘art of recycling’ flooring off-cuts. It buys 240 rolls of Marmoleum a year for its range of linoleum and block printing products, including Essdee Scraperboard, that are supplied to education wholesalers and retailers worldwide.
in burying this material when it can be turned back into new products.” Forbo’s scheme, two years old this autumn, has launched a trial collection of mixed cushioned flooring off-cuts, including its own and other brands of cushioned flooring. It’s the only aspect of the scheme where different brands of mixed flooring, other than just Forbo’s, are accepted for recycling.
He adds: “The scheme grew from a realisation of the importance to recycle all waste generated from our products throughout the supply chain. It’s the right thing to do, and having developed our internal processing capacity to meet our Green Design requirements, it’s something we can do.” Members receive colour-coded polythene bags and bulk bags free of charge, which are collected directly from site or a contractor’s premises. Marmoleum off-cuts can also be dropped off at participating distributors. Tessera off-cuts are processed at the Bamber Bridge plant near Preston, while the Flotex and vinyl flooring goes back into flooring at the Ripley site. Marmoleum off-cuts are sent for recycling into new Marmoleum flooring at Forbo’s plant in Kirkcaldy.
The off-cuts are sent to Forbo’s factory in Ripley where they are added to the manufacturing process and used to make For more information, call 0161 925 8760 the backing for Flotex and Westbond carpet tiles. Mercado in Leeds took part in or email backtothefloor@forbo.com.
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NEWS UPDATE THE WoolSafe Educational Conference 2014 The third WoolSafe Educational Conference held recently at the Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster proved to be the most popular WoolSafe Academy event to date, attracting scores of attendees from all areas of the carpet industry. WoolSafe Academy, the education, training and professional development arm of The WoolSafe Organisation hosted the event to bring together the best carpet cleaners, inspectors and industry trainers from around the world for two days of seminars, networking and tours. The packed programme covered topics as diverse as Mould Hazard Awareness, ‘Green’ Cleaning and Certification, Pet Urine Decontamination which led on to energetic presentations on ‘Modern Marketing’ techniques and effective Customer Relations Management. Industry stakeholders attending included representatives from quality carpet manufacturers Brintons Carpets, Gaskell Wool Rich and Mr Tomkinson, buying group SMG, who represent several hundred carpet retailers and several carpet cleaning product manufacturers. The diverse backgrounds of those that attended lead to very interesting discussions throughout the day, in particular during the open forum session. Opinions about the direction of WoolSafe programmes, in particular Wool Owners
Warranty (WOW), were aired freely and at length leading to some generous offers of assistance to Service Providers and great ideas for future development.
demonstrations of live weaving and ran the old Jacquard Wilton and Spool Axminster (possibly the last its kind in the world still working) machines.
The conference was followed by a well attended banquet at the Granary Hotel with WoolSafe Approved Service Provider Allan Simmons, an excellent magician, entertaining the diners.
“The two day event was very well received with positive reviews from all who attended. We would like to thank all the members, licensees and industry partners who supported the event and we look forward to the fourth Educational Conference sometime in 2016” commented Steve Bakker, WoolSafe International Marketing Manager.
The second day saw delegates going on a guided tour of Brintons Carpets, one of the oldest and most prestigious manufacturers in the world. The Museum of Carpet kindly arranged for special
FIRM FAVOURITE LOGO MATS As a family-run business Jaymart understand better than most that maintaining the quality of their service is crucial if they are to remain as people’s supplier of choice. To this end they aspire to provide a helpful and efficient service from their Westbury Sales Offices and from the Area Sales Representatives, who are happy to provide free of charge samples and site visits throughout the United Kingdom. With over 45 years’ experience, Jaymart know what they’re doing. Jaymart are
on-trend with new materials, designs, colours and technical know-how. Jaymart’s lettered and logo mats, for example, are the entrance mats of choice for Beefeater, All Bar One, Carluccios, Links of London and Caffe Nero. For further information please contact the Jaymart Sales Team on 01985 218994 or email sales@jaymart.co.uk
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Another excellent range from Cormar Cormar Carpets has excelled itself with the latest addition to its Primo family of easy clean twist carpets. Primo Excellence is made with the same polypropylene fibre,100% Excellon, but has been developed to make it softer than the standard Primo ranges however retaining the same level of lustre giving the range a more wool-like effect. Available in two weights; Super and Elite, it is a fine 1/10th gauge carpet which gives improved pile density and performance. It comes in fifteen contemporary plain colours from Antique Blush and Pontiac Blue to popular greys such as Winchester Grey and modern browns. It will retail at around £21 per square metre, for the
Super and £24 per square metre, for the heavier weight Elite. David Cormack, marketing director of Cormar Carpets comments “Since the initial launch of our first Primo range over 10 years ago, we’ve developed a host of carpet collections that sit under the Primo umbrella and now include Primo Plus, Primo Choice, Primo Ultra and Primo Delight.
“The addition of Primo Excellence increases our offer to the lower entry point market providing a softer, easy to care for carpet that is great value-for-money.”
“The addition of Primo Excellence increases our offer to the lower entry point market providing a softer, easy to care for carpet that is great
value-for-money. With its stain resistant qualities and non-fade colours this range is perfect to cope with hectic family lives and our confidence in the range is reflected in the full 10 year warranty.” All Cormar’s wool twist, wool loop and easy clean polypropylene ranges are produced on site at its Lancashire mills and distributed in the UK and Eire via its own delivery fleet. For further information please visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk, contact your local representative or telephone Cormar Carpets on 01204 881200.
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SMG Flooring Showcase brings a sense of diversity to The Autumn Furniture Show... The Autumn Furniture Show in early October at the Telford International Centre has been heralded by both suppliers and visitors as being one of the most professional exhibitions in the furnishing industry’s calendar. Formerly a ‘private members show’ for members of the Minerva Furnishers Guild, the three day exhibition opened its doors for the first time to the entire trade for the final two days which enabled exhibitors to display and promote their products to a much wider retail audience. In light of the unique collaboration arrangement which currently exists between the SMG and Minerva Buying Groups, SMG was invited to take a dedicated area within the exhibition with the view to creating a ‘Flooring Showcase’ aimed at highlighting the importance of promoting carpets and flooring products within the independent retail furnisher sector. This idea was welcomed by 13 prominent SMG Approved Suppliers and a 200 square metre area was divided into individual modules allowing suppliers to exhibit their products in their own style under the SMG Flooring Showcase banner. SMG’s Chairman, Chris Moffat comments “We were delighted to be given the opportunity by the Minerva Board to present a Carpet and Flooring Showcase
at this year’s event especially as its targeted audience is dedicated professional independent furniture retailers. We have all witnessed the phenomenal success that multiple retailers such as SCS have enjoyed by diversifying into the flooring sector with the view to encouraging a ‘one stop shop’ consumer scenario. Their current national advertising campaign offering ‘free’ carpet with every sofa sold is even more worrying. Unfortunately, it appears to portray an image of perceived irrelevance to the product that many carpet and flooring manufacturers I have spoken to do not want to see being conveyed to the public.”
aggressive competition. Hopefully, our presence at The Autumn Furniture Show went some way towards helping to highlight the advantages of in-store product diversity.”
