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CONTENTS SMG News | SPRING 2015 | ISSUE 178
NEWS 7
CORMAR DRIVES FORWARD
9
20 YEARS AN SMG MEMBER
12 NEW WOOLCLEAN PRODUCT 21 FIT CHARITY GOLF DAY
REGULARS 11 AT THE SHARP END John Alexander from Ulster Carpets
34 QUESTION TIME Josh Dutfield from Axminster Carpets
66 MEMBER FOCUS Action Carpets in Folkestone
FEATURES 30 FINE WORCESTER REFRESH 33 WESTEX JOIN THE GROUP 38 NEW BELVEDERE COLLECTION 41 NEW LAUNCHES FROM ULSTER
ON THE COVER Edel Telenzo Chelsea - Driftwood
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Axminster Carpets Devonia - Teign Grey
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SMG News | SPRING 2015
Dear Members,
B
y all accounts it looks as though 2015 has seen a steady start, perhaps not delivering the ‘wow’ factor that was anticipated by many at the end of last year. This is not to say that Suppliers are not showing growth, they are and in most cases this is growth on top of an excellent first quarter period of 2014. Maybe the looming General Election is temporarily affecting confidence but take heart from a recent survey carried out by the May Design Series who state that more than two thirds of consumers will make a home interiors purchase in 2015 with flooring leading the priority list. In this issue’s Question Time feature, on page 34, Josh Dutfield, Commercial Director of Axminster Carpets,
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encourages SMG Members to “focus on your core strengths and what makes you excellent in standing out from the crowd”. 2015 has started with a number of new “core strength” initiatives including a new turnover related rebate from Cavalier and a strong annual promotional campaign with Brintons. Our relationship with Furlong has extended to include the Belvedere wood range which will sit alongside the Carpet and Vinyl products in our ‘own brand’ portfolio supported by the rebate scheme. Last but by no means least; we are delighted to welcome Westex Carpets to our Approved Supplier portfolio. Development of the Group offering remains a high priority to SMG and it is encouraging to receive positive feedback from Members such as Action Carpets who are the in the spotlight of our Member Focus on page 66. Maintaining a leading position is also important to us, I have emphasised this in my last two leaders and I am confident that our Membership offer leads the way in our own sector. However in March I spent some time benchmarking SMG against other membership organisations from different industries. In doing this I visited, Retra, an association I was a retail member of. Retra has over 800 members and a different approach to SMG but there were many common things our operations shared especially in business support. However there were elements for both Retra and SMG to
learn from and I hope to present these to SMG Members in the coming months. Going forward we hope that by combining our Member forces to a collective 1100 retailers we will be in a better position to negotiate greater savings. Talking of collaborations, the excellent Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show takes place again this year from Tuesday 12th to Wednesday 13th May. This two day event will again provide you with a long list of the leading industry suppliers in a convenient Midlands location. We will have our Membership suite again and hope to show you some interesting developments that we have made in the last few months; we would really appreciate your feedback. If you haven’t attended before I would encourage you to come and take a look, register at www.bgnfs.co.uk now or call SMG.
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 Kingstown Launch 2015 Show Van The Kingstown Show van hit the road again in 2015 due to popular demand. Last year was a successful year for the show van having been launched in early March, making visits up and down the country. The Show van was constantly on the road making 650 visits and giving the Territory Managers the chance to showcase Kingstown products at first hand. Many customers bought from the van and the general feedback was positive in terms of Kingstown being able to take products to the customer. Gavin James of Fairways Furnishing commented “We find the show van extremely useful as seeing the product in the flesh is so much easier, it can sometimes be difficult to gauge the overall look from a brochure. The Kingstown show van is very clean and always well presented.”
The show van was a great success in 2014.
Sean Frost Palmer, Kingstown Sales Director commented “It is great to see The show van was taken out on Monday the show van on the road again this year 26th January by Nick Hutchinson visiting and I am really happy that our customers the northern regions. Due to the popular are benefiting from seeing our products launch of Kingstown’s new Dining and at first hand before they buy. Dalby has Lounge range - Dalby at the Furniture had great success so far and I hope this Show, the show van is now fitted out with continues for us and also benefits our this range. So far the Show van is selling customers” one range per day whilst on the road.
For further information please telephone Kingstown Furniture on 0333 014 3750 or contact your Territory Manager.
ADAM CARPETS USES SOCIAL MEDIA TO ‘TEASE’ US Adam Carpets seem to have fully embraced social media as they used various online platforms to offer ‘clues’ to the new colours being launched in their Fine Worcester range. “Social media, whether you like it or not, is here to stay” commented Sales & Marketing Director, Eamonn Prescott.
profile with other brands, designers and retailers within the interiors industry.” The online ‘teases’ saw the new colours hinted at in a series of images that took place over ten days in February. Adam Carpets also reported that online traffic to their website also increased by more than 10% during this period.
“We have decided to embrace it and use it to our advantage. The ‘leaking’ of the new colours was a bit of fun to give our followers on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest an exclusive first look at the colours we intended to put into Fine Worcester.” “The feedback was actually really good and quite a few customers have got involved. It has also helped raise our 6
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CORMAR DRIVES FORWARD WITH MORE COLLECTION CENTRES and VEHICLES strengthened its fleet with 14 new DAF trucks and 10 swap body trucks (used for efficiency and flexibility). The vehicles are built to the new Euro 6 specification, making them the latest in vehicle Four further express centres – in Croydon, technology and ensuring Cormar Godstone, Northampton and Sheffield, operates the cleanest and most have been added to Cormar’s network eco-friendly vehicles. of next day collection points, making a Six 18 tonne drawbar units and 10 swap total of 26 locations across the country. bodies will support the outbase depots. This means that the majority of retailers are now less than a 30 minute drive away The remaining eight vehicles, with a new spec 18 tonne fixed body rigid, will from the nearest collection point. support the new cross dock operations. In addition, Cormar has also invested in Said Craig Marshall, Cormar’s logistics its nationwide delivery operation and manager: “With over 3,000 carpet deliveries each week we are always looking at ways to maintain our fast, reliable delivery service to retail customers. By adding extra collection centres and vehicles ahead of the peak seasonal period, we optimised our intensive delivery service to meet the increase in demand over one of our busiest times of the year without any compromise to service.” Award winning manufacturer Cormar Carpets has expanded its next day collection points and delivery fleet to further improve its service to retailers.
independent carpet retailers and local carpet shops, differentiating us from many of our competitors and earning us a reputation as one of the speediest and most reliable delivery services around.” The next day collection service, which operates Monday to Friday, was launched two years ago as an additional free service, allowing retailers and contractors to pick up carpet the next day from a choice of collection centres throughout the country. It was over four decades ago that Cormar decided to make door-to-door delivery, to retailers, part of its service. Now from its Bury, Lancashire base, it delivers right across the UK direct from site and through 25 additional outbases, all strategically located to offer an average 48 hour nationwide turnaround service to customers.
“Our own nationwide delivery fleet is an important part of our offering to
Cavalier introduces three new faces Cavalier would like to introduce three new sales representatives to SMG Members. Dean Smith has taken over the area covering West London and the Northern Home Counties whilst Andrew Westwell, who joined the team last year following in the footsteps of recently retired Les Tose, covers Yorkshire, the North East and East Midlands. Tim Bough is the newest member of the team and will be covering the South West and Southern Wales. All three are full of enthusiasm about the task ahead, and looking forward to a long and successful career with Cavalier. Left: Dean Smith. Top: Andrew Westwell. Bottom: Tim Bough and Hans Lowe SMG News | Spring 2015 | 7
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THE PLACE TO BE THIS MAY The BUYING GROUPS’ NATIONAL FLOORING SHOW is fast becoming THE industry show!
CARPET
VINYL
WOOD
RUGS
Tuesday 12th May, 9:00 - 17:30 Wednesday 13th May, 9:00 - 17:00
“The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show held at Cranmore Park in Solihull, is the ideal opportunity for Buying Group Members to meet all their approved suppliers mid-way through the year and get up to date with all the new carpet collections and in-store displays.” David Cormack, Cormar Carpets
LVT
UNDERLAY
Cranmore Park, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4LF
“The Buying Group Show is second only to Domotex Hannover and is most certainly the best UK flooring show; a must to visit for all retailers” Peter Pithie, Godiva Carpets. “Not to be missed the show allows you to meet all the relevant suppliers at a time of year suitable to business demands. Well laid out and a totally professional show.” David Redman, Sterling Furniture Group.
To register your place visit www.bgnfs.co.uk SMG News - Spring 2015.indd 8
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NEWS UPDATE MARSHALL’s REACHES 20 YEARS OF SMG MEMBERSHIP SMG Member Marshall’s based in Worthing, Sussex will be celebrating 20 years of Membership this year. Norman Marshall began his career in the flooring industry in a different role completely when family friend Des Powley, Managing Director of Harris Carpets, offered him a position within the company at the age of 18. Although Norman enjoyed his time working at Harris Carpets and learnt a lot from the people around him, working for someone else wasn’t enough.
and redeveloped it adding a warehouse on the back. With the business going from strength to strength when a unit either side came up for sale a few years later they were also purchased and redeveloped by the business.
SMG would like to take this opportunity to thank Norman for his support over the last 20 years - here’s to the next 20!
Marshall’s has diversified its product portfolio over the years and now offers bedsteads, mattresses, cabinet furniture, artwork and mirrors to complement the main flooring business.
Along with a colleague at Harris Carpets they left and established a successful business in Waterlooville. After five years Norman sold his share in this business to set up his own venture.
Norman’s two sons, Declan and Lewis, are already active in the business “It’s wonderful that Marshall’s can create a future for young people, who can take the business forward and adapt to the challenges today’s market poses” commented Norman.
Initially Norman purchased one unit in Tarring Road in Worthing, when another one became available a year later Norman took a risk and purchased this
It’s obvious that the key to its success is Norman’s focus on his team’s life and happiness, not just profit - This has helped establish a great team at
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Marshall’s who care about doing a good job with great service; customers therefore return time after time!
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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’.
John Alexander of Ulster Carpets has over 47 years experience in the carpet industry, working for manufacturers such as Adam Carpets, Woodward Grosvenor and Cormar. He spent 20 years at Wilton Royal plus four years at Ryalux before joining the Ulster team 12 years ago. John covers London, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and The Channel Islands.
How did you get into the trade? “After leaving school I joined the local carpet manufacturer Grays of Ayr. Initially I worked in their prestigious Glasgow showroom and was then given a small territory in the South of Scotland and Cumbria before moving to the North East, based in Newcastle. All before reaching the age of 23!” What have you seen change the most in the last five years ? “The major changes over the last five years have been the increasing demand for plain carpets and in particular polypropylene saxony twists. However I am a ‘traditionalist’ at heart and do wonder how these products will look in a few years time. In my opinion you can’t beat a good quality two fold 80/20 yarn such as our York and Grange Wiltons for long term appearance retention.” What’s your favourite product? “Currently my favourite product is our comprehensive selection of quality wool loops - especially our Laneve ranges Queenstown, Auckland and Wellington stripe. Plus we have just launched three additional ranges Panama, Monaco and Capri which we have a unique selling point on, as all are available in five colour matching widths up to five metre wide.”
