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CONTENTS SMG News | AUTUMN 2015 | ISSUE 180
NEWS 6
BEWARE OF CYBER THREATS
13 WCFG UPDATE 14 NEW FROM PENTHOUSE 19 NVQ SUCCESS AT AXMINSTER
REGULARS 11 AT THE SHARP END Conway Morgan from Penthouse Carpets
34 QUESTION TIME Steve Richards, January Furniture Show
66 MEMBER FOCUS KSH Carpet & Flooring, Worcestershire
FEATURES 17 BUSINESS INSIGHT 21 VICTORIA TRAINING DAY 29 ADAM LAUNCH PURE BRIT! 43 NEWS FROM WESTEX
ON THE COVER Brockway Carpets Beachcomer
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Cormar Carpets Home Counties - Silver Cloud
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SMG News | AUTUMN 2015
Dear Members, of our new Members it is the access to products that Orderlink provides and the savings that can be made over wholesale prices.
A
nother year is drawing to a close and from the information we are receiving it looks like we are very much on the road to recovery, there is a lot of positivity. The volume flooring business is still showing continuing growth and we are also beginning to see strong results in the sales of high-end products too. Positivity continues with the SMG Membership; I am delighted to say that we have an incredible nine new members since the last SMG News. The stronger relationships that we have with our Approved Suppliers have made our Member offer incredibly strong and possibly the biggest ‘no brainer’ in the industry. Often retailers value Membership of SMG against the return from rebates and this is still valid but for a number
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A number of our new members approached us at the Flooring Show in Harrogate which was another success with attendance growing by 9% on 2014. The quality of the suppliers attending the show was higher again and the quality of the stands was amazing. Another Show that we are getting excited about is the January Furniture Show at the NEC. We have an interview with Sales Director, Steve Richards in the centre pages that gives us a background to how they have reinvigorated this leading event. As some of you will know SMG has been involved in bringing flooring back to the Show and we have been supported by over 20 leading suppliers in this venture to create a 500m2 Flooring Showcase. As you would expect there will be a SMG VIP package for those of you who attend and we look forward to seeing you there. At the end of August we held a member event with Victoria Carpets in Kidderminster and my thanks go to Sales Director, Jonathan Stone for a very successful and productive event. All attending members commented positively about the investment of their time and their
increased product knowledge. Training is often overlooked as a form of investment and this is ironic when you consider that the most important element in your business is you and your approach to the people who walk through your door. Customer service is a key element of this and I would point you to page 17 where Richard Renouf is simplifying the new Consumer Rights Act. Richard has over 20 years experience in this field, most recently with Carpetright, and SMG hope to tap further into his skills in the near future. SMG is also keen to develop sales training and I would be very interested to hear from any Member who would be interested in working more closely with SMG on this, visit www.smg-group.co.uk/ training to register your interest. I hope that the rest of the year brings you continued positivity and success.
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 Protect your business against cyber threats The internet is an exciting place, full of information, products and services which the vast majority of us use without issue. But, as we know, there are criminals who take advantage of the anonymity of the online world to deceive, hack and steal if the opportunity arises. The good news is by following the easy precautions highlighted on the Cyber Streetwise website, it will significantly improve your chances of avoiding internet scams and enjoy being online. Most businesses now use some sort of computer device which is most likely linked to a network. Having appropriate IT policies and procedures for your business will make it less vulnerable to attacks and more likely to comply with the Data Protection Act.
on good basic cyber security practice. By focusing on basic cyber hygiene, your company will be better protected from the most common cyber threats. Cyber Essentials is for all organisations, of all sizes, and in all sectors - and it is encouraged that all adopt the requirements as appropriate to their business. What’s more Cyber Essentials is mandatory for central government contracts which involve handling personal information and providing certain ICT products and services.
For example the new Cyber Essentials scheme is Government backed and industry supported to guide businesses in protecting themselves against cyber threats. It has been developed as part of the UK’s National Cyber Security Programme and in close consultation with industry.
Cyber Essentials documents are FREE to download and you can use the guidance to implement essential security controls, but you may want to gain independent assurance that you’ve fully deployed the controls. Members that have been successfully independently assessed or tested through the scheme’s assurance framework will attain a Cyber Essentials certification badge. This will help you demonstrate to customers, partners or clients that your company takes cyber security seriously - boosting reputations and providing a competitive selling point.
The Cyber Essentials scheme provides businesses small and large with clarity
For more information and advice please visit www.cyberstreetwise.com.
KINGSTOWN LAUNCH DIRECT HOME DELIVERY As the UK’s leading manufacturer of ready assembled furniture, Kingstown are proud to now offer a responsive Dedicated Home Delivery service. Part of this service is having a fleet of 22 vehicles that ensure their furniture is delivered to store or to the customer’s home address in a timely and efficient manner. It comes complete with an online tracking service for customers to monitor their furniture plus trained and uniformed staff will deliver the furniture to the customer’s room of choice and remove the packaging and assemble the furniture. Kingstown prides itself on this service and this year they have seen many more customers taking up the option to better
service their own customers and have the furniture delivered to their home. Sterling Furniture recently signed up for direct home delivery and Manager Stuart Brown commented “We were approached by Kingstown to implement this and thought it was a great concept and is definitely the way forward for us retailers. We have seen a reduction in damage, costs and handling time.” The new Kingstown website has a section on DHD and is updated weekly to show the up-to-date lead times. Register your details by visiting www.kingstown.co.uk and enter the retailer login to find the DHD section along with other customer support areas.
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ADAM CARPETS FEATURE IN ‘FLOORING STORE OF THE FUTURE’ Adam Carpets recently took part in the new display showroom at the Flooring Show in Harrogate. ‘The Flooring Store of the Future Consumer’ was put together by influential interior design bloggers Scarlet Opus at the request of the shows organisers. The idea was to create an environment for the future to make shopping for flooring more enjoyable and profitable. Eamonn Prescott, Sales Director at Adam Carpets comments “We were delighted to be the only carpet manufacturer represented in the store. Scarlet Opus liked our innovative approach to the retail market in terms of POS and colour choices. They particularly liked our Mood Boards and we supplied a stand for their showroom. We also completed two more boards incorporating fabrics and paints. The feedback was amazing and we sold out of stands once again at the show.” If you would like more details about the mood boards please contact your local representative or Adam Carpets on 01562 822247.
The mood boards are enormously popular.
Chief Executive appointed at Wilton Carpets and Alternative Flooring James MacAdam Sprint has been appointed as the Chief Executive of two highly successful flooring companies; Wilton Carpets and Alternative Flooring, both based in Southern England. James was formerly the Managing Director at Bute Fabrics in Scotland.
The Wilton Carpet factory designs and manufactures carpets for the Hospitality industry and major venues in the UK, Europe and North America.
flooring products that innovate with texture, pattern and colour.
James MacAdam Sprint comments ‘I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role where I will work with terrific The Company, which employs 105 staff, people who have achieved superb results enjoys strong demand as a result of its over the years. Wilton and Alternative creative design team and high levels Flooring are two companies that have a of customer service. Products include very well established reputation for axminster, wilton and tufted carpets manufactured at the historic site in Wilton eye-catching design, high quality carpets and predictable customer service near Salisbury, Wiltshire. The company is behaviours. The timing could not be proud to continue a 250-year tradition better as Wilton announce a substantial of carpet manufacturing in Britain and seven-figure investment programme to has recently announced major new future proof the business with state of investments in its machine base. the art machinery. My wife and I are really Alternative Flooring is a pioneering brand looking forward to relocating into the with a passion for floors and a desire to local area.’ be different. It is the UK’s most creative supplier of wool and natural fibre flooring products to high street retailers and leading interior designers. Working from its Andover base, this award-winning company designs and markets an exciting range of carpet and natural SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 7
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NEWS UPDATE Ulster Carpets begin building on new Dyehouse & Energy Centre The Chairman of Ulster Carpets, Edward Wilson officially launched the building process of the company’s new Dyehouse & Energy Centre in September by overseeing the breaking of ground for its foundations. Edward Wilson commented “This is the first phase of a major re-generation of all our Operation Facilities in Portadown. I am delighted to take the first step of this very exciting period of the company’s ongoing development.” Ulster Carpets is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading supplier of Axminster and Wilton carpets, to both residential and commercial markets. This investment programme and regeneration scheme signifies yet another considerable commitment to continued Northern Ireland manufacturing as the company grows and progresses. Ulster Carpets have seen sustained demand for their product around the world and also expansion into new export markets. To keep up with this demand, Ulster recently boosted its permanent employment level underpinning its commitment to the local community. Once the new Dyehouse and Energy Centre is completed, the Company will benefit from new state-of–the-art dyeing
From Left to right: Peter McGuckin - Architect (RMI), Robert Mackey - MSM, Edward Wilson - Ulster Carpets Chairman, Norman Wilson - Ulster Carpets Dyehouse Project Team, Raymond McKeown - Ulster Carpets Dyehouse Project Team, Billy McCombe - Site Foreman MSM, Colin Hyndes - Ulster Carpets Dyehouse Project Team.
technology improving capacity by over 20% as well as increasing the efficiency of the whole process providing faster response times and maximising control. With its dedicated steam production plant and advanced heat recovery system, the centre will be able to match supply to demand leading to a significant reduction in the environmental impact of the process, in line with Ulster’s ambitious environmental goals.
The building, which is due for completion at the end of 2016 has been designed and constructed by local businesses; this is a deliberate strategy by Ulster Carpets, supported by Invest NI, to continue to invest in Northern Ireland’s economy and to support local jobs.
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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’.
This issue it’s Conway Morgan from Penthouse Carpets turn to be put in the spotlight. Conway first entered the carpet industry in 1986 working at Crown Carpets in St Austell and furthered his knowledge working at New Way Carpets and Cameron Lee Carpets, in 2013 Conway joined the Penthouse Carpets team.