“We were delighted to be given the opportunity by the Minerva Board to present a Carpet and Flooring Showcase at this year’s event especially as its targeted audience is dedicated professional independent furniture retailers.” “In my view, independent ‘furniture’ retailers ignore this development at their peril and although their carpet and flooring departments (if they have one!) are not always placed at the top of their priority list, I do feel that some retailers should be giving greater consideration to the trend of offering the complete furnishing package to their customers in an attempt to fight off the current
We at SMG would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our exhibiting suppliers and visiting members for their superb support to this new event. A special thank you also goes to the Minerva Board and their management team (Roy, Paul, Mandy and Andrea) for their much appreciated help and ongoing professionalism. We are confident that our close working relationship with the Minerva Furnishers Guild will lead to other future joint initiatives that are tailored to bring additional benefits to both our retail members and suppliers alike.
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THE
AUTUMN FURNITURE SHOW
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Active Payments is currently running a promotional offer available to all SMG Members contact us today to see how much you could save!
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Lifting sales with Lano Carpets With new introductions and updates to its collections, Lano Carpets is giving retailers the opportunity to lift sales as they enter some of the busiest sales periods of the year. With the introduction of Divine Twist, Lano is really shaking up the easy care sector, with the introduction of a luxurious and indulgent 75oz quality in a beautiful collection of on-trend greys and beige shades. Offering incredible comfort and longevity, while remaining highly competitive, Divine Twist proves that style and luxury is accessible to all. Lano Carpets has also updated its hugely popular Fairfield Creations range, the coordinated plain and stripe now includes 22 colourways in line with the latest interior trends. Making it easy to create perfectly coordinated interiors with striking feature areas thanks to the easy to install 25cm width stripe, Fairfield Creations also takes full advantage of the manufacturer’s Easy Care fibre. The new Venice Wilton collection features exclusive patterns, including a stunning tartan design, created with pinpoint precision on Lano’s advanced wilton looms. Made from Easy Care fibre,
the new range makes it possible for homeowners to access quality patterned carpet without the expense of wool-rich woven axminster. Reinvigorated with hot new colours, Xtra-twist is also making sure that SMG Members can benefit from the Belgian-based brand’s reputation for excellent value and huge choice. “Here at Lano Carpets we work hard to provide UK retailers with carpet collections that meet the latest trends and consumer desires without breaking the bank,” comments Tom Mathys, sales manager UK and Ireland. “Our recent introductions and updates ensure that we continue to do exactly this and in-time for key selling periods in the run up to Christmas. What’s more, with our reliable service and excellent product quality, SMG Members can be confident that Lano Carpets will help to fulfil customer expectations and build loyalty.”
Divine Twist
Please contact Lano on 00 32 566 54275 or your local representative for more information.
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Busy October puts British Wool carpet in the spotlight October was a very busy month for the British Wool team as they headed to London for Wool Week and to be part of the Campaign for Wool’s Interiors Collection exhibition. The eight day event, which was held at Southwark Cathedral focused on interior items drawn from fabric, flooring, furnishing and lifestyle sectors and showed the immense diversity of wool for the home and contract location. Naturally, carpet was British Wool’s strong story at this event and there was a lot to be proud about! A British Wool axminster carpet featured in the Cathedral’s beautiful Nave - with the stunning Erdem runner commissioned by the Campaign for Wool and made by Brintons. Over 34 metres long and 2 metres wide, it certainly had a dramatic impact on the gothic interior of the Cathedral but perhaps not such a pleasing one for the talented choir, which noticed that the acoustics had suffered as a result of the natural sound buffering of wool carpet! In the exhibition space itself - a large solid sided marquee - Kingsmead’s Glen Shee was used to give a neutral
backdrop to the highly colourful exhibits. The carpet yarn ‘Highland Fleece’ made from a special blend of wool from Scottish sheep breeds, known for their robust strength. The range, currently nominated for two leading design competition awards, proved a suitable adversary to the heavy visitor footfall - even after the full eight days the domestic range showed no visible signs of tracking or flattening. “Glen Shee really took the pressure, there were over eight thousand visitors and there were wheelchairs, pushchairs, luggage and scooters moving over it plus a significant number of wet and dirty shoes but it never looked any different to the day we laid it. It is an amazing performer.” Bridgette Kelly of the Campaign for Wool said. Another Brintons carpet wowed visitors with its edgy design and impressive High Definition weave. The highly graphical Skullduggery range has a 3-D effect on the eye and its unusual colour combination showed people how pattern and colour is a fabulous feature on the floor. “It was fabulous to hear people talk about pattern on the floor in such a positive way.” Bridgette said.
Other carpet came from Axminsters’ Royal Borough Collection and Ulster’s Open Spaces Collection, both of which featured in a rather inspired and arty carpet chair. Brockway with its stunning stripes from their Portobello and Regatta ranges featured in entrance panels and Alternative Flooring and Roger Oates hung from the walls - so carpet was literally everywhere and greatly admired by all. Supported by Carpet Retailers The annual Wool Week event prompted many retailers to participate in the nationwide event. It was fantastic to see the big stores get behind wool and even more so, to see that smaller carpet retailers had picked up the baton and got involved. Shop windows and wool carpet discounts are first choices for participation in Wool Week but it was really brilliant to see that social media was also buzzing with independent carpet retailers spreading the wool word.
Above: One carpet retailer really got behind promoting Wool Week. Far Left: Erdem runner in Southwark Cathedral. Left: Striking piece in the Cathedral. Opposite Page: Brintons Carpet in the Queen Elizabeth Room.
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ONEWOOL - Major Window on Wool Interiors is Launched ONEWOOL - the new online gallery for wool interiors product was launched this Wool Week at the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, London. Supported by the carpet and rug sector, it is the largest online website of wool product and features direct links to manufacturer websites. Each brand can nominate a product to feature on the Gallery and this can be updated regularly showing their most up-to-date product. The aim is to offer a huge window for wool that is centralized and easily accessible by consumers, retailers and editors. It offers a central port of call for a huge range of wool for the home - so check it out at www.onewool.com SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 31
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Interfloor upgrades top selling Tredaire underlays Interfloor is upgrading its top selling range of Tredaire Seventh Heaven PU underlays, free of charge. The flagship collection consists of six products: Sensation, Dreamwalk, Softwalk, Cosywalk, Ambience and Revive. So what does the upgrade mean? There are four elements which have been improved. These are: A Stronger and more vibrant colours The facing film colours have been strengthened with more pigmentation so that the finish is more striking and vibrant than before. Tredaire’s PU underlays can be differentiated by their colour and improved colouring will aid the selling process to the customer.
Steve Woodhead, Interfloor marketing director, comments “The Seventh Heaven range is our biggest selling Tredaire collection. Although it has been very successful we felt now was a good time to move the range forward. This upgrade has been designed to produce a better performing product that looks better and is easier for retailers to sell. We’ve invested significantly in the range without changing our prices. The initial feedback from customers at the Flooring Show in Harrogate was extremely positive and we hope that retailers like what we’ve done and are successful with it.” The UPGRADED Tredaire Seventh Heaven range…
A Stronger backing with bolder branding The high performance Textron paper backing has been strengthened significantly which will both improve its stability and the overall comfort level of the products. The traditional brown paper has been replaced by a brilliant white with the Tredaire branding in red. This will also support the premium positioning of Tredaire and provide a strong reminder of the brand when the carpet is uplifted in the future. A Improved Point of Sale Interfloor is well known for the quality of its POS, particularly the A3 hanging samples. Interfloor has re-designed the Seventh Heaven covers so that they contain key underlay benefits statements for the store salesperson to use. There is also useful technical information including product density and tog and decibel ratings. QR codes have also been introduced for retailers and consumers to access more information via their smart phones. A Brighter and stronger packaging The Seventh Heaven range has new packaging with thicker, stronger films that will make the product easier to move. Also the packaging design has changed with a new two colour print on a white background which supports the premium positioning and enables the products to be differentiated easily.
