SMG News - Spring 2016 by SMG Group

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CONTENTS SMG NEWS | SPRING 2016 | ISSUE 181

NEWS 7

WESTEX WINNERS

AXMINSTER ON TV

13 FROM FLEECE TO FLOOR 23 CLEANABILITY OF FIBRES

REGULARS 11 AT THE SHARP END Simon Hollick from Brintons

32 QUESTION TIME John Cooper from Interfloor

62 MEMBER FOCUS Thetford Carpet Warehouse, Norfolk

FEATURES 28 JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW 43 AHEAD OF THE TRENDS 47 BEST SELLING LOOPS 50 CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

ON THE COVER Woodpecker Berkeley - Traditional Oak

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Associated Weavers iSense - Super Soft Fibre

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CARPET

VINYL

WOOD

RUGS

LVT

UNDERLAY

BUYING GROUPS’

NATIONAL

FLOORING SHOW 10 & 11 MAY 2016

OVER 60 LEADING BRANDS ARE AT ONE PLACE AGAIN THIS MAY... A MUST ATTEND EVENT FOR ALL BUYING GROUP MEMBERS! CRANMORE PARK, SOLIHULL, WEST MIDLANDS, B90 4LF

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SMG NEWS | SPRING 2016

Dear Members,

Welcome to the first of four editions of SMG News in 2016 and my thanks to Ben Young, SMG’s Director of Marketing, who has delivered another great issue. The magazine has a wide reaching readership that extends beyond the Members and making SMG News a quarterly magazine seemed like a logical step (although Ben may not agree!) to report on all the developments and investment that the industry and SMG is making. There are a number of new features in this issue which we believe will make it more readable; we hope that you will enjoy it more than ever. There appears to be mixed views on the state of the market as we near the end of the first quarter; general

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retailers, and SMG Members that I have met appear to be positive and report that business is good for the time of year whilst manufacturers are reporting that it is a challenging environment. It is difficult to explain this anomaly but perhaps the product mix is now being shared more evenly between the mature product markets of wool and Polypropylene. One area of growth is in polyamide/nylon soft touch yarns with iSense from Associated Weavers revolutionising this category, I suspect that we will see further growth in this product this year with Crown Floors introducing Satino. For SMG Members the term ‘Ultimate Retail Support’ has never been truer, the developments we have made in the last few years make the membership package an unbelievable offer, almost perfect! There is something for everyone; new businesses will get support when they need it the most and established businesses will instantly be more profitable. This is all possible due to the incredible support we get from our Approved Suppliers and the only advice we give is to increase your support of them. Plan your business, manage your customers and you will have a greater voice and make more profit, guaranteed.

I would like to thank all the Suppliers and SMG Members who supported the Flooring Show at the NEC’s January Furniture Show this year. It was a great success and we have been asked to consult on a bigger and better show for 2017, you can read all about it on page 28. The next great event of the year will be the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show in Solihull from Tuesday 10th May to Wednesday 11th May. The BGNFS has all of the flooring industry’s major suppliers together in one place at an easy to access exhibition centre in Solihull. A number of Members visiting for the first time last year were amazed by the quality of the Show and the facilities, if you haven’t been before make 2016 your first experience. We will of course have our Membership suite and VIP package again. To register please visit www.bgnfs.co.uk. See you all there!

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 CROWN FLOORS DISPLAYS DELIGHT AT JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW As Members will already know, SMG were delighted to welcome Crown Floors to the Group in February 2016. In fact they were one of the forward thinking

flooring brands to exhibit at this year’s January Furniture Show as it looked to captivate a new audience of furniture and home interiors retailers with its striking carpet ranges.

well as the full range in a swatch book hung on the reverse. The lectern’s small footprint and low weight allows it to be moved around easily, working well with changing store layouts and displays.

It is those retailers that are often without the space or a high percentage of flooring sales to commit to large display units that Crown Floors is targeting with its new tombola and lectern displays. Of course, these displays are equally relevant for existing flooring retailers keen to give more standing to Crown Floors or to give the brand a try.

“The January Furniture Show is one of the few exhibitions that helps us to target a new audience and it was great to welcome furniture and interior retailers to the stand and reveal our great story of trend-led great value carpet,” explains James Caldwell, from Crown Floors.

A new tombola featuring 74 different styles in a compact footprint is one of the new display options available. Focusing on the brand’s Easy Clean ranges of soft and bleach cleanable polypropylene, the tombola features striking ‘familyproof comfort’ imagery and clearly communicates the advantages of choosing carpet from Crown, including four and five-metre width options.

“Along with our imposing wall unit, the new displays give retailers even more scope and the new tombola has certainly caused a stir.”

Crown also revealed a new-look single-sided lectern for individual ranges from the brand and housing large 40x60cm samples of key colours, as

“Along with our imposing wall unit, the new displays give retailers even more scope and the new tombola has certainly caused a stir, both from visitors to the January Furniture Show and our loyal customer base” added James.

For further information please contact 0800 0773301 alternatively visit www.crownfloors.co.uk.

MORE MEMBERS ARE SAVING WITH ANNEX SOLUTIONS More Members are reaping the rewards of their membership. Last year Warren from Action Carpets in Folkestone contacted SMG head office “When we last met you reminded me of the other services available through my membership.” “I called Warren Duckett at Annex Solutions and in approximately five minutes he has transferred our gas supply and if we use the same amount as last year we will save upwards of £1340 this year coming... Impressive! Thanks SMG!” It’s another happy Member who has used the service. Annex Solutions can provide all SMG Members with a free independent and comprehensive service to ensure that they reduce their

overheads. If you decide to switch suppliers the dedicated customer service team will take care of the entire process for you, saving you time and ensuring that the transfer process is seamless. Having used the service and saved money at SMG head office we can certainly confirm that it is a simple process!

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CELEBRATING GROWTH WITH WESTEX As you can see from the photos Westex made five SMG Members very happy in the run up to Christmas last year. The reason being is they were the deserved winners of the ‘Champagne Promotion’. During September to November there was a case of Champagne ‘up for grabs’ for the SMG Member who increased their Westex sales - compared to the same period last year - by the biggest percentage! For those who didn’t quite make the top spot there were a few bottles for the four runners up too!

1st place was Quality Fitters.

Quality Fitters scooped the top prize and are photographed resting their winnings on the Westex tombola. Kings Road Carpets’ owner Pete Cox and Sue Bhatia were delighted to take the second prize and are photographed in their Oakham store. The third, fourth and fifth prizes went to The Carpet Gallery, CRC Flooring and Living Floors respectively. SMG are hoping to repeat the promotion this year so keep an eye on your Monthly Update for details. Kings Road Carpets came second.

Carpet Gallery came third and CRC fourth.

AXMINSTER CARPETS STRENGTHENED BY H DAWSON WOOL DEAL H Dawson Wool, the international wool merchant based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, has acquired a controlling equity stake in Axminster Carpets based in Axminster, South Devon.

H Dawson Wool, established in 1888, has for many years been an important supplier to the wool carpet manufacturing sector in the UK and throughout the world. This investment in Axminster Carpets demonstrates the onRoyal Warrant holder Axminster Carpets, going commitment of H Dawson to the founded originally by Thomas Whitty wool carpet manufacturing sector and in 1755, has operated from its current forms an essential element of its strategy extensive manufacturing and commercial to develop alliances throughout the site in Axminster, Devon since 1937. supply chains within which it operates for The business has undergone a period of the benefit of all chain participants. significant change during the last three years and now provides its customers Steve Winslet, Chief Executive of with an enhanced level of service and Axminster Carpets said “Our business on-going new product development. The sells wonderful high-quality carpets that provision of additional support from H are predominantly made from wool. It Dawson, increased financial resource and makes real sense that our new owners further strengthening of the Axminster are experts in the sourcing of our primary Carpets senior management team will raw material. Their wool expertise, global take the company on the next phase. reach and long-term commitment to

the industry will add real value to our company. We are excited about the future growth aspirations for the business”. Jo Dawson, Chairman of H Dawson Wool, explains: “The passion and expertise within H Dawson complements the strengths of Axminster Carpets. We will encourage increased market and consumer awareness about the many benefits arising from the use of wool-rich carpets in a wide variety of environments and applications.” For further information please contact at Hilary Clements at Axminster Carpets on 01297 32244. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 7

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NEWS UPDATE AXMINSTER TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN TELEVISION PROGRAMME The rich history of Axminster Carpets was explored in Michael Portillo’s Great British Railway Journeys in January. The popular show takes Michael around the country visiting the train stations which were detailed in Victorian cartographer George Bradshaw’s popular railway guides of the 1880’s. Of Axminster he wrote “Some of the best and finest description of carpets are made here.” Over 130 years later Axminster Carpets continue to design and weave world-renown luxury carpets at their factory in the heart of Axminster. Great British Railway Journeys saw the presenter trying his hand at designing and weaving carpet, charting the evolution of carpet manufacture since Bradshaw’s time. Working alongside design director Gary Bridge and experienced weaver Steve Marks, Michael charted both the history of carpets at Axminster and how the design process has evolved from tracing paper to the modern computer programmes used today. Indeed, railways have had a large role to play in Axminster Carpets’ history. After carpet making began in the town in the 18th century, the local industry ground to a halt after a devastating factory fire. Some 180 years later, a vicar from the West Country got chatting to a carpet

manufacturer called Harry Dutfield during a train journey and he recounted the history of local carpet making. This conversation ignited a spark in Harry, who resolved to continue carpet making in Axminster. Axminster director and grandson of Harry, Josh Dutfield said “We were delighted to welcome Michael and highlight how our carpet-making traditions have stood the test of time. It’s a source of immense pride to us that our company has been flourishing and at the centre of British Manufacture for so

long; with customers as prestigious as the Royal Household, we continue to have a very bright future ahead of us.” “My grandfather placed his factory beside the town’s railway platform, as it enabled him to transport carpet throughout the country. The old loading shed and siding can still be seen next to the factory today” added Josh. If you would like to purchase one of the rugs featured in the programme please talk to your Axminster Sales Manager or Axminster on 01297 32244.