How did you get into the trade? “I was talking to a carpet representative who was staying at my mother-in-law’s guest house. He sparked my interest in the industry and when a job came up at the local carpet shop, I applied and became an estimator.” What have you seen change the most in the last five years? “People’s expectations have changed. In the days when you can order many things online and receive your purchase the next day, customers are starting to demand a quicker service from retailers e.g. estimating, quoting, delivery or fitting of their carpets. Penthouse now offers a far quicker delivery service than before. There also seems to be more short term purchasing with customers looking to replace their carpets more frequently.” As a representative what are your biggest challenges? “With the large numbers of manufacturers in the market, many retailers struggle to find space to display all the ranges available. This means we have to come up with new and innovative ways of promoting our products in prime locations within the store. It is also important that we support the retailers’ “customer journey” by making the sales process from ordering to delivery as simple as possible for them.” What’s your favourite product? “My favourite product is our most recent range called Cumbrian as it has all of the
most fashionable colour trends, especially greys which are big at the moment. My best seller is our Seasons roll stock range in an 80/20 mix, which is a 40oz carpet available in six popular colours and is exceptional value for money.” WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE KEY FACTOR IN DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL ACCOUNT? “Having a great relationship with my customers is definitely a key contributor. I have put a lot of effort into getting to know my customers and making sure I keep my promises. This gives customer’s confidence in the service I provide which in turn promotes Penthouse. Making regular visits helps build trust and advocacy for our brand and our products. I have seen great growth in the shops where they are happy to promote our ranges.” What do you see as the key market challenge for retailers at the moment? “The growth of online retailers is an issue but has many limitations. The online service may be useful for those people not necessarily concerned about the final look of the product. However, I believe that with the surge in home design programs, many people are more concerned about the finished design and so want to know the true colour or feel before making a considered purchase. For those customers there is no substitute for visiting a retailer and gaining from their knowledge and experience.”
If you could ask retailers to change one thing what would it be? “Go for wool products over man made as much as possible. Wool carpets have so much to offer and now come in a huge array of colours; our collections offer a broad colour bank, and prices that cater for all budgets. Get to know the customer coming in and understand what the customer really wants. This isn’t always synthetic. Try to sell up for greater profit margins – down selling is not always the way to hold on to a sale.” Outside of work, what are your interests? “I am an Advanced Open Water diver and try and dive at least once a year. I am a bit of a wuss though and like the warm water, so usually opt for the Red Sea. I have dived with Whale Sharks in Mexico and recently dived with Sharks and Manta Rays in Australia.” If you didn’t work in this industry what would you be doing now? “I have always enjoyed speaking to people and getting to know them. I’m sure I would be in some kind of customer facing role, most likely still in retail.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “An old bit of advice but always very true... Treat people the way you expect them to treat you and listen to what they are saying, not just hear them speaking!”
Established over forty years ago, Penthouse Carpets are renowned for manufacturing luxurious wool-rich, twist-pile, tufted carpets. Based in Rochdale in the North West of England, they have close working partnerships with a small number of UK based spinners, securing the highest quality standard of British yarn which is used to produce their sumptuous carpets. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 11
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NEWS UPDATE Axminster Carpets leads the way at show Luxury carpet manufacturer Axminster Carpets, which dates back to 1755, turned heads by employing the latest technology for its stand at The Harrogate Flooring Show in September. The Devon-based company, the holder of a prestigious Royal Warrant, showcased its industry-leading online carpet selector and app at The Flooring Show, Harrogate, and challenged retailers to view the CGI room sets on an Oculus Rift virtual reality device. Hilary Clements, Marketing Manager for Axminster Carpets, said: “We had one of the busiest stands at the show because everyone wanted to experience what we had to offer! The stockists who tried the headset and experienced the 3D virtual reality rooms were very excited by our technology and the benefits it will bring for customers.” Axminster Carpets’ innovative online carpet selector and app is designed to inspire customers and enable them to choose between carpet swatches. Both the app and microsite show virtual images of different types of rooms; from a farmhouse dining room to a loft-style
Cutting edge carpets: Ian Philps of retailer Gillies views Axminster Carpets’ stunning CGI room sets on an Oculus Rift virtual reality device. Watching is Ian McDermid, Northern Sales Director, for Axminster Carpets.
living area. Users can instantly change the design of the carpet by clicking on the swatches. Customers can also switch between different wall colours, allowing them to imagine what the carpet would look like in their own homes.
by stockists were design concepts for Axminster Carpets’ Tartan range and luxury edgings.
Commercial Director Josh Dutfield said: “Axminster Carpets is world-renowned as a company which is steeped in a rich history. However, we are also extremely The busy Axminster Carpets’ stand was housed in the Campaign for Wool’s trends mindful that we live in a digital age and that our customers are used to having centre at the show. Also well received lots of freedom when researching their perfect interior.” “So we thought it was really important to offer our customers something different when it comes to choosing their next carpet and are very proud that we are the only such manufacturer in the UK to be providing this level of functionality.” The Axminster app and concept software was developed by Colchester-based ThinkBDW. The app is available on the App Store and the online carpet selector can be accessed via www.axminster-carpets.co.uk. For more information please contact your Axminster Carpets account manager or telephone Axminster directly on 01297 33533.
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WOOL CARPET FOCUS GROUP UPDATE This issue Martin Curtis, Chairman of the newly formed Wool Carpet Focus Group, gives us an update on what has been achieved so far and what’s to come! “Now the dust has settled and the Flooring Show in Harrogate has been packed away for another year I thought it would be a good time to reflect on what has happened in the few short months that the Wool Carpet Focus Group has been in existence. The Wool Carpet Focus Groups’ Mission Statement is quite simply to promote wool as a carpet fibre. The WCFG is open to all carpet manufacturers and other organisations involved in the marketing of wool and wool rich carpets, rugs and floor coverings. There is more in the constitution but it is not necessary to reproduce it here; the above describes our most pertinent objectives and the notes below can be reviewed bearing in mind what our objectives are. The vast majority of carpet manufacturers in the UK are now involved with or are members of the WCFG. The Campaign for Wool, Wools of New Zealand, the British Wool Marketing Board, Viking Wool from Norway and Real Shetland Wool have all pledged support for our organisation going forward. To date, individual members and wool marketing bodies have voluntarily provided financial support, donated special items such as the “It’s cool to buy wool #naturally” carpets for the entrances to the Flooring Show, the bottles of WOW, the designer carrier bags, the point of sale display cards, the Science of Wool leaflets, Pink Sunglasses, and more. We have developed a brand new website, which is still under development but it’s up and running www.woolcarpetsnaturally.org. I think it is fair to say that the Flooring Show in Harrogate went very well from a wool perspective. The ‘Wool Volcano’ was a real talking point and you couldn’t walk 10 feet without seeing a pair of pink sunglasses. At the post show meeting on the Tuesday morning of the show it was agreed that the WCFG had served
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a useful purpose and that there was a desire for it to continue and evolve into a significantly influential organisation working on behalf of wool carpet and rug manufacturers.
Looking forward to 2016, Wools of New Zealand have offered WCFG representation on their stand at the Domotex Carpet and Flooring Show in Hanover in January. This is a great move for The WCFG to showcase the imagery and message to the visitors to Domotex.”
We were told that the Science of Wool leaflets had been really well received; easy to read and understand bullet points If you’re interested in supporting the Wool Carpet Focus Group visit explaining why wool is best #naturally. www.woolcarpetsnaturally.org or Also, as lots of ideas are brought out in contact SMG on 0118 932 3832. meetings, small working parties have been established to investigate and develop special projects further.
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NEWS UPDATE Penthouse launches exciting new shades British manufacturer Penthouse Carpets is delighted to introduce new contemporary colours to two of its most popular premium carpet ranges - with a little help from its customers. Extensive market research was carried out in consultation with a cross section of retailers, resulting in eight new stunning contemporary shades for its long established 40oz and 50oz, 2 ply Pentwist collection. The ever popular 36oz and 42oz Carlton range was also given a revamp with four new on-trend heather shades. “This should broaden the appeal of these tried and trusted traditional carpets, to the more fashion conscious consumer”, says Jonathan Gamble sales & marketing director. Penthouse managing director, Alex Dyson, said the move is part of the company’s continuing programme of product development:
better to know the customer than the “Pentwist has been a flagship Penthouse people dealing with end users, day in and range since the 1970s; though it has been day out?” refined over the years, through improved “We are confident that these new manufacturing techniques.” Pentwist and Carlton shades will be “Naturally, as well as enhancing well received by the market; particularly production methods, we constantly as both ranges are of superior quality, monitor trends in interiors and anticipate yet have mid-range price points, and market demands. And we talk to our of course are backed by the traditional retailers about what they want; who Penthouse support and service.”
“Availability of the new shades has been timed to coincide with the autumn peak selling season.” Point of sale material is available from Penthouse free of charge and Members should contact either their Penthouse representative or telephone the sales team on 01706 341231, alternatively email sales@penthousecarpets.co.uk.
SMG partners with UK Fuels As many of you will have seen in the latest eNews issue, SMG are pleased to have partnered with UK Fuels. UK Fuels has the largest selection of fuel cards available in the UK and will work with Members to fully understand their fleet needs and offer the best advice on making the right choice for their business. Whether the priority is network coverage, competitive pricing or price stability, UK Fuels has the right fuel card. Their unique proposition in the market means their advice
to Members will always be independent and impartial. Benefits of UK Fuels include: A 6,500+ UK fuel stations A Weekly fixed price A HMRC approved VAT invoicing Plus, included with every account is their account management tool and e-route journey planner. For more information please contact UK Fuels on 01202 339199.
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WE HAVE A WINNER! The recent Flooring Show at Harrogate was a definite win for visitors and suppliers alike with a real buzz around the halls again... Official figures released show that numbers were up 9%. On the Sunday night the show organisers held a comedy night, designed not only for show goers to relax and have a few laughs but also to raise money for charity. To that end Ball & Young generously donated a giant Charleston the bear for the raffle. When the winners were drawn it was the representative from Cormar another approved supplier - who had the
lucky ticket. First thing Monday morning he was quick to stop at the stand to collect Charlestone and SMG were there to catch the moment when Ann Shaw, Sales Director at Ball & Young presented the bear!
Lano leads the way at The Flooring Show Lano Carpets again enjoyed a hectic Harrogate as retailers from across the country visited its stand at The Flooring Show in Harrogate to see some brand new innovations and concepts. With the launch of The Taste of Luxury concept that features SmartStrand and SmartStrand Silk qualities, the increasing profile of the super soft and stain-resistant Eccelena yarn, the hugely popular Easy Care collection, and a successful rug promotion, Lano’s stand was as busy as ever. Encapsulating the aspiration and desire of luxury lifestyle brands, the Taste of Luxury is the new concept in top-end carpet retailing from Lano Carpets. Bringing together SmartStrand, SmartStrand Silk, wool, bamboo and polyamide collections, the new concept redefines the manufacturer’s premium carpet, presenting a sophisticated new look that is destined to attract aspirational buyers.