Tredaire Sensation
Tredaire Dreamwalk
11mm/145kg/m3
11mm/110 kg/m3
Tredaire Ambience 9mm/145kg/m3 (formerly Contract 9)
Tredaire Revive 7mm/145kg/m3 (formerly Contract 7)
Tredaire Softwalk 9mm/110 kg/m3
Tredaire Cosywalk 7mm/110 kg/m3
Interfloor also provides extensive retailer support in terms of product and sales training, point of sale, complementary accessories from their Gripperrods and Stikatak ranges, and advice on maximising profitability through the product range. The upgraded PUs will begin to appear from the middle of October. Customers with current Seventh Heaven samples will have them automatically replaced. If members have any queries they should contact their local Interfloor territory manager.
For further information please contact your local representative or Interfloor on 01706 238810. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 33
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Question time JEREMY WILSON Residential Sales Director at ULSTER CARPETS
In October SMG met with Jeremy Wilson, Residential Sales Director at Ulster Carpets. Having been named as the most admired company in the industry in three of the last four Question Time features the spotlight is probably a little overdue. Ulster Carpets was founded by George Walter Wilson in Northern Ireland in 1938 and is still privately owned by the founder’s family. One of the secrets of their success is that they have taken the positive attributes associated with being a family business and combined them with a forward thinking, global approach to business. This has resulted in a technologically advanced, service driven company with flair, flexibility and a passion for quality. All Ulster’s Wilton & Axminster carpets are manufactured in Ireland in one of the most advanced carpet weaving plants in the world. In recognition of the PSYLO™ weaving technology, developed here, Ulster received the “Queen’s Award for Enterprise”. Quality is paramount to Ulster, therefore all yarn is manufactured in their own spinning plant in Dewsbury, North Yorkshire, enabling them to have total control over the quality and long term security of supply. Furthermore the woven carpets produced by Ulster are quadruple sheared and inspected three times plus all of their stock ranges have
been upgraded in the last five years to a heavier weight 2 ply yarn. This improved yarn enhances the durability of carpet and its lifespan.
How has your role at Ulster Carpets changed during the time you have been involved in the business?
Ulster’s location within the UK & Ireland means they are well placed to offer a timely and efficient service with more than 95% of products being serviced immediately from extensive stock holdings. Impressively over 90% of orders are delivered within five working days to anywhere in the UK & Ireland.
“It started 21 years ago as I learned to weave on shift work. Soon after that I went to our factory in South Africa as a supervisor. By the time I left, four years later, I was working with 180 Zulu’s which was a steep learning curve - as Michael Caine will confirm! Over time I have worked in most parts of the business. The first half of my career has been in the production side the second in sales.”
Due to the hard-wearing and wool-rich nature of their stock ranges, many are suitable for use in a commercial settings such as hotels, churches or offices. Therefore in addition to their extensive stock residential ranges, Ulster is a global market leader, with unparalled experience in the planning, design and manufacture of bespoke woven axminster for the contract market. The development of PSYLO™ weaving technology and the resulting capabilities sets Ulster apart from their competition and enables them to work with contract clients around the world providing first class products and service at every stage. To date Ulster has supplied some of the most prestigious hotels, casinos, cruise ships and convention centres around the world including; Four Seasons, George V, Paris, The Tower of London and the Wynn Encore Casino, Las Vegas.
You’ve been in your current role for several years now, what has changed in this time?
“Many things but the two big changes would be the internet and all of the good that brings along with the challenges it can bring too. The other one would be the claims culture and the rising expectations of consumers.” How would you describe the values that have made Ulster Carpets successful?
“Our business is built around people. If you employ good people and give them a chance to make decisions and perform at their best then they can help you build a successful team. There are many other things beyond that but at its core any business is only as good as the people who work for it.” ...continued
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What challenges are you currently facing as a Manufacturer?
“Changing consumer trends, wool price volatility, currency volatility there are many more. But they are not new and we just have to adapt and change to try and offer what consumers want at a competitive price with excellent service and back up.” Independent Retailers are also facing major challenges, what advice would you offer them?
“As a manufacturer I have been to hundreds of different stores and seen so many different ways of doing things which work well for each individual store. My advice would be focus on offering products from a core of key suppliers that will support you as you support them.” If you could ask retailers to change one thing what would it be?
“Get paid in full by the time the fitter leaves the house. It gets rid of so many minor niggles down the line. It also means you can pay your supplier on time and hopefully get a settlement discount!” How would you like to see the industry change in the future?
“More focus on helping consumers create beautiful homes rather than covering the floor at the cheapest price. These are two extremes of the carpet
Seeing the company receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise is Jeremy’s highlight.
trade but as a trade we need to work on selling up and promoting a floor covering that looks great and ultimately adds value to the home and makes the customer feel good about it. Some LVT and hard floor suppliers have done a very good job with this over the last 10 years creating products that consumers desire and will pay a premium price for.” What are your career highlights?
“Seeing the company getting the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2006 is right up there. I think it sums up what drives the company’s success. By constantly investing most of the profits in the business and innovating in the marketplace we have managed to secure and grow even in the tough times.” Aside from Ulster Carpets which other manufacturer do you most admire and why?
“Companies that offer great products and service. Cormar has been the standout British carpet manufacturer over the last decade. They continue to successfully adapt to changing market and consumer trends. Crucial Trading are not a manufacturer but I love the products they offer and the way they go about presenting and marketing them.”
What is your favourite Ulster Carpets’ product?
“Beaumont as it was the first patterned carpet my wife chose to go in our house! Also Grange because it is just a great product in terms of quality and value for money. We have it in the rest of the house!” Outside of work, what are your passions?
“Family, travel, rugby, food.” In your whole life, what makes you most proud?
“I think for most parents it will always be your kids. I have three great kids who all have completely different personalities.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Treat everyone you meet in the trade equally well, no matter what they do. You don’t know what they will be doing in 20 years time and will often remember how they were treated back then!”
We would like to thank Jeremy for taking the time to answer our questions. If you are interested in any Ulster Carpets products please contact 028 3833 4433.
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New collection and updates from Ulster Carpets The recently launched Boho Collection from Ulster Carpets is the epitome of style. The vintage inspired designs are an ode to all things retro, reworked to create contemporary, practical axminster for the 21st century home. Each of the five designs offer their own quirky personality, brought together by the soft pastel shades of the ‘heritage’ colour palette to create a unique and stunning collection. Choose between the playful leaf pattern of ‘Rhapsody’, the statement zigzag of ‘Tribe’ or the sophisticated houndstooth of ‘Chic’. The distinctive chevrons of ‘Hemingway’ add character to any stairway, while ‘Bloomsbury’ brings a little bit of the outdoors in with its beautiful seedhead design.