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BROCKWAY SALES OFFICE EXPANDS Brockway Carpets has expanded its sales office with the appointment of Carol McGonigle as sales office supervisor. Carol is a familiar name in the carpet trade, having worked in the industry for many years since the age of 17. She joins from Victoria Carpets, having previously worked at other carpet manufacturers. She is the latest addition to the 10 strong sales and accounts office at Brockway Carpets, which has also recruited Olivia Perks as an office apprentice. Sales director Shaun Lewis comments “We’ve enjoyed a good sales year with the relaunch of our fabulous new carpet portfolio and we’re delighted to welcome Carol, she complements our team perfectly.” Carol added: “It’s exciting to be joining Brockway at such a busy time and to be part of its success. We’re here to help customers on all orders and stock enquiries.” Brockway has been designing and producing premium quality carpets in

Pictured left to right: Brockway’s sales and accounts team – Olivia Perks, Lauren Marsden, Carol McGonigle, Colleen Bastable, Tracey Jones, Sally Coles, Lynn Ward, Nicky Rosendale, Lisa Widdowson, Elaine Fielding.

Kidderminster since 1964. As a family-run business, Brockway’s 100 strong skilled workforce combines real craftsmanship with the latest environmentally-aware technology and the finest raw materials to create innovative, luxurious carpets for For further information please contact domestic and commercial markets in the Brockway on 01562 828200 or visit UK and overseas. www.brockway.co.uk.

A DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY EVENT! This year marks the 60th anniversary of one of the flooring industry’s longest running charity events, a Diamond anniversary! The Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers’ National Golf Tournament has raised over £1.5 million for charities since its inception. This year’s event, which is being held on May 17th and 18th, is kindly sponsored by Mr Tomkinson. Day One is a four ball team event while Day Two is a two ball team event. The designated charities are Macmillan Cancer Support and several smaller charities local to Kidderminster. To mark the event, an ‘alfresco dining experience’ is being held in the evening of Tuesday 17th May at the Stourport Manor hotel. Shaun Lewis, Sales Director at Brockway Carpets and Chairman of the event

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comments “This is a wonderful achievement and speaks volumes for the generosity of our industry. I sincerely hope that in this anniversary year we can encourage former players to return as well as welcome new players to the event which is a fun two days. You can play either day or both days – it’s entirely up to you!” Shaun continues “With the help and support of the industry at large, I am confident we can build on the fantastic fund raising we have achieved over the previous 59 years. I look forward to seeing as many players as possible over the two days.” For tickets and further information, please contact Shaun Lewis on 01562 824 737 alternatively email shaun.lewis@brockway.co.uk. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 9

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AT THE SHARP END EACH ISSUE SMG PUTS TEN QUESTIONS TO A SALES REPRESENTATIVE TO HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS FROM ‘THE SHARP END’.

This issue SMG spoke with Simon Hollick, the Brintons’ representative for North and Central Wales and the Midlands down to Oxfordshire. The former landscape gardener has been at Brintons for 11 years and is passionate about making carpet more attractive to consumers with the focus on design and quality.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TRADE? “I was a Landscape Gardener for nearly 10 years when a tip from a friend said there was an opportunity to join Brintons. I was happy in my work, but wanted the chance of progression, and being a local lad, Brintons was always a name people associated with stability and success. It wasn’t a hard decision to make. I worked initially in merchandising and then moved into sales with my own territory.” WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN CHANGE THE MOST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS? “With the emergence of many avenues of sales over my time with Brintons (with price being key), and manmade products getting a stronger hold in the market place, peoples opinions of carpets as a luxury item has dwindled. We at Brintons however are pushing back, trying to capture the consumers imagination and making carpet more attractive by our focus on design and quality.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCT? “It would have to be Bell Twist. I have it through all my house and having six dogs, it has definitely been put through its paces. Only using the best yarn and the durability of the woven construction is a great combination. The natural oils in the yarn act as a fantastic defence

against most mishaps human or canine! It’s also the best selling range in my area; the fact that it’s the best-known collection in the market definitely makes it an easier sell.” OF ALL THE RETAILERS YOU VISIT WHAT COMMON DENOMINATOR CONTRIBUTES TO THEM BEING SUCCESSFUL? “Accessibility. Whether it’s through their web site, location, or even the persona of the retailer. The staff or the owner must give that personal approach. It’s not just the sale, but the recommendations that may follow from a successful transaction and after sales process.” AS A REPRESENTATIVE WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES? “Getting across the importance of ecommerce and how retailers need to be at the forefront in the consumers’ mind EVERY time they look for flooring.” IF YOU COULD ASK RETAILERS TO CHANGE ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Less is sometimes better with showroom point of sale. Space for the customer to see sampling in natural lighting too. Once the sample leaves the shop, there is always a chance the customer won’t be coming back.”

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE KEY MARKET CHALLENGE FOR RETAILERS AT THE MOMENT? “Footfall has dropped dramatically over the years and retailers need to find new ways to make profit. Sometimes stocking that more expensive item can be the difference. Less people buying means you need to make more on each sale. Low end sales need the volumes to match.” OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS? “We have an 11 month old daughter and she is now the best way to spend my own time. Other than that, a typical bloke really, most sports.” IF YOU DIDN’T WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING NOW? “If I wasn’t still Landscaping, I would have been a football coach. I have coached for years from six year olds through to semi-pro and even some professionals. I could have been the next ‘chosen one’!” WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? “Back up what you say... If you say you will do something, do it!”

Brintons has been making British carpets in Kidderminster for over 230 years, since its humble beginnings back in 1783 quality has always been paramount. They’re passionate about the products they make and are proud to call themselves a British brand creating a product which they believe is the finest available. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 11

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NEWS UPDATE CAMPAIGN FOR WOOL ANNOUNCES WOOL FLOOR SHOW IS A SELL OUT! The first Wool Floor Show London is a complete sell out! The show, taking place on the 23rd and 24th March is dedicated to the wool flooring sector and intends to promote the superior benefits of quality wool for the floor and has the support of all major leading wool brands. The event, a concept from HRH The Prince of Wales’ Campaign for Wool and its major funder The British Wool Marketing Board will host more than twenty wool carpet manufacturers including Brintons, Axminster and Ulster Carpets, Cavalier Carpets, Kingsmead, and Mr Tomkinson. Cormar, Brockway, Manx and Westex are also on the list as are Crucial Trading, Bronte Carpets, Roger Oates, Jacaranda and many others. Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge is the central London venue chosen and whilst better known for football, it also hosts many top trade events. Its Great Hall has the advantage of having its own entrance and some parking outside the door as well as a tube station nearby. From a wider perspective, it is also close to all of London’s attractions within minutes.

A key feature will be a series of inspirational wool show case installations - similar to the one displayed at The Flooring Show in Harrogate. “It’s the growing interest in the way that this more stylish approach to flooring has appealed to retailers and designers that instigated this event. It is intended to create a really vibrant and stylish showcase that empowers the story of wool for the floor.” Bridgette Kelly of The Campaign for Wool said. “This is a true first for the wool carpet industry as the visitor to this event will find the very best offer of wool flooring available in one space - not just in the UK but internationally. It is a show for designers, retailers and architects because you will not find the variety of product or this quantity and quality of wool companies exhibiting in one location at the other international shows.” Additional benefits to the visitor are a seminar programme, designer programme and the launch of the new WoolRetailer.com website which will introduce a fundamental strategy of

support for quality retailers and connect those stores with consumers. Bridgette Kelly added, “Wool Floor Show London is undoubtedly a new approach to marketing wool carpet - in many ways it mirrors the way buyers in fashion and fabric like the more intimate approach of dealing with smaller, seasonal shows - collections. It gives them the best and most effective use of business time. It is our belief that this approach will appeal to those retailers and designers focused on quality and good service.” For more information simply visit www.woolfloorshowlondon.co.uk or speak to your local representatives.

TAKE ON THE TASK WITH TRAFFIC Traffic is the latest evolution in bleach-cleanable carpet for the contract sector, exclusively available from Balta. The tufted graphics collection comes in nine colours ideal for contract use, providing an attractive solution for a wide range of needs. The geometric design is not only attractive, but helps to disguise dirt and soiling between cleans. From schools to care homes and multi-occupancy living, Traffic delivers a tough and easy to maintain carpet. Available in two backings - a fire retardant (EN 13501 Cfl s1 & BS 4790 Low Radius) ActionBac and a water-resistant gel back that makes it ideal for sensitive areas such as in residential care - Traffic is ideal for all-round contract applications. Achieving Class 32 General Commercial rating, ensuring reliable performance

across various contract environments. With 15 year wear and 20 year stain warranties, Traffic offers impressive durability that will bring peace of mind to end users looking for a great value performance solution for their floorcovering needs. “Traffic is the ideal go-anywhere commercial carpet offering great all-round performance,” explains Geert Vanden Bossche, marketing director at Balta. “With two backing options, it is possible to choose the right Traffic for the task at hand, whether that’s general-purpose use or as an easy to clean and water-resistant option for use in sensitive areas.” For further information contact Balta on +32 56 62 22 11 or email marketing@baltagroup.com.