As a representative what are your biggest challenges? “I find time management a big challenge! Road traffic is increasing daily along with the increasing use of smart phones, computers and tablets and then I need to sell a bit of carpet...That’s the easy bit.” Of all the retailers you visit what common denominator contributes to them being successful? “I am really positive that the independent retail sector will continue to flourish as they have the knowledge and experience to always give the consumer honest and professional advice along with a very competent fitting service. The general displays have improved dramatically over the last few years as retailers have reduced roll stock and have invested in new unitary.” If you could ask retailers to change one thing what would it be? “It would be good if the retailers used British suppliers as their first choice and took the opportunity to sell up in quality as the underlay and installation cost are constant. Therefore all the extra money spent is on the carpet upgrades.”
What do you see as the key market challenge for retailers at the moment? “I did think the internet was going to be a major threat but this has been slow to progress - it seems carpet is a difficult product to sell successfully online; if not impossible. The consumer does not generally enjoy purchasing carpet and we all need to sell up and create a desire for fitted carpet in the consumer home.” Outside of work, what are your interests? “Most of my time outside work has been spent supporting our three adult children pursuing their careers and we now have four grandchildren who keep us busy. If we do have some spare time we enjoy a road trip to the West Country in my wife’s open top sports car.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “The best advice I received in my early years was to be polite and always deliver on any promises made. And always remember to spend time with the junior members of staff as they will be the future manager and buyer!”
Ulster Carpets was founded by George Walter Wilson in 1938 and is still privately owned by the founder’s family. One of the secrets of their success is that they have taken the positive attributes associated with a family business and combined them with a forward thinking, global approach to business. This has resulted in a technically advanced, service driven company with flair, flexibility and a passion for quality. SMG News | Spring 2015 | 11
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NEWS UPDATE Interfloor announces arrival of John Cooper as Managing Director Interfloor Ltd, the market leading manufacturers of the world famous Duralay and Tredaire brands, are
now poised to embrace the opportunities that the improving market conditions give us by focusing even more on John joins from the world’s no.1 barbecue exceptional service and strong brand brand Weber, having previously worked support. We have robust processes, great at Hozelock, AAH, and ABF. Along with his products, great brands, great people, proven managerial skills John brings with and a strong financial backbone. We are him a wealth of knowledge and well placed to help our customers take experience of working in partnership advantage of the significant growth with Independent and National Retailers, opportunity that stems from rising Wholesalers and Architects. consumer confidence in the home improvement market.” Mr Cooper said, “I’m delighted to be joining the Company at this time of exciting development. The existing management team have done a great job steering the business with amazing success through some very challenging market conditions since 2008, and we are delighted to announce the arrival of John Cooper as Managing Director.
WoolClean from Wools of New Zealand Wools of New Zealand are currently working on a new concept of a Carpet Care Kit which has been specially created to contain all the essentials needed for tackling spots and spills found on carpeting as soon as they happen. The products found in this kit are suitable for use on all types of carpeting, natural and man-made synthetic and have undergone rigorous third party testing and carry the Woolsafe certification. The first kits will be at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show in May and Premier Partners will receive preferential pricing on the units which have a suggested retail price of £30. For more information please contact Wools of New Zealand or visit the website at www.woolclean.co.uk.
WoolSafe announces first EnviroSeal approved product The WoolSafe Organisation has announced the first WoolSafe Approved product to pass the stringent EnviroSeal EGTS 1502 environmental standard. The new standard aims to satisfy demand for carpet care products that are both effective and safe for the environment, with WoolSafe teaming up with Enco Global Testing Services (EGTS) to test the effectiveness and the environmental impact of products, respectively.
Already WoolSafe Approved, n-Kapper and Crystal Cleaner manufactured by Carpet Cleaner Industries CCI GmbH were able to be immediately tested to the new standard, making them the first cleaning products to do so. Products not formulated for wool carpets can be submitted for CleanSeal Approval. This new testing protocol and performance standard for cleaning products sets out all the important requirements that cleaning agents for synthetic carpets
and furnishing fabrics must meet prior to submission for testing by EGTS. For further information about The WoolSafe Organisation and the services they offer please contact the dedicated helpline on 01943 850 817 or email info@woolsafe.org.
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NEWS UPDATE Kingstown’s New In-Line Spraying Facility The development of their factory has been a priority to Kingstown over the past few years and in 2014 they introduced a new spray line in order to utilise state of the art technology to ensure they meet ever growing customer needs. The new spray paint line was planned with the intent to improve both quality and production speed. Kingstown purchased the technology from Cefla, based in Italy and who are experts in their field when it comes to Finishing. Carlo Coralli, Regional Sales Director at Cefla commented “The easy spraying line guarantees higher standards of finishing, consistent application, higher paint transfer efficiency and high paint recovery systems. This allows Kingstown to improve even more in their need for product quality.” The line is capable of changeovers up to 3 colours in less than 5 minutes including flushing the system which is a big advantage when doing short batch runs.
The Spraying machine is equipped with the latest spray gun and pump system that is electronically controlled by computer and takes a matter of minutes to set up and adjust where necessary. Kingstown also worked closely with Yorkshire Spray Services based in West Yorkshire to ensure the day to day service, spare parts and other assistance could be accessed. Also Cefla Yorkshire Spray Services, who commented “We were able to deliver the new equipment and assist with the installation to ensure that the plant was easy to operate and maintain.” The new spray line is also more environmentally safe as the new dry-back spray booth is preferred to the old wet process that was both costly and very messy to maintain. Dave Busby, Production Director at Kingstown commented “by comparison the dry-back filters can be changed in minutes and can be disposed of as normal waste in a general waste skip, thus retaining our 100% recycling policy.”
NEW VINYL STANDS FOR 2015 The new Hall’s vinyl displays, featuring this year’s new ranges, are available to Members at a superb promotional price. For more information please contact Hall’s Floorings on 0208 803 1400 alternatively contact your local representative for details on a special offer on the stand.
The entire line consisting of a total of 9 machines will be controlled from a single point monitoring system for ease of use by fully trained skilled operators. Finally great care has been taken to ensure that the line has been fully equipped for any future developments, with regard to paint and any future environmental changes or requirements.
NEW FROM BALL & YOUNG Ball & Young have launched the fantastic new Charleston Range whilst the ultimate in luxury - The Caviar and Champagne Collection go from strength to strength. For more information please contact your representative.
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NEWS UPDATE CRUK helps retailers to recycle carpet waste Carpet Recycling UK will again be providing advice for retailers on sustainable disposal routes for carpet fitting waste and uplifted post-consumer carpets at the 2015 Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show in May. Visitors to CRUK’s stand at the Cranmore Park event can find out how clean installation waste take-back schemes and the rising numbers of outlets processing carpet waste for new uses offer many business benefits for retailers. The industry-backed association for recycling and reusing waste carpet offers retailers opportunities to enhance their
business and green credentials, as well as potentially save on disposal costs, by diverting waste material from landfill. “In less than ten years we have created a nationwide network of recyclers and outlets that provide genuine and sustainable alternative disposal routes for waste carpet,” comments CRUK Director, Laurance Bird. “This is both good news for the sector and good news for the environment. “Consumers feel better knowing their waste carpet is diverted from landfill, while retailers can reduce the frequency of their general waste collections, as
uplifted and fitting waste material can be recycled into new products.” Last year, a record-breaking 113,000 tonnes of carpet were reused, recycled or recovered for energy, representing a landfill diversion rate of 28%. CRUK’s new target is 60% diversion from landfill by 2020. Some 400,000 tonnes of carpet waste arises each year in the UK. Carpet Recycling UK welcomes enquiries from all types of organisations interested in finding new outlets for their waste carpet. Please contact 0161 440 8325 or visit www.carpetrecyclinguk.com.
LATEST From ancient mariner Ancient Mariner have expanded their eclectic mixture of classic and quirky items like red phone boxes and wooden boxes in the vintage range; these items are ideal to accessorise existing furniture or to help give your store window the wow factor. Made from reclaimed pine and given an aged and weathered oak look this furniture range has proved popular with many customers and most items are held in stock for quick delivery.
place an order for £2500 and receive a iPad Mini absolutely free of charge with your delivery (this offer includes any other pre arranged discounts). Why not visit either of the Sussex or Lancashire showrooms to see the new ranges. For more information please contact your local representative or visit www.ancientmarinerfurniture.co.uk.
Also, Ancient Mariner have been busy developing their new website. SMG Members who register will receive 10% discount off their first order placed through the website over £500. They also have a special offer to help your sales team get to grips with the site - Simply 16
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Be Social and join the growing ‘alternative’ community...
b
Quirky B - Shuttle Jack
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NEWS UPDATE Landfill diversion of carpet waste continues to rise says CRUK Diversion of carpet from landfill continues its upward trend, rising to a new record-breaking 113,000 tonnes that were reused, recycled or recovered for energy in 2014, according to latest Carpet Recycling UK figures. It’s an increase of 6,000 tonnes on 2013 (107,000 tonnes) representing a diversion rate of 28%. Around 400,000 tonnes of waste carpet arises each year in the UK. The industry body’s success in finding alternative outlets means it has already exceeded its original goal, set in 2008, to achieve 25% diversion by 2015. Energy recovery was 73,000 tonnes (65%) of the total diversion and reuse/recycling was 40,000 tonnes (35%). The increase in energy recovery follows the general UK trend for MSW incineration as capacity increases, plus the continued strong demand from the cement industry for the benefits of carpet in SRF, particularly chalk content. Recycling growth in 2014 was strong in segments such as fibre recovery for felts as retailers and flooring contractors saw the benefits of capturing fitting offcuts for recycling. Carpet tiles were another success story with more than 1.2 million or 330,000m²
collected and diverted from landfill in 2014 to reuse, recycle or energy recovery purposes. Growing carpet tile reuse is expected to rise further in 2015 as initiatives such as the WRAP Carpet Recycling Guide produced by CRUK raises awareness among FM professionals to the opportunities and benefits of reuse and recycling opportunities.
“Last year enquiry levels from local authorities, waste management CRUK Director Laurance Bird praised the companies, retailers and contractors ongoing efforts and commitment across increased compared to 2013, reflecting a the entire supply chain in maintaining welcome and greater understanding of the momentum and development of new our aims and what we can offer in terms outlets and markets for all types of carpet of a sustainable and practical alternative waste. to landfill,” added Laurance. “Our 2014 achievements clearly demonstrate that carpet is now regarded as a valuable resource that can be reused in a variety of innovative applications from energy to underlay,” said Laurance, pointing to CRUK’s higher profile as another success factor in their latest achievements. CRUK grew by 10% from 78 members in January 2014 to 86 in January 2015 thanks to ongoing recognition by the carpet recycling supply chain of the benefits of working together to implement sustainability.