Made from hardwearing 80% wool 20% nylon mix, Boho Collection has been manufactured to last as long as the iconic designs which inspired it. As you would expect from an Ulster carpet, this combination ensures a luxurious feel which is suitable for heavy domestic wear. All colourways are available in 4m, 3m, 2m and 1m colour-matching widths enabling a reduction in waste and cost by using Ulster’s multi-width offering. Boho Collection is designed to
co-ordinate with Heritage Twist plains, enabling the customer to create a seamless interior scheme. Ulster add three new ranges to the best-selling Open Spaces Collection Since its launch, Ulster Carpets’ Open Spaces Collection has been a best-seller, popular with interior designers and homeowners alike. Ulster are pleased to announce the addition of three new ranges to this loop pile collection; the beautiful Monaco, Panama and Capri. From soft furnishings to paint charts, the trend for greys and muted neutral tones is everywhere and these new ranges are Ulster’s floor covering answer. The tonal, high-low loop of Monaco, creates a subtle yet cosmopolitan stripe effect, while the co-ordinating plains of Panama allow for a flowing interior scheme. The “of the moment” colour palette of smoky greys and soft neutral tones also complement the fashionable stripe of Capri - a range sure to make a style statement. Organic background colourways are brought to life by a multi tonal stripe; choose from charcoal greys, fresh greens, dusty pinks, cool blues and shimmering silvers reminiscent of the glamorous Italian island which inspired them. This 100% wool collection will not only add a contemporary feel to any home, but it boasts the warmth, luxury and durability customers have come to expect from an Ulster Carpet. Monaco, Panama and Capri, fit perfectly with the existing Open Spaces Collection, creating a comprehensive loop pile range.
Top Left: Ulster Open Spaces Capri Parma. Top Right: Ulster Boho Collection Bloomsbury Summer Breeze. Bottom: Ulster Boho Collection Hemingway Apple Blossom. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 37
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Another first from Sealy... the ergonomic Profile range No turn. No rotate. No wonder it was the star of the Bed Show! Renowned for developing innovative and technologically advanced mattresses and divans, the latest new beds launched by Sealy at the NBF Show at Telford at the end of September certainly lived up to expectations. As everyone expects from the masters of the science of sleep, a dramatic and groundbreaking new range has now been added to the Sealy UK stable which could radically change the industry... Profile beds. Profile beds are a specialist range and there are two in the collection - Contour Support and Contour Reflexion. Ergonomic in concept, the Contour mattress is based on various anthropometric studies which detail and ‘profile’ the proportions of the human anatomy. It sounds complex and highbrow, but in essence, this is all about the study of the human body and its movement. Directional and variable zoning along its length from head to toe means the mattress doesn’t have to be turned, any way, ever, and the mattress pays special attention to offering exactly the right kind of support to shoulders and hips, which are the key pressure points that cause tossing and turning at night. In addition, and the key to the whole concept, there is an area of increased lumbar support to ensure the spine is kept at exactly the right alignment throughout the night. It is this key area of lumbar support which makes this new and special bed so different. When you lie down on a Profile bed, you can actually feel the slightly convex zone which sits laterally across the mattress and is just perfect for supporting the
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spine, whether you are lying on your side or your back, so this bed is a boon to anyone who feels the need for more support as they lie in bed, or indeed anyone who occasionally or permanently suffers from back problems, or wishes to prevent one from deteriorating. Testers who have already trialled this new bed are ecstatic at the benefits they have gotten from it right from their very first night’s sleep.
Once again, Sealy have come up trumps and are leading from the front with a new concept in sleep technology. Well, what else would you expect from the company whose mission is to make everyone a Sealy Deeper Sleeper. For further information please contact your local representative or telephone Sealy direct on 016973 20342.
The Contour Reflexion model is a medium support mattress and the Contour Support has a slightly firmer feel to it so everything has been done to offer the widest type of comfort options. With their high loft, micro quilted panels, these new beds also feature Adaptive technology. Adaptive is a ‘dynamic response’ textile that reacts to temperature and moisture. Hydro-functional polymers change shape, boosting evaporation and helping to maintain a constant temperature for the sleeper, even through the sheets. With this new textile technology included in Sealy’s renowned Smart Fibres which are in the material covering the mattress, and are endorsed by Allergy UK, even the most fussy of sleepers will revel in the comfort and support of this new style of bed.
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Alternative presents Quirky B starring British designers Margo Selby and Ashley Hicks... Alternative Flooring has created Quirky B; a new broadloom patterned carpet collection in collaboration with designers Margo Selby and Ashley Hicks, as well as developing more designer Quirky patterns in-house. To celebrate this new collection Alternative has created its first designer carpet brochure. Margo Selby is a woven textile designer who creates colourful handcrafted fabrics. Her first ever carpet and runner designs for Alternative Flooring are Fair Isle and Shuttle. Both are beautifully crafted in Margo Selby’s trademark 3-dimensional style and feature her distinctive graphic patterns in earthy and vibrant colour mixes. The innovative designs are developed on handlooms by Margo in her studio and then woven into broadloom carpets.
Margot Selby
Shuttle - Jack
Fair Isle is a pattern carpet and punchy runner with signature Margo Selby motifs repeated in rows. The three colourways are named after female weavers. Shuttle is a carpet in a rhythmic crisscross design named after the Shuttle, the tool that carries the thread across the loom weft yarn while weaving. The colourways are named after male weavers. “The Margo Selby for Alternative Flooring collection is inspired by a collection of deflected double weave hand-woven cloths that I have been developing on my hand loom in the studio. I am excited with my first flooring collaboration and see both carpet and colour coming back into fashion. I am proud to be part of a booming craft scene in the UK. Making on a hand loom was an integral part of the design process for my first carpets, the designs were originally produced as soft silk and wool fabrics and have been blown up and re-coloured to make them suitable for flooring. ’” commented Margo Selby. International interior and furniture designer Ashley Hicks has designed two distinct patterned carpets for Alternative Flooring called Chainmail and Daisy, each with three timeless colour combinations. These are original carpets set to become modern classics. Chainmail is a handsome geometric created in an original new guise with a palette named after different kinds of chain links whilst Daisy is a vintage
Fair Isle - Reiko
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Chainmail - Venetian
Join the growing ‘alternative’ community...
b
Daisy - Gerbera
Ashley Hicks
tile-like floral with repeated rows of large and small flowers in shades recalling different varieties of Daisies. Ashley states “I’m thrilled to present these new carpet designs. I love Alternative’s fresh, no-nonsense approach – so different from the usual designer carpet world. I love pattern, and especially on the floor as it gives instant character and vitality to a space, as well as usefully hiding marks (as a father, I know about that!).” Alternative’s Quirky B Following the success of Alternative’s patterned Quirky runners, Quirky B has now been developed in five fabulous broadloom designs Spotty, Geo and Zebo, Zip and Honeycomb. Quirky B carpets are available in 3.66m wide axminster and the Margo Selby runners in 69cm widths. The composition is luxurious yet hardwearing 80% Wool and 20% Nylon with a woven jute backing. Lorna Haigh, the head of marketing at Alternative Flooring says, “as our lives become busier, we all need the power of quiet. In large rooms hard floors are noisy and cold. Carpet exudes comfort and brings joy to the home.” Quirky B is not just stylish but practical. Patterns don’t show marks while wool is both soft and strong. Little wonder the whole nation is warming to the cool comfort of wool carpet and the joy of pattern that makes our floors sing!
