SMG News - Summer 2015

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CONTENTS SMG News | Summer 2015 | ISSUE 179

NEWS 6

WOOL CARPET FOCUS GROUP

7

ADAM’S INNOVATIVE POS

9

FREE RETAIL MARKETING

22 SAVE WITH ANNEX

REGULARS 11 AT THE SHARP END Jason Brimble from Furlong Flooring

38 QUESTION TIME Jon Gamble from Penthouse Carpets

74 MEMBER FOCUS Moyseys Interiors in Kingsbridge, Devon

FEATURES 29 PRIMO... THE PRIME OF ITS LIFE 45 NEW CENEVA from telenzo 49 NEW colours FROM ULSTER 53 WOOL TRENDS AT HARROGATE

ON THE COVER Cormar Carpets Primo Excellence - Pontiac Blue

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Penthouse Carpets Aurora - Mars

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SMG News | SUMMER 2015

Dear Members,

I

am delighted to say that for the second year running SMG has been voted Best Flooring Buying Group by readers of Interiors Monthly magazine. We value this recognition immensely because it means that our main target of providing valuable partnerships between SMG Members and Suppliers is being achieved and valued by both parties. News of our award will be welcome to the new Members who have joined the Group in the last 12 months, of which over 75% have no previous association with any flooring group. This is a pleasing statistic and defines our ongoing suitability to the ‘independent’ independent retailer. In meeting these potential SMG Members myself, not surprisingly, I find that every facet of the SMG Membership offer is under forensic scrutiny. Clearly the offer stands up and I would encourage all Members to take this approach, visit every aspect of our offer, engage with SMG Approved Suppliers only and find even more value for your business.

SMG SMG News - Summer 2015.indd 5

Those of you who have been reading The Stocklists in the last couple of months will have read about the launch of the Wool Carpet Focus Group (WCFG). This is a fantastic new initiative that has the backing of many industry manufacturers, suppliers, buying groups and associations. The group’s aim is to develop a strategy that will provide promotional support and training to retailers to help them deliver a unified message to consumers about the multitude of benefits inherent in wool rich carpets. Chris Moffat, SMG’s Chairman, has represented Member interests in the early stages and the entire SMG team will continue to offer support to the WCFG wherever we can, including the new retail marketing resources. SMG Retail Marketing is new to our business support package and I hope will be a service that will be widely used by all Members. Retail has shifted significantly in the last 5 years with the Consumer now anticipating a very high standard of presentation and on demand information; a professional approach to advertising and marketing is essential to encouraging new business. Like many independent retailers we understand that a significant amount of your business is from your existing customers or by word of mouth but even here a professional approach can be essential in driving sales. SMG Retail Marketing can provide you with support and expertise across varying platforms, from freely downloadable advertising templates to a simple but professional low cost website and everything in between.

software to assist with the running of their businesses. After speaking with a number of Members we have chosen to partner with Computers for Flooring. Their Carman software allows you to manage your business effectively, providing you with instant access to customer and supplier information, fitting diaries and invoicing. Another major benefit is that because the software is ‘cloud based’ it will not require the significant capital expenditure that its competitors require. We recommend that you take a look, as SMG members investing for the first time you will benefit from a 50% discount in set up costs. From then on all Carman software users will have a discount on the ongoing monthly costs. The Flooring Show in Harrogate is the next major even in the SMG calendar and like last year we will be present on stand M3 right next to Ball & Young. After a successful show last year there is a real buzz about Harrogate again so please drop by the stand, there will be a little extra value for those that do which we will be communicating in due course.

Best regards,

Mike Symonds Head of Group Operations

Keeping on the business support theme a number of members have asked us to investigate flooring focussed retail

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 Wool Carpet Focus Group Launch! Bradford, the original capital city of the world’s wool trade, hosted a meeting in June with some of the most powerful and influential people in the British carpet industry present. The meeting was organised by The Wool Carpet Focus Group (WCFG) which was formed a few months ago with the intention of highlighting the reasons why carpets are best when made primarily from wool! Carpet manufacturers, distributors, buying groups and retailers attended the meeting which was a very worthwhile and constructive event, where there was much debate as to what the most important benefits of buying a wool carpet actually are. According to Dr Mike Madden who is the resident scientist for the WCFG, “There are so many reasons to choose wool, it’s difficult to choose which are the best to focus our attention on. Wool has lots of inherent qualities which combine to make it such a wonderful fibre and all of which are equally important from a scientific point of view.” ‘Bouncebackability’ a word borrowed from the Golf Channel was a favourite with the WCFG as it emphasised the way wool carpets bounce back to their natural

form. This is due to the natural crimp or spring like characteristic of wool which arguably makes wool carpets look better for longer and in turn makes them good value. ‘Cleanability’, according to one leading industry expert at the meeting who stated “Wool carpets and rugs clean better and look better than other carpets after cleaning.” There are many more Unique Selling Points to consider but the WCFG needs to focus on the important ones. However, The Wool Carpet Focus Group faces a real dilemma in trying to choose what to concentrate their marketing efforts on, therefore a competition - which is open to everyone - is underway and the most popular and interesting factors that make wool carpets and rugs the best choice will win a prize of a specially embroidered Real Shetland wool throw!