CRUK’s 7th Annual Conference will be held in Birmingham on June 11, including an Awards presentation celebrating members’ success in recycling, reusing and recovering carpets. Carpet Recycling UK welcomes enquiries from all types of organisations interested in finding new outlets for their waste carpet. Please contact 0161 440 8325 or visit www.carpetrecyclinguk.com.
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NEWS UPDATE Ulster proud to renew their Sponsorship of the RDA NI Ulster Carpets are delighted to continue their support for the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) in Northern Ireland throughout 2015. The RDA provides respite from the struggles of everyday life for around 1000 riders in the region, who attend weekly riding lessons in one of the Association’s 28 groups. The exercise provided by horse riding has huge benefits for people with physical disabilities, particularly those with restricted movement or confined to a wheelchair, helping to prevent respiratory problems such as chest infections, as well as improving mobility and muscle strength. The activity is also proven to help promote good mental health and can have a therapeutic effect on those with learning difficulties such as Autism. The RDA relies entirely on donations and fundraising and Ulster Carpets are continuing to support this valuable work by sponsoring the RDA Regional magazine. This quarterly publication is an important resource in helping to promote the work of each individual group and demonstrates the sense of community within the organisation.
Nick Coburn, Managing Director of Ulster Carpets commented, “As a company we admire the dedication of the RDA and their commitment to providing this worthwhile service to as many riders as possible. Like many charities, they have faced increased financial pressures in recent years, but through the hard work and determination of their volunteers, they have continued to benefit thousands of people. Ulster Carpets are proud to support the RDA in their efforts by sponsoring the Regional Magazine.” The RDA is just one of many organisations which Ulster Carpets have pledged to support throughout 2015. The company understands the importance of health and well being, believing an involvement in sport can contribute to both mental and physical health. They also have links with Ulster Youth Rugby, renewing their sponsorship until the end of the 2016 season. This sponsorship enables Ulster Youth Rugby to develop and implement strategies to increase the number of young people involved in the sport, both within clubs and schools. Ulster have also recently supported a local charity Action Mental Health and funded PhD research into healthy eating in the workplace via Queens University Belfast and the John Wilson Memorial Trust.
Left: Louise Greer of Coleraine group completing her dressage test. Top: Norman McClean from Banbridge and Moira competing at the RDS Coleraine group. Bottom: RDA Balmoral Show 2014.
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59 years and still going strong for Charity One of the industry’s longest running Charity events is set for its 59th year in May. The Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers’ National Charity Golf Tournament takes place at Kidderminster Golf Club on the 19th and 20th May and this year is sponsored by Mr Tomkinson. The event, which has raised over £1,000,000 since it started is the largest manufacturer and retailer golf tournament in the UK and will be supporting Macmillan Cancer Support and four local charities in Kidderminster this year. Day one is a four ball team event and a two ball team event follows on day two.
There are a whole host of prizes to be won and also a tombola. Chairman Shaun Lewis comments ”It is an honour to be at the helm of this prestigious event. Whatever the economic conditions and state of trade, the industry has always rallied round to support this event and raise a significant sum of money for charity.”
For further information and to enter a team please call 01562 824 737 or email t.jones@brockway.co.uk.
“We are delighted to have the kind support of Mr Tomkinson who have brought fresh impetus to the event.” “I would urge players, past and present, to support us and these good causes again this year.”
Forbo’s Back to the Floor scheme offers true closed-loop recycling Now in its third year, Forbo Flooring’s Back to the Floor take back scheme offers a genuine closed-loop recycling solution for Forbo flooring installation off-cuts. Rising volumes of material that go back into new products are contributing to the transition towards a Circular Economy in the flooring sector. The scheme has expanded greatly in its second year with the volume of flooring off-cuts collected rising to three times the amount collected in 2013. Back to the Floor Scheme Co-ordinator, Michelle Brewer comments: “With more collectors coming on board amid growing awareness of how the scheme can assist flooring professionals with their recycling activities, we have seen tonnages increase dramatically in the past year.” Forbo off-cuts, as well as cushioned vinyl flooring off-cuts from most
manufacturers, are collected across the UK and recycled back into new flooring products across the company’s portfolio. The scheme offers both environmental and economic benefits for participants through diversion of waste material from landfill and preservation of raw material resources for use in new products. Flooring contractors can benefit from savings on disposal costs versus sending their waste flooring material to landfill. As an established BTTF collector, SMG Member Oxbridge Carpets Ltd has already sent back six collections of two bulk bags since signing up to the scheme over a year ago. “Without a doubt it has saved us on disposal costs,” commented John Webb, Oxbridge’s Warehouse Manager. “It’s important to recycle where we can, so we see the scheme as a positive thing. All our fitters are given polythene bags for the off-cuts which are then bulked up at our site prior to collection.” The firm has also returned Marmoleum stock for recycling, again saving money on its disposal while ensuring the material goes back into new products.
All Back to the Floor scheme members are provided with colour-coded polythene bags and bulk bags free of charge, which are collected directly from site or a contractor’s premises. Forbo has invested significantly in the recycling processes at three of its UK sites where material is recycled back into new products. Tessera off-cuts are processed at the Bamber Bridge plant near Preston, while the Flotex and vinyl flooring goes back into flooring at the Ripley site. At Forbo’s plant in Kirkcaldy, Marmoleum off-cuts are shredded into very fine pieces that are used in new Marmoleum production. Marmoleum is made from 97% natural materials, 72% of which are renewable and will grow back within 10 years. It is made with 43% recycled content to reduce the need for virgin raw material. For more information on Forbo’s Back to the Floor Scheme contact 0161 925 8760 alternatively email backtothefloor@forbo.com. SMG News | Spring 2015 | 21
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NEWS UPDATE NEW FROM MANX Manx will be showcasing their new range Hebridean at this year’s forthcoming Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show along with other new wool collections. Manufactured from 100% pure undyed wool, Hebridean is a premier quality two ply natural loop carpet, making it ideal for high traffic areas such as stairways and hallways. Manx have received great feedback on this new range and expectations are high.
For further information please contact your local representative or telephone Manx Carpets direct on 01827 831 434.
Does a Rolls Royce need servicing? It is generally accepted that servicing every year is good for your car. It will keep it running trouble-free for longer. Parts are kept lubricated, so don’t wear out prematurely and the performance remains high, adding to the overall enjoyment of owning the car. Rolls Royce make some of the best cars in the world, yet they still need servicing. The fact that they need servicing doesn’t make them any less attractive. So why is it that some wool carpet manufacturers and retailers, past and present, promote the notion that wool carpet doesn’t need regular cleaning and that vacuuming alone is sufficient? If Rolls Royce, in a bid to sell more cars, announces that their cars don’t need servicing, would they sell more? In the short term, possibly, but in year two and three when performance drops and they start breaking down at the side of the road, what happens to their reputation? Consumers are turned off by poor reliability and sales fall. This is what The WoolSafe Organisation believes has happened to wool carpet
through air pollution, cannot be removed by vacuuming, it requires cleaning. The WoolSafe Organisation recently carried out extensive research into the effects of maintenance on carpet appearance. The tests found that although regular vacuuming helped sales over recent years and contributed to to slow down soiling, the carpet’s the sharp rise in popularity of ‘stain free appearance continued to deteriorate. and easy clean’ synthetic carpets. However, as you can see from the purple (‘regularly cleaned’) line in the diagram Wool carpet is very good at hiding soil (which contributes to the myth that they left, regular annual cleaning maintains the carpet’s appearance at an almost don’t need cleaning) and trapping constant level. This means that a wool allergens and pollutants. It acts like carpet properly maintained can look a giant filter regulating indoor air great almost indefinitely. quality and humidity. However, for it to be effective this ‘filter’ needs to be The full article can be found in WoolSafe cleaned regularly. Correct and frequent News magazine summer 2014 or at maintenance will extend the useful life of www.woolsafeacademy.org. the carpet by removing grit and dirt that abrade the fibres and cause loss of pile Only WoolSafe Approved cleaning density and flattening. products are recommended when carrying out maintenance of wool floor Then there is the very important issue of coverings. Approved products have appearance. All carpet fibres, including been scientifically tested and are safe and wool, lose their lustre, colour and effective for use on all fibres including definition when oily and sticky soil wool, and are proven not to cause rapid attaches itself to the pile. This type of soil, re-soiling after cleaning. coming into our homes on our shoes and SMG News | Spring 2015 | 23
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Gaskell Wool Rich Launch Faroe Gaskell Wool Rich are pleased to launch their new 3-ply 100% wool loop pile range named Faroe. Developed in association with Wools of New Zealand there are three designs in total, each with nine colour options and all will be available 4 and 5 metre widths. www.gaskellwoolrich.co.uk
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NEWS UPDATE Member saves £9700 in two years! It seems too good to be true... doesn’t it? But with the help of Annex Solutions one SMG Member has saved £9700 on their energy bills over the last two years. In January 2014 the southern based retailer saved £5400 on their electricity bill and this January their gas bill was reduced by £4300! 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! Contact Annex Solutions on 01274 551 550 to find out how much money you could save.
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Growth sparks new Gulf Office for Ulster Carpets Ulster Carpets are delighted to announce the opening of a new office in the Gulf Region. The new premises based in the Jumeriah Lakes Towers, Dubai, is the result of highly successful trading in the region over a number of years. High profile clients in the area have been attracted not only by Ulster’s first-class product offering but also by the added advantage of having a local sales team, providing timely customer service and a
comprehensive knowledge of the market. The team are highly supported by design, planning and manufacturing based at the company’s headquarters in Northern Ireland, enabling shorter lead times and ensuring superior quality throughout the manufacturing process. This combination has enabled Ulster to service some of the region’s most prestigious venues and hotels, such as the recently completed five star, Sofitel Dubai Downtown. Ulster
supplied a number of different contemporary axminster designs to the luxurious hotel to include public areas, corridors, and guest rooms. The move to new premises marks a commitment to further advancement in the Gulf Region and is just one example of Ulster’s current plans for expansion and growth. Ulster recently began the first phase of a £30million investment into infrastructure and technology at their Northern Ireland headquarters, involving the construction of a new Dye House and Energy Centre. The Dye House will feature state of the art dyeing equipment whilst the Energy Centre will improve the efficiency of the whole plant and also significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint, in line with their strong Environmental ethos. This development combined with investment into new technology will further enhance Ulster’s product offering, safeguarding the company’s position as a premium supplier of axminster carpet.