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Keep it simply natural with Axminster Carpets Open your door to a stunning new home this autumn, as Axminster Carpets releases eleven beautiful new colours to its Simply Natural collection. Just launched the new colourways will join the ever popular Simply Natural and Rustic Weave collection, which now features 47 shades and textures. Including cool ashes, clay greys and dusty eggshells, the new range of colours have been inspired by the current interiors trends towards greys. Designed with contemporary living in mind the collection adds luxurious texture to any home.
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All Simply Natural carpets are manufactured from 100% pure new wool and use 6-ply yarn and Cable-Tec™ technology which is unique to Axminster Carpets.
For more information on the new Simply Natural colours and price information, please visit www.axminster-carpets. co.uk or telephone Axminster Carpets on 01297 630647.
The high quality pile is soft and warm under foot while offering the benefit of extra heavy domestic classification, making it particularly durable in hallways and stairs where there is most traffic. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 43
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Edel Telenzo... Style And Quality Assured Edel Telenzo are well known for their high quality in products and service as well as distinctive products. With a focus on wool loops they introduced two new luxurious New Zealand wool carpets this year and further extended the Tube Collection, adding three fashionable colours. Bloomsbury and Harrow The array of garden squares in Bloomsbury formed the inspiration for a beautiful textured loop in 100% 3-ply New Zealand wool, showing a subtle checkered pattern. Bloomsbury is one of the most luxuriously thick carpets by Edel Telenzo. Harrow is the tip sheared version of Bloomsbury. Tip shearing the highest of the loops has resulted in a subtle stripe and gives Harrow a velvet look and feel. Bloomsbury and Harrow are available in the same colour palette, consisting of six elegant and contemporary neutrals, perfect for any sophisticated interior. Tube Collection: Circle Line and Docklands Some exciting additions to the highly popular Tube Collection: the multi-coloured Docklands, striped Circle Line and plain Centre Point. Available in fashionable colours and all made to match. Docklands is the first extension to the Tube Collection. Three different colours
Bloomsbury Ash
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are used to create the 3-ply yarn, resulting in a beautifully flecked design. Adding a modern twist to this timeless Brussels loop, Docklands is available in three colourways, made to match with the striped Circle Line and plain Centre Point. Circle Line is a fine stripe, created by alternating the plain Centre Point yarn with the multi-coloured Docklands yarn. Seven colourways have been designed, including four contemporary neutrals and three fashionable combinations using the colours Willow, Mustard and Sky. Centre Point is the plain, high quality fine loop. Either on its own or combined with one of the multi-coloured carpets, Centre Point is a great carpet for any room or office, giving it a natural, yet contemporary look. Quality assured Edel Telenzo take pride in offering high quality and service. Extensive warranties and guarantees are standard for all carpets. Warranties include all carpets being guaranteed against carpet pilling, pile reversal/shading and moths. For extra stain protection, all wool carpets
Harrow Dust
are treated with Scotchgard™. Ceneva backing is standard on all Edel Telenzo carpets, making the carpets 100% SBR-free, odourless, less flammable and providing a large reduction in VOC emissions. From September 1st, Edel Telenzo now offer UK stockholding and delivery, thereby reducing delivery times significantly. Edel Telenzo are now able to deliver two days a week to all main conurbations; delivery to outlying regions takes between three-five days. According to Phil Hartley, CEO Edel Telenzo UK, this is a positive strategic step for the company, allowing Edel Telenzo to be amongst the most competitive in terms of delivery in the UK, further enhancing the high service level already provided. For more information on Edel Telenzo or if you are interested in opening an account please contact 01422 374417.
Docklands Canary Wharf
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Centre Point Mustard combined with Circle Line Mansion House
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Ryalux relaunch Ultimate Twist Ryalux are pleased to announce the relaunch of Ultimate Twist their flagship 2 ply twist range in a new 104 standard colour palette and the addition of mothproofing and stain protection treatments Made from the finest 2 ply New Zealand wool, Ultimate Twist now features a new 104 standard colour palette, which has been designed by the Ryalux in house design team, headed by Gaelle Merlin.
There is no minimum order quantity (surcharge applies to orders under 10m2), and Ultimate Twist is available in any width up to 7 metres, enabling a beautifully smooth and seamless finish.
Gaelle comments “We are very excited about the new Ultimate Twist colour palette, as with such a large number of colours, we can offer real colour choice, as well as being able to include a lot of variety within the more popular colour groups of beige, greige, taupe and grey. New Zealand wools whiteness and purity provides the perfect canvas for colour, and has allowed us to show subtle yet important differences between similar colours, which would not be possible using other wools”.
Ultimate Twist also features two new protection treatments;
In addition to Ultimate Twist’s new standard colour palette, it continues to be available in any colour using our special dye colour matching service. Whether you choose from the standard colour palette, or use the special dye colour matching service, the price you pay for the carpet is exactly the same.
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Ryaprotect® premium moth proofing treatment, which protects against moths and other wool eating insects. This is backed by the Ryaprotect® warranty.
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Ryaguard® premium stain protection, which protects against spillages and soiling.
Ultimate Twist continues to be available in 4 qualities, 36oz, 42oz, 50oz and 65oz. In addition to Ultimate Twist, these new colours can be supplied in any of the Ultimate qualities (which include Velvet, Saxony, and Shag Pile qualities).
Ultimate Twist’s new colour palette will be initially launched through A4 shadecards and the Ultimate swatch book. For more information please contact your local representative or Ryalux on 0161 762 3030.
All Ultimate qualities will now benefit from mothproofing and stain protection treatments. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 47
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k
Oa White Planed
Limed Oak
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Cool Stone
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A New Chapter for Vusta Design Flooring With a brand overhaul, reinvented collections and a new look-book catalogue, 2015 will see an exciting refresh for Vusta flooring. Renowned for their quality range of Woodpecker wooden flooring, Kenton Floors introduced Vusta in 2010 as an affordable alternative to real wood. The brand was soon established as a leading supplier of luxury vinyl planks and tiles (LVT), popular for their authentic designs and affordability. Vusta offers all the beauty of natural wood and stone, enhanced by embossed textures and bevelled edges, making it hard to differentiate from the real thing. Plus the floors are extremely practical, finished with a durable PU coating which is waterproof, slip resistant and easy to clean. Exclusive to the range is Vitesse, a collection of tiles which are installed loose-lay, over an underlay and held firmly in place using unique magnetic technology. And all Vusta floors can be customised with a choice of Design Strips to create the effect of grouting, decking or a completely bespoke piece.
For over 20 years Kenton Floors has been driven by the strapline ‘we make buying floors easy’ and the same is endorsed by everyone and everything that makes Vusta what it is today. Benefit from a system that is designed to attract customers and process sales as smoothly as possible with all of the following:
New Additions
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Free sampling service
Several new designs will join the Vusta collections in 2015. Here’s what to look out for...
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Standard delivery within 48 hours
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A 25 year residential warranty for complete peace of mind
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Smoked Oak, Limed Oak and White Planed are all new to Vitesse. With cool tones and accents of grey, these floors make an ideal base for the industrial colour schemes that are so on-trend in home design.
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A range of complementary tools and accessories
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Expert technical support
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An on-trend brand refresh
Welsh Slate and Penrhyn Slate are two of four new additions to the popular range of Vusta tiles. Both are distinctly characterful and embossed in finish for an authentic, statement look.