“We’ve reworked our luxury carpet collection to be more reflective of current and predicted buying trends,” comments Birger Karlsson, UK and Ireland Sales Director. “Where once wool dominated the premium sector, a new generation of buyers are seeing the benefits of alternatives, particularly with the growing desire for super-soft faux-silk qualities, of which A Taste of Luxury features many.” The growing number of qualities made from Eccelena polyprop yarn also proved a highlight of the show for Lano. With inherent stain resistance and a soft touch, as well as excellent appearance retention this latest fibre innovation joins the super-soft trend in residential carpet. “This year’s Flooring Show has once again proved to be a success for us,” adds Birger. “Our Taste of Luxury collection is one of the biggest launches of the year and the show was the first opportunity to reveal our display concepts. We received excellent feedback to these more style-savvy units that make more of presentation but loose none of the ‘easy to touch’ quality that’s so important for carpet purchases.” “These new introductions ensure that we have carpet ranges that respond to the latest trends, chiefly the huge demand for super soft carpets that lose nothing in performance and resilience. With
Eccelena we have a value-orientated solution, while our SmartStrand and Smartstrand Silk qualities promise a super soft feel with 25-year warranty and the use of bio-based content,” concludes Birger. Whatever the look and whatever the affordability, Lano Carpets used The Flooring Show to prove to retailers that it has a style that ticks all the right boxes. For further information please contact your local representative or contact Lano Carpets on 00800 5266 5266. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 15
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BUSINESS INSIGHT IN A NEW REGULAR FEATURE RICHARD RENOUF WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT BUSINESS ISSUES TO HELP MEMBERS STAY UP TO DATE!
“ABS is so common in cars these days most people have forgotten what the acronym stands for - anti-lock braking system - few understand what it does and fewer still have actually had to use it. But it’s saved thousands of lives by improving the ability to steer a car safely under heavy braking. You would be a fool and probably a dead one, if your driving style relied on ABS to keep you safe. So it is with consumer law. We know it’s there for emergencies, but we hope we never have to rely on it when we’re dealing with any of our customers. After all, frequent customer disputes are damaging to the reputation of a business and word gets round so quickly these days. It’s easy, therefore, to miss the way consumer rights – and responsibilities – have changed. We don’t usually need to know but, as customers become more informed due to the strong messages put out by consumer campaigners on the internet, we may face increasing demands that we may be unsure about. The latest piece of consumer legislation, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, came into force on 1st October
but has already caused a stir across the retail sector and for some SMG Members. The Sale of Goods Act, which had been the bedrock since 1979, has now been amended so many times that even the legislation.gov.uk’s editorial team hasn’t been able to catch up more than six months after the latest changes. So where do we, and our customers, now stand? There are still some familiar requirements: all the goods we sell must conform to the sample and any descriptions we apply to them either in point of sale materials or verbally, they must be fit for their purpose (including any specific purpose the customer tells us they intend to use them for), and they must be of satisfactory quality.
New, and important for furniture and floorcoverings retailers, is that delivery must be within 30 days unless you have agreed a longer time when the order was placed. If the goods are faulty when they’re delivered the customer has 30 days in which to reject them and have a refund. After that they have the right to a repair or replacement, but if that is unsatisfactory they regain the right to reject the goods. So you have one chance to put things right! After six months their rights may be reduced to take into account the use they’ve had of the goods. In practice, most customers are reasonable and will understand if things go wrong as long as you’re quick to deal with any issues and put things right. But be aware that some customers may seek to use these new rights to their advantage. I’ve posted more details about the new legislation on my website (www.richard-renouf.com) including a helpful flowchart you can use to quickly assess a customer complaint. If you have any questions or face a difficult customer I’d be pleased to hear from you, please contact me on 07583 600805 or email me on richard@richard-renouf.com.”
Richard has worked in floorcoverings and furniture retail for more than thirty years. His experience includes independent family businesses and a major national retail chain. In 1992 Richard established the Qualitas Conciliation Service (now the Furniture Ombudsman) to help resolve disputes about furniture and floorcoverings and is now working as an independent consultant and is a consultant member of the Contract Flooring Association. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 17
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NEWS UPDATE MORE MEMBERS ARE SAVING WITH ANNEX SOLUTIONS More Members are reaping the rewards of their membership. In June Warren from Action Carpets in Folkestone contacted SMG head office “When we last met you reminded me of the other services available through my membership.” “I called Warren Duckett at Annex Solutions and in approximately 5 minutes he has transferred our gas supply and if we use the same amount as last year we will save upwards of £1340 this year coming... Impressive! Thanks SMG!” It’s another happy Member who has used the service. Annex Solutions can provide all SMG Members with a free independent and comprehensive service to ensure that they reduce their
overheads. If you decide to switch suppliers the dedicated customer service team will take care of the entire process for you, saving you time and ensuring that the transfer process is seamless. Having used the service and saved money at SMG head office we can certainly confirm that it is a simple process!
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NEWS FROM KINGSTOWN After a successful first half of the year promoting Dalby, Signature, Ocean and Azure the Kingstown show van hit the road again this August visiting customers with the new painted bedroom range. Sophie has been designed on a modern country look and feel and is a cosy range of furniture that combines elegant design with soft linen interiors. It offers both style and functionality with ample drawer storage and generous hanging space. The show van is fitted out with various products from the Sophie range, such as a three door centre mirror robe in skimming stone and a six drawer chest in sage. There is also a four drawer chest in white ensuring all three colour options are made available for viewing. These colour options are available with a metal cone knob with a painted oak effect cornice and top. If you would like Kingstown to bring Sophie to you then please contact your Dedicated Territory Manager who will be able to advise you on the show van movements.
Also, since the last issue of SMG News, Kingstown have welcomed Chris Shaw to the team of Dedicated Territory Managers. Chris will cover the Yorkshire and North East region and will manage a large portfolio of furniture retailers who currently have accounts with Kingstown. Chris will carry on the good work that
has already been done in the area and will support customers with marketing materials, product information, customer service queries and will also take the wheel of the show van. Chris excelled in creative arts whilst studying at college and university, where he graduated with a first class honours. Throughout his education Chris worked at a local department store gaining valuable experience and was awarded his own studio where he would make products and sell them himself. This gave Chris a valuable insight into how a product is sold and he is keen to take these skills into the ready assembled furniture market. Sean Frost-Palmer, Kingstown Sales Director has welcomed Chris to the team and commented “Chris has a fresh and creative outlook on life and will bring a new approach to the team along with a desire to succeed in sales.”
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NVQ Success at Axminster Carpets Widely recognised as weaving the finest carpets in the world and carpet supplier to the Royal Household, a number of Axminster Employees have been rewarded for their hard work by being awarded the City & Guilds / NVQ level 2 in Performing Manufacturing Operations.
encourage our colleagues to acquire new skills to share throughout the office. We are extremely proud of all our employees in completing the course”
Alison Parker HR Advisor never underestimates the importance of continually improving skills across the company.
The course, in partnership with Bridgewater College, focussed on developing practical skills to support all aspects of the individual’s organisational safety requirements through to practical examples of how they can check and test incoming materials.
“These qualifications come hot on the heels of a number of our project managers completing their Prince 2 qualifications in Project Management. Here at Axminster Carpets we continually
Enrolment was in early 2014 and took around 16 months to complete, with delegates having to submit a large portfolio of work as part of the overall assessment process.
The team being awarded with the NVQ.Back row: Barry Searle, Chris Barrett, Clive Rowe (Course Tutor from Bridgwater College), Chantel-Leigh Summers (Managing Director Axminster Carpets), Roy Burt, Peter Bowditch, Steve Marks, Mat Hunt, Alison Parker (HR Advisor) Front row: Rob Murdy, Dan Trivett, Ashley Collins, Andrew Heard - Absent from the photo due to holiday is Emma Tytherleigh.
Carpet Recycling UK leading the industry on sustainability Significant support from Carpet Recycling UK’s core funders has been crucial in the industry’s achievement of diverting rising volumes of waste carpet from landfill within the last decade. Last year’s 28% landfill diversion rate saw waste carpet given a ‘second life’ in various applications. Recognising the commitment and contribution from core funders and members, CRUK’s Director Laurance Bird thanked their financial supporters for ‘providing the vital impetus to the recycling and landfill diversion cause’. “Without their unstinting support, the industry would not be where it is today; that is keeping raw materials out of landfill and in the supply chain,” he says. “With their help, we have already surpassed our first major milestone of 25% diversion from landfill by 2015. So we and the environment have a lot to thank them for!”
Since joining CRUK, Cormar Carpets has focused on carpet waste streams from their manufacturing processes. “What we originally classified as waste can now be considered a valued raw material,” comments Robert Barker, Cormar’s Finance Director. “We’re seeing more value as the carpet waste market develops, due to CRUK’s active work; plus our customers’ businesses are now beginning to benefit too.” Laurance estimates their membership currently covers around 35% of the carpet supplied to the UK market, but so much more could be achieved with greater industry support and ‘the whole supply chain focusing on helping to avoid landfilling carpet and create value by recycling’. CRUK’s activities helped the UK carpet manufacturers to achieve zero waste to landfill in 2012. It’s a fantastic achievement that needs more support to maintain this momentum. Initial success with recycling their edge trims and offcuts prompted CRUK’s core funders to find outlets for clean manufacturing waste and achieve zero production waste. Aided by CRUK, they sought outlets for post-installation waste followed by post-consumer material.
Increasingly local authorities, contractors and retailers are able to find outlets for their carpets in reuse, recycling or energy recovery; and in many cases even saving money on disposal costs. Next steps, according to Laurance, are to encourage manufacturers to assist in recovery of clean installation offcuts using their logistics networks and to advise customers on opportunities for recycling offcuts, as well as old carpets. More work is needed to find higher-value outlets. Laurance adds: “Our work to date means we can now effectively offer the whole ‘circular’ package. Manufacturers are helping their customers with their clients’ waste carpet, while examining how their own products can be improved with sustainability in mind. With valued support from our core funders and members, we continue to do a great job but more support is critical. Will you join us?” Landfill diversion of carpets has increased from 2% to 28% in seven years; the ultimate goal set by CRUK is 60% landfill diversion by 2020. For more information, please call 0161 440 8325 or visit www. carpetrecyclinguk.com. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 19
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NEWS UPDATE The WoolSafe Academy is sought out from new shores The WoolSafe Organisation has been entrusted by The Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) to develop and deliver a comprehensive training course in wool carpet maintenance. IICT, based in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, right in the heart of India’s carpet belt, provides graduate courses in carpet manufacture, fibre and carpet technology and testing. Realising the importance of correct maintenance, the Institute wanted to provide its students with the best available knowledge on the subject and hence called in the services of The WoolSafe Academy to provide just that. The education and training branch of the internationally respected WoolSafe Organisation, The WoolSafe Academy has been proud to promote high quality wool carpet cleaning practice across the UK for some time; and with courses being extended to foreign shores such as the United States, Europe, Australia and now India, WoolSafe is living up to its reputation as a global service provider. Not simply offering technical literature and manuals but also giving expert advice on optimal wool care, WoolSafe is providing in-depth carpet and rug related professional training that is unrivalled in the sector. WoolSafe continues to promote the message that, when cared for properly,
wool is the most practical floor covering on the market and the most true to nature with its natural touch and feel as well as excellent ‘bouncebackability’. This message is well understood by India’s carpet producers who are keen to preserve wool’s positive characteristics with correct maintenance. IICT was impressed with the WoolSafe Academy’s online offering, and having secured funding from the Indian Ministry for Handicraft, a seven-day comprehensive training course was swiftly booked into the diary, and offered to their 25 best students as well as local businessmen, carpet manufacturers and suppliers. The course itself was a huge success, delivered by Dr Agnes Zsednai, WoolSafe MD, and Adam Jankowski, WoolSafe Certified Tutor; it covered all aspects of carpet maintenance from basic planning and soiling prevention through the principles of cleaning, to spot removal and different cleaning methods including low moisture cleaning, drying and decontamination. As Dr Agnes Zsednai explains, “We are extremely happy with the outcome of our visit and the impact the WoolSafe Academy has had on the region’s carpet industry. We are particularly grateful to our chemical partners
who generously assisted with the all-important practical demonstrations, without which this ground-breaking educational programme would not have made such an impression”. Whether providing guest speakers for a Rug Summit in the United States or teaching about choosing the right cleaning chemicals in Australia, The WoolSafe Organisation continues to demonstrate its impressive global reach, flying the flag for wool and its unparalleled credentials. With this added reach and therefore increased opportunities to network, WoolSafe is also building a list of contacts that it hopes will help licensees’ approved products break into exciting new markets. For further information please contact The WoolSafe Organisation on 01943 850 817 or email info@woolsafe.org.