Founding members of WCFG Martin West, Steve Byrne and Martin Curtis.

All entries should be sent to Dr Mike Madden at mike@encoglobal.com and it must be stated that all entries will become the property of the Wool Carpet Focus Group Ltd. The winner will be announced at the Flooring Show in Harrogate which takes place on the 20th - 22nd September 2015, where many of the finest quality wool carpets and rugs will be on show to the retail trade.

Axminster leads the way with new Carpet Selector Axminster Carpets has embraced 21st century technology by bringing out a carpet selector to inspire customers – one of the first such businesses to do so in the country.

is steeped in a rich history. However, we are also extremely mindful that we live in a digital age and that our customers are used to having lots of freedom when it comes to shopping online.”

The new website enables customers to view some of the carpets from Axminster Carpets in different types of rooms; from a farmhouse dining room to a loft-style living area. Users can instantly change the style of the carpet by clicking on to one of the swatches. They can also switch between different wall colours allowing them to see what the carpet would look like in their own homes.

“Choosing carpet is a big decision, so we thought it was really important to offer our customers something different to help them and the stockist select the right carpet. We are delighted with the finished product and are very proud that we are the only such manufacturer in the UK to be providing this level of functionality.”

Marketing Manager Hilary Clements explains “Axminster Carpets is world-renowned as a company which

The Carpet Selector, which has been developed by Colchester-based ThinkBDW, can be accessed at www.axminster-carpets.co.uk.

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INNOVATIVE NEW POINT OF SALE LAUNCHED AT BUYING GROUP SHOW Adam Carpets launched their new designer led mood board point of sale at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show in May.

This new concept will show samples from all of the Adam Carpet ranges on a series of four boards. Each board has its own interior trend and theme.

Following on from feedback gathered at the Flooring Show at Harrogate, Adam Carpets have taken the concept of mood boards one step further with this stunning display.

Eamonn continues “This display will allow customers to see the whole of our diverse portfolio in a very user friendly way. We believe it will attract female buyers who will also be able to take advantage of the postcards that will be on the stand that carry images of the whole board.”

“The response from our customers at Harrogate was simply amazing” said Eamonn Prescott of Adam Carpets. “The mood boards that we put together were one of the highlights of the show according to influential interior design bloggers Scarlet Opus. That confirmed that we were on the right track.”

If you are interested and would like more details, please contact your local representative or Adam Carpets directly on 01562 822247.

NEW APPOINTMENT AT CORMAR Cormar Carpets has appointed an additional member to its team in the new role of customer experience manager. Debra Berry joins Cormar with an extensive background in customer service and experience with large brands in both the private and public sectors. Said Debra: “I am delighted to take on this new role at Cormar. The company is one of the UK’s leading tufted carpet manufacturers and prides itself on its

customer service. It understands that to remain at the top it needs to continually forward think and make customer experience changes that set it apart from the competition. “The creation of my role allows me to use my expertise to support Cormar’s transition into a service provider which delivers that ‘wow’ customer experience every time. I am looking forward to my new role at Cormar.”

SMG partners with UK Fuels As many of you will have seen in the latest eNews issue, SMG are pleased to have partnered with UK Fuels. UK Fuels has the largest selection of fuel cards available in the UK and will work with Members to fully understand their fleet needs and offer the best advice on making the right choice for their business. Whether the priority is network coverage, competitive pricing or price stability, UK Fuels has the right fuel card. Their unique proposition in the market means their advice

to Members will always be, independent and impartial. Benefits of UK Fuels include: A 6,500+ UK fuel stations A Weekly fixed price A HMRC approved VAT invoicing Plus, included with every account is their account management tool and e-route journey planner. For more information please contact UK Fuels on 01202 339199. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 7

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NEWS UPDATE SMG Members take advantage of advertising templates Following the launch of the advertising templates in April many Members have taken advantage of the FREE service. What’s more a couple of retailers have gone the extra step and had bespoke posters made for in-store use. The service gives Members the ideal opportunity to get ahead of their

competition by using the superb professionally designed advertising templates - available exclusively for SMG Members - in their local press. It’s easy to use the templates, simply head over to the SMG website at www.smg-online.co.uk and log in to the Member area. Follow the links to view and download the templates available. There’s even a handy user guide when you first log in. The next step is to send the print ready pdf template to your printer or magazine publisher along with your logo and they will insert them into place on the advert for you. If you need a bespoke advert, like the Members featured here, contact Ben Young at SMG to discuss your requirements. Turn to pages 8 and 9 of your August Monthly Update to learn more and see the templates launched for the summer.