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A wider choice of floors
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A new look-book catalogue and website, both complete with interior design tips and inspiration
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Choice of slimmer and brighter POS displays
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So what’s coming? Vusta has built a solid reputation on its specification and is recognised for its affordability. Yet the brand is only nipping at the edges of its potential. The refresh will guide Vusta into a new era that is trend-led, to position the flooring as a stylish, current and desirable choice of luxury vinyl. Across literature, digital, POS and all other marketing content, Vusta will
Vusta for You and Your Customers
be communicated with contemporary design flourish, simplicity and tactile experiences. The range will emerge as eight unique collections of flooring, defined by similarities in design and tone. And the brand will become a hub for interior decorating inspiration, presented in the new look-book style catalogue and across the new website.
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All tiles will be available in both Vusta (2.5mm x 305mm x 305mm) and Vitesse (3mm x 457mm x 457mm) for a greater variety and more installation options. A thinner range of 3mm Skinny Design Strips will be introduced, ideal for creating more subtle definition between planks or tiles.
Plus NEW for 2015...
Get a Sneak Peek For a glimpse of what’s to come in 2015, together with a list of prices, order our Vusta Preview Brochure by emailing info@kentonfloors.co.uk or calling 02920 888223.
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NOW
FREE AND EXCLUSIVE FOR SMG MEMBERS
Online initiative exclusive to SMG Members! SMG Members can get even more added value to their membership package if they take advantage of the online flooring website which is now exclusively available to SMG Members and is FREE of charge! The pioneers behind the site, Richard and Jamie Price, are independent retailers and SMG Members so they knew exactly how to design the website to meet the Members’ needs. Mike Symonds comments “The retail environment has changed and we don’t think that we can ‘cage’ the internet; technology is a part of our daily lives and we want to try and embrace it. In order to do this effectively we wanted a partner who was committed to traditional retailing too. With three stores QCD are proving that a combined ‘clicks and bricks’ approach can work successfully.” The SMG team has worked closely with Richard and Jamie over the past year or so and have learnt a lot from their experience since the scheme’s inception. They believe QCD has customers who use the internet in two distinct ways. Type 1 These are people who use the internet to simply find a carpet store, often new customers who don’t know where to
shop locally and don’t realise that smaller independents offer low prices and guaranteed service. Many will, by default end up in ‘Carpetright’. Type 2 The old fashioned ‘price comparers’ who would have previously phoned every carpet shop in town playing shops off against one another to get the lowest price. The internet now simply makes this quicker and easier to get comparable quotes, but in most cases internet companies do not offer a fully fitted service. The QCD website is structured to reflect these differences and offers Type 2 customers a supply only service with keen pricing. Type 1 customers are serviced with a partner store postcode finder, with partner stores now exclusively on offer to SMG Members. Mike continues “This new initiative is designed to bring fantastic value from the internet straight into our Members’ stores from the two types of consumer. The value in Type 2 customers is a
delivery fee and commission plus the opportunity to charge for fitting, underlay and accessories. Type 1 customers are looking for a complete service and are 100% aware that this will cost more. The postcode search puts them in contact with an SMG Member who can provide this service and make a traditional margin.” SMG is keen to point out that this is an optional scheme. Mike adds “We fully understand that some Members will not want to participate in this scheme but wanted to provide an option to the growing number of Members who are interested in taking new opportunities. Those Members that are Partnering with QCD are already receiving leads and enquiries from the website. Many are treating this scheme as they would insurance work, which has interested me greatly. Also having no subscription fee and being exclusive to Members of SMG is a huge advantage!” If you have any questions or would like to sign up to Quality Carpets Direct please contact SMG on 0118 932 3832. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 51
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Harlequin - Bowie
Sloan
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Holborn
Cascade
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Asiatic... Making rugs for over 50 years! Asiatic Carpets is a world leader in fashion rugs, renowned for design and innovation, supplying major retailers in the UK and across the globe. Their success and growth are a reflection of their commitment to customer relationships, innovation in product and design, and a constant drive to deliver quality products at competitive prices. Asiatic was founded in 1960 by Soli Kelaty and for over 50 years has been a trusted name in the flooring industry. Today Asiatic is still owned and run by the Kelaty family and is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers, importers and distributors of quality rugs from around the world. Asiatic are proud to remain a family owned company with a clear mission to be the best in the industry. They have grown organically over the years by consistently reinvesting profits back into the business. With the head office in Manor House, North London, and operating from two large warehouses Asiatic have over 25,000m2 of space dedicated to the stock holding and distribution of rugs. A team of experienced sales personnel are dedicated to supporting customers. Asiatic design and price rugs for all types of homes, with products that are
ethically sourced with care taken for the environment. Their priority is to meet customers needs and with their expertise, from creative concept through to product management inlcuding quality, ethical and technical assurance provides an unmatched level of service. Asiatic have some exciting new ranges available for the Autumn including Holborn which is available in 7 Colours. Sloan is another new addition - timeless aesthetic and simple geometrics sums up the Sloan flatweave. It is a hard-wearing and affordable rug and is an unmissable addition to any store. A new orange colour is available now, with mustard arriving in early November. Also the popular Plush Shaggy collection has been updated with four new colours. The unrivalled and best-selling Plush shaggy has the most luxuriously deep
pile of any shaggy rug in the market. The four new colours are Pearl, Zinc, Petrol and Green and are in stock now. Plus new designs in the UK’s best-selling tufted acrylic range, Harlequin, are now here! The 12 new designs are stunning, including the new retro Bowie design shown opposite. Finally, Asiatics latest polyester shaggy collection, Cascade is in stock now and rapidly becoming a customer favourite. In fact due to popular demand, they have expanded the size and colour range since the initial launch. Cascade has thick & long pile with a fabulous soft feel and comes in 15 contemporary tones. For further information please contact your local representative or telephone Asiatic directly on 020 8800 2000.
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A range of furniture providing sumptuous comfort with elegance and style. Offered in a range of stunning fabrics, complemented with solid timber feet. For more information please contact your representative or Buoyant Upholstery on 01282 691631.
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More retailers are on board with Carpet Recycling UK A record number of visitors to Carpet Recycling UK’s stand at the 2014 Harrogate Flooring Show – up 20% on last year – provided ‘tangible evidence’ that more retailers are recycling their carpet waste, saving them money and enhancing their environmental credentials. “Many of them told us that having sought our advice last year, they were now recycling their off-cuts with great success, it was saving them money and they were delighted with the service,” reported CRUK Director Laurance Bird. “We saw more than 100 retailers and flooring contractors.” Laurance continued: “Our fourth year at the show was our best yet and it was very heartening to get such positive feedback from retailers on how they were succeeding in their recycling efforts, which benefits both their businesses and the environment. “By recycling more and reducing their landfill costs, they are winning on all levels. There has been a huge turnaround in thinking compared to just six years ago and it shows that the flooring industry is embracing recycling its carpet waste in a big way.” Laurance highlighted Oxbridge Flooring’s success since it started recovering carpet fitting offcuts in 2013 following discussions stimulated by Abingdon Flooring, Cormar Carpets and Carpet Recycling UK. They invested in a compact powerful baler from Kenburn which fits neatly into their warehouse racking. Carpet offcuts segregated by fibre type into “wool blends” and “polypropylene” were baled and shipped out regularly as backloads on carpet deliveries.