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MEMBER NEWS
Member: PARKSIDE CARPETS joined smg: JULY 2013 LOCATION: GRIMSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN ‘THE JOURNAL’, EMMA MATHIAS CAUGHT UP WITH SMG MEMBERS, PARKSIDE CARPETS, TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR NEW SHOWROOM
After acquiring the former Whitehead’s premises, in Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby, Parkside Carpets is ready to launch itself into a new area with the sale of high end products. Having been based in Orwell Street for more than 20 years, the family-run business has purchased and developed a plush, new showroom which will show off the very best of the industry in a comfortable environment. Started by Tom and Maggie Woolliss in 1986, their first, personal venture into flooring sales began at Freeman Street market. With the children, Tom Jnr and Richard, in tow, the family business continued to grow until they opened their first store in Wellington Street. Prior to their venture, Tom Snr had been a self-employed, contract carpet fitter for several, respected local firms while Liverpool-born Maggie had been a secondary school teacher. Whilst owning a company was fairly new to the couple, it wasn’t something they went into blindly. Along with the experience of Tom Snr, they have recently discovered that Tom Jnr, who is now mostly at the helm of the business, is a fifth generation flooring retailer. Along with his grandparents and great-grandparents, the 1901 census has shown that an ancestor on Maggie’s side was an independent “hawker of oil cloth” indicating that the flooring business is well and truly at the heart of the family. Tom Jnr has continued to work in the family business. After completing a
degree at university, Tom returned to Grimsby and has now worked his way up and taken over as a director of the company. Maggie and Tom Snr are now taking more of a back seat and see themselves in more of an advisory role. Maggie said: “It is thanks to Tom that we now have new accounts from suppliers across the country and he has worked really hard to get them. We wouldn’t have managed it without having the new showroom in which to display the products and Tom’s work to attract attention to it.” Tom Jnr is very much looking forward to what the future holds for the business but all the time keeping fond memories of the past. He said: “I remember going down to the market stall on Saturday afternoons and sitting on a stool with a bag of chips.” The business has come a long way since and is now a stockist for some of the finest flooring products in the UK. Tom Jnr said: “We are now catering for all areas of the flooring market, from budget products through to high end, selling to homes and businesses and even supplying products for caravans and boats. Of course we don’t just sell carpets, we sell luxury vinyl tiles, wood and laminate flooring and big at the moment is artificial grass.” “This has been a huge seller for us in the last year, particularly with local garden centres, and we expect it to continue into 2015. It looks great all year round
and it’s ideal for people who don’t like cutting the grass!” Tom Jnr concluded: “We want to continue expanding and we will work hard at becoming the number one flooring retailer in the area. Of course, it wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of the staff, including our store manager, Damian Hotson, who has been with us for the last five years. “He himself has been in the industry for 15 years and brought with him lots of experience. Damian is great for bouncing ideas off and is an important part of today’s Parkside Carpets.” Do you have any news you’d like to share in SMG News? Please contact us on 0118 932 3832. SMG News | Spring 2015 | 27
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Cormar starts New Year with New Zealand Wool Bouclé Neutrals 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 The new range, shown for the first time on The Wools of New Zealand stand at Hannover, 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 Said David Judge, managing director at Cormar Carpets: “Textured wool carpets are still a popular choice with homeowners and Bouclé Neutrals is an attractive product, at an affordable price. It had a fantastic reaction at the show and price-conscious consumers who are looking for the durability of a wool carpet at a budget price will love this range.”
All Cormar’s wool twists, wool loop carpets and stain resistant polypropylene carpets are produced on site as its Lancashire mills and distributed in the UK and Eire via its own delivery fleet. For further information on the Bouclé Neutrals collection or any other range visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk.
Cormar’s Chris Isaacs was delighted to give retailers a first glimpse of the range at this year’s Domotex exhibition.
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Fine Worcester Twist... I Am Hugo, I Am Ella Fine Worcester Twist is widely recognised as one of the best twists on the market. It is known for its exceptional finish and stunning array of colours. It comes as no surprise to anyone, that when Adam Carpets confirmed, during the Flooring Show at Harrogate, that new colours would be appearing in the Spring that anticipation was heightened. Adam Carpets have now confirmed that ten new colours will be launched this Spring. The launch is taking a unique approach with the use of two fictional characters invented by Adam Carpets specifically for this new collection. Hugo and Ella will be the faces of the new colours of Fine Worcester Twist. Sales & Marketing Director, Eamonn Prescott explains further: “These colours have been designed with a totally new approach. We wanted ten colours that reflected new trends, ‘cool and urban’ and ‘warm and chic’. By introducing Hugo and Ella, we want the customer to identify with their traits and what they aspire to be. Fine Worcester should be about luxury and quality. We think that we are all a bit of Hugo or a bit of Ella. They aren’t two people; they are all of us’”. Adam has also taken the approach further and the launch of the colours will be combined with a unique presentation pack for their Representatives. Each will have a unique mood board with which to talk the retailer through the trends, ideas and fashions that inspired the new colours. This will be combined with specially designed handouts for the retailer, who will be able to show their customers the thoughts and inspirations behind this stunning new collection. Both Hugo and Ella will feature on the handouts and the forthcoming PR campaign. “By introducing these names and people to the carpet we are making it more human. Yes, people choose carpet on colour, but we believe that customers also choose on lifestyle. That is what we want to achieve with Hugo and Ella.”
Who is ‘Hugo’?
Who is ‘Ella’?
Hugo is a young, vibrant professional person who lives with his partner in the city.
Ella is a real ‘girl’s girl’ who loves a coffee or a cheeky glass of Pinot with her friends.
His taste is inspired by weekends surfing and sailing, so Ocean Blues and masculine neutral tones.
She loves her townhouse and has a passion for interiors and enjoys putting her ‘mark’ on her home.
His urban home is an interior of cool silvers and strong greys.
Her family are important and her interiors choices of soft, warm pinks inspire a cosy atmosphere.
Hugo is a modern man with modern tastes and enjoys quality products with style.
Fashion is important to Ella and she loves to dress up when going out including stunning lilacs, silvers and the occasional glitter to match her sparkling nature.
The new colours have been previewed by a series of ‘teasers’ that appeared on social media during February. This innovative approach has certainly captured the attention of those retailers switched on to Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. For more information please contact your local representative or Adam Carpets direct 01562 829966.
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NEW Approved Supplier
Westex join the Group SMG are delighted to have secured Westex Carpets as Approved Suppliers to the Group and have agreed an incredibly strong offer for the Membership. With Westex’s roots firmly planted in the sheep farming and textile heartland of West Yorkshire in the UK, Westex Carpets’ contemporary approach draws on their industrial heritage and traditional wool industry.
sites, completely controlling the process of design, creation, finish and delivery of your carpet. This 360° management means their 80/20 wool nylon and 100% wool carpets are internationally renowned for their colour, performance and added high value treatments. You can also expect a fast and reliable service, compliant with ethical, environmental, people management, health and safety standards.
Westex Carpets was originally the concept of a master dyer who wanted to offer a wider range of colour and quality in carpets. Today, they continue to draw on and develop that legacy with three dedicated manufacturing hubs. Not producing carpets for any other company, their quality control, exclusive ranges and special dye service has ensured that you can find a Westex carpet in many discerning homes, private establishments and public spaces throughout the world.
Westex’s comprehensive, standard colour palette immediately offers a wealth of subtle, rich and fresh colours to match all interior schemes. Combine this with their special dye service and you have an unlimited carpet colour choice to seamlessly achieve the style you are looking for.
With over 35 years’ experience, manufacturers of 2 and 3-fold yarn premium carpets, Westex own and manage three dedicated manufacturing
All Westex carpets are UK made, managed and quality controlled and they can dye them to match a colour sample; be that a paint card, swatch of
fabric or more unusual objects such as a snooker ball! The special dye service has a minimum quantity of 40m² and the colour yarn pom must meet with approval before production gets underway. Maintaining and improving their high standards of quality and care has meant a strategy of continuous investment in technology and emphasis on the provision of bespoke, individual solutions. This combined approach enables them to underline and grow their reputation for carpets of value and quality without compromise.
For more information please contact your local representative, or contact Westex directly on 01274 861334. SMG News | Spring 2015 | 33
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Question time Josh duTfield commercial Director at axminster carpets
It was 1755 when Thomas Whitty began making Axminster method carpets in Devon. These original Axminster carpets could be found in Chatsworth House and Brighton Pavilion as well as being bought by King George III and Queen Charlotte, who visited the factory. A disastrous fire stopped manufacturing of carpets at Axminster for some years until 1937 when the entrepreneurial Harry Dutfield, the son of a Glasgow carpet designer, made the decision to re-launch the carpet manufacturing business in the town of Axminster. This was the renaissance of ‘Axminsters from Axminster’ and it continued the proud tradition of making the finest carpets in the world. SMG recently met with Josh Dutfield, Grandson of Harry and Commercial Director at Axminster Carpets, who has certainly been through some challenging times since 2013 when Axminster Carpets was bought by a group of private investors led by Josh. Josh explains “With overwhelming support from all areas I was determined to do everything possible to secure the continuation of the business for the Axminster community. “ With a strong and talented team around him and everyone in the business working incredibly hard they should be incredibly proud of what has been achieved in such a short amount of time.
Two years have passed since the most challenging time of his career so far and it is clear he’s still as committed to the on-going success of this world-renowned British brand as ever. Axminster Carpets has been through some significant changes since 2013, what has been the biggest impact?
“By far and away focusing on our core strengths. The ‘new’ Axminster Carpets’ business has reviewed every aspect of how we operate and ensured we compete where we can compete. This has seen a more profitable business develop and put in place foundations to build from which still have the huge benefits and exciting opportunities that the amazing heritage of the Axminster Carpets brand symbolises.” What makes Axminster Carpets’ brand stand out in the marketplace?
“We know we are viewed very fondly by the British public with strong recognition as an iconic heritage brand. The support and loyalty we experience is very humbling and creates exciting opportunities for the future.” What challenges are you currently facing as a Manufacturer?
“As a team we’re enjoying the challenge of growing the business further and investing in customer
service and our stock lines. Once we achieve these aspects, it is then about the innovative new product lines we have in development.” Independent Retailers are also facing major challenges, what advice would you offer them?
“Whilst being mindful of where you need to improve, focus on your core strengths and what makes you excellent in standing out from the crowd- giving you that edge in the market place. We have had to go through a process of re-engaging with our core values and not trying to be all things to all people.” If you could ask retailers to change one thing what would it be?
“To be more confident about selling high quality products with value to the consumers. As a consumer, I know what I pay for phones, TV’s, fabrics, etc and never complain. If you offer a quality product with a quality service; hold your ground.” How would you like to see the industry change in the future?