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BRINTONS CARPETS... FROM FLEECE TO FLOOR! Brintons has continued to invest significantly in its marketing strategy by launching a series of videos to explore the journey of its carpets from fleece to floor. Andrew Wilcock, Group Marketing Manager for Brintons, comments “The range of videos portrays the life cycle of our carpets from fleece to floor, from the shearing of the sheep, the dyeing process, to final quality control inspection and hand finishing. We take great pride in manufacturing our carpets and we were keen to show this process off through a range of videos. They offer a unique behind the scenes insight into the many complex stages and hard work that goes into crafting every single one of our carpets that leaves the factory. This year sets to be exciting for the business and what better way to start off 2016 than with a series of videos that shows exactly what Brintons has to offer our customers and our unique style of manufacturing high quality and long lasting carpets.” Carpets manufactured by Brintons contain its unique blend of 80% wool and 20% nylon, which was pioneered in the 1950s and is now the global standard for carpets. The videos explain how the

manufacturer is the single largest user of British wool worldwide with the fleece from one in nine sheep going into a Brintons’ carpet.

delving deeper into how the process begins, the design procedure, how the wool is dyed, the crafting of the yarn, and the role of the Warrant Officer.

Throughout the first half of the year Brintons will be continuing its video series with a further five short films

For more information please contact your local representative or visit www.brintons.co.uk to see the video.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF SERVICE AT BALTA This month Phil Bentley, area sales manager for the west midlands, south Wales and the south west for Balta, is celebrating an extraordinary 25 years of dedicated and loyal service with the carpet manufacturer. Joining Balta in late 1990, Phil Bentley has become a stalwart member of the sales team and has been a constant in a residential carpet landscape that has changed dramatically throughout his 25 years. “I first interviewed Phil Bentley in 1990 and his track record has been faultless. He is loyal, hardworking and trustworthy but it is his will to win that has always impressed” commented Duncan Buchanan, sales director UK of Balta Broadloom. “We are delighted that Phil continues to be a highly regarded member of the sales team.” Phil resides near Chepstow and when not looking after retailers across his regions, many of which he has known since starting

with Balta, he enjoys walking, horseracing and spending time with his six grandchildren. Phil’s 25 years of service was celebrated by all at Balta Broadloom in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the success of the UK sales team. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 13

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LOOKING BACK SPRING 1986 IN THIS NEW FEATURE WE WILL BE LOOKING BACK AT WHAT WAS GRACING THE PAGES OF SMG NEWS IN YEARS GONE BY.

What better place to start than the issue that was published exactly 30 years ago! It is genuinely a complete coincidence that the issue happens to have some fantastic photos of a fresh faced Tony Lavers and Chris Moffat. I’m sure that embarrassing our own team in the first feature of ‘Looking Back’ will give us a clear conscience when others are put in the spotlight later on in the year! The 1986 Spring issue included highlights such as; BMK Carpets Sheepskin Winners - Mr & Mrs Owen are photographed with Geoff Symonds of BMK and Chris Moffat of SMG presenting

them with their prize. Also featured was the draw results after the ‘spectacular success’ of a popular Gilt Edge Carpets promotion - the photo shows Len Wilkes with Chris and Tony after drawing the winners from the tombola! Aside from promotions Abingdon featured heavily with a double page spread on the new factory, the subtitle states ‘A party from SMG watch intently as they see carpet being produced during a recent visit to Abingdon’s factory’. The issue was completed with the Willow Green advert from Tredaire ‘Now Carpet Luxury is Child’s Play with Tredaire Willow Green.’

SMG News has been published since January 1977 and thanks to some magnificent forethought every issue is neatly filed at SMG’s head office - a great opportunity to highlight what was making the news back then and no doubt embarrass a few ‘industry stalwarts’ along the way.

To read the full issue please visit www.smg-group.co.uk/smgnews1986

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isit v t o n y Wh .uk o c . e n i l g-on m s . w REE F ww s i h t load n w o d to plate? m e t S PO

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BUSINESS INSIGHT IN A NEW REGULAR FEATURE RICHARD RENOUF WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT BUSINESS ISSUES TO HELP MEMBERS STAY UP TO DATE!

Fitting carpets and floorcoverings is skilled work. There are simple things that can make the difference between a job that lasts for many years and one that quickly becomes a complaint. In the last few months I’ve seen gripper in a stately home fixed 25mm away from the skirting boards, a floor in an urban semi that varied in height by more than 20mm over a two metre span even after five attempts at screeding, seams in carpets ruined by aggressive use of a spiked seam roller whilst the carpet was still warm from the iron, and vinyl welds that needed two passes of the welding rod because they had been cut too wide. And each time I’ve been assured ‘He’s my best fitter and he never makes mistakes’. It would be easy to assume that as long as there are no complaints, most retailers are happy to leave their fitters to get on with their work without any form of quality control or assessment. You only go out to complaints, but every day you place your reputation into the hands of your fitters. How good are they? And how do you know? Customers usually welcome visits to see the finished job. If the retailer wants to ensure that the fitter has done a good job, it’s in their best

feedback page to your website. If you don’t, you could find customers finding their own way to give you feedback through social media such as Facebook or Streetlife. Once it’s public on the internet it stays there for everyone to see.

interest as well. Simple checks of the visual appearance, the tension and the gripper can tell you most of what you need to know. Where a visit is impractical, a follow up phone call to check the customer is pleased with the fitting and the finished result will still help to identify any issues and deal with them quickly. You may also get feedback about your fitter’s attitude and demeanour which is as important as the quality of work. Many retailers are turning to online surveys to obtain feedback, and customers find this a useful way to tell you how they found your service so that you can identify and deal with any issues that leave a poor impression of your business. You can set up your own on a site like surveymonkey.com, use a public site such as Trustpilot, or add a

Training isn’t just for those new to fitting. It’s available to bring fitters up to date with tools and techniques to help in their work, and to give them the skills needed to increase the type of work they can take on with confidence. It’s an investment (of time and sometimes money) that benefits the fitter, your business and your customers. Courses are provided by many suppliers, adhesive and screed manufacturers, and industry training organisations. There are also apprenticeship schemes which you can use to bring new fitters into the trade and to ensure continuity when fitters retire or move on to other things. For those of you who know your fitters are the best, there’s the Carpet Fitter of the Year competition. The entry form is a straightforward questionnaire which can be done online, there are regional heats and then the final will be held at the Harrogate Show in September. Entries close on 31st March 2016 and details can be found at their website www.nicfltd.org.uk.

Richard has worked in floorcoverings and furniture retail for more than thirty years. His experience includes independent family businesses and a major national retail chain. In 1992 Richard established the Qualitas Conciliation Service (now the Furniture Ombudsman) to help resolve disputes about furniture and floorcoverings and is now working as an independent consultant and is a consultant member of the Contract Flooring Association. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 17

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New Colours for Open Spaces Dubai The Dubai range has been updated for 2016 with the addition of six versatile new colours including cool urban greys and artic neutral tones. These liveable colours of ‘Echo’, ‘Glaze’, ‘Polar’, ‘Cane’, ‘Alpine’ and ‘Tor’, answer the current trend for grey neutrals and takes the total number of Dubai colour ways to fourteen.

www.ulstercarpets.com

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INSURANCE INSIGHT IN A NEW REGULAR FEATURE MATT GOWING WILL BE EXPLAINING IMPORTANT INSURANCE ISSUES AND WHY YOU NEED THEM. WHAT IS PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE AND HOW DOES IT PROTECT MY BUSINESS? Public Liability Insurance provides cover for costs arising from your legal liability to members of the public in the event that you, or an employee of your business, causes injury to a third party (note that this excludes injury to an employee as they are covered under Employer’s Liability insurance) or for damage caused to property owned by a third party.

subcontractor damages a £2,000 TV on the wall at your customer’s home, our public liability policy will automatically provide cover up to the limit of indemnity you have selected.

A Public Liability policy therefore provides financial protection for your business against both awards for damages and any legal fees incurred. MY SHOP INSURANCE ALREADY PROVIDES PUBLIC LIABILITY COVER, THIS COVERS ALL MY BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, DOESN’T IT? A standard shop insurance policy will restrict liability cover to incidents occurring at your business premises and whilst away from it doing collections and deliveries only. So if a member of the public were to trip over a carpet sample left lying in a walkway in your shop you would be insured, but if a carpet fitter leaves their tools lying in the customer’s hallway whilst they are working in the customer’s home and someone trips on them, you wouldn’t be covered. Because the majority of businesses in your industry will offer a measuring and fitting service, our SMG Insurance Solutions scheme policy automatically includes cover for members of your staff, or subcontractors working for you, undertaking work at your customer’s premises. So if an employee or

MY SHOP INSURANCE ALREADY PROVIDES PUBLIC LIABILITY FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WORK AWAY FROM THE PREMISES... WHY WOULD I NEED WIDER COVER? Whilst your current Public Liability policy may provide cover for your employees or subcontractors working away from your premises, it is likely that it will exclude cover for items in your control (i.e. your client’s hoover you have borrowed to clean up) and also exclude cover for items being worked upon (i.e. your client’s carpet during cleaning process). The SMG Insurance Solutions policy is designed specifically for your business activities. Therefore this element of cover is standard within the SMG Insurance Solutions policy wording in order to give you peace of mind, enabling you to carry out your business activities safe in the knowledge that, should an incident occur, you’re fully covered. WHAT HAPPENS IF AN EMPLOYEE OR SUBCONTRACTOR MISUSES A CUSTOMER’S TELEPHONE, FAILS TO SECURE THEIR HOME OR LOSES THEIR KEYS, ALL OF THESE WOULD BE COVERED BY MY PUBLIC LIABILITY COVER, WOULDN’T THEY? Most Public liability policies will exclude these situations, although some Insurers may offer these as expensive add-ons. Because the SMG Insurance Solutions policy is specifically designed for and

exclusive to SMG Members, it is written with the needs of the industry in mind and cover is automatically included for: • Loss of customer’s keys or failure to secure a customer’s premises up to £75,000 • Misuse of your customer’s telephone up to £50,000 • Damage to your customer’s carpets after cleaning up to £50,000 WHAT LEVELS OF PUBLIC LIABILITY COVER ARE AVAILABLE? Public Liability cover is normally available in limits of £1,000,000, £2,000,000 or £5,000,000. From our experience of dealing with claims of this nature, it is our recommendation that businesses opt for as high a limit as it can afford. The SMG Insurance Solutions policy also has the option for you to increase your Public Liability cover up to £10,000,000 giving you even greater peace of mind, for a minimal additional cost. All of the cover extensions mentioned here are automatically included under our exclusive scheme at no extra cost and are covers that are generally excluded under a standard shop package policy, or are only available for an additional premium. The scheme will match your existing limits and reduce your premium by a minimum of 10%, subject to your being claim free for the last 5 years! We just need evidence of your latest renewal premium and to agree with you the correct Business Interruption insurance requirements for you, to get your policy arranged.