CRUK - the value to retailers of recycling carpet waste the CRUK website, confirming their commitment to improving their environmental credentials.

Carpet Recycling UK highlighted the economic and environmental value to retailers of recycling their uplifted carpets and installation off-cuts at the 2015 Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show, in Solihull this May. Baling uplifted carpets reduces the costs of logistics associated with sending these bulky materials for recycling and saves money on landfilling them. Recycling off-cuts, which have higher potential value, works out at less than half the cost of landfill. CRUK member Kenburn was also present to give hands-on baler advice to retailers. “Installation off-cuts can be converted into other textile-based products like carpet underlay, particularly if they are wool-based. Wool is a good fibre for use in felt carpet underlays, thanks to its resilience and insulation properties,”

“These are exciting times and we are making significant progress with retailers whom we can advise on the best recycling options for their businesses,” added Laurance. explained Laurance Bird, Director of the industry-backed association for recycling and reusing waste carpet. “Plus, of course, there is the intrinsic environmental PR value that can be promoted to your customers by demonstrating your commitment to recycling carpet,” he pointed out. Carpet Recycling UK supports its retail members’ recycling endeavours with Point of Sale promotional packs, membership certificates and a listing on

Around 400,000 tonnes of carpet waste arises each year in the UK, of which 113,000 tonnes were reused, recycled or recovered for energy in 2014; representing a landfill diversion of 28%. CRUK’s target is 60% diversion from landfill by 2020. Carpet Recycling UK welcomes enquiries from all types of organisations interested in finding new outlets for their waste carpet. It can be contacted on 0161 440 8325 or visit www.carpetrecyclinguk.com. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 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’.

In June SMG visited Furlong Flooring in their fantastic new offices and warehouse in Stroud, Gloucestershire. During the presentation to the Furlong team there was clear determination and drive from the sales representatives on how they could develop business within the Membership. One of the representatives was Jason Brimble, who covers Avon and Gloucestershire, having been with Furlong for 13 years we thought it would be interesting to hear his view ‘from the sharp end’.

How did you get into the trade? “I left school at 16 and didn’t really fancy going to college so started working for the Furlong Flooring Newport office. That was 2002, seven years later in 2009 I progressed to the role of sales representative and hit the road.” What have you seen change the most in the last five years? “I would have to say the amount of manmade carpet present in store from stock to point of sale material. The soft yarn products also seem to be so popular at the moment.” What’s your favourite product? “Trident Heathers! A fantastic range and with the recent addition of Highlights and Pastelle it gives it another lift. A must have, in my opinion, for retailers.” Of all the retailers you visit what common denominator contributes to them being successful? “Service has a huge part to play in this industry so definitely that. Also I think the majority of consumers like to support local retailers which is nice. I personally feel a well presented showroom makes choosing a carpet

a lot more consumer friendly, especially with the point of sale now present in most stores.” As a representative what are your biggest challenges? “Getting point of sale into the smaller stores is always a challenge due to space. However it’s a must that I get my point of sale in a prime location within stores so that it maximises its potential and is a winner for the retailer and Furlong. If the retailer believes in the product then that’s half the battle.” If you could ask retailers to change one thing what would it be? “To think about the space in store and what works for them. Every item in their showroom should be earning their business money for the space it takes up, it’s not just to make the store look nice or hide a bad wall. So if something is not selling don’t be afraid to change it around.” What do you see as the key market challenge for retailers at the moment? “The internet seems to be a growing problem, but we all know it doesn’t offer

the full service like a retailer. Rebranding helps like the Stain Control System from SMG, which is available on our entire portfolio. I think this is a great solution and am always encouraging Members to take advantage. I feel there is a gap for this service to be offered to independent retailers with numerous branding styles who often come up against the internet. However without the retailer there is no internet sales.” Outside of work, what are your interests? “I’m a Bristol City season ticket holder so most Saturdays are taken up with that. When I’m not watching I’m helping out back in Wales for my old Football club.” If you didn’t work in this industry what would you be doing now? “I always wanted to be in the Police Force so maybe that, to be honest I have been in this industry since I left school so I cant see myself leaving... I do enjoy it!” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “I have two... Don’t be afraid to ask questions and people buy off people so build good relationships.”