WINNERS FOR 2015! Kingstown are delighted to have won the Interiors Monthly Award for Best Bedroom Manufacturer 2015! Kingstown Chairman Mike Sharp’s vision 39 years ago was to build a design led organisation that would pride itself on being at the forefront of innovation. Kingstown believe that vision to be as true now as it was then and are proud to accept this recent award voted for by readers of the industry magazine. Interiors Monthly are always proud to acknowledge the true achievers and
winners in this marketplace. As the awards are voted for by the readers it makes it even more special and a fantastic achievement for all at Kingstown to have won this award. Kingstown would like to thank Interiors Monthly and their readers and would like to assure everyone that they will continue to strive to be the UK’s leading manufacturer of ready assembled furniture. The new bedroom and lounge designs on display at The January Furniture Show next year will certainly put them in good stead!
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Victoria Training Day! In August SMG invited Members to attend a two day training event in partnership with Victoria Carpets. The event was held at the Carpet Museum in Kidderminster and Victoria Carpets’ head office and factory. The initiative is part of an ongoing development strategy with Victoria Carpets that SMG feel will benefit Members’ businesses now and in the future. Jonathan Stone, Sales and Marketing Director at Victoria Carpets, set the tone of the two day event in his opening introduction saying “I want this to be the most transparent and open meeting you’ve been to - I want it to be your meeting. If at any point something is not clear, not mentioned or you feel is wrong please challenge me - it’s the only way we can improve and understand. There’s nothing we won’t tell you!” The areas covered included; pricing policy and strategy, new unitary, current product update and new product development. But most importantly the two day event wasn’t just a showcase of Victoria Carpets, the Victoria team wanted to show Members how they can make more profit from supporting them and why they should. Naturally the day started with the obligatory history of the company that was handled succinctly by Jonathan. He mentioned the start of the business in Scotland in 1895 and subsequent
move down to Kidderminster in 1900. It was 1956 when they started making tufted carpets and seven years later in 1963 they were floated on the stock exchange. One point that Jonathan was keen to highlight is that Victoria Carpets’ biggest blessing and biggest hindrance is its name. “So many people confuse Victoria Carpets with Victoria PLC and it’s Victoria PLC which have recently made the acquisitions of Westex and Interfloor to name a few - Victoria Carpets are sister brands to these companies, essentially in exactly the same position, autonomously managed”.
It was also useful for Members to talk to the SMG team about future developments.
Perhaps the factory tour and technical showcase were the highlights. Members seemed to be amazed by what it took to make a carpet and the benefit of Victoria’s backing was certainly grasped by many. All agreed they had learned so much more than at any other event.
The Carpet Museum in Kidderminster.
“I think it started to sink in that they were on the cusp of a win/win opportunity. They had the chance to protect margins through our distribution plans, upsell through our product benefits and then obtain an exclusive SMG Member rebate for having done so!” adds Jonathan. Gary Miller, from The Floor Studio in Carnoustie commented “After this event I have far more knowledge and understanding as to the quality and advantages that you will get when purchasing a Victoria carpet and it will certainly be easier to explain to our customers all of these extra benefits that they get when investing in it.” SMG are hoping to hold more of these events across the country so please get in touch if you’re interested in attending. “After this event I have far more knowledge and understanding as to the quality and advantages that you will get when purchasing a Victoria carpet!”
The event was well supported by SMG Members. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 21
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Top selling ranges go from strength to strength Award winning Cormar Carpets showcased their latest ranges at Harrogate! Bouclé Neutrals, launched in June, is a wool rich loop pile carpet blended with 50% New Zealand wool and 50% polyester for a clean, bright effect and soft 100% wool like handle. It is available in three distinctive designs - texture, level and stripe and comes in six contemporary neutral shades. And with a retail price below £23 per square metre, it makes for exceptional value-for-money. David Cormack, marketing director at Cormar Carpets comments “Textured wool carpets are still a popular choice with homeowners and Bouclé Neutrals is an attractive product, at an affordable price. It’s ideal for price-conscious consumers who are looking for the durability of a wool carpet at a budget price.”
The popular Natural Berber Twist range, has recently had a refresh with five brand new flecked colours - increasing the total offering to a choice of 14 fashionable home furnishing shades. Made from 80% British Wool, 10% nylon and 10% tuftbond, Natural Berber Twist range is moth proofed and comes in two qualities – Elite (45oz per square yard) and Deluxe (55oz per square yard). “Wool twist has always been big business for Cormar and UK retailers in general, and with the economy appearing to have turned a corner, there has been an increase in demand for premium priced carpets. Natural Berber Twist has always been a great seller for Cormar and the relaunch sees an influx of more contemporary colours such as greys and stones” added David.
The Natural Berber Twist collection is the third British Wool range in the current Cormar portfolio and as one of the few carpet companies still manufacturing all of its products in the UK, retailers can be reassured that not only is the carpet British Wool but also British made.
All Cormar Carpets are produced on site at its Lancashire mills and distributed in the UK and Eire via its own delivery fleet. For further information on the Primo collection or any other Cormar Carpet range visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk.
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The latest news from Edel Telenzo Since the last issue of SMG News there has been a lot going on at Telenzo. Firstly Edel Telenzo are proud to introduce the newest addition to their product portfolio... Liberty. This fantastic new product is a striped loop pile with a unique construction, giving it a woven look. The three available colour ways are different and exciting. Using only the best 100% 3-ply wool, this quality product will make any family home staircase or hotel hallway a joy to look at. Looking for that stunning combination? Diversity is a two-tone loop pile in the same construction and coordinating colours; perfect to combine with Liberty!
A Bright Future On September 30, the Dutch private equity firm O2 Capital Partners acquired Edel International, including the UK business Edel Telenzo Carpets Ltd. This is an extremely positive development and with the help of O2 Capital Partners, Edel will be able to realise its ambitions to grow further, in line with the company’s ambitions and future strategy. So after almost 100 years, the De Lange family has officially relinquished ownership of the firm which was founded in 1918 by Mr K. de Lange in Genemuiden (Netherlands). Over this
period, the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Mr de Lange have built the company up, to become a financially sound and flourishing carpet producing company with a focus on mid and high end markets in Europe and in several additional markets around the world. The takeover has no negative consequences for employees. It encompasses all business units of Edel International, trading under the Edel Group and Edel Telenzo brands. The Management Team stays on, both in the Netherlands and the UK, and the company’s strategy that has been laid out over recent years will continue to be executed according to plan, now likely at an accelerated pace. O2 Capital Partners are a privately owned equity company with a focus on and experience in the various manufacturing industries in Europe. O2 Capital Partners contribute to sustainable value creation and solid business management. They make commitments for the long term and are not “exit-driven”. Phil Hartley, MD Edel Telenzo: “We are very pleased and positive with the take-over by O2 Capital Partners. They bring with them not only increased investment potential, but also extensive knowledge and experience in manufacturing businesses globally. This will help in our realising our ambitions to reach our full potential. As in the past, we remain committed to our customers and we aim to continue to deliver the highest quality products and service in the years ahead”.
Telenzo’s new range Liberty.
Telenzo’s new range Liberty. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 25
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Distinctly Victoria... Integrity, innovation, inspiration Victoria Carpets launch exciting new ranges, following their highly successful show at The Flooring Show. The show was the perfect platform to launch three new ranges; Victoria Twist, Debonair and Atlas Berber, as well as showcase four new colours in Victoria’s existing and highly successful First Impressions range plus increase awareness of the recently launched Aura collection. Headlining the new collections is Victoria Twist, beautifully crafted and ‘Distinctly Victoria’. A comprehensive range boasts 36 contemporary cool tones and warm shades, complemented with 6 elegant loop stripes. Victoria Twist colours are available in 40oz, 50oz and 60oz qualities, 80% wool, 20% polypropylene in 4m and 5m widths, augmented with co-ordinating 3 ply loop stripes available in 35oz, 100% wool in 4m width; a versatile range with many permutations. Other new wool mix collections showcased were Debonair, which has 20 sophisticated shades available in 45oz quality, 80% wool, 20% nylon - a 2 ply extremely hard wearing twist in 4m and 5m widths. Debonair represents the best priced, highest quality 2 ply tufted twist in the industry and Atlas Berber, a rugged carpet with a naturally distinguished appearance characterised from the subtle light and dark flecks of colour. Available in a very heavy chunky 50oz quality, 80% wool, 20% polypropylene 2ply twist in 4m and 5m widths. Extremely competitively priced, this rustic looking product stands out for all the right reasons. First Impressions was launched just over a year ago and the range has been a runaway success. Victoria have added four new pastel shades to their stunning soft touch collection of 16 attractive colours with lustre free finish providing a cosy feel to any interior. Victoria’s Aura collection, launched just before Harrogate, continues to be critically acclaimed for the exceptional and highest quality twist in any PP fibre, its bounce back-ability is simply not standard to any polypropylene fibre in the market today. Aura’s 20 ambient
Victoria Twist - Pecan and Victoria Stripe - Heart Throb
shades are ‘spot on’ for today’s design schemes, where customers are looking to inject a touch of their personality. The 50oz Aura has a distinctive super soft finish which looks like a hard twist with its dense high performance construction. The 2 ply yarn is highly durable, bleach cleanable and comes with a 10 year stain and wear warranty. All of Victoria’s new ranges have Victoria’s exclusive LOC-weave® backing providing additional confidence in performance, superior appearance retention and exceptional resilience, whilst retaining a softer and more comforting feel underfoot. Environmentally friendly, the backing has low VOC emissions, uses minimal energy in the manufacturing and finishing process and is effluent free. What’s more Victoria’s customers enjoy a lifetime warranty against shading, with exceptional tuft bind and tip definition. The superior bond strength of Victoria Carpets leads to an installation that looks better for longer. At Victoria’s head office in Kidderminster they welcomed apprentices Owen, Ben and Blake, to their Sales and Service team earlier this year. As part of an initiative to support their existing team and improve service to all their customers, the apprentices are completing a Business Administration Course, with a placement at Victoria.