SMG Insurance Solutions is a comprehensive insurance scheme arranged by Coleman Insurance Brokers, a top 100 UK independent insurance broker. It is available exclusively for SMG Members and designed to protect you from the risks faced by Carpet, Flooring and Soft Furnishing retailers and installers.

I N S U R A N C E S O L U T I O N S

Visit www.smginsurance.co.uk to register your interest alternatively call the SMG team on 01202 647464. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 21

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NEWS UPDATE CORE FUNDER SUPPORT ENABLES CARPET RECYCLING UK TO EXCEED 2015 GOAL Fundamental support from Carpet Recycling UK’s core funders Cormar Carpets, Lifestyle Floors/Headlam, Desso, Ege, Milliken, Balsan and Marlings has enabled the industry body to triumph in key areas and exceed its 2015 goal with a 31% landfill diversion rate for waste carpet. In 2015, 125,000 tonnes of carpet were reused, recycled or recovered for energy which is a 31% diversion rate surpassing CRUK’s 25% target set at start up in 2008. Around 400,000 tonnes of waste carpet arises each year in the UK. Energy recovery accounted for 81,000 tonnes (65%) and 44,000 tonnes (35%) were recycled, with both sectors showing similar growth levels. Growth was up by 11% compared to 2014 (113,000 tonnes diverted from landfill). CRUK Director Laurance Bird comments “Diverting waste carpet from landfill is now firmly established with new and existing recyclers based on increased demands from local authorities and waste management companies.” Energy recovery is a growing sector for waste carpet where it is used as an alternative fuel replacement in cement kilns as well as for incineration with energy recovery from municipal solid waste (MSW). Retailers and flooring contractors are realising the benefits of recycling carpet offcuts as well as uplifted old carpets and

changing their waste disposal practices to gain significant cost savings. “Last year, enquiries from the flooring sector rose by 96% to 280 as a result of our broad communication initiatives; clear proof that more companies are interested in reducing their environmental impact and finding more sustainable disposal routes for waste carpet,” continued Laurance. Overall enquiries were up 15% at 780, reflecting greater awareness generally that carpet can avoid being landfilled. CRUK’s advice and guidance to local authorities, including the London Waste and Recycling Board, has demonstrated the potential to further increase the recycling of carpets throughout the metropolitan area and communities. According to Laurance, local authorities across the UK have welcomed the opportunity to grow their recycling rates as the EU’s MSW targets for 2020 approach “Finding sustainable and practical alternatives to landfill for bulky carpet waste will certainly help to ease the pressure in meeting these challenging future goals.” CRUK continually gathers worldwide information on new technologies to extract maximum value from the raw materials in carpets which it shares with members. It is also broadening its experience through liaison with handlers of other challenging composite waste streams, particularly the plastics sector.

In 2015, the second annual Carpet Recycling Awards provided wide recognition for the innovations achieved by the specialist carpet reuse and recycling members across a broad range of categories. Highly-prized by recipients, businesses use these awards to demonstrate their capabilities with customers who are increasingly demanding sustainability credentials. Laurance concludes “Our 2015 achievements clearly show that carpet is now regarded as a valued raw material that presents opportunities for reuse in a variety of novel applications.” CRUK welcomes enquiries from all types of organisations interested in recycling their waste carpet. For more information, call 0161 440 8325 alternatively visit www.carpetrecyclinguk.com, plus look out for the Summer Issue of SMG News to see how one SMG Members has adapted his business to create a win-win situation.

CONTINUED INVESTMENT AS NEW BEAMING MACHINE IS INSTALLED Adam Carpets have continued their long term programme of investment by installing an extra beaming machine into their factory in Kidderminster. “This machine will increase efficiency in the department and reduce lead times for our customers” said Eamonn Prescott, Sales and Marketing Director. This new machine was brought in from specialists in the USA and was ready to run in time for the traditionally busy Autumn period. The new machine represents the latest investment by the company which has seen new dye house boilers, upgrades to tufting machines and improvements to the backing line and shearers over the last twelve months.

The new beaming machine safely delivered from the USA and being installed.

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THE CLEANABILITY OF CARPET FIBRES The debate about which carpet fibre is best has raged for decades and doesn’t show signs of letting up any time soon. SMG approached Steve Bakker of Woolsafe for his opinion, here’s the result... “Having once been a carpet cleaner, for almost a decade, I have cleaned just about every carpet fibre on the market. Putting aside for now the cellulosic fibres like sisal, coir and linen which need very specialist cleaning methods and techniques you are left with wool and the synthetic fibres. The two most common synthetic fibres used in carpet manufacture today are Polypropylene and Nylon with the former now most favoured in the UK for use in domestic installations. A lot has been said about the cleanability of polypropylene, how it is easy-clean and supposedly stain proof. So how does wool compare? To answer that we need to understand the difference between maintenance and spot removal and look at the different carpet fibre’s appearance retention over its lifecycle. The most important issue for carpet owners, in my opinion, is how the carpet in which they have invested, and that

they want to happily live with for many years, will respond to what modern living will throw at it. In other words, will it keep looking good, or will its appearance gradually and inevitably deteriorate? This appearance is made up of a number of things, like loss of texture, loss of thickness, gradual loss of colour and, yes, appearance of spots that won’t come out anymore. All carpets have their strong points and weaknesses. Polypropylene carpets, for instance, are promoted and recommended because of their stain resistance. They are almost impossible to stain with waterbased staining materials (because they don’t absorb water). However, they don’t resist oily or greasy stains very well. Polypropylene carpets lack the resilience of wool and because the fibres don’t have the memory to bounce back the carpet tends to flatten relatively quickly. Although synthetic fibre carpets have a shiny lustre when new this soon dulls. The reason for this rapid decline in appearance is due to the sandy and gritty components of soil, that is brought into the home on the soles of your shoes, abrading and scratching the fibre. If you imagine dragging sand paper over a plastic surface you’ll get an idea of what I mean.

Wool carpets, on the other hand, are well-known for their long-lasting good appearance, based on their excellent ‘bouncebackability’, great response to cleaning – both dry and wet – and resistance to soiling and therefore retention of colour. Staining, admittedly, can be an issue, but only if stains are left to soak in and penetrate the fibres. If spills are attended to promptly and expertly, there is seldom a problem. Wool carpets just have that great reputation for longevity that other fibres seem to lack. Synthetic fibres, while initially responding well to cleaning, over time seem to clean less and less easily. The reason is that as the fibres get damaged the little cracks and fissures that develop in the individual fibres trap dirt and spillages which then become almost impossible to get out again. The carpets ‘ugly out’. When correct cleaning techniques and chemistry are applied wool carpets are easily maintained and retain the highest level of appearance. This is why, despite the slightly higher price tag, they are still the carpet of choice for installations where appearance is paramount. There is a general lack of knowledge and understanding about how carpets, of all fibre types, are best maintained; by what technique, using which cleaning agents, by whom... That’s where WoolSafe helps! For step-by-step advice on how to simply remove common household spills from any fibre carpet download the award-winning WoolSafe Carpet Stain Cleaning Guide App which is free on all mobile device platforms. WoolSafe Approved Service Providers are Fibre Care Specialists who know how best to clean all carpet types safely and to the highest standards. You can find them and Approved cleaning products on the WoolSafe website www.woolsafe.org”

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MOTORING INSIGHT EACH ISSUE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOMBARD VEHICLE SOLUTIONS, WE’LL OFFER ADVICE ON YOUR BUSINESS MOTORING.

Using Technology... Downtime is one of the biggest costs that businesses running vans face but thankfully there are a number of technologies that can save money. Telematics, like Lombard Vehicle Solutions’ award-winning ProFleet2 telematics technology, can provide an effective tool to help manage fuel and driver efficiency.

Commercial vehicles are undoubtedly the workhorse of businesses, especially in the flooring industry. In fact, according to Department for Transport figures they constitute just under one in 10 vehicles on the roads. Such vehicles have a massive role to play in helping keep small businesses, which themselves are the ‘lifeblood’ of the British economy, operating effectively. For many businesses, running vehicles presents a major cost alongside payroll and premises. Yet there are many ways that small businesses can cut their costs through improved van fleet management. Key issues to consider include; Downsizing... Many van manufacturers have now introduced new models that employ creative use of space to offer optimised loading along with improved fuel consumption and emissions. A review of your business operations may uncover the possibility of switching to a smaller van. If you occasionally need to accommodate a larger load, van rental can provide an effective short term solution. It is also highly recommended to work with your vehicle supplier and fleet management specialist on storage solutions that maximise load space. Overloading... Unfortunately this is a very common issue – in 2013 the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

reported that 93% of the vans it stops are overloaded. However, overloading not only increases fuel costs and wear and tear on items such as clutches and brakes but could also have disastrous implications if the driver was involved in an accident – not to mention the possibility of prosecution and a major fine for whoever overloaded the vehicle. It is essential to put best practice policies in place. Daily Walkaround... Undertaking simple checks every morning can help ascertain any issues with damage, lights not working, tyre issues etc. This should also be accompanied once a week with checks on all levels under the bonnet and tyre pressures. Such checks are vital in terms of making sure vehicles are roadworthy and also reducing costs - for example, making sure tyres are properly inflated can improve fuel economy and reduce tyre wear.