Furlong Flooring offer market leading products, at competitive prices with excellent service levels – most orders are delivered next working day through their national distribution network. This service is not at the expense of quality which runs deep throughout the company, whether it’s the high-impact displays or extensive portfolio of polypropylene carpet, wool carpet, vinyl and wood flooring. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 11

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NEWS UPDATE Victory for Kenton Floors at the Buying Groups’ Show At an event dominated by carpet and vinyl suppliers, it was a more traditional floor covering that came out on top when long-established wood flooring brand Woodpecker took first place for best stand at this year’s Buying Groups’ Show. The stand concept was designed in-house and professionally built by exhibition company Priority. Enclosed with bright white walls and backed by a striking display of Woodpecker’s Goodrich Natural parquet blocks, its central feature was a shiny white bar stocked with refreshments and lit with overhanging lamps. Floor samples and photography decked out the back walls together with large televisions showing product videos. A convenient layout showcased Woodpecker’s complete range of flooring displays, including the latest concept for the popular Goodrich parquet collection and the contemporary Olsen laminate stand. The full range of sampling and sleek design table for sister vinyl flooring brand Vusta occupied the alternate side of the space to complete an impressive setup.

Winner... Best Stand 2015! “The certificate is on display at our headquarters and serves as a great reminder of what we can achieve when the whole team comes together. We’re already looking forward to next year.”

With such a wide selection of products and Woodpecker’s complete collection of sampling on show to see first-hand, there was more than plenty of interest. The stand was a buzz of activity throughout the two days and visitors took away sizeable gift bags containing the latest Brand new for May, the 2015 Woodpecker catalogues, handy tape measures, catalogue was revealed for the first time notepads and nibbles. at the show with samples of all the new Commenting on the win, Sales Director designs in the wood, engineered and Darwyn Ker said “I couldn’t be more laminate ranges on display. The new pleased. Many thanks to the whole team washed solid wood boards in the York for the outstanding effort they have collection caught particular interest along with the on-trend ashen tones new put in to making the show such a great success. The certificate is on display at to Olsen laminate.

our headquarters and serves as a great reminder of what we can achieve when the whole team comes together. We’re already looking forward to next year.” Missed the show? Download a PDF of the new catalogue and browse the complete range at the Woodpecker website at www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk.

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CORMAR HOSTS FLOORING GUILD TRAINING COURSE Leading carpet manufacturer Cormar Carpets held its seventh annual Flooring Guild training course to provide those starting out in carpet retailing with a valuable insight into the industry. Twenty two carpet retailers attended the three-day ‘Selling Quality Carpets’ event at Cormar’s Brookhouse Mill, run by independent industry expert and course tutor Ray Morgan from The Flooring Guild. The course gives independent carpet retailers a chance to enhance their sales skills and provides basic product knowledge about carpets and how to effectively plan and estimate. David Cormack, marketing director of Cormar Carpets said: “Having run this course for a number of years now, it’s great to know that it is still in demand and that the positive feedback we receive, reinforces the fact that it really does make a difference to those retailers that attend.”

The Flooring Guild is a ‘not for profit’ organisation, which was founded in 1999 to raise standards in the flooring industry through training and educational programmes. The organisation aims to provide a formal induction programme to assist people coming into the industry

and a skills development programme, to motivate current employees.

News from Edel telenzo Edel Telenzo are pleased to confirm that, after a year-on-year growth 2013 to 2014 of more than 10%; after the first five months of 2015, sales are up 15% like for like on 2014. Phil Hartley, Managing Director of Edel Telenzo, comments “The progress with the membership continues to be on the increase and with the initiatives in place around point of sale and product development, we are sure that this will continue to everyone’s benefit”. Further, Edel Telenzo are delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Rooney as National Sales Manager. Phil continues “Mark is a very well respected figure in the UK retail market, having worked for Victoria Carpets PLC and Interfloor for some 20 years. Before that, Mark was involved in retail on the high street and as such has a full understanding of the needs of the customer and the approach that we need to continue to take, as a valued supplier to them. Mark’s key area of responsibility will be to support and drive the sales

team, together with managing key accounts and business development.” Visit Edel Telenzo during The Flooring Show 2015 in Harrogate! On the stand will be a prominent place for Diversity, the new woven-look bouclé and its striped co-ordinate Liberty which will be brand new! You will find Edel Telenzo at stand C37. New Product Development Edel Telenzo have also introduced new colours to the following ranges; Barbican, Chelsea and Paddington. Sampling is being distributed throughout the summer to ensure all is in place for the busy second half of the year. Mark Rooney, newly appointed National Sales Manager for Edel Telenzo.