Below is the Victoria Carpets sales and service team, from left: Owen Scott, June Hollingsworth, Laura Ensor, Daniel Jones, Judith Tilly, Ben Jones, Donna Ritson, Blake Killey, Nicola Birt.
Each apprentice has been coached and mentored by three of the Sales and Service team members, to ensure an effective integration into Victoria Carpets Limited. This was a very positive and pro-active move for Victoria investing in our people, as well as bringing new and different skills and abilities to boost the effectiveness of our service. As such they have been nominated for the Newcomer of the Year at the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Awards, for their positive recruitment and interview processes which were adapted to suit young apprenticeship candidates with little or no previous work experience. Victoria have been shortlisted for the final of the awards to be held on Thursday 12th November.
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Olsen Laminate from Kenton Floors Olsen is the practical and authentic, AC4-rated laminate without the premium price tag. Available in a wide variety of colours, the range is incredibly realistic with subtly textured finishes capturing the feel of natural timber. Olsen floors use quality PEFC wood and are supported by a high density fibreboard core (HDF) which provides superior stability and resilience throughout the laminate’s lifespan. Glueless ‘Clic’ joints allow for fast, efficient and glueless fitting and a scratch-resistant coating delivers outstanding protection year on year. SMG Members can take advantage of a superb promotion on Olsen throughout November – see your Monthly Update for details! www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk
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Adam Carpets Launch ‘Pure Brit!’ Adam Carpets launched ‘Pure Brit!’ at this years ‘The Flooring Show’ in Harrogate. ‘Pure Brit!’ is an 80/10/10 twist carpet made using undyed British Wool. This wool has been taken from British Sheep, bred by British Farmers, spun in the UK by British Spinners before being manufactured by a British Company in the heart of Britain, Kidderminster. Sales Director, Eamonn Prescott “This is a range that has two great selling points, the ‘Pure’ element that it is made with undyed wool, for a environmental message and the Brit! element, to celebrate the best of British carpet manufacturing.” This carpet also has an incredibly small carbon footprint and will only be sold within the UK. It is made using the finest yarns to ensure a high quality product that Adam Carpets customers are accustomed to.
Environmentally friendly, sustainable, fashionable and highly desirable are how Adam Carpets describe the range and marketing of the range began in August. At the recent Flooring Show in Harrogate Adam Carpets previewed their two latest mood boards. The new mood board POS was first shown in May at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show with four initial boards. These two new boards represent further investment by Adam Carpets in this unique concept. “It was always our intention to make this POS interactive and introduce seasonal updates when appropriate” added Eamonn. “The trends that we have put onto our ‘Free Spirit’ and ‘Brit Pop’ boards show the direction in which interiors are heading.” The mood boards are proving enormously popular as they once again sold out at The Flooring Show.
“We are increasingly seeing these boards used in window displays to attract passing trade from the high street.” “These boards actually represent outstanding value in raising the profile of your store to the world outside.” The two new boards are available for pre-order now and will be in the market place this Autumn. If you would like more details, please contact your local representative or Adam Carpets on 01562 822247.
The mood boards are proving enormously popular. Adam Carpets - Pure Brit!
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Rare Breeds and Beachcomber are pure luxury! There’s a rare, natural beauty to Brockway’s brand new ranges of pure undyed wool carpets. Brockway’s new Rare Breeds and Beachcomber collections are both made of 100% pure undyed new wool, in a beautiful velvet twist and loop pile respectively. These fabulous new ranges are uniquely characteristic of Brockway, which is setting out its stall as ‘the home of wool carpets’ with its signature wool-rich floor coverings. Rare Breeds is inspired by the exceptional qualities of Britain’s oldest and rarest breeds of hill sheep from which each carpet is made – Kerry Hill, Cotswold, Norfolk Horn, Soay, Manx, Moorit, Balwen, Jacobs, Black Welsh and Ryeland. The range uses 2 ply yarn from these unusual breeds and is made in a 50oz weight. This makes the carpet both soft to the touch and very hard wearing for all areas of the home. The ‘mottled’ effect of each colour complements all types of home furnishings, creating a look to aspire to. The chunky luxury of Beachcomber comes from the 4-ply yarn used and
is available in three very distinctive designs, from a ‘chunky’ level loop, a high and low loop to a rib effect. The limited but stylish colours perfectly complement a host of fashions. These contemporary carpets are naturally durable and versatile suiting every room of the house. They come in 4m and 5m widths, which means virtually any room size can be fitted without a join. Their introduction is an expansion to Brockway’s range of beautiful, undyed natural wool carpets.
introduce these other exceptional new ranges into our portfolio, which will complement Lakeland Herdwick so well.” Both Rare Breeds and Beachcomber also feature Brockway’s innovative, environmentally beneficial backing Envirobac. This lighter weight backing offers numerous advantages, being very flexible, super-strong and stable. It is energy-efficient, effluent and emission-free and can be recycled at the end of its useful life.
Brockway’s signature Lakeland Herdwick is the only textured loop pile carpet range to feature 100% Herdwick wool, one of Britain’s hardiest and rarest breed of hill sheep, which has been awarded protected status. Brockway’s sales director Shaun Lewis said: “Our original ‘rare breed’ range Lakeland Herdwick is very popular with people looking for a natural effect carpet. That’s why we’re very excited to
For further information please contact Brockway on 01562 828200 or visit www.brockway.co.uk.
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Question time STEVE RICHARDS EVENt DIRECTOR at THE JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW
The build up to The January Furniture Show is heating up and with more and more manufacturers exhibiting it has confirmed its position as the UK’s biggest and best furniture and furnishings event. Working with SMG, some of the biggest and best known names in the flooring business will also be exhibiting in the show’s first Flooring Showcase - a dedicated area in Hall 2. Visitors will be able to view an abundance of exhibitors eager to show them a huge selection of carpets, wood flooring, LVT, laminate, vinyl, rugs, underlay and accessories. Supporting the Flooring Showcase are manufacturers such as Abingdon Flooring, Associated Weavers, Axminster Carpets, Ball & Young, Brockway, Cavalier Carpets, Crown Floors, Edel Telenzo, Forbo Flooring, Furlong Flooring, Interfloor, Kenton Floors, Mastercraft Rugs, Think Rugs, Trinity Creations, Victoria Carpets, Westex and Whitestone Weavers. Mike Symonds, Head of Group Operations at SMG comments “The Flooring Showcase idea has been tremendously well received by a number of our approved suppliers and has more than doubled in size from the original concept.” “With over 500m2 of flooring on display, the Flooring Showcase suppliers will be attempting to reach out to all retailers; those who have a successful flooring department and those who are starting a flooring department, to offer greater customer choice. In terms of
presentation the bar will be raised very high by all of our suppliers at this important event.”
common sense that it’s the venue where most people in the UK can travel to in a couple of hours, by train or by car.”
The show, which runs over four days at the NEC has been organised by a team headed up by Steve Richards, Laraine Janes and Theresa Raymond we thought it would be interesting to find out more about the event from them.
How would you describe the values that made last year’s show, your first, so successful?
what drew you to taking on the January Furniture Show?
“The most extraordinary set of circumstances... you could say we were in the right place and right time when the previous NEC show organisers decided their show would be better off in London. We always knew the industry by and large thought NEC was the best venue for the industry’s National show, so when our phones lit up with people asking us to approach the NEC to take up the ‘slot’, we didn’t hesitate. For a small company like ours though it was an eye watering level of financial risk to be prepared to sign a potentially multimillion pound tenancy agreement !” Why do you think those manufactures and suppliers wanted a show in January at the NEC?
“It’s been proven over 25 years that the show is in the right time and place for the majority of suppliers and their retailers of course. Right in the key international buying period, alongside Cologne Furniture Fair. A show of this size and ambition needs the facilities and scale that The NEC can offer and it’s
“Understanding what the exhibitors needed, what the industry wanted, delivering first class service, making the buyers feel welcome and valued, the personal touch.” What were the biggest challenges last year and how did you overcome them?
“Initially a date clash with Cologne, then hall availability. By moving fast, being decisive and re-assuring people, creating a new floorplan and keeping things simple we managed to quell that confusion within weeks. A bigger issue was apathy and a reluctance to commit, given there was potentially another new show for them to think about with a huge marketing machine behind it trying to persuade them to move to London. This we ignored and concentrated on our belief in the fact that the NEC was the industry’s choice and our own strengths.” what should WE expect from THE Flooring Showcase?
“Thanks to SMG’s relationships, position of trust and knowledge we are assembling a first class line up of flooring suppliers, for those retailers not currently stocking floorcoverings it will offer a really convenient one stop ...continued SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 35
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shop for them - whilst they are coming to Birmingham anyway for their furniture buying. For retailers that already stock floorcoverings there is enough on show to warrant a visit, with the bonus being they can also take in the full range of furniture and accessories across the other halls.” Did many visitors in 2015 have an interest in flooring too?
“Almost 20% of the regular visitors to the show have an interest in flooring and there are 20,000 visitors expected in 2016.” How do you see the Flooring Showcase developing?
“With SMG’s help we see the showcase gaining more participants whilst retaining the modular nature of the Showcase stands – we don’t have ambitions to be another flooring show. However it’s a strong part of the mix and being concentrated into a showcase will help visitors navigate and focus on flooring in a way that’s not been possible before.” If you could give retailers one piece of advice, what would it be?
“Plan your visit, always have a ‘must see list’ but allow for distractions! The great thing about a trade show is you never know what you might find and it’s often those unexpected meetings or discoveries that make the show memorable. Also allow enough time;
The complete January Furnitue Show team.
five halls at the NEC is a lot of shoe leather, but well worth getting fit for!”
What are you and YOUR team’s career highlights?
How would you like to see the industry change in the future?