Other simple solutions that can also help businesses running vans include fitting reversing sensors and in-vehicle cameras; these can reduce both damage and vehicle downtime, far outweighing their costs. Meanwhile speed limiters can help improve fuel economy. Driver Training... Taking the type of vehicle used out of the equation, the driver has the greatest influence on costs and emissions. Driver training can play a major role here in helping to improve both of these as well as reducing accident rates and insurance premiums and minimising vehicle wear and tear. Working with a specialist in driver training, such as Lombard Vehicle Solutions, can bring instant benefits for the business’s bottom line. If you would like to find out more about Lombard Vehicle Solutions and what they could do for you, or would like to learn about their vehicle special offers, please contact 0117 908 6490 and quote LVS 2404.

If you’re looking for a reliable and trusted partner to offer you competitive pricing across a wide range of cars and light commercial vehicles, Lombard Vehicle Solutions can help. They understand that as well as cost effective solutions, you also need vehicle advice and support services you can rely on – leaving you free to get on with achieving your business goals. Created to meet the needs of today’s businesses Lombard Vehicle Solutions is one of the UK’s leading fleet service providers. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 25

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NEWS UPDATE NEW ROYAL BOROUGH FLOATWEAVE COLLECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE For over 250 years Axminster Carpets have been famed world-wide for beautiful carpets and outstanding design and the Royal Borough Floatweave Collection uses this rich heritage with outstanding design to create a collection that will transform any interior into an elegant and sophisticated space. Designed and woven in Axminster using only the finest 100% British wool, The Royal Borough Collection combines the natural beauty of undyed wool and contemporary colours with a variety of textures to give a carpet that is interesting to the eye, high performing and also soft to the touch. Featuring classical forms and ornate patterns each design draws from the rich design heritage of London – the Windsor from the enduring Arts and Crafts style; Kensington from the geometric designs typical of the 1960’s while the Chelsea gives a distinct nod to the decorative plasterwork found in many Victorian interiors – to create a market-leading collection that provides wonderful decorative interest across the whole range. To become a stockist or request samples please contact your local Area Representative, alternatively email sales@axminster-carpets.co.uk.

MINERVA SPRING SHOW Minerva Furnishers Guild have announced a change of venue for their successful Minerva show to be held on the 16th – 18th May 2016. The show will change location to the National Agriculture and Exhibition Centre at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire right in the heart of England. Minerva have booked Hall 2 which offers 4500m2 of space with fantastic access points and excellent facilities. Opting for this venue change is on a trial basis as Minerva felt that a more central venue might benefit both members and suppliers alike. There is no intention to

move the Autumn Furniture Show from its well established base at the International Centre, Telford. The Gala dinner and members accommodation will be held at the Chesford Grange Hotel, which is a luxury 4 star hotel and part of the Q Hotels Group. The hotel is just 3 miles from the exhibition centre and Warwick Parkway station. Don’t forget The Autumn Furniture Show in October 2016 will be held at Telford on the 11th and 12th October. For further details please contact Minerva on 01249 716 195.

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New initiative from SMG is a hit! This January over 15,000 retailers visited the NEC for The January Furniture Show with over 2,000 of them having a flooring department it was no surprise that the suppliers on the Flooring Showcase had a good show! The January Furniture Show at the NEC is the most important and comprehensive event in the furniture industry calendar, however this year it had some of the biggest and best known names in the flooring business as well. The January Furniture Show’s first Flooring Showcase doubled in size from the original allocation and sold out in less than four months. SMG worked with the organisers to arrange the dedicated area in Hall 2 as the Flooring Showcase. It was packed with an abundance of exhibitors eager to show visitors a huge selection of carpets, wood flooring, LVT, laminate, vinyl, rugs, underlay and accessories. Mike Symonds comments “The Flooring Showcase idea was tremendously well received by a number of our approved suppliers. With over 500 square metres of flooring on display, the Flooring Showcase suppliers reached out to all retailers, those who have a successful flooring department and those who were starting a flooring department. In terms of presentation the bar was raised very high by all of our suppliers at this important event.” Supporting the Flooring Showcase were Abingdon Flooring, Associated Weavers, Axminster Carpets, Ball & Young, Brockway, Cavalier Carpets, Crown Floors, Edel Telenzo, Forbo Flooring, Furlong Flooring, Interfloor, Kenton Floors, Mastercraft Rugs, Think Rugs, Trinity Creations, Victoria Carpets, Westex and Whitestone Weavers. A solid start to the year had retailers in confident mood at the show, Laraine Janes, show co-director comments

“The January Furniture Show has become a flooring phenomenon almost overnight - entering a significant new date into the increasingly crowded calendar for the trade” The Stocklists.

SMG welcomed existing Members and prospective retailers to their stand over the four day event.

“Overall attendance was up and Sunday trading proved an important addition to the show for independent retailers, evidenced by the 20% increase in first day footfall.” She continues “The Flooring Showcase brought together the UK’s leading flooring brands and made it an attractive and dynamic part of the show. It was a key feature area for retailers who were interested in the latest flooring innovations and trends.” As the doors closed on the UK’s biggest furnishing event of the year, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, here are some comments; “The quality of customer has really improved this year and there’s been a very clear turnaround in confidence. We’ve also spoken to more Irish customers here than we have in the past 10 years which shows people are ready to invest.” “With the new Resorts World opening, it’s provided 360 degrees of opportunity from being at the show during the day

“The Flooring Showcase brought together the UK’s leading flooring brands and made it an attractive and dynamic part of the show. It was a key feature area for retailers who were interested in the latest flooring innovations and trends.” to then socialising with the industry throughout the evening. And being across the road makes it all that much easier to get to and from the stand.” SMG are already in discussions to make the 2017 Flooring Showcase even better, put the dates in your diary now... Sunday 22nd January to Wednesday 25th January 2017.

For more information about the show please visit the January Furniture Show website www.januaryfurnitureshow.com.

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“The Flooring Showcase idea was tremendously well received by a number of our approved suppliers. With over 500 square metres of flooring on display, the Flooring Showcase suppliers reached out to all retailers, those who have a successful flooring department and those who were starting a flooring department. In terms of presentation the bar was raised very high by all of our suppliers at this important event” Mike Symonds, SMG’s Head of Group Operations.

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Berkeley... Inviting, distinctive, vintage. Woodpeckerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Berkeley collection captures the beautiful character of wooden boards that have encountered thousands of feet over generations. Each floor is lovingly hand-scraped, double-smoked and antiqued using seven painstaking processes to achieve its period accents and aged feel. The collection features eight engineered oak floors in unique styles that include natural, chocolate and whitewashed shades. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget SMG Members can take advantage of a superb rebate scheme on all sales of Woodpecker Flooring. See your Membership Handbook for details.

www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk

Berkeley Tradition Oak is featured here.

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Supremely Sensational Carpet From Cormar Leading UK carpet manufacturer, Cormar Carpets, has launched the heavyweight champion of its hugely successful Sensation family of carpets – the brand new Sensation Supreme. Sensation Supreme is the fifth member of the easy clean Sensation portfolio and, as with the other ranges, is made from 100% two ply Luxelle soft polypropylene. However it is the combination of a deep pile in a heavier pile weight and the extra twist in the yarn which gives the range a unique, distinctive, luxurious look and feel.

this latest addition will give retailers even more reasons to promote the Sensation qualities.”

“We’ve had great success with our Sensation carpet collections over the past four years,” said David Cormack, marketing director of Cormar Carpets. “Building on that success we’ve worked hard to develop Sensation Supreme which is a heavyweight, deeper pile carpet that capitalises on the ‘soft touch’ trend with an added ‘twist’. We believe

All Cormar’s wool twist, wool loop and easy clean polypropylene ranges are produced on site at its Lancashire mills and distributed in the UK and Eire via its own delivery fleet.

The mix of popular plain and heather shades comes in a palette of greys, taupes, beiges and neutrals, in 4 and 5 metre widths and is expected to retail at around £28 per square metre.

“We’ve worked hard to develop Sensation Supreme which is a heavyweight, deeper pile carpet that capitalises on the ‘soft touch’ trend with an added ‘twist’. We believe this latest addition will give retailers even more reasons to promote the Sensation qualities.”

For more information please contact your local representative or Cormar directly on 01204 881200.

All Cormar Carpets are produced on site at its Lancashire mills and distributed in the UK and Eire via its own delivery fleet. For further information on the Sensation collection or any other Cormar Carpet range visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk.

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Question time JOHN COOPER CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT INTERFLOOR

Just over 12 months ago John Cooper joined Interfloor as Chief Executive. With a wealth of experience from previous roles John was well equipped to create his vision of a truly customer-centric organisation. Prior to working at Interfloor John held positions at Weber-Stephen Products (Weber BBQ’s), Hozelock, AAH (a pharmaceutical wholesaler) and Associated British Foods. Whilst everyone likes to think that the industry that they work in is unique there is one common denominator “to be honest I find all industries are much more similar than they are different; at the end of the day it’s simple, people do business with people” comments John. We fired the usual questions at John and here’s what he said... YOU’VE BEEN WITH INTERFLOOR FOR A YEAR NOW, WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE ROLE?

“It was the rounded nature of the role and the opportunity to drive a cultural change, taking a solid manufacturing operation that had successfully steered its way through recession and for me to now lead it in to the next stage of its existence as a customer-centric growth focused business.” HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE VALUES THAT HAVE MADE INTERFLOOR SUCCESSFUL?

“I have been fortunate enough to have inherited a fundamentally strong

business with a highly experienced and professional senior team and a long proud heritage, and in particular one that has valued and protected its Brands during the tough times. Tredaire, Duralay, Gripperrods and Stikatak all have their own set of values that customers and consumers buy into, and all form part of the total consumer experience which is basically creating an end result whereby they simply love their floor.” WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU ARE CURRENTLY FACING AS A MANUFACTURER?