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NEWS UPDATE BROCKWAY’S TRIO OF APPOINTMENTS STRENGTHENS SALES TEAM Brockway Carpets continues to strengthen its sales team with the appointment of Andy Cave, John Hale and Ted Morgan as Area Business Managers. Between them, Andy, John and Ted bring outstanding experience in carpet retail to Brockway, and all three join from Victoria Carpets. Andy Cave becomes Brockway’s Area Business Manager with responsibility for South Midlands and South Wales. He brings 37 years’ experience in the carpet trade, including 24 years at Mr Tomkinson and 13 years at Victoria Carpets. John Hale joins as Area Business Manager for the Southern Home Counties, after 30 years’ working in sales, including 12 years in the carpet trade previously working for Axminster Carpets for many years. Ted Morgan is tasked as Brockway’s Area Business Manager for Kent and the London area. He has worked in the carpet trade since 1980, including eight years at Mr Tomkinson and latterly at Victoria Carpets for 12 years. He said he was “delighted to be joining such as forward thinking and innovative company.” Sales Director Shaun Lewis said: ”We’re moving into an exciting new phase in Brockway’s development and we are delighted to welcome three such high calibre and well known professionals. They complement our team perfectly.”

Their arrival is timely, added National Sales Manager Steve Glover, with Brockway poised to launch its new portfolio at The Flooring Show, Harrogate in September. Steve comments “This is a great time to be part of Brockway’s success with the roll-out of our superb new collections. Andy, John and Ted will be a huge asset to our 12-strong team.”

with the latest environmentally-aware technology and the finest raw materials to create innovative, luxurious carpets for domestic and commercial markets in the UK and overseas.

Brockway has been designing and producing high quality carpets in Kidderminster since 1964. As a family-run For further information please contact business, Brockway’s 100-strong skilled Brockway on 01562 828200 or visit workforce combines real craftsmanship www.brockway.co.uk.

Autumn furniture show This years Autumn Furniture Show will be held on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th October and will be open to the entire trade. The show will again take place across two open plan halls at the International Centre in Telford. The centre offers first class facilities, a car park with some 1300 spaces, and with hotels on site the venue has everything a visitor needs. The show is timed to give retailers an ideal chance to make key purchases ahead of the Christmas period and

January sales rush. The show will feature an eclectic mix of product designed to appeal to a wide retail audience. If you don’t currently offer furniture to your customers why not diversify? Visiting the Minerva show is the perfect opportunity to meet the leading manufacturers in the industry and discuss the possibilities. Find out more and register now at the Autumn Furniture show website at www.theautumnfurnitureshow.co.uk. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 15

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NEWS UPDATE SO FAR SO GOOD IN 2015 Design is at the heart of everything Brintons produce, it is the key ingredient to their continued success within the carpet industry and 2015 has been no different. Britain’s biggest ever cruise ship, the £473 million P&O Britannia featured over 21,000 square metres of custom designed Axminster carpet from Brintons and for the style conscious homeowner the City Plaids series was introduced to capitalise on the trend for vintage, reclaimed textiles. A subtle colour palette was created to give a fashionable edge to this iconic pattern. Soft antique hues play together with cool blues and soft greys were jazzed up with a hint of hot pink. The stunning designs in the stocked range include collaborations with Timorous Beasties and Laura Ashley, velvet carpets and a host of traditional and modern designs. It’s Cool to Buy Wool Wool is back on trend and has the added bonus that it is a fantastic sustainable choice for flooring. It insulates your home, is easily recyclable and biodegradable, plus shearing sheep is essential for their welfare. The famous

Brintons blend combines 80% wool with 20% nylon meaning that a Brintons carpet is both luxurious to touch and hard-wearing for longevity. This blend is still used today because it has all the beauty of wool, in a much longer-lasting form. Brintons is actually British Wool’s single biggest user (The wool from 1 in 9 British sheep ends up in a Brintons carpet!) and the company are proud to be associated with the Campaign for Wool and British Wool Marketing Boards. New Advertising Templates The ‘My Brintons’ log-in area has been updated to make it even easier for you to create branded advertisements. Once you’re logged in as a retailer you can download advert templates or search through images by room type, product code and colour. You can use the log-in area to personalise your store’s page by uploading store photography and adding opening times. If you don’t already know your log-in details or need a password resetting then please contact your local Business Manager.

Above: City Plaids. Right: Advertising Template. Below: P&O Britannia featured over 21,000 square metres of custom designed Axminster carpet from Brintons.

For further information please contact your local representative or contact Brintons on 01562 748000.

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NEWS UPDATE HEAD TO HARROGATE THIS SEPTEMBER With 95% of stands already sold, this year’s Flooring Show will be the biggest for many years, and the industry is starting to gear up for an exciting and vibrant event. The show will be held at its habitual home in Harrogate from 20-22 September 2015.