“For all of us - this has to be it! Running the UK Furniture Industry’s biggest exhibitions as an independent organisation. Laraine and Theresa would probably say re-launching the Manchester Furniture Show back in 1997 against all the odds. It is still the show they feel most emotional about!”
“I think it’s great the way it is. Yes, it could be more professional here and there. There is a tendency to describe it as a ‘cottage industry’ as if that’s a bad thing, but if it means it still has a family feel, that people never leave but move around and knowledge is passed down through generations rather than placed in the hands of data analysts, then I will take that any day.”
What’s the best piece of advice you AND your team HAS ever been given?
“For me ‘the devil is always in the detail’ that would get a touché from Laraine and Theresa, it is something they are passionate about and very good at!”
We would like to thank Steve, Laraine and Theresa and The January Furniture Show team for taking the time to answer our questions. If you are interested in The January Furniture Show please contact 020 8387 1270 alternatively visit www.januaryfurnitureshow.com to register your place.
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Alternative Flooring announce new collaborator... Alternative Flooring is delighted to announce Ben Pentreath as its new carpet collaborator, adding great British pattern to the Quirky B collection. Ben is one of the UK’s leading interior and architectural designers. He is a great exponent of English style. From his two design studios in the heart of London’s Bloomsbury, Ben works on a huge variety of buildings, ranging from large-scale urban master plans to large and small individual private houses. For example his architectural practice has worked on projects from new housing developments for The Prince of Wales to private houses in the UK, Ireland and the United States. He is renowned for his fresh approach to classical and traditional design and injects a strong use of colour and pattern into his interiors. Pentreath & Hall, which Ben co-founded with Artist and Maker Bridie Hall, is one of the liveliest and most written about small shops in London. For Pentreath & Hall, Ben and Bridie have designed furniture, ranges of wrapping paper and notebooks, and a series of needlepoint cushions for the charity Fine Cell Work. Ben comments “I was thrilled to be asked by Alternative Flooring to help design some new additions to their distinguished ‘Quirky B’ collection. Some time ago, we at Pentreath & Hall had designed a range of printed papers based on stone and marble flooring patterns by the prolific 18th century architect, Batty Langley. It was a delight to put these back where they belong, on the floor – but now re-worked in a range of vividly coloured patterns in the Alternative Flooring wools.” “The designs create complex three-dimensional patterns that trick the eye and play with space, in a way, which creates rich textures for the contemporary English interior. Rooted in tradition, I am always surprised how fresh and modern these classical designs can be, and it’s been a real honour to work with the talented people at Alternative Flooring to bring this collection to fruition.”
“The designs create complex three-dimensional patterns that trick the eye and play with space, in a way, which creates rich textures for the contemporary English interior.” The three designs are called ‘Cube’, ‘Tetra’ and ‘Lattice.’ The twelve colourways are named after Georgian architects and fuse country-house with contemporary quirky. • Talman, Vanburgh and Leoni: orange, plum and teal. • Hawksmoor, Hooke and Adam: grey, moss and teal. • Kent, Archer and Flitcroft: grey and olive with mustard. • Webb, Gibbs and Campbell: grey, stone and chalk. Quirky B carpets are woven on traditional axminster looms in Britain and are available in a 3.66m width. The composition is 80% Wool and 20% Nylon.
embraces a creative spirit and head of creative, Lorna Haigh, is delighted to have Ben Pentreath on board. She comments “Alternative Flooring leads the way in the patterned carpet revival with Quirky B. Last year we worked with Ashley Hicks and Margo Selby and to have someone as influential as Ben Pentreath as our new collaborator is a masterstroke. It is really refreshing to work with British designers from different fields as they all bring a new perspective to our flooring.” For more information on these new ranges contact your local representative, Alternative Flooring directly on 01264 335111 or visit www.alternativeflooring.com.
Alternative Flooring has also been voted CoolBrand 2015/16, for the third year running! This award-winning brand
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Be Social and join the growing ‘alternative’ community...
b
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INTRODUCING... ALLURE FROM
MADE FROM iSENSE YARN in four qualities
For more information please contact your local representative or Mr Tomkinson direct on 01827 831450.
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Natural Loop installation by Tim B Cooksey Design.
What’s New from Westex? The new Approved Suppliers have some exciting news for the Autumn. In September Westex launched their newly refined, ‘Loop’ collection. Made from 100% pure new wool, this 3 fold natural loop carpet won’t pill or crush. Twenty contemporary colours are available in three distinguished qualities; Bouclé, Briar and Cable all in five colour matching widths. As with all Westex Carpets, the new loop range boasts stain resistant and anti-insect treating, giving you naturally fine carpets and peace of mind.
Natural Loop installation by Tim B Cooksey Design.
Also, Westex Carpets has now entered the digital age! Their website is now desktop and mobile friendly so customers and retailers are able to engage, browse and order samples with ease from their smartphones.
For further information please contact Westex Carpets on 01274 861334 or visit www.westexcarpets.co.uk. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 43
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Braeburn - Estuary
Harrogate Review... Plaids and Plains for Ulster It was another fabulous year for Ulster at Harrogate, with the contemporary stand and crisp photography providing the ultimate shop window for the new Ulster products. On display were the timeless additions to the Grange and York Wilton ranges, which sat alongside the modern classic plaid of Braeburn and the Scandinavian cool of the Open Spaces Collection. Visitors to the stand could also peruse the quirky Boho Collection, including the new ‘Hamilton’ plaid and discover how these marry with the existing Ulster wiltons to create a show stopping interior space. Please contact Ulster Carpets on 028 3833 4433 or your local representative for more information.
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Penthouse Carpets, Buckley Carpet Mill, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 9DU Telephone 01706 341231 | Email sales@penthousecarpets.co.uk | Web www. penthousecarpets.co.uk
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Interfloor drives growth through underlay applications Interfloor’s continued focus on six key underlay applications is helping drive their growth. Steve Woodhead, Interfloor’s marketing director explains, “There is growing demand in six key applications. The primary ones have always been comfort and durability, but we have also defined Underfloor Heating, Heat Insulation, Sound Insulation and Hard Flooring as being of significant interest. These applications are shaping both consumer and contract demand. Indeed the domestic market has become more sophisticated in the last two years as some consumers become much more aware of the attributes of underlay and of their own needs.” Consumers increasingly want outstanding levels of comfort, well above the standard levels of ‘luxury’ as defined by British Standard BS5808. A growing number of Tredaire underlays are up to 65% higher than the conventional standard for Luxury. These products include Sensation, Colours Red and their new 160kg PU Titanium. Together they offer unparalleled levels of underfoot comfort. Interfloor have seen a surge in demand for their premium PU underlays since they were re-launched in 2014 with brighter colours, stronger backing and packaging, and bolder branding – all at no extra cost. Premium durability applies to those underlays that offer 100% recovery from pressure indentations. Only crumb rubber underlays (with densities over 400 kg/m3) provide this and are ideal for dining rooms and staircases. Duralay System 10, Treadmore and Durafit are tried and tested solutions and are consistently popular in both residential and contract settings. Underfloor heating underlays enable heat to pass through the flooring
Duralay Silentfloor Gold.
Tredaire Sensation.
efficiently from below so tog values of less than 1.0 are required. Duralay pioneered this niche with its Heatflow range of low tog underlays from 0.3 to 0.8. Their Heatflow Carpet and Heatflow Wood and Laminate underlays continue to tap into this growing market. Heat insulation underlays reflect the growing interest in products that help to keep living rooms insulated and minimise heating bills. Some of the latest Tredaire PU underlays have tog values between 2.4 and 3.1; up to 50% better than the traditional products. The highest tog underlays include Dreamwalk, Sensation and Softwalk. Sound insulation underlays for carpets are useful in addressing noise reduction to combat noisy neighbours! Some Tredaire PU foam and sponge rubber products have decibel ratings of over 40. These include Colours Red, Dreamwalk and Sensation. Duralay was the first manufacturer to develop special noise reduction
underlays for wood and laminate floors. Offering up to 30% noise reduction these high density (700 kg/m3) sponge rubber underlays include Silentfloor Gold and Timbermate Excel. “These applications enable the retailer to build a range of underlays that will meet all the needs of their customers. Our territory managers can advise on which products to stock and the most advantageous price points. We know that retailers cannot stock every possible product, so we’ve been investing in our own stockholding to ensure better service through the peak period of the year. We’ve invested over £3m in improving our manufacturing and logistics capabilities across both sites in Haslingden and Dumfries.” “The investment has been designed to address both the seasonal demand surge in September to December and our planned growth in the UK and international markets” added Steve Woodhead. For further information please contact Interfloor on 01706 213 131 or visit www.interfloor.com.
Duralay Treadmore. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 49
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A busy September! Brintons kept themselves extremely busy in September working with renowned industry and design exhibitions to showcase the benefits of their beautiful carpets. First up was Maison & Objet in Paris where Brintons displayed a collaboration with famous designer Cristian Zuzunaga plus their own Inspirations carpet collection. Anna Plumb, European Sales Manager for Brintons, comments “Maison & Objet Paris has always been a key event, attracting designers, manufacturers and viewers to become fully immersed into the world of design. This year we’ve had a very strong year launching a range of new collections as well as a plethora of bespoke carpets for a diverse range of commercial projects. It was a real pleasure to be able to showcase and promote all of our work at Maison & Object.” Next came the Flooring Show in Harrogate where the simple stand featured a stunning custom carpet inspired by Brintons comprehensive archive collections and demonstrated true photographic quality with its spectacular Olympic Rug, made using Brintons’ High-Definition technology. Natalie Littlehales, Consumer Marketing Manager says: “The Flooring Show was a great chance to catch up with retailers and industry contacts and the 2015 show gave us a wonderful opportunity to promote the benefits of our wool-rich products. We are already known for our
Brintons at Harrogate.
The Brintons ‘Back to Basics/Deconstructed Living’ installation.
rich heritage but we wanted to illustrate our passion for carpet and how Brintons expertise makes almost anything possible” Brintons ‘Back to Basics/Deconstructed Living’ installation was held over two days at the end of September in Shoreditch as part of London Design Festival and attracted a huge range of people, from press to local shop owners, designers to artists. A cross between an art installation and an architectural show it focussed on the idea of a
deconstructed building. Carpets formed floating walls, floors and ceilings with architectural detailing added in to create the roomsets. This was a great opportunity to see the patterns and textures within the ranges as large runs of carpet as opposed to the normal sample swatches. Don’t Forget! SMG Members have a special offer running until the end of November; for more information please contact your local representative or Brintons directly on 01562 748000.