“Manufacturing underlay is by its nature a challenge as we are working with very variable raw materials and always trying to anticipate demand across a range of products rather than make to order. Here the two biggest challenges are; smoothing out and protecting our customers from the high volatility of our raw material prices and managing storage and time critical national delivery of very bulky low value finished product and a very bulky core raw material.” WHAT CHALLENGES ARE THERE FOR RETAILERS AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER THEM?

“Most of the poor retailers disappeared during the recession so I’m sure those operating today know exactly what they are doing. If you make the end consumer happy with what you do and how you do it, they come back to buy again and they recommend you to others.

Underlay is a great opportunity to improve the way the consumer feels about the total purchase and hence about the retailer. Ensuring they buy a new underlay with their new carpet or smooth flooring, and that they buy the best they can afford, delivers a very positive consumer experience. A great experience that they tend to associate with the retailer more than the individual products involved. The fact that underlay & accessories give a very good retailer margin, and trading up delivers even more cash margin, is of course an added benefit.” IF YOU COULD ASK RETAILERS TO CHANGE ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE?

“Most of the retailers I’ve met so far have been really switched on, but there does seem to be a few who perhaps still listen more to the loudest fitter than to the quietest consumer, and I’d simply ask them to just think that business model through a bit further.” HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE INDUSTRY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE?

“That’s a tough one, as even after a year here I’m still learning about the present, but I feel that there is a danger that as a result of the negative thinking created by the recession everything becomes commoditised and as a result everyone loses. So I guess I’d like to see the industry as a whole step up and look positively forward rather than stay stuck in the recent past.” ...continued SMG News | Spring 2016 | 33

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WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE INTERFLOOR PRODUCT?

qualified BBQ competition judge - I’m sure there is a link there!”

“I’m sure it will be taking Interfloor forward over the coming years! But to-date I would say it was being part of the team that led the creation of the Allied Bakeries’ Sunblest Division back in the 90’s where I ended up with a national network of bakeries supplying a van sales operation of 425 salesmen focused purely on independent retailers, proving to the parent company (ABF) that Independents were a viable and valuable route to market.”

“Tredaire Colours Red because it signifies all that Interfloor is about; quality, performance, reliability and genuine true value. My nephew has been a self-employed carpet fitter for over ten years and it’s no coincidence that it’s Colours Red he has at home.”

IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE, WHAT MAKES YOU MOST PROUD?

ASIDE FROM INTERFLOOR WHICH OTHER MANUFACTURER DO YOU MOST ADMIRE AND WHY?

“I have a general rule not to disparage or praise direct competitors, but in the general flooring sector I think Westex have got a lot right by staying true at all times to their core offering of high quality products supported by professional customer service.” DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?

“Only one; I spent too much time focused on work when my girls were young and that was precious time with them that I’ll never get back.” OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS?

“Fly-fishing and all things piscatorial is my main interest outside of work, but I’m also a supporter of CAMRA and a

“Sounds a bit naff I know, but every time I look at my wife and my two girls - now women in their 20’s - I feel proud of my wife for what she has done over the years and proud of my girls for how they have turned out.” WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

“I often quote my old uncles favourite saying; if it was easy, someone else would be doing it, but advice wise I’d say it was from my late father; be honest with yourself at all times lad. We all have strengths and weaknesses, focus on how to make the most of your strengths and find ways to compensate for your weaknesses.”

We would like to thank John for taking the time to answer our questions. If you are interested in Interfloor products please contact 01706 213 131.

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PLIER S |

D SUP E V O R P P A NEW SMG News - Spring 2016.indd 36

EW APPRO N | S R IE L P VED SUP NEW APPRO

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Easy Clean

Bleach le b Cleana

sales@crownfloors.co.uk 0800 077 3301 www.crownfloors.co.uk

RS |

PPLIE PPROVED SU

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OVED SUP R P P A W E N PLIER S | P U S D E V O R NEW APP

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Introducing style and quality to your floor Edel Telenzo introduce Diversity and Liberty and new colours for Barbican to their high quality wool carpet collection. Edel Telenzo proudly produce high quality multi-ply wool loop carpets and their carpet collection features distinctive designs and constructions and all are Scothgardedâ&#x201E;˘ for extra stain protection and guaranteed against moths, pilling and shading. Edel Telenzo carpets are suitable for both domestic and commercial use. Plus the environmentally friendly CenevaÂŽ backing is safer, healthier and odourless. The latest additions to the Edel Telenzo collection include Liberty, a striped loop pile with a unique construction, giving

it a distinctive woven look. The three available colour ways are different and exciting. Using only the best 100% 3-ply wool, this quality product will make any family home staircase or hotel hallway a joy to look at. Looking for that stunning combination? Diversity is a two-tone loop pile in the same construction and coordinating colours; perfect to combine with Liberty! More stripes! The popular Barbican collection has been extended in 2016, adding four new stripes. The collection now consists of six

two-tone loops and six matching stripes. The new stripes bear more colour, taking in the latest fashionable colours such as blue. Those looking to add colour can make a statement on the floor with Candy Cane - featured below. For a stunning combination, combine one of the two-tones with a stripe on the stairs or as a runner. For more information on Edel Telenzo or if you are interested in opening an account please contact 01422 374417.

Barbican - Candy Cane

Liberty - Baharat 38

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Diversity - Ground Cumin SMG News | Spring 2016 | 39

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Take a look at Allura Flex from Forbo Allura Flex is a collection of high quality, dimensionally stable, heterogeneous loose lay vinyl tiles and planks which are adhered with tackifier rather than permanent adhesive. The design concept of the collection has been developed by Forbo’s in house experienced international design team. Providing both high-end contemporary and more traditional designs, the 36 designs ranging from natural stones and woods to interesting metallic and textured effects, offers something for all floors. Allura flex offers the scope to create attractive and unique interiors. The wood designs are supplied in an authentic plank format and the tiles can be installed in such a way to achieve the desired decorative effect. The natural design is enhanced with the PUR Pearl® finish which realizes a realistic matt surface that is also easy to clean and maintain. Allura Flex is also ideal for use alongside carpet tiles as it has a gauge of 5mm with a 1mm transparent wear layer. The combination of a glass fleece carrier and multiple calendered layers makes Allura Flex unprecedented in strength, performance and quality resulting in stunning and solid floors. Allura Flex is ideal for use in renovation projects, raised access floors or any

project where speed of installation is required in permanent or temporary locations. As such the Allura Flex loose lay tile collection is ideal for offices, retail and many more application areas and as previously mentioned, perfectly complements Forbo’s carpet tile ranges. A simple tackifier keeps the floor tiles in position and makes them easy to replace or remove whenever required. The 1mm transparent wear layer which, in combination with the unique PUR Pearl® finish, gives durable protection,

high stain resistance and a hygienic product. It reduces the need for water, detergent and energy in the cleaning process, which means maintenance is easy and low cost. Quick and easy to install, simply using tackifier saves time, cost and in all cases delivers a perfect result. For more information please contact your local representative or visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk.

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Adam Carpets... Ahead of the trends Adam Carpets has always prided itself on being ahead of the game when it comes to launching new colours. Earlier this year they launched ten new colours into their iconic Fine Worcester Twist range. These ten colours included some popular greys, but also some blues and pinks. The collection was titled ‘Hugo and Ella’ and designed to reflect the masculine and feminine personalities and interiors trends that were developing. Eamonn Prescott, Sales and Marketing Director at Adams comments “It was fantastic to see colour experts and trend predictors Pantone launching their new colours for 2016. This is the first time that Pantone has announced two colours of the year and to see more than a hint of ‘Hugo and Ella’ was a vindication of the hard work and research that we put into those new colours.”

“As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colours that psychologically fulfil our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace” comments Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director at The Pantone Colour Institute.

So what is the Pantone Colour of the year? Well, it’s a symbolic colour selection from Pantone; a colour snapshot of what they see taking place in our culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.

The new launch has been covered by major news publications, here is just a sample of what they had to say:

For the first time in 2016 Pantone introduced two shades, Rose Quartz and Serenity as the colour of the year. Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.

“Colour authority Pantone has for the first time anointed two colours of the year for 2016. Dubbed Rose Quartz and Serenity, they are shades of pale pink and baby blue.” - Wall Street Journal

‘Hugo and Ella’ anyone?

In many parts of the world we are experiencing a gender blur as it relates to fashion, which has in turn impacted colour trends throughout all other areas of design. This more unilateral approach to colour is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity, the consumer’s increased comfort with using colour as a form of expression, a generation that has less concern about being typecast or judged.

“Pantone gives a nod to gender equality” The Mother Nature Network The combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity also challenges traditional perceptions of colour association.

If you would like more details, please contact your local representative or Adam Carpets on 01562 822247. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 43

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Penthouse Carpets, Buckley Carpet Mill, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 9DU Telephone 01706 341231 | Email sales@penthousecarpets.co.uk | Web www. penthousecarpets.co.uk

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Best selling loops from Ulster Carpets Given the durability and the contemporary look it creates within a room, the demand for loop pile carpets has grown exponentially in the last few years. The best selling Open Spaces by Ulster is a comprehensive collection which has evolved to include eight different designs; Borneo, Dubai, Capri, Monaco, Panama, Auckland, Queenstown and Wellington Stripe - all of which exude a contemporary texture and finish.