“It’s always a challenge to change one of the oldest industries in the world, but inspiration can be taken from all around us and other sectors. The most successful companies tend to be those that consider collaborations
...continued
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Left: Introducing robotics to the Axminster manufacturing is one of Josh’s career highlights. Above: Royal Borough. Right: Devonia, picture here in Teign Grey, has had a fantastic response to the refreshed colour palette.
and partnerships as well as being open and innovative in providing high quality products with exceptional customer service. I would like to see a more confident flooring industry which looks forward.” What are your career highlights?
“Having spent many of my formative years at Axminster Carpets going from wool buying to dispatch, I have many highlights. Introducing robotics to the Axminster site, making it one of the most competitive carpet production sites in our niche at a very young age, was a really personally satisfying achievement as a local lad, born and bred. From a purely financial perspective, turning around a small tannery business from heavy losses to profit and then selling it for millions was a highlight. Also some planning and property work, however my heart is in Axminster. All round so far it would be putting together and leading the rescue of Axminster Carpets against the odds. Getting the opportunity to be part of the team rebuilding this amazing brand back into 2 years of profits has definitely been a highlight; for personal and business reasons.
Hopefully, through hard work and dedication, the best is still to come though as I have a little time left to go!” What is your favourite Axminster Carpets’ product?
“Royal Axminster, Axfelt or Royal Borough from a purely technical and quality ‘best of class’ perspective that showcases what we can do. At home we have Rustic weave, Dartmoor Plain and Simply Natural.” Aside from Axminster Carpets which other manufacturer do you most admire and why?
“I admire many from our sector for different reasons. From a broader view - brands that inspire me include Land Rover and Barbour because they maintain their British roots but have achieved substantial turnaround in performance and continue to be highly successful.” Do you have any regrets?
“I had tickets to the New Zealand Rugby World Cup and didn’t go (making amends this year!)... and not choosing a 10lbs line when fishing off Portscatho in Cornwall 10 years ago... would have been the bass of my lifetime.”
Outside of work, what are your passions?
“My family and friends. Fishing, rugby (Exeter Chiefs), rowing, football (Arsenal) and marathon running.” In your whole life, what makes you most proud?
“My family, my wife and my first child.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Believe in yourself, work hard and be the person you want to be.”
We would like to thank Josh for taking the time to answer our questions. If you are interested in any Axminster Carpets products please contact 01297 33533.
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Update at Axminster Carpets Significant on-going improvements at Axminster are aiming to improve lead times and stock availability. Over recent months Axminster have experienced, in their words, “unacceptable delays” and lead times on some of their more popular lines. To help improve this situation and as part of larger on-going improvements, Axminster have invested over £500,000 in a new Stock Planning System. This system (also known as MRP) works by triggering re-order points based on sales run rates and agreed lead times from internal production teams and external suppliers. These triggers ensure that they hold sufficient stock levels to deliver the projected sales together with a contingency to allow for growth. Further investment in increasing stock levels has also been committed to ensure that the lines remain in stock. For this system to work, they have been collaborating with their suppliers and internal production teams to put in place robust contracts and service level agreements together with financial penalties for late delivery. Once the MRP is fully operational Axminster expect to achieve 95% of the tufted ranges to be available within 10 days and 95% of the Woven range to be available within 20 days by June. To support the commitment to improvement some internal changes have been made. The company has a new chairman along with other Board changes. In customer services Charlie Darke has been promoted to Customer Services Manager.
Charlie has been with the company since 2008 and has worked in all areas of the customer services team, including the bespoke area and as deputy team leader. With extensive customer and product knowledge, Charlie’s role is to make sure that her team gives the best customer service to stockists, ensuring Charlie Darke they have the latest information and are kept fully up to date on the status of their orders. They act as a conduit between the retailer and production team. Another key change is having a cross-function Management Team aligned to deliver the vision of what Axminster Carpets stands for. And whilst there are no guarantees they feel confident that the team are committed to getting it right. Of the improvements Josh Dutfield, Axminster’s Commercial Director comments “I appreciate some have heard this before, but I sincerely believe that with the large changes made across the business we are all committed to getting this right for the customer. We would like to recognise the patience shown by members and thank them for their continued support.”
The Axminster Customer Service Team
From Top Left: Caroline Searle, Daniella Da Silva, Emily Herrod, Ralph Ford, Rosalind Demkiw, Gabby Littley, Hayley Bridge, Joshua Riley, Pat Lenn, Sharon Wensley. SMG News | Spring 2015 | 37
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EW BR AN .. D. W N
N O
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The Belvedere Collection Belvedere is the name for SMG’s new series of stylish, high quality, real hardwood flooring. Consisting of ten collections, these wood ranges offer a variety of colours, styles and finishes. Using natural oils and lacquers enhance the appearance and give subtle variations in sheen and hue.
high quality materials and finished to the highest standards, they make a perfect addition to any store.
Whilst UV varnishes add strength and protection to help prevent damage from sunlight and everyday wear. Primarily made from oak, these ranges can be used across a variety of installations and all wood used is managed and traceable to comply with sustainable forestry management regulations.
Plus SMG offer a range of accessories in matching colours to the wood products and a range of maintenance kits along with helpful guidelines on wood floor maintenance.
The SMG branded wooden displays really do stand out from the crowd. Made from
Helping your customers to look after and enjoy their wood floor investment is crucial for repeat business. The kits are available for all lacquered, UV oiled and white oiled floors.
Display Options Belvedere wooden flooring ranges come in three options; Coppice, Woodland and Forestry. Depending on your needs and showroom space simply select the package that’s perfect for you. Each display stand includes: • Individual feeler boards of the ranges • Large section of wood flooring fitted in display • Acrylic range header and product sheet • Branded divider strips to connect stands Imagine how great your showroom could look! Interested? For more details contact SMG on 0118 932 3832.
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Minerva Spring Exhibition
19th & 20th May 2015 The International Centre, Telford, Shropshire All SMG Members are invited to this exclusive event. To register your place contact SMG on 0118 932 3832.
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Brand new launches from Ulster in time for Spring! Ulster Carpets are pleased to be launching a number of new additions this Spring, including brand new York Wilton colourways and an exciting new plaid range ‘Braeburn’. Keeping with the plaids trend Ulster also have a stunning new design to add to the unique Boho Collection, a contemporary take on a plaid design called ‘Hamilton’. Turn the pages of any glossy interiors magazine and you would be hard pushed to avoid the trend for ‘neutral’ tones. These timeless shades are the colours of the moment, inspired by the paint palettes often seen in period country homes. These muted tones create a stunning backdrop for any interior scheme and what better way of achieving this elegant feel than with a beautiful floor covering. To answer this trend Ulster have added six new colourways to the already extensive York Wilton range; Flannel, Cuckoo, Cotswold, Pavilion, Squirrel and Gainsborough. The combination of cream, grey and earthy tones, offer something to complement any colour palette. The 80% wool, 20% nylon combination of York Wilton, creates a floorcovering which adds a luxurious feel to the home, whilst still offering enough durability for domestic life. York Wilton is available in 5m, 4m, 3m, 2m & 1m colour matching multi-widths, reducing waste and cost to the consumer.
Braeburn - Petrel
Think British coastlines, wild hedgerows, and vast moorland and you will conjure up a rich tapestry of colours, from silvery driftwood, glistening blue seas to waxy green leaves and heathery fields. These stunning, rural landscapes are the inspiration behind the much anticipated “Braeburn” plaid range, due to launch this spring. The traditional design has been given a contemporary yet timeless feel with the use of plum purples, petrol blues, mossy greens and shimmering greys, brought to life by accented pastel shades. The hardwearing 80% wool, 20% nylon axminster will add character and warmth to any home, standing the test of time against family life. As with the York Wilton range, the Braeburn axminster is available in colour matching, multi-widths in standard sizes 4.57m, 3.66m, 2.74m, 1.83m & 0.91m.
York Wilton - Squirrel
comprises a total of six designs with the addition of the Hamilton plaids. Available in five colourways, the plaids co-ordinate perfectly with the rest of the Boho Collection allowing consumers to create a vintage inspired flowing interior scheme. Please contact Ulster Carpets on 028 3833 4433 or your local representative for more information.
Since its launch in 2014, the unique Boho Collection has received rave reviews thanks to its soft “heritage” colour palette mixing contemporary shades with iconic and retro designs. The Collection now
Braeburn - Estuary
Boho Hamilton - Summer Breeze SMG News | Spring 2015 | 41
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Diversity - Ground Cumin
Chelsea - Driftwood
Barbican - Marble
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Latest News from Edel Telenzo As every year, the start of a new year is also the time where Edel Telenzo introduce new collections and colours. Further to that, new POS-material will be introduced later this year. SMG News is allowed a sneak peak though! The cooperation between SMG and Edel Telenzo started in the summer of 2013. Now, after a first full year, it can be said that the initiative works well for both SMG and Edel Telenzo. Good growth has been established and for this year, more is expected. New ranges and POS-material will certainly further promote this trend. New Introductions New introductions for quarter two are additional colours in Barbican, Chelsea and Paddington as well as the new Diversity range. Barbican is a beautiful range, consisting of two-tone plains and two fabulous multi-stripe designs. The new stripe added to the range allows for further combinations of a plain with a stripe in e.g. hallways and on staircases. Barbican is suitable for both home and contract locations and is made from 100% wool. Chelsea is 100% smart and luxurious. It is a luxury Brussels loop made from the highest quality New Zealand wool. The three new colours are earthy tones, giving any room a contemporary look with a natural feel. Paddington is one of Telenzo’s wool classics, and not without reason! Made from 100% 3-ply wool, this structured high-low loop pile has both the quality and the look. Two additional colours make Paddington fit for the future. A new addition to the Telenzo collection this year is Diversity. Diversity is new and completely different. It is a two-tone loop pile in 100% 3-ply wool with a unique construction, giving it a non-directional woven look. The colour combinations are exciting, uniting warm and cool colours into one beautiful design. Diversity is available in four and five metre widths and eight colour combinations. It will be available from April. Naturally, as all Telenzo ranges, Diversity is guaranteed against pilling, moths and pile reversal/ shading. Further, it is treated with Scotchgard™ for extra stain protection.
Chelsea - Driftwood
New POS Material Point of sale materials are as important as ever, attracting consumers is increasingly difficult and standing out even more so. The Telenzo collection distinguishes itself in design, construction and quality and to show this, appropriate POS-unitary has been developed. Wall units are available for all ranges. The units have a contemporary look and feel and provide all necessary sampling for the consumers to be able to make a well-informed decision. Several units can be placed next to each other to create a consistent look, providing a beautiful overview of the Telenzo collections.
Next to the wall units, Telenzo are currently working on a stand-alone unit, showing six ranges per unit. The ranges are shown by samples on top and pattern books are available behind a hidden door. Beautiful lifestyle images make the unit stand out and attractive to look at for the retailer and importantly the consumer; the main selling points are re-iterated on the header, focusing on quality, warranties and guarantees. For more information on Edel Telenzo or if you are interested in opening an account please contact 01422 374417.