The Brintons ‘Back to Basics/Deconstructed Living’ installation. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 51
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Update from Sealy Beds “The stand was absolutely buzzing” said Neil Robinson at the end of the Bed Show in Telford” we were amazingly busy but having sporting stars there as well really topped off everything. Not surprisingly, retailers were all particularly impressed with our remarkable array of Which? Best Buy Awards, but our sports celebrities were all about what bed is going to give them the best night’s sleep as they understand there is an intrinsic link between good quality sleep and sporting success. The range of mattresses Sealy now offers ticks the right box with most people whether they want a Hybrid, a Pocket, a Profile or an Ottoman, or one of many other superb beds in our extensive catalogue” Former WBA World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, David Haye, patiently signed autographs in between telling delegates about how sleep impacted on his training regime and sporting performance over the years. “It’s a vital component when you’re training hard and competing – it’s important that you’re alert and at your best physically” and at 6’ 3” and being an ex World Heavyweight and World Cruiserweight
David Haye
Champ, who defeated six world champions during his career as well as a lot of notable contenders, we’re certainly not going to dispute anything he says! On the opposite side of the sporting spectrum, the lovely Zoe Gillings, Britain’s Olympic snowboarder, had the same
message for her fans. “I’ve represented my country all over the world and have always found that the amount of quality sleep I get has a direct impact on my performance. I work incredibly hard with an intensive training schedule throughout the summer and I need around 9.5 hours sleep per night to be at
Zoe Gillings
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Sealy Ottoman
my best. I’ve slept on a lot of beds over the past ten years and my Sealy is by far the best I’ve ever experienced. It supports me completely and has helped me recover from minor strains and injuries, making sure my sleep routine is consistent and of a high standard”. If you’ve watched Zoe in action, as she seems to literally fly through the air on her board, you’ll appreciate just how hard she has to train. Zoe was on the Sealy stand to launch the Company’s new Bed Selector App that will be available to help customers ensure they get exactly the right bed for them when they go in store to try out and make a purchase. As Neil continued “We were delighted to have had two of the UK’s leading sportspeople involved in our presence at the Show this year and they were both extremely popular with delegates. Our World of Sport campaign is about
Perfect for spare snowboards!
demonstrating that link between sleep and sporting success – something we’re passionate about. Sleep helps athletes to recharge and refocus and makes sure their bodies are in prime condition for training and competing, as well as recovering from injury. We’re both proud and excited that so many high profile and successful British sports stars choose to be Sealy Deeper Sleepers – everyone from England rugby players to Premiership footballers – and across a wide variety of disciplines....they can’t all be wrong in wanting to get the very best sleep they can to perform to the max.” Away from the high profile visitors, it was business as usual on the Deeper Sleeping Sealy show stand. The two Which? Best Buy beds were on show; the Napoli and Teramo from the Pocket range, and they attracted many compliments and considerable interest as retailers know how much credibility and attention the public give to this highly thought of consumer accolade. Having one is pleasing enough, but to get two in one year is a considerable accomplishment for Sealy, especially to get the highest scoring mattress of all which is what the Teramo achieved. With findings from the British Chiropractic Association that 48% of people say sleeping caused them neck
or back pain, there really is a need for people to get themselves a properly supportive as well as comfortable bed. When you lie down on a Sealy Profile bed, now with the addition of pocket spring models, you can really feel the slightly convex zone which sits laterally across the centre of the mattress and is perfect for supporting the spine. There is also a second, very slightly convex area where the head rests which means the sleeper should only need one pillow and the neck keeps properly aligned. To look at the bed you would never know about these hidden supportive areas, but you certainly do when you lie on it. Ideal for anyone who needs a bit more support for their neck and back in bed. And, finally, if storage space is at a premium, customers could do worse than consider one of the new Sealy Ottomans. With a choice of mattress on top from the most popular Sealy ranges, the state of the art Ottoman hydraulics enable it to be raised and lowered so easily. Revealed underneath is wonderfully spacious storage which can house all the clutter that people never know what to do with. Zoe was very taken with it... what better place to store her snowboards!
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Colour, service and performance from Teviot! One of Forbo Flooring System’s most popular carpet tile collections, Tessera Teviot has received a stylish colour refresh with new classic, contemporary and high impact shades now included. Designed to enhance the creative versatility of this practical yet high performance flooring option, Tessera Teviot’s diverse new colour palette will make it the go-to collection for commercial, educational and public sector applications. With over 10 million square metres already installed, Teviot is the most popular low-level loop pile carpet tile in the Tessera collection. Manufactured from 100% Aquafil polyamide, the quality and durability associated with this trusted brand remains unchanged. A high castor chair rating and hardwearing resilience ensures Tessera Teviot copes effectively with the heavy traffic conditions often found in a busy office, education or public sector environment. Now featuring 48 colours, in both contemporary solid and the more traditional mottled designs, the new range offers greater design scope and a wider appeal.
As well as the 29 best sellers from the original range, the refreshed colour palette introduces 19 new shades. Modern neutrals, such as Sable and Mercury, along with blue tones, like new Neptune and Duck Egg, provide a revitalised palette for the traditional office sector. Whilst a brighter primary colour palette will create the option of bringing in fresh colour pops such as Skyblue, Raspberry and Mandarin... perfect for education interiors. Commenting on this new and improved range, Forbo’s Janet Lowe, UK Market Manager, says: “Tessera Teviot can be specified wherever an attractive and particularly hardwearing modular floor covering is required, while our diverse new colour palette will open the door to a whole new level of design opportunity for flooring contractors, specifiers and FM managers.” For more information please contact your local representative or visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/teviot
Above: Tessera Teviot charcoal 104 and Westbond Clearwater 9584.
Above: Tessera Teviot deep ocean 127, foliage 386 and mercury 376.
Tessera Teviot meadow 388, dark grey 354 and light grey 358. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 55
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PIMLICO FINE STRIPES
JACOB GET THE LOOK
JOSEPH BEST SELLER
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One of the UK’s coolest brands! Opinion formers and British public vote Alternative Flooring one of the UK’s coolest brands in 14th annual CoolBrands survey! With a spark of curiosity that inspires flooring to be different, Alternative Flooring is an award-winning brand that embraces a creative spirit and unconventional thinking. The official listing of this year’s coolest brands has recently been announced and Alternative Flooring are on it! This is the third consecutive year that Alternative Flooring has been voted a CoolBrand. The 2015/16 CoolBrands list is the result of an extensive voting process that involved 36 opinion formers and 2,500 members of the British public. The opinion formers involved in the vote included musicians Ella Eyre and Labrinth, SB.TV founder Jamal Edwards, British Fashion Council Chief Executive, Caroline Rush, and leading editors from publications. All the brands were judged on four factors deemed to be inherent in a cool brand, namely innovation, originality, desirability and authenticity. The new rankings, led by Apple underline Alternative Flooring’s prestige and allure within the country. Competition is substantial, with
thousands of brands from over 50 sectors considered by the voters; only those achieving top scores qualify for CoolBrands status. Stephen Cheliotis, Chairman of the CoolBrands Council, said, “Evaluating so many brands, the difference between the best and the rest is marked. Achieving CoolBrands status definitely places a brand in the former category and shows both influencers and consumers alike are in agreement about the brand’s credibility and desirability. Competition for attention is vital for a company’s success and owning a brand that is seen to be innovative, original, desirable and authentic can definitely help drive positive perceptions and, ultimately, loyalty and sales. For Alternative Flooring to be voted a CoolBrand is a real boon to the business, its employees and, of course, its owners. This voting should boost confidence in their future outlook as well as recognising their recent achievements”. Visit the Alternative Flooring CoolBrand page at www.coolbrands.uk.com/ alternative-flooring.
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A New Wool Trade Showcase for the South! Hot on the heels from the promotional activity at Harrogate, the Campaign for Wool and the wool industry are launching a fabulous trade event for the South. Wool Floor Show London will provide a Spring event for wool carpet manufacturers to fly the flag of quality wool carpets in an area of the country where much of the product is sold. The event, which is a key part of the Campaign for Wool and British Wool Marketing Board’s promotional activity will see some of the best manufacturing carpet companies gather together to support the many new dynamic promotions which are powering the wool industry forward. One of these is an important new website for independent wool retailers. WoolRetailer.com will be launched live at the show and is a promotional vehicle for wool carpets that has already received the backing and support of many key manufacturers and buying groups. The WoolRetailer.com platform includes a wool educational standard that is planned to give retailers and sales personnel ‘Wool Specialist’ status and provide them with access to materials and promotional packages to support their business. Retailers will benefit from registering with the website that offers both retailer and consumer appeal. The aim is to ensure that consumers can find a quality wool retailer in their locality and that wool retailers can gain more knowledge, status and access tools to help them be better informed so they can sell wool carpets. There will be stunning inspiration installation areas designed in association with leading stylists and magazines helping to see new consumer trends. A true highlight of the event is the Campaign for Wool’s Wool Carpet Awards which will put wool pride at the heart of this event and celebrate its amazing performance, quality and style. The venue selected for this new event is the Chelsea Football Club Stadium, which is a perfect location - offering both parking and easily accessible public transport, being only a short distance from Fulham Road tube station. The highlights
of Central London are quite literally minutes away and there are a host of restaurants within walking distance too. The event is free to attend and we hope that all retailers will put it on the calendar - official registration will start soon. Wool has been building up to a magnificent crescendo and Wool Floor Show London is going to be the most impressive and stylish statement for wool flooring yet! Email: woolfloorshowlondon@campaignforwool.org for more information.
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Latest from Jaymart It’s been a busy few months for the matting manufacturer; here are some of the highlights. At Jaymart they know quite a bit about heavy foot traffic and flooring/matting durability. Some of their customers have been coming back year after year for their favourite flooring, matting and mats which consistently offer robust, longwearing qualities. One of their many longstanding customers is Mitchells & Butlers. They have been buying ‘Ingenius’ colour-fast, hardwearing, polypropylene logo entrance matting for decades for their UK-wide establishments. Mitchells & Butlers are reported to be the UK’s largest operator of restaurants, pubs and bars in the UK. Among their many popular brands are Harvester, All Bar One, Miller & Carter and Browns. ‘Ingenius’ has proved extremely popular over the years with many corporate hospitality clients such as the National Trust, Jamie Oliver’s restaurants, Cath Kidston, Yo Sushi, J D Wetherspoons, Cafe Rouge, Garfunkels Restaurant and more than we can mention! Most recently it has been specified by the Bosworth Hall Hotel which is set in a 17th century mansion with 11 acre grounds and is a short walk from Market Bosworth. It has period features such as 4-poster beds, oak-beamed ceilings and cast-iron baths. ‘Ingenius’ represents excellent value for money and combines good looks, brushing/scraping, absorbency and drying powers for removing dirt, grit, snow, moisture, sand etc. from footwear... even when used externally! Moisture removed is trapped below the walking surface of the mat, preventing ingress tracking. Paul Macfarlane, Sales Director, says “Ingenius, unlike coir matting, is colourfast and doesn’t moult. This makes it an ideal material choice for logo mats and, for the more prestigious entrances, we incorporate “Ingenius” into our Grime-Grabber and Alligator-Forefront aluminium based entrance matting systems.”