British Wool Marketing Board and the Campaign for Wool; this popular area will return in 2015 in expanded format and includes key manufacturers Brockway, Cavalier, Westex, Axminster, Brintons, Adams, Bronte and Ulster – all exhibiting.

develop their own offerings. This project is being supported by Adam Carpets, • This year the Trends Hub team will Event Director Wendy Adams comments: create a ‘flooring retail shop of the future’, Interfloor, Interface, Concept “We are very pleased to see our floorplan that the consumer will really want to visit. Handtufting, British Ceramic Tile and The Stocklists with their brand new There will also be a seminar explaining so full this early in the cycle. We’ve ‘Vizifloor’ consumer product. the key points about the shop concept worked hard over the past few years to bring back some big names to Harrogate, on the Sunday morning. The idea is to • The seminar programmes in the provide some ideas and food for thought, and it’s fantastic we now have a great Business Enrichment Theatre will provide primarily for independent flooring mix of familiar faces and exciting new a great opportunity for retailers and brands – I’m sure 2015 will be a great year retailers to take home and make some other show attendees to take away positive changes to their business. for the show.” some business improvement actions that can be implemented without cost, In addition to favourites including the very next day. HOUZZ – the fastest Cormar Carpets, Abingdon Flooring, growing website in this category in the F Ball & Co, Lano, Lifestyle Floors and world – will be leading design seminars; many others, the 2015 show welcomes Vanessa Brady, newly appointed OBE for a host of new and returning names her outstanding services to the design including IVC Group, Asiatic Carpets and industry, will be talking about how to Rugs, Uzin, Whitestone Weavers, Hugh sell to interior design companies; and Mackay, Windmoeller, Parquex, Jaymart ever popular David Abbott will be talking and Ultimate Rugs. about best pricing. As well as being a platform for top-rated In an environment where major To keep updated simply visit the show exhibitors, the show will continue to national chains have been introducing website www.theflooringshow.com, develop feature areas to enhance the marketing and investment plans to target where you can register to visit the visitor experience: a wider range of consumers, the Hub will show free of charge. provide features, ideas and examples to • The 2014 show introduced ‘The Wool help independent retailers continue to Trends Centre’ in conjunction with the

Promotion for Axminster Carpets’ Regional Managers Axminster Carpets’ hugely knowledgeable Regional managers; Marc Helliwell and Ian McDermid have been promoted to Southern and Northern Sales Directors respectively. Marc and Ian are extremely well established in the trade having been with Axminster Carpets for over 50 years between them. This promotion is not only in recognition of their wealth of

experience, but also in respect of their customer focus and the growth in sales under their guidance. These changes are part of Axminster Carpets’ continual drive to further improve overall customer service to their retailers. It will also mean greater support to the team of area account managers on a day to day basis. Commercial Director, Josh Dutfield says; ‘’This is not only a recognition of their loyalty and commitment to the company over many years but the outstanding manner in which they have grown the business.’’

Marc Helliwell

Ian McDermid

Marc and Ian commented ‘’We are Axminster through and through, and it’s great to know we are part of a business who value hard work, loyalty and commitment. We are truly honoured and delighted by the promotion and to be leading the team to deliver both stockist service and business growth.”

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ULSTER GOLF DAY Ulster recently treated a number of their highest performing accounts to a mid week golfing trip to show the retailers their appreciation for their continued support. Nearly 40 independent retailers were whisked away to the world renowned Carton House Hotel to play the two

championship courses designed by golfing royalty Mark O’Meara and Colin Montgomerie. As always competition was fierce at the annual event and despite experiencing mixed weather, the golf and the Irish hospitality was enjoyed by all involved. While the retailers and Ulster representatives relaxed over dinner and drinks on the final evening, Mr Edward Wilson did the honours in distributing

prizes for the best golfing scores and also a few booby prizes! Ulster Carpets run this popular event annually, to find out how you can earn a place, contact your local Ulster representative.

Above from top left: Steven Pearson, Gerry McConnell, Adrian Bird and Doug Farrel. Below from top left: James Browne, Ken Smart, Davy Small and Colin Hyndes.

The WoolSafe Organisation packs its bags for Harrogate After the Flooring Show’s successful rejuvenation last year, The WoolSafe Organisation finds itself back in Harrogate for the eagerly anticipated 2015 edition. With a new stand location found close to the Wool Trends Centre, the WoolSafe team are prepared for a busy three days at stands C1a and C52, in the exhibition centre’s Hall C. This year has already been an exciting one for WoolSafe, with the recently introduced CleanSeal and EnviroSeal accreditation programmes going from strength to strength as the company continues to promote best practice in carpet and rug care. From product certification to education, training and the promotion of professional services, The WoolSafe Organisation endorses the wonder of wool like few others can, this year playing a bigger part in The Flooring Show than ever before with a series of displays and demonstrations. Providing support for the various wool-related shows taking place across an action-packed three day period, WoolSafe is

committed to getting the message out that wool, when cared for correctly, is easy to clean and has the best appearance retention. Through this support, the WoolSafe team will be demonstrating wool’s easy to clean nature and resistance to soiling when treated properly, qualities often overlooked when a purchasing decision is made. Too often a wool carpet’s aesthetics and feel are championed, while maintenance credentials are called into question. The WoolSafe team are looking to inform and educate to this end, showing that wool is a resistant fibre with fabulous ‘bouncebackability’ to boot. Make sure you find time to visit The WoolSafe Organisation during your venture to Harrogate this September, the team is looking forward to welcoming familiar faces and new guests alike. Please contact 01943 850 817 or email info@woolsafe.org for more information. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 19

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COMING

SOON! This Autumn Westex Carpets are launching a superb ‘Champagne Promotion’ exclusively for SMG Members

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september to november 2015

For more information please contact your local representative, alternatively contact Westex directly on 01274 861334.