Frank Harwood at Oxbridge reports that the baler has paid for itself within 15 months and that 45 tonnes of clean carpet offcuts have all been recycled into different types of carpet underlay and bedding felts. Savings from a 50% reduction in waste disposal skips will continue to grow as other materials such as cardboard and plastic wrapping films are recycled. “We are benefitting not only our business but also the environmental value of keeping materials in use longer. Our customers really appreciate our efforts,” said Frank. Laurance added: “Retailers are in an ideal position to collect off-cuts for recycling, keeping a useful raw material in circulation in line with Circular Economy principles. It’s also an opportunity to improve their environmental credentials and, in turn, provide an enhanced service to their customers, which as eco-conscious consumers, they are increasingly demanding.” Over the three days, the CRUK team shared details of new recycling outlets with enquirers, offering greater recycling options for retailers. These included James Robinson Fibres, Tees Valley Recycling, and reuse member Midland Carpet Tiles, as well as wider coverage for established CRUK reuse member Greenstream. Anglo Recycling’s closed loop take back service and the underlay products they are producing from the collected material also generated much interest. CRUK’s seminar on ‘Carpets – resources for the Circular Economy’ presented by CRUK’s Jane Gardner and Louise Abbott of CRUK member and leading contractor Designer Contracts attracted around 35 retailers, recyclers, and
manufacturers keen to hear more about greater opportunities for sustainably recycling carpet waste that can enhance their businesses. Louise outlined their success with Anglo Recycling in recovering fibres from 250 tonnes of off-cuts per year that are turned into new underlay products. Each year in the UK, there are 15,000 tonnes of off-cuts arising from more than 4,000 retailers, but collecting these small volumes cost-effectively from multiple sites is an on-going challenge. Laurance concluded: “We have come a long way since 2008, but there’s still much we can do. We would like to thank our existing supporters and those we hope will join us as we strive towards our new target of diverting 60% carpet waste from landfill by 2020. Together we can do it!” CRUK, the industry’s association for recycling and reusing carpet, welcomes enquiries from all types of organisations interested in recycling waste carpet. Please contact 0161 440 8325 or visit www.carpetrecyclinguk.com.
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Pillows people are fighting for... Sealy’s new 2014 pillow and mattress enhancer range is turning into a runaway success and the ideal upselling opportunity for all bed retailers. It drew a huge amount of interest at the NBF Bed Show in Telford where buyers were fascinated by the high tech models in the range and the eyecatching display units. Did you know that 10% of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead house dust mites and their droppings? Something perhaps you could drop into conversation with your customers as a little incentive as you lead them toward the pillow display! A Sealy’s Cooltech Gel Pillow is the most innovative and popular of this new range. The cool, refreshing and rejuvenating gel layer, encased in a mesh interliner cover, absorbs and dissipates heat via thermal conductivity which helps the head stay cool for longer, thus ensuring you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer in comfort. This pillow is perfect if you suffer from overheating in bed. A Other pillows in the range include the latest version of a pocket spring pillow, the Pocket Springback. This new, refined version is now softer and even more comfortable and supportive, and features 28 tiny individual sprung pockets nestled in memory foam layers which aids air circulation and offers resilience and comfort all night. If you didn’t know it had springs inside it, we’d defy anyone to know.
A The Optimal Latex Pillow is highly responsive, moulding to the contours of the head and neck for gentle neck support. Latex provides effective pressure relief and springs back into shape instantly, supporting the sleeper when they move position. The key point with this pillow is that is encased in Thermex™ to help maintain ambient head temperature.
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Complementing this new range of pillowtastic bedding, Sealy has also launched a range of Mattress Enhancers in different depths which will give older, or perhaps a spare bed, a new lease of life as well as supporting the body and alleviating pressure points, thereby allowing muscles to relax. All these superb Sealy Enhancers are encased in Thermex™ and have a space mesh interliner to help maintain ambient body temperature, as well as a zonal ventilated memory foam core centre to distribute weight more equally and alleviate pressure points. So if you want to encourage your customers to join the ranks of Sealy Deeper Sleepers, in addition to their new Sealy bed, why not offer them some brand new, revolutionary pillows and an enhancer for the spare room... then their whole bedroom experience will be totally Sealyliffic.
A To match the phenomenal success of Sealy’s new Hybrid beds, there is now a range of complementary Geltex pillows. This supplies added support and breathability via an ovalised Geltex insert in the centre which provides cooling properties as well. The addition of Fibre™Fil means 1,000 nights of resilience and support and a three year guarantee
For further information please contact your local representative or telephone Sealy direct on 016973 20342.
A The set of Spinal Support pillows comes in 3 different sizes to suit small to large frames, so it’s easy for someone to find exactly the right one for them. These superior pillows are specifically designed with a cellular support centre which increases air circulation and ensures the neck and spine are maintained in a straighter, more neutral position for real comfort. A Finally, the Zonal Support pillows are compact and dense, specially designed with a tubular foam insert at the base of the pillow for gentle neck support and engineered to maintain their shape perfectly.
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FOUNDATION FOCUS CARPET FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO DRIVE FOOTFALL The Carpet Foundation continues to demonstrate the benefits of its digital initiative as it seeks to drive footfall into retailers. In the period 1st July to the 30th September, one retailer received 68 potential leads from The Carpet Foundation, while a further nine received up to 25 potential enquiries. In September alone, the most ‘fortunate’ Carpet Foundation retail member received 25 possible leads. These figures are individuals who have clicked on a retailer’s site direct from the Carpet Foundation website. While acknowledging that there is no guarantee that these will all turn into sales, Chief Executive Andrew Stanbridge is happy at the interest being shown by consumers: “These will not be time wasters. Much as we would love to think consumers trawl carpet websites for pleasure, the reality is that carpet is not on the radar for people unless they are actively in the market. I know not all will turn into ‘sales’ but by the law of averages, you have to assume that our retail members are getting orders as a direct result.” He continues ”We will continue to give our retail members every assistance with their websites so that they become a real benefit to their business. We provide a ‘health check’ on their individual site and share our knowledge and advice on how they can improve their online presence. It is a slow burn, but we are getting there and the feedback from members is positive and they are very grateful for the help.”
“In September alone, the most ‘fortunate’ Carpet Foundation retail member received 25 possible leads!” begins for so many consumers. Around 83% of adults in the UK are now online – and the biggest growth has been among the older generation. That is very pertinent for SMG Members. The ‘grey pound’ are traditionally ‘carpet devotees’, so to read that they are now trawling the internet amplifies the need, in our opinion, to have a good online presence.” “Mobile devices continue to dominate as the number of adults using tablets has almost doubled – those aged 35-64 has doubled, while use by 65-74s has trebled.”
Carpets in the Media... The Red Carpet Awards returned in August and 72 journalists, including Katrina Burroughs from The Sunday Times packed into Claridge’s – and as a direct result Katrina wrote a piece on flooring in her column on the opening day of the Harrogate Flooring Show. The December issue of Real Homes, has a buyer’s guide to carpet while Grand Designs has a flooring feature in their January issue, – so there is plenty of exposure for carpet in the busy run up to Christmas.