A SUPERB R O F E T A D P ONTHLY U SPAC ES! N SEE YOUR M E P O R E T WITH ULS PROMOTION

Each range within the Open Spaces collection shares the same natural composition of 100% wool, creating an inherent softness and warmth. With over 61 organic colours, Open Spaces merges seamlessly into all interior schemes and co-ordinates with Ulsterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive woven axminster offering. Available in 5 colour matching multi widths, this reduces waste and cost for the consumer as well as reducing the risk of seams in larger spaces. See your monthly update for a superb promotion currently running with Open Spaces. For more information please contact Ulster Carpets on 028 3833 4433 or your local representative for more information. Capri - Parma

Wellington Stripe - Reed

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Auckland - Mortar

Queenstown - Nova

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Wool Crafty Hound Beagle

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Crafty Carpet from Alternative Flooring New Wool Crafty joins Alternative Flooring’s growing eco family of undyed wool carpets and is the fashionable flatweave version of the luxurious Wool Barefoot collection. Wool Crafty flatweave carpet is part of Alternative Flooring’s eco undyed wool collection. These carpets are handwoven on traditional hand looms, kind to you and the environment and the ultimate understatement in natural wool. This chic, crafty collection has style and substance, capturing the latest fashion trends for example; the Houndstooth, a canine check that creeps off the catwalk and onto our floors is a check that is bang on trend this season. The collection is fun too with catchy names. Hound is a houndstooth check in Basset, Hound, Beagle and Whippet. Diamond is a classy little geometric in Princess, Lasque, Briolette and Marquise. Cross is a subtle linear plaid in Celtic, Maltese, Fusilly and Trefoil.

Wool Pebble Birdling

The eco family of undyed wool carpet is growing. It began with the chunky Wool Pebble and the cosy Wool Knot carpets. The eco collection continued to grow with the hand-woven Wool Barefoot inviting you to throw off your shoes and feel this deep pile luxury carpet. “How and what we decide to purchase is becoming increasingly important. Careful consideration is given to the companies we buy from and how ethical their products are. From the food we eat, to the fabric and textiles we wear and have in our home, we make conscious decisions of what is best for our families and ourselves. It is not everyone’s prerogative but its appeal is growing.

Be n

This lovable brand has a big eco heart, with an unrivalled range of undyed wool flooring. It is 100% committed to making a difference and ensuring our floors feel good and our planet stays healthy.

Wool Eco Alternative Flooring makes people feel passionate about what they walk on. Its innovative and authentic voice starts conversations about natural flooring that explores texture, pattern and colour on carpets, rugs and runners.

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So at Alternative it is our aim to provide the discerning buyer a range of eco carpets in different textures and weaves to suit everyone’s style” comments Lorna Haigh, head of creative and marketing at Alternative Flooring.

For more information on these new ranges contact your local representative, Alternative Flooring directly on 01264 335111 or visit www.alternativeflooring.com. Barefoot Hatha Sanskrit

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Richard and Mike Sharp.

Kingstown Furniture... Celebrating 40 years! This year marks Kingstown Furniture’s 40th anniversary; they were established in 1976 after Mike Sharp started making furniture in his garage. Mike had a dream of becoming the manufacturer of choice for ready assembled furniture; fast forward 40 years from these humble beginnings and it has grown to be the UK’s leading manufacturer of ready assembled furniture with a turnover of £30m.

Being a design led company ensures that their adaptable and unique styles can cater for all customer needs, from traditional to contemporary. As the UK’s leading manufacturer of ready assembled furniture, all items are made to order by its team of skilled staff.

Mike’s vision was to design, build and distribute furniture with an emphasis placed on innovation, quality and value for money. Starting out by making and selling furniture in his garage, Mike believed he could see a future in this and so the dream started.

Kingstown Furniture continues to be recognised for its environmental policy, receiving many awards over the years. Kingstown use sustainable materials and are FSC accredited. It stands out from the competition as an eco-friendly company, achieving a 100% recycling rate.

Today, Kingstown’s world-class manufacturing unit in Leads Road, Hull occupies 11 acres and employs nearly 360 staff, headed by Richard Sharp, Mike’s son, and the board of Directors. The site uses state of the art technology, with capacity to supply over 7,000 units per week and prides itself on all furniture being made in Britain.

Mike also prides himself on the retention of Kingstown staff, with the longest serving member working there for 35 years. It doesn’t stop there; it’s also the case for their customers, by nurturing long-term relationships and working hard to deliver their brand promise; ‘serving our customers with value for

money furniture with excellent customer service’. Mike has come out with some wise words over the years but his saying in life to people is “Don’t work harder, work smarter”. He believes this to be true and why Kingstown is still here 40 years down the line. Kingstown wants to be the brand of choice for the customer. It’s no surprise that Kingstown is the UK’s leading manufacturer of ready assembled furniture, with their continued innovation, investment and value for money. They’re certainly not interested in resting on their laurels either, with new product launches and investment in their facilities and employees they’re looking ahead to the next 40 years!

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Launching this Spring! The first range to launch this year is Arden, a modern and on trend bedroom range of furniture. Arden offers three versions of robes giving lots of choice to the customer. The robes come in Bi-fold, Hinged and Sliders with the Sliders having an option of a mirror. There is a wide range of chests and carcase colours that come in Swiss Elm and Finlandia Pine. Door colours are Tristan grey and Cashmere gloss and the door design is made from high quality acrylic with a high gloss finish. The contrasting carcase and edging give this a luxurious feel and the handles are solid wood and colour matched to the carcase. Arden comes with linen interiors and draw wraps and metal drawer runners for easy glide action. For further information please contact Kingstown Furniture on 0333 014 3750 or contact your Territory Manager.

New KT launches Above and left Kingstown Furniture’s new launches.

The team at KT are always one step ahead of the market with a constant stream of new innovation and up-to-the minute designs, ensuring they are up-to-date with the fast changing trends in furniture design. KT are experts in understanding the dynamics of bedroom spaces and their frontline research and close relationships with customers has become the driving force behind a regularly updated product range. A continuous stream of new innovations and fresh ideas sets the KT brand apart as they like to stay ahead of the design curve and bring the latest design influences from across the globe.

“The new KT collection offers the customer a unique opportunity to buy fashion led, British made, ready assembled furniture which is great value for money.” KT’s design department proactively anticipate new concepts with an impressive stream of new products built from their vast knowledge and continuous investment in new product development. By listening to customers’ needs they’re able to interpret these into successful furniture solutions, all of which are made in Britain. Tracey Birnie, Design Manager, created the concepts behind the new KT range and comments “We like to stay ahead of the design curve and bring the latest design influences from across the globe together for up-to-the-minute designs. The new KT collection offers the customer a unique opportunity to buy fashion led, British made, ready assembled furniture which is great value for money. KT is well-made, on-trend, surprisingly affordable and will give your bedroom the wow factor”.

Above and below KT Furniture’s new launches.

For further information please contact KT Furniture on 0333 014 3750 or contact your Territory Manager.

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Sealy... Not just multi award-winning! Are your customers concerned with the eco credentials of the furniture they buy? If they are, you might like to point out that beds which come from Sealy UK tick all the right boxes in this matter which is becoming of more and more importance to consumers. Sealy was the first UK bed manufacturer to gain FISP accreditation. Launched in 2006 to support and improve the furniture industry’s sustainability credentials, FISP (Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme) has rapidly become established as the Industry forum on all environmental and sustainable issues. FISP membership demonstrates that a company is taking its environmental and corporate social responsibility obligations seriously and is backed by the entire furniture industry and is the mark of sustainable excellence. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, not for profit, non-government organisation established to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests. FCS’s vision is where the world’s forests meet the social, ecological and economic rights and needs of the present generation without compromising those of future

generations. Customers buying a Sealy bed can therefore be reassured that any wood used in its manufacture, ie frames, drawers, headboards, comes from a properly sustainable source. When it comes to the mattresses themselves, Sealy is leading from the front in terms of the environmentally friendly materials they contain. Tencel, for example, one of the constituents of Sealy’s now renowned Smart Fibres, approved and endorsed by Allergy UK. Tencel is 100% organic as it is extracted from wood pulp from sustainable tree farms and is 100% biodegradable. Tencel fibres optimise the absorption of moisture with excellent cooling properties and guarantees that the sleeping area remains pleasantly dry, thus enhancing sleep. Another constituent of Smart Fibres is Purotex, a 100% natural solution for keeping mattresses free from house dust mites. With nearly 1 in 4 of the population suffering from an allergy to house dust mites, the presence of which

also aggravates asthma, these environmentally friendly and natural products demonstrate Sealy’s commitment to its eco values. Totally REACH compliant and covered by the Oeko-Tex Standard, which means their products don’t contain harmful substances or chemicals in any of their constituent parts, right down to the yarn and fibres, Sealy UK’s beds, are so much more than just the best solution for a perfect night’s rest... no wonder people that own them are all Sealy Deeper Sleepers. Come and see the new Sealy range, a full three months before the Telford Show at the world famous Brooklands Museum in Surrey on the 17th and 18th May. Simply call 016973 203423 to reserve your place today!

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TIME FOR SOME GRASS? Now is the time of year to get your landscaping ranges ready... lano have the perfect solution for your store...

For more information about Lano Landscaping ranges please contact your local representative or Lano on +32 56 654270.

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Latest news from Jaymart Here’s a quick roundup of the news from Jaymart this quarter. The National Gallery is a famous art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It was founded in 1823 and houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world. We’re pleased to have recently supplied the National Gallery with our Interlay Interlocking PVC Floor Tiles in Dark Grey Leathergrain.

Symphony mats are nitrile rubber backed, with anti-trip edges to all four sides. The edges are strengthened for increased resistance to tearing and for better durability. The heavyweight primary backing gives better floor stability and resistance to stippling. Symphony mats can also be supplied with an extra thick 3mm rubber backing for matwell use. Mats have excellent colour fastness and can be machine washed at 40°C. There is a standard colour palette of 150 colours for regular logo designs and it is also possible to reproduce detailed photographic images.

Interlay is an extensive range of versatile floor tiles designed predominantly for loose-lay situations and can be laid over most hard surfaces with little or no surface preparation. Interlay is available in the following styles; Round Stud, Leathergrain, Translucent, Diamond and Connect (slate effect surface). This is an exceptionally hard-wearing product which is slip-resistant, easy to clean and available in an attractive range of colours. Flying Smart We’re thrilled that NV JETS, a premier private charter jet company based in Las Vegas, is so happy with our Symphony Logo Mats that they’ve just ordered some more!