27/07/2015 16:25:52


NEWS UPDATE You’re Hired... Victoria Carpets Welcomes Apprentices Victoria Carpets are very pleased to welcome Owen, Ben and Blake to the sales and service team at their Head Office in Kidderminster. As part of Victoria’s initiative to support the existing team and improve the service to all customers these apprentices are completing their Business Administration Course with a placement at Victoria. Each of the apprentices are being coached and mentored by three of the Victoria sales and service team members, to ensure an effective integration into the business. This is a very positive and pro-active move by Victoria Carpets investing in their people, as well as bringing new and different skills and abilities to boost the effectiveness of their service.

Pictured above is the Victoria Carpets sales and service team, from Left: Owen Scott, June Hollingsworth, Laura Ensor, Daniel Jones, Judith Tilly, Ben Jones, Donna Ritson, Blake Killey, Nicola Birt

Divine carpet intervention from Lano With the recent launch of Divine Twist, Lano Carpets is driving interest in its Premium Easy Care Collection, a range of carpets designed to deliver worry-free stain resistance in a more resilient and durable Lanoset two-ply yarn.

The 100% polypropylene Lanoset fibre is heat-set to offer better durability but also to give a beautiful wool-like appearance, helping to give justice to its premium moniker while providing homeowners with the reassurance of a bleach cleanable low-maintenance carpet. Backed by 10-year stain and seven-year wear guarantees and with an Extra Heavy Domestic rating, there is no doubt the new Divine Twist is a carpet suitable for use in the busiest of family homes. Available in both four and five-metre widths, Divine Twist comes in an exceptional weight of 2,370g/m2 again underlining its premium tag and providing high levels of underfoot comfort. “The Premium Easy Care Collection offers our very finest stain-resistant qualities so that retailers can offer their customers luxurious carpet that is also worry-free,” explains Birger Karlsson, Sales Director UK. “Providing an alternative to the worry of wool and wool-rich blends, Divine Twist is also excellent value, a carpet that is typically Lano!”

Divine Twist is available in 10 shades, with a grey theme running throughout, giving a thoroughly modern and in-tune collection that is well placed to meet the need for a wider assortment of grey hues, as this palette begins to enjoy growing popularity. “As we once saw with beige, the demand for grey is meaning that ranges need to be more sophisticated in their approach to the colour, offering homeowners more choice, from light shades through to rich velvet hues. Divine Twist explores the potential of the palette beautifully and this makes it an excellent choice for retailers wanting to offer their customers carpets that are very ‘now’,” concludes Birger. For further information please contact your local representative or contact Lano Carpets on 00800 5266 5266.

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NEWS UPDATE MORE MEMBERS ARE SAVING WITH ANNEX SOLUTIONS More Members are reaping the rewards of their membership. Last month Warren from Action Carpets in Folkestone contacted SMG head office “When we last met you reminded me of the other services available through my membership.” “I called Warren Duckett at Annex Solutions and in approximately 5 minutes he has transferred our gas supply and if we use the same amount as last year we will save upwards of £1340 this year coming... Impressive! Thanks SMG!” It’s another happy Member who has used the service. Annex Solutions can provide all SMG Members with a free independent and comprehensive service to ensure that they reduce their

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

Start Saving

Today!

A Totally free and independent service A Deal direct with all major suppliers A Free ongoing account management A Save up to 80% on your renewal

Contact Annex Solutions on 01274 551 550 to find out how much money you could save.

Contact Annex Solutions today on 01274 551 550!

CHARLESTON FROM BALL & YOUNG Ball and Young are promoting their new Charleston range with a teddy bear of the same name - he or she has roses on their feet and hands to match the new backing. The sales representatives will be visiting Members over the coming weeks who have bought the product to distribute some bears. The idea is that ‘Charleston’ the bear is placed by the fitter after the installation has been completed in the customer’s home - a complete surprise for the customer and a thank you! For more information please speak to your representative.