“Beautiful lifestyle images make the unit stand out and attractive to look at for the retailer and importantly the consumer; the main selling points are re-iterated on the header, focusing on quality, warranties and guarantees.”
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The latest from Brintons The Kidderminster based manufacturer has a lot going on this spring; here are the highlights! 50 Years of Bell Twist This year Brintons celebrates 50 years of their iconic Bell Twist carpet. Over the last five decades the original palette of 10 colours has increased to a 60 strong collection featuring a full spectrum of colours, including on-trend shades like Manhattan Red, Rosebud, China Blue and Mineral. Brintons confidently promotes excellent performance wherever Bell Twist is laid and continue to use strong, wool-rich yarn to create a permanent twist that makes this carpet perfect for any room in the house. New for 2015 The NEW 2015 ‘beauty by design’ brochure continues to show Brintons as a true leader in the world of flooring design. Packed with interiors inspiration and stunning imagery the new catalogue showcases the full Brintons’ residential offering. The brochure also features a brand new range for 2015 – “City Plaids” (launching throughout April). Tartans still remain highly desirable in contemporary interior design and so a modern twist has been given to this timeless pattern so retailers can capitalise on the current popularity.
Bell Twist - Chalk
Don’t forget the Brintons Website - www.brintons.co.uk The Brintons’ website is a fantastic resource for your business. The residential specific website has thousands of views each day, an end user sample service and a store locator that gives retailers their own store page. You can use the ‘My Brintons’ log-in area to personalise your store’s page by uploading store photography and adding opening times. It has also recently been updated to make it even easier for you to create your Brintons’ branded advertisements with beautiful high quality imagery. Once you’re logged in as a retailer you can search through images by room type, product code and colour to find the shot that you need. This makes it so easy to create social media stories and website blogs for seasonal themes. If you don’t already know your log-in details or need a password resetting then please contact your local Business Manager. Woodward Grosvenor The new range consists of over 160 plain and natural tufted carpets with a fabulous choice of contemporary colours and sumptuous textures. The range will be supported with new tombolas in a limited distribution network plus as part of the launch a brand new brochure and website have been created. www.woodwardgrosvenor.co.uk
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City Plaids - Kensington
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Vusta Flaunts a New Look for 2015 This month marks the second-coming for Vusta luxury design flooring as the brand resurfaces with a fresh look, feel and set of collections. The vinyl range was launched in 2010 by long-established wood flooring manufacturer, Kenton Floors, and after five years of admirable popularity in the domestic and commercial sectors, has been transformed for its contemporary age. Significant investments in design and photography have placed a modern spin on Vusta, moving the flooring range firmly forward in its target market. Across print and digital platforms, the brand is now communicated in muted pastel colours, simple layouts and iconography, capturing a completely refreshed feel. Plus, all of the images that once defined Vusta have retired to be replaced with shots that exude interior design confidence. Striking photography now showcases the floors in stylish kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms, highlighting that Vusta is practical for anywhere in the home. Seventeen brand new floor designs have joined the range, bringing a wider choice of colours and styles to the wood and stone-effect collections. The newcomers include on-trend grey shades, set to be popular with contemporary home design, more stone and slate tiles to mix and match and additions to Vusta’s Design Strips. What’s more, the complete catalogue of floors has re-emerged as eight inspiring collections that tie to popular interior trends, so whether customers are looking for ideas or have a particular style in mind, finding a Vusta floor to suit their space is simple.
Limed Oak
Welsh Slate
With the launch of a bespoke Design Cutting service, Vusta can also be customised more than ever before. Clever water jet technology allows the floors to be redesigned in infinite combinations to create patterns, lettering and imaginative designs that speak to individual vision and style. For the first time, customers can bring their own flooring ideas to life, all with the help of Vusta. The brand’s new look and all of the new products are showcased in the 2015 Vusta catalogue amongst heaps of interior design inspiration. Coined the ‘Vusta Look-book’, the brochure is a visually stimulating collection of flooring ideas, designed to help customers explore how Vusta could look in their space. Plus, the brains behind Vusta’s beauty are demonstrated in the catalogue’s comprehensive technical section. The brand’s first complete guide
to subfloor preparation, fitting and aftercare, is a dream read for fitters and homeowners who want to get the most out of their floor. Vusta has also arrived at its next digital chapter with a new website making it easier than ever before to browse and buy floors. Just like the catalogue, www. vusta.co.uk is abundant with inspiration to help customers choose their perfect flooring design. Visitors can browse images of Vusta in real homes on the Inspiration feed, read the latest home interior tips on the blog and explore Vusta’s Pinterest for more ideas. Plus, for the first time, customers are able to order free samples of the floors and find their nearest Vusta stockist, all online. See it... Visit www.vusta.co.uk to see and feel the new Vusta or get in touch on 02920 888223 to receive a copy of the 2015 catalogue in the post.
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White Planed
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25/03/2015 21:47:04
Brockway unveils brand new portfolio for 2015 Brockway Carpets is launching brand new collections this year, with a host of beautiful new colours, styles and ranges of wool-rich carpets for both domestic and contract markets. They include four exciting new collections in twist and velvet yarns, pure wool saxony, wool twist and one featuring rare breeds of sheep, as well as new wool loop additions.
major product development programme to position Brockway as the UK’s premier manufacturer of beautiful, wool-rich carpets.”
The portfolio marks a new era for Brockway, explained the company’s chairman Charles Annable.
Brockway has been designing and producing the highest quality, hand finished carpets in Kidderminster since 1964.
He said: “We’re both very proud and excited to be launching our new portfolio. It’s the culmination of a
He added: “We believe strongly in British craftsmanship using the finest raw materials to ensure the sustainable
manufacture of award-winning carpets, which offer great value for money, whatever your budget or taste.” For further information please contact Brockway on 01562 828200 or visit www.brockway.co.uk.
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The Perfect ‘Back To Back’ Partnership Your bed needs to be a place of comfort rather than a source of pain and discomfort so, whether buying for the first time or replacing an old mattress, Sealy Posturepedic and the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) share a common goal in their ambition to encourage the great British public to make the right choices when buying a new bed in an effort to improve our back health and help make us all Deeper Sleepers. Sealy and the BCA have worked together for the past few years and now Sealy are pleased to announce the forging of a new partnership to promote their common objectives. Chiropractic is a primary contact health profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and overall management of many conditions that are due to problems with bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves, especially related to the spine. The BCA is the largest and longest-standing association for chiropractors in the UK. Chiropractic treatment and care offers hands on pain management and mainly involves safe, often gentle spinal manipulation to free joints in the spine or other areas of the body that are not moving properly. Apart from manipulation, chiropractors may use a wide variety of techniques to help their clients as well as offering advice about posture and lifestyle, and sleep can be a big part of this.
The partnership with Sealy is further evidence of the Company’s continued commitment to providing healthy, orthopaedically correct beds. As a result, customers, both trade and consumer and those in the hospitality sector, can rest well knowing Sealy continue to be at the forefront of developments in healthy sleep. Sealy’s commitment to cutting edge sleep technology is well known and has resulted in the development of mattresses that support and provide a restorative and relaxing night’s sleep. Posturepedic as a brand is synonymous with being the sought after bed for the discerning purchaser who understands that having a mattress that is both comfortable and supportive is critical for a night’s sleep to keep the spine properly aligned and prevent tossing and turning or waking up with aches and pains. The latest development to come from Sealy’s commitment to these objectives is the new Profile range.
Ergonomic in concept, the Contour mattress is based on various anthropometric studies which detail and ‘profile’ the proportions of the human anatomy. It sounds complex and highbrow, but in essence, this is all about the study of the human body and its movement. Directional and variable zoning along its length from head to toe means the mattress doesn’t have to be turned, any way, ever, and the mattress pays special attention to offering exactly the right kind of support to the head, shoulders and hips, which are the key pressure points that cause tossing and turning at night. In addition, and the key to the whole concept, there are two areas of increased support to ensure the neck and spine are kept at exactly the right alignment throughout the night. It is these key areas of support which make this new and special bed so different. When you lie down on a Profile bed, you can actually feel the slightly convex zone
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which sits laterally across the mattress and is just perfect for supporting the spine, whether you are lying on your side or your back, so this bed is a boon to anyone who feels the need for more support as they sleep, or indeed anyone who occasionally or permanently suffers from back problems, or wishes to prevent one from deteriorating.
supportive as well as comfortable bed. Testers who have already trialled this new Profile range are ecstatic at the benefits they have gotten from it right from their very first night’s sleep. The convex zones are not instantly visible unless you look for them, but lie down on the bed and your body instantly can feel and appreciate the difference.
In addition, although not quite as pronounced as the convex torso zone, the subtly convex head area is specifically designed so you don’t need more than one good pillow to support your head. This is a far better arrangement for your neck as it helps keep it better aligned with your spine and this means you shouldn’t wake up with back or neck ache in the morning.
Finally, these new beds also feature Adaptive technology. Adaptive is a ‘dynamic response’ textile that reacts to temperature and moisture. In a nutshell, hydro-functional polymers change shape, boosting evaporation and helping to maintain a constant temperature for the sleeper, even through the sheets. With this new 21st century textile technology included in Sealy’s renowned Smart Fibres, which are also in the material covering the mattress and which are endorsed by Allergy UK, even the most fussy of sleepers will revel in the comfort as well as the support of this new style of bed.
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
There are two beds in the range: the Contour Reflexion model is a medium support mattress and the Contour Support has a slightly firmer feel to it, so everything has been done to offer the widest type of comfort options for the customer. For further information please contact your local representative, contact Sealy direct on 016973 20342 or visit www.sealy.co.uk.
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Ryalux relaunches Desert Tones and V&A Ranges The UK’s leading quality carpet manufacturer, announces the relaunch of several of its popular ranges. Ryalux continues its extensive re-launch program with the re-launch of their premium loop pile range, Desert Tones. The range has been extended from ten to twelve colours and includes six brand new shades to create a loop pile range that truly reflects interior colour trends. Made from the finest 3-ply yarn to ensure its enduring performance, Desert Tones is 100% Pure New Zealand wool, the world’s purest and whitest wool. New Zealand wool provides the perfect canvas for colour, which is why all Desert Tones shades are clean and vibrant and exude the quality only achievable through using the finest wools. Desert Tones continues to be available in three different designs – Sahara (plain rib), Gobi, and Kalahari (textured loops), however it now features two additional protection treatments: • Ryaguard premium stain protection, to protect against spillages and soiling. • Ryaprotect premium mothproofing treatment, to protect against moths and other wool-eating insects. This is backed by their Ryaprotect warranty. Ryalux is also launching a coordinating twist range, called Natural Tones, which perfectly harmonises with Desert Tones, and will feature on the same unitary. This new 50oz twist range is made from the finest New Zealand wool, and features Ryaguard premium stain protection and Ryaprotect premium mothproof treatment.