‘Ingenius’ is available in various colours; Anthracite, Tan, Black, Blue, Red, Green, Grey, Slate, Brown and Yellow. The photo below features a logo mat for the Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club.
better durability and the heavyweight primary backing gives better floor stability and resistance to stippling. These mats can also be supplied with an extra thick 3mm rubber backing for matwell use.
However intricate your corporate identity may be the Jaymart sales team will help you to make the very best choice. For more information please contact Sue, Max or Stephanie on 01985 218994 or email sales@jaymart.co.uk.
They have excellent colour fastness and can be machine washed at 40°C. There is a standard colour palette of 150 colours for regular logo designs or a more extensive colour bank of over 700 colours for detailed designs or reproduction of photographic images. Jaymart also offer a large range of secondary barrier mattings to further effectively remove dirt, dust and moisture from entering the building.
The lovely team at the funky ‘Inkfish’ hair salon in Truro, Cornwall did just that! They know a thing or two about looking good, and are certainly pleased as punch with their new Jaymart ‘Symphony’ nylon twist logo mat. Besides ensuring customers leave looking and feeling fantastic, Inkfish offers a warm welcome and a luxurious, modern environment which is enhanced both on a practical and aesthetic level by the excellent dirt removal properties and brand reinforcement of Jaymart’s Symphony Logo mats. Symphony mats are nitrile rubber backed, with anti-trip edges to all four sides. The edges are strengthened for increased resistance to tearing and for
Not only do Jaymart supply material for the dastardly Daleks of Doctor Who fame filmed at Cardiff, but recently they have been ‘made up’ that Cardiff’s Athletic Stadium has taken delivery of the popular Bladerunner safety rubber flooring. Paul Macfarlane comments “Bladerunner is just brilliant – it’s got everything you need - it’s robust, cost effective and eco-friendly.” Over many years Jaymart have been providing Bladerunner to national gym operators, independent gyms and retail outlets across the country, such as Sportsdirect, easyGym, David Lloyd Leisure, Xercise4Less, Virgin Active and Fitness First. Bladerunner has also proved to be much in demand with top sporting establishments including Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion’s training centres, Lancashire County Cricket Club, Oxford Cricket Club to name but a few. In addition Jaymart also supply heavy weights matting, stretch mats, performance sprint tracks, Crossfit flooring, Shockpad Underlay, and much more in our Sports & Leisure range. For more information on Jaymart’s mats and floorings please visit www.jaymart.co.uk or telephone 01985 218994. SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 63
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FOUNDATION FOCUS CARPET FOUNDATION SET TO STEP UP A GEAR The Carpet Foundation is set to step up a gear and focus solely on its retail members going forward. In a significant step, the manufacturers, while still wholeheartedly behind the concept of collaboration, have agreed that a ‘single, unified’ message would be better for all concerned. Going forward, the Carpet Foundation message will be simple, and clear – ‘Buy from a Carpet Foundation retailer’. The sharpened and focussed message will signpost CF retailers as the people to buy carpet from. Over the coming months several initiatives are planned, including a redesign of the website, to reflect this. Commenting on the development, Chief Executive Andrew Stanbridge said “The Carpet Foundation has been working with independent retailers to promote them as ‘the carpet experts’ and ‘people to go to’ since 2004. Going forward, and with the full blessing of our manufacturers, we will be ramping up this message and focussing entirely on our retailers, while maintaining manufacturer support.”
that message with trying to give the manufacturers ‘a bang for their buck’. In marketing speak, we have been saying ‘buy a CF manufacturer carpet from a CF retailer’ – which is a bit of a mouthful and a bit of a challenge! This subtle, but important change, will, I am sure, further enhance our benefit to retailers and should increase their confidence in us.”
and there will be two new non-executive Directors, both of whom are connected to the industry. For more information contact The Carpet Foundation on 01562 755568.
“The Carpet Foundation has been working with independent retailers to promote them as ‘the carpet experts’ and ‘people to go to’ since 2004. Going forward, and with the full blessing of our manufacturers, we will be ramping up this message and focussing entirely on our retailers, while maintaining manufacturer support.” “The Carpet Foundation manufacturers are all lining up behind this to demonstrate their continued support for independent retailers. They recognise that to grow, they need our retailers to sell more carpet. They are also, I must stress, maintaining their financial support.”
In the light of this renewed emphasis, a new Board has been established, which includes Shaun Lewis of Brockway as the manufacturer representative, John “You may question the significance of this Duncan remains as Chairman and statement. The reality is that for the last Andrew Stanbridge as Chief Executive. five or six years, we have had to balance Rob Harding will also sit on the Board
KEEPING CARPET IN MAGAZINES As Autumn approaches, magazines are all about ‘cosying up’ a home for the colder months - which is, of course, ideal for carpet! The Carpet Foundation were particularly pleased to secure coverage in the November issue of cutting edge style magazine Elle Decoration. The three page feature included a whole half page devoted to The Carpet Foundation extolling the benefits of carpet and giving a few hints.
carpet’, be it what carpet to buy, carpet and underfloor heating and fitting. Yet again carpet punched above its weight in these two magazines and proves once again that without The Carpet Foundation, carpet would remain the ‘cinderella’ of household goods.
Also in November, The Carpet Foundation contributed heavily to a two page feature in new build magazine ‘Build It’. Cormar, Brintons and The Carpet Foundation were quoted as the authority on ‘matters of SMG News | Autumn 2015 | 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 Bromsgrove in Worcestershire this October to meet with Karl and Natasha Hegenbarth from KSH Carpet and Flooring. The midlands based Members joined the Group in 2011 and are going from strength to strength. It’s nearly 13 years since KSH moved to their current premises, situated on the main thoroughfare to the town centre, which therefore ensures a good deal of footfall. Previous to this they owned a smaller shop in Droitwich for around five years. Incredibly Karl tells me he has 50 years experience in the flooring industry, 40 of these have been running KSH which is remarkable! As is the story with many of our Members, Karl was originally a fitter for Rackhams where he trained and obtained his apprenticeship. He also worked for several local independent retailers including Hartley Carpets. In 1975 Karl set up on his own as KSH Carpets and the rest is history!
SMG put the usual questions to Karl and Natasha and here’s what they said: What is the independent retailer’s strength? “Put simply it is the personal, friendly service! Also we offer a choice, whereas multiples are told by head office what they have to sell. Independent’s differ and we especially like to offer something different. The sales process is different too; we’re keen to understand the needs of the customers rather than taking them through a sales script.”
Karl’s wife Lin managed the original store in Droitwich and the current store is managed by daughter Natasha. For around 12 months both stores were trading, however, as the Bromsgrove store held a lot more products customers were being directed there for the choice. When the adjoining office space became available for rent Karl and Natasha snapped it up and closed the Droitwich branch. Whilst walking around the well thought out and organised showroom one thing that stands out is the product selection. Everything is there for a reason - it certainly isn’t overwhelmed with pattern books that simply duplicate a similar range. Having spent a morning in the store it’s clear to see why the company is so successful; like so many independent retailers Karl and Natasha care about providing a quality service for their customers and because of that they keep coming back for more!
SMG has a strong policy of supporting British Manufacturers, is this something you support? “It depends on the products really. Obviously on the carpet side we do, but on the wood side we find it difficult. We do however choose to support European companies and aren’t interested in Chinese products as we have found the quality is poor.” What are the most common questions from Customers? “There’s one or two I suppose because of our different product categories. On the wood flooring we are often asked to explain the difference between solid timber and engineered - as they believe solid wood is better and want to know why we are suggesting engineered. Customers are a lot more savvy nowadays and most have done some sort of research before they come into the store, so another key question is whether the wood is labelled FSC.
KSH premises enjoy good footfall.
This kind of provenance doesn’t seem to be important with carpet, however we field a lot of questions about man made carpets. Customers are surprised when they look and feel the new era of man made products and want to know the difference between them and wool.
A top seller at the moment for KSH.
To be honest, I was always dead against man made carpets and five years ago you wouldn’t have found one in the store but I have to take my hat off to some of the new ranges. Sensation in particular is a lovely fibre and is our go to product.” What is the key market challenge? “I think the main challenge is to stand out from the competition! And in our area that is the local independents. We’ve always tried to do this and until ten years ago in this area there were only carpet retailers whereas we’ve always been flooring specialists and stood out that way! They’ve caught up now and it’s important for us to find a way to
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Member: KSH Carpet & Flooring joined smg: APRIL 2011 LOCATION: BROMSGROVE, WORCESTERSHIRE
The KSH showroom is well thought out and organised.
Also, Stairrods are becoming more popular especially with the Alternative Flooring ranges - the statement staircase can be set off with them!”
If you could ask suppliers to change one thing what would it be? “A clear and transparent price structure! To be honest this mainly applies to wholesalers, but I think manufacturers could benefit from this too. If you know you’re on a level playing field with a particular manufacturer it gives you the confidence to quote on their ranges and essentially support them more. Obviously I’m not suggesting that every account has the best price but a clear and transparent price structure where you can see the turnover you need to achieve to access the better terms would be ideal. If everyone knows where they stand and it’s level... it’s fair!
What has changed most during your time in the industry? ”A huge amount has changed and in a lot of ways the changes have been very positive but there are some negatives.
To be honest that’s why we support Brockway so heavily, they wouldn’t even consider a discount under 100m2 and we like that discipline, it feels consistent and fair.”
The amount of training available for people joining the industry and apprenticeships is disappointing. In order to encourage a generation of people that are genuinely interested in the industry this is vital.”
Having been an SMG Member SINCE 2011 what advice would you offer to retailers who are not members of a group? “We looked at a few of the buying groups before we joined SMG. In a nutshell SMG seemed friendly and really helpful and
differentiate from them - whether that’s products or services we provide it’s essential we focus on something other than cheaper prices as that just drags the industry down.” What is your top selling product at the moment? “We’ve found that Alternative Flooring’s Sisal is peaking at the moment. Maybe this is because we have some really good fitters for sisal and it’s a little bit different from what other people are selling in the area.
Karl and Natasha.
with them we knew we weren’t going to be told what to sell and we felt that the other groups dictated this! My advice would be “Just take a look”, if not for the preferential prices and rebates just for the advice and support that a group can give you.”
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isit v t o n y Wh .uk o c . e n i l g-on m s . w ree F ww s i h t load n w o d to plate? m e t s Po
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