Floor Power At Jaymart we specialise in rubber gym flooring, heavy weights matting, stretch mats, performance sprint tracks, Crossfit flooring, Shockpad Underlay and much more. Our specialist, exceptionally hardwearing Bladerunner synthetic rubber flooring was recently the flooring of choice for the Ambergate Sports College, based in Grantham. Ambergate is a community school catering for pupils between the ages of 3 and 19 with moderate to severe learning difficulties and complex needs. Jaymart was happy to support Ambergate’s Sports College’s valuable work with a donation of market-leading sports flooring Bladerunner for their new gym. The new gym facility was installed on GANF’s Ambergate Sports College site and was officially opened earlier this year by Nottingham Forest players, Andy Reid and Jack Hobbs, who were apparently “thrilled to be part of the day”. Staff and pupils have been fundraising since October 2013 to raise money to install a small adapted gym to enable inclusion across the board.

smooth surface safety flooring has long been popular with national gym operators, independent gyms, universities, colleges and schools across the country, and can be seen at easyGym, David Lloyd Leisure, Xercise4Less, Virgin Active and Fitness First to name but a few. Bladerunner is engineered to meet the exacting needs of the most extreme environments and can absorb the impact of athletes’ bodies whilst offering high underfoot comfort and warmth. And finally... Jaymart were delighted that Street Beater entrance matting was recently installed at Harrogate Railway station. Paul Macfarlane, Sales Director, says “Street-Beater is specifically engineered to withstand heavy footfall and it’s ideal for applications such as railway stations where durability and top performance are vital”. Our Street range of prestigious Aluminium Entrance Matting Systems has long been established as a proven best-seller and has previously been installed at the famous Churchill War Rooms at King Charles Street, London, and the prestigious Rolex boutique in Old Bond Street, Mayfair. For more information on Jaymart’s mats and floorings please visit www.jaymart.co.uk or telephone 01985 218994.

Steve Witt, our Chief Technical Manager, says “Bladerunner offers excellent shock and sound absorbency as a training surface and it’s also eco-friendly”. Bladerunner heavy duty indoor/outdoor SMG News | Spring 2016 | 57

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FOUNDATION FOCUS MANUFACTURERS GIVE SUPPORT TO ‘NEW’ CARPET FOUNDATION Manufacturers are giving their resounding support to the ‘refocused’ Carpet Foundation. To date, eight manufacturers have signed up to become Patron members and talks are ongoing with several more. Edel Telenzo and Whitestone Weavers have joined for the first time while Cavalier have re-joined. These three join Brintons, Brockway, Cormar, Ulster and Victoria in backing the Carpet Foundation together with the British Wool Marketing Board.

New Patron Members

Existing Patron Members

Towards the end of 2015, the Carpet Foundation announced that, with the full blessing of its board, it was going to focus primarily on its retail members to simplify its message. Chief Executive Andrew Stanbridge comments ”I am delighted with the response from manufacturers. It is a real boost to get new members and illustrates the desire of suppliers to the UK retail trade to support independent retailers. Talking to our new recruits, they not only want a body that will be their ‘voice’ but also recognise the work being done by the CF. It is now more manageable for them financially and membership is more inclusive.” Superb press coverage One of the jewels in the Carpet Foundation crown is their work with the media. This was amply demonstrated just before Christmas when The Sunday Times ran a two page feature dedicated to carpet. It used images from Brockway, Cormar, Brintons and Ulster and quoted a retail member. It also specifically cited Carpet Foundation members as the retailers to buy carpet from. Such coverage for carpet is fantastic and amounted to at least £50,000 in value. Already in 2016, Homes & Antiques, The English Home and Period Living have all run features on carpet, using Carpet Foundation manufacturer images and highlighting the Code of Practice adopted by Carpet Foundation retailers. SMG News | Spring 2016 | 61

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MEMBER FOCUS EACH ISSUE SMG PUTS A MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS AND THEIR VIEWS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY. SMG headed East this February to visit Thetford Carpet Warehouse in Norfolk. The business was established six years ago by husband and wife team Brett and Gemma, they joined SMG in April 2013. In 2010 Brett was a self employed floor layer and Gemma was on maternity leave from her role as a Graphic Designer for a firm in Norwich. For fourteen years Brett had built a great reputation in the local area as a fantastic fitter and wanted to take advantage of this and run his own business. Starting a business in the middle of a recession is a daunting task but as Gemma inspirationally states “we were young enough to try it and if it didn’t work out we could go back to our regular jobs”. Judging by the commitment they both poured into the business I don’t think ‘it not working’ would’ve ever been a possibility. With two boys, aged one and two, Brett and Gemma moved out of the family home and in with their parents so they could rent their property and put everything into the business - certainly not for the faint hearted but it’s this level of belief in the business that has stood them well. It’ll come as no surprise that although Thetford Carpet Warehouse is a fairly new business they are already receiving local acclaim! Recently they have picked up two awards, ‘Best Business in Thetford 2016’ and ‘Most Recommended Business 2016’ in their category. Gemma comments “What makes these awards special is that they are voted for by the readers and our customers, so it is a fantastic honour and we are delighted to be receiving recognition from them. The first six years of our business has been a fantastic challenge and this is the result of the hard work of the entire team.” Thetford Carpet Warehouse will definitely be utilising the PR generated from this, “We would be delighted if these awards prompt potential customers to visit us for their flooring and furniture needs, especially those who have not heard about us before” adds Gemma.

On visiting the store these customers will realise it’s an incredibly honest family run business, with Brother Liam and mother-in-law Lesley completing the team. The business premises is impressive, it is over 100 years old and used to be an old maltings. More recently it used to be a furniture store - which sold just oak! The previous owner moved to Norwich and they arranged to leave the furniture for Brett and Gemma to sell on commission. This was a introduction to the furniture side and they developed a relationship with the suppliers and once all the stock was sold they set up they own direct accounts. Gemma comments “In the last 18 months we have added more accessories in the furniture areas to make the shopping environment more homely, we sell a fair amount of accessories as impulse buys so it’s a nice additional income.” Although the 32 rolls of stock carpet are the first choice for many of their customers, they have developed a smart cut length area at the back of the store to showcase more ranges and cater for customers that require something different. What are the future plans? Far from resting on their laurels they have several objectives for 2016. The main focus is to

Brett and Gemma Tilly.

generate more sales from the huge bed and furniture selection in store, “we dedicate a lot of space to these product categories and we want to make sure we are maximising the opportunity” says Gemma. Also, they are undertaking a workflow upgrade “We were completely paper based with hand written invoices etc, but at The Buying Group Show we signed up to Computers for Flooring. I have to say they are fantastic and the support is superb, however there have inevitably been some teething problems and we’re currently working to bespoke the system to produce some features that we needed. We are confident we’ll have this running smoothly soon which will help us be more efficient and hopefully reduce some of the stress associated with running a business!”

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MEMBER: THETFORD CARPET WAREHOUSE JOINED SMG: APRIL 2013 LOCATION: THETFORD, NORFOLK

WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT RETAILER’S STRENGTH? “I think it’s a combination of a personal service and reputation. In our case Brett’s reputation in particular goes such a long way. The biggest difference with us is that we are a family, we’re not on commission to sell certain products regardless of the application. We are honest and sell what we want to sell based on our customers’ needs and are not pushy; in a nutshell ‘we care more!’ I don’t think you get the same ethos with a large company as you are just a number. We can also be honest with our pricing, we always say to our customers; please go and get more quotes because we will always give our best price first time! This saves people time and gives them trust and confidence in us.” SMG HAS A STRONG POLICY OF SUPPORTING BRITISH MANUFACTURERS, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU SUPPORT? “Yes, we really do, our main suppliers are Furlong and Abingdon. I have to say Furlong had our back since day one! They took a calculated risk on our new business and we really thank them for that, I hope that our support to them now shows how grateful we are. Also we try and work with suppliers where we are not going to be competing with a man in a van who has a sample book and Furlong are especially tight on this. Abingdon is another key supplier to us and our top selling roll range is theirs.”

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2016? I’m currently developing our website (www.thetfordcarpetwarehouse.co.uk) by adding every piece of furniture, bed and mattress available. Currently our website is for information only, and tells viewers about the general products we sell and services we offer. I am currently in the process of adding each piece available across all of our ranges with descriptions and dimensions to make us more prominent on the web. It will not be an e-commerce site as we want people to visit us for the in-store experience and see what we have on offer. There are too many ‘one man bands’ out there who sell online from the comfort of their own home, happy to make £10 on a sale. These type of businesses do not have the overheads like independent retailers do which can be damaging to businesses. I’m a third of the way through the furniture additions and am hoping to go ‘live’ category-by-category so watch this space!” WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS FROM CUSTOMERS? “We don’t really have a common question so to speak, it’s more general advice. The suitability of a product - will it be ok on the stairs etc. To be honest we are so transparent in our pricing and quotes, everything is explained and listed so we don’t attract a lot of questions.”

IF YOU COULD ASK SUPPLIERS TO CHANGE ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE? “I don’t want to criticise our suppliers unnecessarily but I have one small trivial thing and that is... Booking in deliveries. I know other businesses don’t require this but in our warehouse with roll stock we need forewarning to prepare. Unfortunately we’ve had to refuse deliveries in the past due to a lack of communication from the supplier. Although we don’t deal with Cormar I’ve heard they offer a two hour window as a delivery slot - this would be a dream if other suppliers could provide this detail as the default.” WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO RETAILERS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF A GROUP? “The main reason we joined the Group was for the business support - the award winning business support if I remember correctly! Being a small business starting up having that support was invaluable. The credit card rates, energy solutions and phone rates have saved us much more than the modest annual membership fee and receiving the rebate schemes from Abingdon, Interfloor and Furlong is the icing on the cake! But above all it’s nice to have a bit of support if you need it, especially being a new business like us. It’s nice to pick up the phone and talk to someone who can help.” SMG News | Spring 2016 | 63

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