Ryasilk - Chenille
Period Velvet - Charlotte
Ryaloop and Natural Twist, which also feature on the same unitary, will now benefit from Ryaguard premium stain protection and Ryaprotect premium mothproofing treatment.
insects all backed by Ryalux’s Ryaprotect warranty. This range, which is now available in 4 and 5 metre widths, also benefits from a significant price reduction.
Relaunch of two Velvets Ryasilk, a luxurious deep pile velvet saxony, whose palette is inspired by the classic elegance of the finest silks on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, has been infused with 12 new contemporary colours, to create a 21 colour collection, which is simply stunning.
Period Velvet is a classic velvet range and now features 30 colours, inspired by the timeless style and elegance of the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Made from the finest two ply yarn, Ryasilk is 100% Pure New Zealand wool. Only by using New Zealand wool are Ryalux able to create light, delicate shades such as their renowned white shade - White Damask. Ryasilk also now features Ryaguard premium stain protection, to protect against spillages and soiling. It also now benefits from Ryaprotect premium mothproofing treatment, which protects against moths and other wool-eating
Influenced by the collections from these periods on display at the British Galleries at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Period Velvet’s enduring appeal complements both contemporary and period interior design schemes. Made from the finest New Zealand wool, the world’s purest and whitest wool, Period Velvet also now features Ryaguard premium stain protection and Ryaprotect premium mothproofing treatment. At the same time as updating these two ranges, Ryalux will also be adding Ryafine Velvet to their velvet display units to create a velvet collection unrivalled in the market place, featuring the deep pile luxury of Ryasilk, the classic elegance of Period Velvet, and the unrivalled beauty of Ryafine Velvet. For more information on these relaunches, please contact your local representative, or the Ryalux Sales Office on 0161 762 3030 alternatively email sales@ryalux.co.uk.
Desert Tones - Gobi Dune Mist SMG News | Spring 2015 | 53
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Forbo’s New Allura Luxury Vinyl Tiles Forbo’s Allura luxury vinyl tiles collection offers the aesthetics of realistic, natural wood and stone floors whilst having the advantages of strong and durable vinyl: warm underfoot, sound absorbing, tough and durable, with easy installation and maintenance. Forbo’s new Allura LVT collection presents the ultimate finesse in realistic wood and stone designs, made and designed in Europe with high end production techniques to create today’s most realistic and natural look and feel in luxury vinyl tiles. Abstract designs offer something a little different and include textile, metallic and digital stripe effects. Creating the new Allura collection was an exciting journey where Forbo’s design team combined the insight in trends in design and architecture and the use of natural materials. There are many ways in which floor designs influence an environment. They can be calm, tranquil and unobtrusive or they can give the space its own character and really come to life. A floor also can be a strong base for other design elements. Today floors very often have a tendency to be playful and to be in harmony with the environment.
Mixing and matching plank sizes and colours to create individual floors the Allura collection has been designed to offer maximum flexibility and the widest possible design choice. What’s more Forbo’s Allura collections are produced in Europe using ultramodern production lines that deliver the highest quality product with an extremely good dimensional stability. Green energy is used in production and 100% recycling capabilities deliver the most sustainable alternative in LVT. We are constantly striving to improve the environmental profile of our vinyl products through local and international initiatives. For example, we repurpose our vinyl waste (and that of other flooring manufacturers) to make new products - such as the backing for Flotex carpet tiles. For more information please contact your local representative.
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Active Payments is currently running a promotional offer available to all SMG Members contact us today to see how much you could save!
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Sales boost from upgraded Tredaire underlays Interfloor’s upgraded Tredaire premium PU underlays have notched up significant sales growth since their launch in late 2014. These are Tredaire’s flagship collection of six PU products: Sensation, Dreamwalk, Softwalk, Cosywalk, Ambience and Revive. There are four elements which have been improved and are proving very popular with retailers. These are: A Stronger and more vibrant colours The facing film colours have been strengthened with more pigmentation so that the finish is more striking and vibrant than before. Tredaire’s PU underlays can be differentiated by their colour and improved colouring will aid the selling process to the customer.
Steve Woodhead, Interfloor marketing director, says, “The premium Tredaire PU underlays are our biggest selling Tredaire collection. This upgrade has been designed to produce a better performing product that looks better and is easier for retailers to sell….and the results show that retailers have responded enthusiastically. We’ve invested significantly in the range without changing our prices. Feedback from customers has been extremely positive.”
The UPGRADED Tredaire premium range…
A Stronger backing with bolder branding The high performance Textron paper backing has been strengthened significantly which will both improve its stability and the overall comfort level of the products. The traditional brown paper has been replaced by a brilliant white with the Tredaire branding in red. This will also support the premium positioning of Tredaire and provide a strong reminder of the brand when the carpet is uplifted in the future.. A Improved Point of Sale Interfloor is well known for the quality of its POS, particularly the A3 hanging samples. Interfloor has re-designed the Tredaire covers so that they contain key underlay benefits statements for the store salesperson to use. There is also useful technical information including product density and tog and decibel ratings. QR codes have also been introduced for retailers and consumers to access more information via their smart phones. A Brighter and stronger packaging The premium range has new packaging with thicker, stronger films that will make the product easier to move. The packaging design has also changed with a new two colour print on a white background which supports the premium positioning and enables the products to be differentiated easily.
Tredaire Sensation
Tredaire Dreamwalk
11mm/145kg/m3
11mm/110 kg/m3
Tredaire Ambience 9mm/145kg/m3 (formerly Contract 9)
Tredaire Revive 7mm/145kg/m3
(formerly Contract 7)
Tredaire Softwalk 9mm/110 kg/m3
Tredaire Cosywalk 7mm/110 kg/m3
Interfloor also provides extensive retailer support in terms of product and sales training, point of sale, complementary accessories from their Gripperrods and Stikatak ranges, and advice on maximising profitability through the product range.
For further information please contact your local representative or Interfloor on 01706 238810.
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British Wool Define a Strong Point of Difference with new POS British Wool is at the centre of the wool industry - sitting literally between the growers - that is the British sheep farmers - and the manufacturing side of the UK’s acclaimed textile sector. The world of wool is far more diverse than people ever realise and is full of unique processes and historically refined skills that tame the homegrown naturally robust British Wool into world class carpets, rugs, fabrics and furnishings. The fibre itself is perhaps the most complex and capable natural fibres grown today and has yet to be matched by any manmade substitute. Its natural attributes have been at the heart of promotional campaigns from the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) for many years. The BWMB - an organisation owned by over 40,000 sheep farmers - collects, grades, markets and promotes the majority of wool from British sheep breeds in this country and will send approximately 32million kilograms of wool to the textile industry every year. Its predominant use is carpet manufacturing - approaching 70 percent will be used in woven, tufted and flat weave products produced by quality brands across the globe. British Wool is regarded as the strongest and most resilient carpet fibre in the world - that is why woven carpet brands choose it for commercial installations. But what exactly does resilient mean? Tim Booth, Marketing Manager of the
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BWMB - says that in carpet the natural resilience of British Wool means “It will take pressure from continuous use, bouncing back over and over again.” This is down to its natural bulky structure caused in part by the ‘inclement’ weather, we so enjoy in the temperate climes of the UK! But it is also down to the breed and breeding of more than sixty different types of sheep. “If you had to define our wool by difference - you would say it is stronger - soft to touch - but strong enough to take the pressure of a busy family home, a hotel lobby, a casino or a cruise liner - and we think that’s quite impressive.”
But, consumers do not always know all this and Tim acknowledges that, “There is a lot to take in - retailers themselves sometimes do not fully understand all wool has to offer.” However, the latest Point of Sale materials from BWMB are designed to provide straightforward information in a stylish and easy to understand way. The two new brochures - ‘Sheep to Store’ and ‘Store to Floor’ do exactly as they say, the first explains the fibre’s journey from the sheep to the retailer and the second one is very much about the consumer benefits - things that matter in the home.
As we all know, repetitive use of anything causes wear and appearance suffers - so clearly the stronger the fibre is to start with means that you will have a better looking carpet for longer. Tim explains, “It’s common sense really, nothing gets more heavy duty use than your floor - so it’s wise to choose a strong fibre to cope and British Wool is very robust.” Strength aside, the multiple performance benefits of wool add up to something quite amazing. Particularly when you hear that wool adapts to the room and the wearer with its natural breathability, keeping a constantly comfortable temperature. It can also absorb and hold in perpetuum some of those very nasty floating compounds that emanate from other home products as well as being easy to clean and well, you can see why the reputation of wool is so good.
A colourful window vinyl with key benefits on it has also been developed for shop windows and is intended to run along the top or the bottom of a window and is available in cut sizes to fit. This does not hinder internal viewing from the outside but with its key messages - adds a lot of value. The compliment slip - which is ideal for accompanying quotations has a compact message about choosing and cleaning British Wool, supporting your quote with useful information to the customer’s door. “There is a lot to know about British Wool as a fibre and we wanted to make it much easier to understand - and give retailers something striking to help them sell the products made by our many licensed carpet partners.” For more information please contact The British Wool Marketing Board on marketing@britishwool.org.
26/03/2015 15:34:30
FOUNDATION FOCUS Carpet in the media Homes & Antiques, Ideal Home and 25 Beautiful Homes have all featured carpet so far in 2015 thanks to our efforts. Indeed, all three pieces of exposure were a direct result of The Red Carpet Awards. The February issue of Homes & Antiques had a 4 page feature on carpet and featured images and quotes from Ulster, Brintons and Cormar. In the same month, 25 Beautiful Homes showcased Brockway’s Solar Stripe while the March issue of Ideal Home showed Brinton’s Padstow on a staircase. A good start to the year – and illustrating that there is more to carpet than plain!
“Indeed, all three pieces of exposure were a direct result of The Red Carpet Awards.” Daily Mail - Could the air in your home be killing you’? ‘Batting for the industry’ is a key part of our activity and we swung into action in January when the Daily Mail ran a piece entitled ‘Could the air in your home be killing you?’ Although not too derogatory about carpet, we nonetheless took up the cudgel – and had our letter printed. If you would like a copy of the letter, please email info@carpetfoundation.com. Full approval from the TSI We have to regularly prove to the TSI that we really are delivering what we say in the Code. We had a full day’s interrogation from the TSI – and we passed with flying colours! Thank you to all of you who helped us. Driving consumers into your shops Between 1st December 2014 and 28th February 2015, there were 5420 individual consumers who clicked through the personal websites of our members. The most fortunate retailer had 132 potential ‘leads’. As we always say, we know not all will lead to business, but there has to be a very good chance that some do. Do let us know if you can identify business that has come direct from a lead to your website.