“I know that carpets and the internet is a subject that makes the hairs stand up on the back of many people’s necks! It is foolhardy, however, to ignore the internet in today’s world. SMG Members should have an online presence that supports their bricks and mortar shop. It is a shop window, open 24 hours, 7 days a week.” Finally Andrew adds ”The internet is where, today, the purchase process
Rupert Anton with Carolyn Bailey, Good Housekeeping homes editor, winner of 2014 Best Carpet Feature. SMG News | Autumn 2014 | 65
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MEMBER FOCUS EACH issue SMG puts a member in the spotlight to learn more about their business and their views about the industry. SMG travelled to Redditch in Worcestershire this October to meet with Windsor Carpets, Members since 1999, who are going from strength to strength. Next year it will be 30 years since Windsor Carpets established itself in Brockhill Works just off the Windsor Road in Redditch. Paul Howles was a self employed carpet fitter working for several local independent retailers and department stores and took the bold step to set up on his own and the rest, as they say, is history! Paul’s son David was 18 months old at the time but is now heavily involved in the business with his younger brother Philip. “I joined the family business 13 years ago and completed around two years of my carpet fitting apprenticeship before a vacancy became available in the showroom which I took”. Paul has obviously instilled the importance of having a good understanding of the different elements within the business to both of his sons - these are after all what have made it successful for him. David admits “Philip is a better fitter than me, he completed the full three years of his apprenticeship and is more hands on than me - in the busy lead up to Christmas we’ll rely on Philip joining the fitting team which gives us great flexibility.” Windsor Carpets still occupies their original premises although have expanded into adjoining units and are now around eight
times the size they were in 1985. This expansion has been a natural evolution of the business and is reflected in their sales figures, “We seemed to plateau and the last four years have been steady, the business has been in good health but growth has been difficult. Last year however, was the best trading year in our history; a big increase in sales and profit which is fantastic. This year has been a lot more positive as well.” To manage this growth there is a fairly large team at Windsor Carpets, with five members of staff working in the showroom including David and Philip and a team of four full time employed fitters. They also sub-contract three further fitters; a laminate, Karndean and safety flooring and contract specialist. Whilst walking around the well organised showroom one thing that stands out is the way in which the pricing is shown. On each lectern, wall unit and tombola a neatly printed list of product prices is displayed which includes fitting, underlay, door bars and grippers. This approach was started by Paul and certainly helps to put the customer at ease “We think that displaying our prices this way encourages our customers to look around the showroom and see what is in their budget. Also it’s probably why we haven’t needed to have a ‘sale’ in 30 years - we believe in offering good, fair prices... everyday!” David adds “ We are very rarely asked for a breakdown of the prices, the customer is
happy that it is within their budget and they know what is included, so they are happy.” This attention to detail is continued into areas of the business which customers don’t even get to see! For example all deliveries are check measured and cut to plan in the warehouse two to three days before fitting by Tim, the warehouse manager. This pre-cut carpet is then taped together, labelled with the customers name and placed in the warehouse bay for the day of the week it is being fitted. On the day of installation the fitter simply takes the jobs from the bay in the corresponding day. This again is something Paul implemented - David, Phillip and the team have just slightly adapted the process along the way to improve efficiency. It is perhaps these elements that have protected Windsor Carpets against the internet cost comparers as they don’t come up against them at all. “Once in a blue moon we’ll get someone that has been on the internet and is trying to haggle on price. On the whole, people who buy from us know that they are getting fair prices for the quality and level of service they receive” commented David. SMG put the usual questions to the team at Windsor Carpets and here’s what they said: What do you feel is the independent retailer’s strength? “I would definitely say the flexibility - national stores don’t have the ability to react. Ultimately ‘people buy from people’ and meeting us face to face and seeing the care and attention we give them is something the nationals cannot compete with. Also our customers know they will be dealing with the same people, whether it’s my Dad, Philip, myself or other long standing members of staff.” SMG has a strong policy of supporting British Manufacturers, is this something you support? “In the past it hasn’t been a huge thing for us but in the last couple of years it has been driven by customers. Quite often they’ll want to buy Kidderminster manufactured carpet not just British! I think being so close to Kidderminster has that effect with many people having known someone who has worked at a carpet manufacturer over the years and they feel like they are supporting them. Currently I think that if they were given the option they’d choose British even if it cost a little more.”
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Philip, Paul and David Howles at Windsor Carpets.
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Member: WINDSOR CARPETS joined smg: JUNE 1999 LOCATION: REDDITCH, Worcestershire
Cormar Sensation is currently the top selling product at Windsor Carpets.
New Victoria units have been installed recently and are attracting customers.
What are the most common questions from customers? “The most common question over the last couple of years is ‘What’s better? Wool or man made?’ We’d consider ourselves as a traditional carpet retailer and would like to be selling more wool products, however with the cleaning properties and price points of man made it is becoming more and more difficult to sell the benefits of wool - especially younger people.
What is your top selling product at the moment? “Sensation from Cormar by a golden mile! The Heathers product slightly edges the Plain; the range has been unbelievable so much so that we stock it in around 12 colours. The new iSense is generating interest and Victoria have a great selling product First Impressions.”
I understand that it is not always possible for a manufacturer to change this due to schedules of deliveries etc. however if there was a way of prioritising this it would certainly help to improve our relationship with our customer and we would inevitably support a supplier more if it could be achieved.”
What has changed most during your time in the industry?
We have a responsibilty to listen to our customers’ needs and don’t want to lose one because they weren’t happy with the product or price. For example many customers don’t want anything to last 20 to 30 years and are subscribers to our ‘throwaway society’ coupled with having children and pets, man made products are more suitable. What’s more we don’t get many, if any, problems with wear issues or complaints from customers buying man made, which speaks for itself. This is reflected in our stock position - ten years ago we would predominantly stock wool ranges, whereas now 80% of our roll stock is man made.”
“Definitely the expectation of the customer! When we’re not working we’re all customers ourselves and I think society demands more for their pound nowadays - I know I do. Our customers are more informed and demanding on what they expect, they are more savvy.”
Having been an SMG Member for nearly 15 years what advice would you offer to retailers who are not members of a group? “For minimal cost, time and effort and most importantly no requirement for you to change your business there are huge benefits to be had in both prices, rebate schemes and business support. In fact there are very few drawbacks and loads of benefits when you stop and think about it - I suppose it wouldn’t be advice it would be a question... Why wouldn’t you?”
What is the key market challenge? “To stand out from the competition! There are so many others with similar business and trying to make our business look better than the others is key. With several ‘Man in a Van’ operations around it could be easy to slip into a price war and the challenge is to maintain the prices and sell the benefits of the quality service rather than just dropping the price.”
If you could ask suppliers to change one thing, what would it be? “The biggest thing that would help our business would be the speed and efficiency of the delivery of replacements for faulty carpet. This doesn’t apply to all suppliers, Cormar and Abingdon for example, are not so much of a problem as their delivery is two to three days for us and we can normally meet our original fitting date then. Sometimes it’s easy for the manufacturer to forget what an inconvenience it is for ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ - They have cleared the room, booked a day off work and then they’ve got to wait another 5-7 days, sometimes more. It can really upset a customer and it is difficult to pacify.
DO THE BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVices benEfit yoUr business? “Yes, we’ve bought a few vehicles on the Ford deal and that alone has saved the business a few thousand pounds and we are planning to take advantage of this again in March. As a business we like to think we negotiate well for prices and deals but the Ford discount code was incredible. In fact we have always used Volkswagen vehicles for the business but the deal from SMG with Ford is so good we’ve now converted nearly all of them back to Ford.”
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