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FIORI HESSIAN STUCCO, 4-5601 80% Wool 20% Nylon 8 Row Woven Axminster Available 4m wide
For more information please visit our website at www.bondworth.co.uk
Townshend Works, Puxton Lane, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5DF T+44(0)1562 745000 F+44(0)1562 732827
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Blowing The Horn For Jaymart Logo Mats Jaymart was founded in 1967 by Martin Bunyard and the family business, operating out of Warminster, Wiltshire, has been passed down to the next generation who are busy expanding the range and reaching new customer bases. Jaymart have been supplying logo mats to the business and commercial world for many decades. Sales Director, Paul Macfarlane, who has recently attended The Big 5 exhibition in Dubai and Domotex in Hannover, is as keen as mustard to promote the excellent qualities of their prestigious entrance matting systems and logo mats abroad, as well as at home. Paul recently commented “We’ve got a massive range and can offer such a huge selection of colours and qualities that we’re confident we can meet the criteria for the crucial entrance matting choice. We’re pleased to be supplying global brands such as Rolex, Caffe Nero, Nike, Holiday Inn, l’Occitane, Animal and Pizza Express to name just a few!”
Jaymart Gets Posh Jaymart are proud to have been supplying the prestigious Claridge’s Hotel of London with their “Ingenius” logo entrance mats for many years
matting captures moisture and walked-in dirt and will not only help to prevent slips and trips but will also protect floorcoverings throughout the building from unnecessary soiling and wear and tear. Other interesting locations for Jaymart’s Rain-Check/Rain-Check Logo Mats include the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel in Knightsbrige, Vidal Sasson hair salon also in Knightsbridge and the Wolseley at Piccadilly – popular with the rich and famous! Jaymart prides itself on its ability to supply top quality, top performance specialist floorings and mattings. Jaymart’s Weightlifter... Not Just For Horses & Weightlifters Jaymart’s Weightlifter is an extra heavy duty reversible wide ribbed/hammer multi-purpose rubber mat for animal stables horseboxes/weightlifting etc.
Jaymart recently supplied a funky logo mat for Ronnie Scott’s famous jazz club in London. Ingenius For Genius At Bang & Olufsen Jaymart have recently supplied their Ingenius heavy duty polypropylene entrance matting incorporating the iconic Bang & Olufsen logo to this Danish company, famous for their high-end televisions, sound systems, loudspeakers and car radios. Ingenius is available in a range of colours and 10mm or 15mm thickness.
“Ingenius” is a heavy duty polypropylene entrance matting available in 15mm Tan, Black and Slate or 10mm in Tan, Black, Blue, Red, Green, Grey, Slate, Brown & Yellow.
It is currently the mat of choice for Bulmers Cider for protection in an area where cider bottles are accidentally
Raincheck At German Embassy Entrance matting is an integral part of the overall aesthetic feel of the area. A firm favourite is Jaymart’s Rain-Check, super heavy contract quality nylon-on-nylon clean-zone barrier matting/foyer carpeting matwell entrance matting in 8.5mm thickness has been the recent entrance choice for the prestigious German Embassy at Belgrave Square in London. Raincheck met the brief for value for money, safety, maintenance and aesthetics.
dropped on the production line! This product is 17mm thick and can stand up to lots of tough treatment. For more information on Jaymart’s mats and floorings please visit www.jaymart.co.uk or telephone 01985 218994.
Rain-Check is available in Brown, Honey, Terracotta, Burgundy, Hunter Green, Navy Blue, Solid Black and Charcoal and is available in either roll or mat format. This attractive and highly effective SMG News | Spring 2015 | 61
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introducing... trinity creations SMG are delighted to announce that Trintity Creations became Approved Suppliers to the Group from 1st March 2015. With two concise collections; ‘Lounge’ and ‘Essentials’ and superb sample sets available this is a must have for all SMG Members!
Don't
miss
For more information please contact SMG on 0118 932 3832.
info@trinity-creations.com | www.trinity-creations.com
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uNIque CHoiCE
+
superb sample packs available
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Latest from Buoyant Upholstery The Interiors Show in January saw the highly successful launch of Buoyant Upholstery’s new Performance Leather range. This exclusive range of furniture is upholstered in a leather which has been engineered to cope with modern day living. ‘Performance’ leather is produced using the very latest technology combining over 70% natural leather with an engineered finish. Performance leather has the appearance and softness of high quality natural leather but is actually much harder wearing, making it perfect for family life.
Fantasy
Unlike natural leather, Performance leather is much warmer to touch and is defect and scar free. It is soft to touch and easy to clean using a mild soap and water solution.
models which were very well received, the Fantasy and the Fabian. Following on from the success of these models further additions to the range are planned for launch at the Manchester Furniture Show in July.
Buoyant launched two full Performance leather models in January, the Fairfield Hide and the Finley Hide. They also launched two leather and fabric mix
For more information please contact your representative or Buoyant Upholstery on 01282 691631.
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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. It was the turn of a southern based retailer this spring when SMG visited Folkestone, in Kent, to meet with Warren Dixon at Action Carpets. The business was founded 28 years ago in 1987; at the time Warren was working with a partner supplying and fitting from a garage. He built a solid reputation for quality fitting, especially of vinyl tile flooring in new build properties. When the recession hit in the 80’s Warren took the bold decision to branch out into supplying and fitting carpets as well. This proved to be a great move as the business has gone from strength to strength, outgrowing its premises several times in the first 20 years! Action Carpets has always been in the Folkestone area, however they opened an additional branch in Dover, 15 years ago. The current location in Park Farm Road is their seventh relocation due to outgrowing previous premises, it boasts a 17,000 square feet showroom . The store benefits from being located on the main road into the town centre and with Carpet Right round the corner they not only benefit from passing trade but from customers of Carpet Right.
When visiting SMG Members it’s usually easy to guess where their name derives from, a surname a place or play on words, but ‘Action’ was different. Warren explains “The name Action Carpets was decided on the tossing of a coin 28 years ago with my then business partner. It was my idea to name it Action as I knew it would ensure we featured close to the front of the Yellow Pages!” It’s clear that Warren has consistently reinvested in the business, choosing the long term plan ahead of the quick fix “I thought to myself, I want to do this for the rest of my life, build up a successful business and pass it on to my children” commented Warren. This is exactly what is going to happen, with both of his sons now working for the business it seems that all is going to plan. When the time comes they’ve got a lot of responsibility to take on, not only have they got to match the amazing sales record of the business but Action Carpets also have thirteen full time members of staff, three teams of fitters on a permanent contract and around fifteen fitters sub-contracted on a full time basis as well. It’s a responsibility I’m sure they will flourish with as Warren has certainly
equipped them with all the knowledge and experience they need. And by the sound of how much Warren enjoys what he does I don’t think it is a responsibility they will have to take on themselves too soon. SMG put the usual questions to Warren and here’s what he said: What do you feel is the independent retailer’s strength? “Simple... choice, experience and service. We can offer a much greater selection and we are able to offer everything on the market. Large companies like to streamline and narrow their offerings and are run by managers and salesmen and their earnings are largely commission based; all they are interested in is getting as much money out of the customer as possible. They have a tendency to pre-judge customers and if they don’t think they are going to spend a lot of money they can be rude or ignore them. Whereas to us, every customer is valuable! We have lots of customers who have remained loyal since our inception - they bought their first piece of vinyl from us and we are still serving them today, in fact we also serve their families. That’s what its all about for me... service, doing the best you can to keep your customer buying from you again and again. Lord Harris once said ‘I want to sell carpet to everyone in the country once!’ Well I’d like to sell carpet to everyone in the country forever! Ok so that will never happen but I would like to continue selling to everyone in Kent! Also one of the most important parts of the sale is the fitting. It’s important to keep customers especially when something has gone wrong. The answer to keeping these customers is putting it right straight away; if you apologise and correct the fault straight away, that customer will come back to buy from you again. Sometimes a mistake will work out better for you in the long run because the way in which you handle it goes towards helping you to retain that customer because they can see how well you handled the situation and what you’ve done to rectify it. That will sometimes make them remember you more.”
Action Carpets has around 300 rolls in stock. 66
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Member: ACTION CARPETS joined smg: JUNE 1999 LOCATION: FOLKESTONE, KENT
Warren and the team have been based in their current premises for 10 years.
What are the most common questions from Customers? “That’s a really difficult question, mainly because we sell so many products. We certainly listen to every customer, ask what they expect from their carpet, how they are going to use it and how long they want it to last - it can be mind boggling for some people. Then we can steer them in the right direction, it’s all about managing their expectations. ”
Therefore I think the British businesses that are able to sell both man made products and wool will become even more popular.” What is the key market challenge? “The industry appears to be flooded with products from East Asia at the moment, retailers are being approached to set up direct contracts. I think this is a big risk for manufacturers and retailers as those who take the option are not offering a good quality product and this will inevitably have an impact on the perception of our industry as a whole.”
SMG has a strong policy of supporting British Manufacturers, is this something you support? “Totally, I would love to sell only British carpet, but sadly it’s just not possible. It is helping that a lot of the British manufactures are starting to produce lower priced carpets which is appealing to a wider market. Cormar and Victoria, are to name but a few, their Sensation and First Impressions products respectively have been really successful.
What is your top selling product at the moment? “We supply lot of carpet to buy-to-let properties and refurbishments, so this would probably distort from what is popular in the consumer market. However we always keep around 300 to 400 rolls in stock and we prefer to sell this rather than a cut length.”
As wool sales are declining it’s nice to be able to sell a British product that fits well into the current market’s budget and I believe this decline in demand for wool carpet is undoubtedly due to what the customer wants. Around three to four years ago it was purely price driven but now there are so many new fibres and advances in man made products they are able to offer similar qualities of a wool carpet.
What has changed most during your time in the industry?“The biggest thing to have changed is the growth of companies such as Headlam and larger manufacturers who have swallowed up smaller British manufacturers. Therefore there are a lot of ‘me too’ products, the independent manufacturers really need our support as they are the future source of choice and value.”
Having been an SMG Member for nearly 15 years what advice would you offer to retailers who are not members of a group? “SMG has been really important to us, especially in the early days they have opened up a link to some manufacturers we didn’t have contact with. To be honest, that was the main reason we joined; to get access to good British manufacturers, however there have been other huge benefits as well. For example we were pretty confident that we negotiated well and were surprised when we joined SMG, to then get even better rebates and discounts! I researched all of the groups when we first started out and then put it to one side to be honest. A few years later I was contacted by someone at SMG. The approach was not to force a big commitment, no big initial outlay, it was simple ‘try it and if you don’t like it then leave’ and I like that, its great. If anyone is reading this who is not a Member of a Group in general my advice would be... Try it. After all you don’t know if you don’t try and for a small cost it’s definitely worth it.”
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