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Tomkinson Berber Relaunch Mr Tomkinson have relaunched the popular Tomkinson Berber range. The range has been upgraded from a 32oz and 40oz dual weight range to 40oz and 50oz, whilst maintaining the same trade prices. For more information please contact your local representative or Mr Tomkinson on 01827 831 450. www.mrtomkinson.co.uk

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NEWS UPDATE New representative for kingstown furniture Kingstown would like to welcome Phil Parrott to the team of Dedicated Territory Managers. Phil has joined to cover the Midlands and East Anglia region and will manage a large portfolio of furniture retailers who currently deal with Kingstown. Phil will carry on the good work that has already been done in the area and will support customers with marketing materials, product information, customer service queries and will also take the Kingstown Show van to visit them at their premises.

seen him progress from Store Manager to Furniture and Bed Buyer for a major furniture retailer. Phil is looking forward to the challenge of working with Kingstown and Sean Frost-Palmer, Kingstown Sales Director comments “I would like to welcome Phil on board and believe he will be a great asset to Kingstown. His knowledge and experience of the industry will help to push Kingstown forward and I am sure our customers will appreciate his expertise.”

Phil has a wealth of knowledge and has worked in the furniture retail business for 29 years since leaving school. This has

Phil Parrott

The Perils of Penny Pinching The WoolSafe Organisation offer free carpet care and spot removal advice to carpet manufacturers, retailers and owners. Recently Woolsafe seem to be receiving an increased numbers of calls from consumers who have employed the services of ‘cut price cleaners’ and have been left, at best, with cleaning results they were disappointed with and at worst, with destroyed carpets.

sand and grit that abrades the fibres and if not removed can cause premature wear and pile flattening. In synthetic fibre carpets it is this kind of soiling that ‘scratches’ the fibre causing it to lose its lustre and develop permanent grey or brown traffic lanes.

After dry soil removal, many different methods of cleaning can be employed; however the majority have two distinct Invariably the consumer has been enticed steps. The first step is to apply a cleaning by low cleaning rates. We’ve all seen the product to the carpet, agitate and leave flyers; £10 per room £50 the whole house! to dwell for a few minutes, step two It turns out that the ‘cheap cleaners’ are is to rinse or vacuum away. With cut actually a false economy, the old adage price cleaning, these steps are often cut ‘buy cheap, pay twice’ comes to mind.To short or omitted and the cleaner tries to be able to quote so low certain combine them. Another way to cut costs cleaning processes are invariably cut is to use cheaper, less effective cleaning short or not carried out at all. A very products or to dilute the product to a important first step in carpet cleaning is higher ratio. This has an obvious effect on vacuuming. Over 80% of the soil in carpet the end results. is dry particulate that has worked its way Cut price cleaning companies rarely have to the bottom of the pile. It’s this coarse the resources to invest in professional training for their technicians, leading to potential problems being overlooked, and technicians working without the knowledge of cleaning chemistry necessary for safe and effective cleaning of all the different fibres in the market. The last stage in the cleaning of domestic or commercial carpet is drying. Drying times can vary depending on the

cleaning process. Dry compound cleaning leaves carpet dry in as little as half an hour, other low moisture methods can be dry in a couple of hours. With hot water extraction air movers are used to speed up drying times so carpets are dry between six to twelve hours maximum. Cut price cleaners rarely invest in this equipment. A common complaint from distraught carpet owners is how their carpet is still wet 24 or 48 hours later... This is very dangerous as mould can start to develop after as little as 12 hours. So how do you find a good cleaner? Check that they are properly trained by a recognised organisation and make sure they are members of a reputable industry body such as the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) or The WoolSafe Organisation. Then you can also rest assured that they have full insurance and follow a code of practice. If you have natural fibre carpet then using a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider is the best option. It not only ensures that your comfortable floor covering is being looked after by a natural fibre care specialist but also that only products that have been tested and certified as safe and effective for your carpet are being used on them.

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Tredaire underlay for comfort... and so much more Tredaire underlay has built a reputation as the most comfortable since its launch in 1954. With a range of 28 underlays Tredaire has products to suit all budgets and is ideal for retailers wanting to offer ‘Good, Better, Best’ options. Its natural springiness makes it ideal for living rooms and bedrooms where the customer wants to protect the carpet but also have a genuinely luxurious feel underfoot. 17 Tredaire underlays are designated as Luxury under British Standard BS5808. Manufactured from either PU foam or sponge rubber Tredaire is synonymous with underfoot comfort. Some of the most comfortable underlays include Sensation (11mm, 145kg/m3) Dreamwalk (11mm, 110 kg/m3) and Titanium (9mm, 160kg/m3) from the PU collection, and Colours Red (11.4mm, 357 kg/m3) and Colours Green (10.3mm, 362 kg/m3) which are made from sponge rubber. All Tredaire underlays are manufactured in the UK, in Haslingden, Lancashire and they are supported with market leading POS including A3 samples and swatch books. Most of them use Textron backings for greater strength and stability and the packaging designs and colour coding help the product to stand out so that they are easier for retailers to manage and sell. In addition to comfort Tredaire also offers best in class sound insulation with Colours Red being certified at 46dB, and best in class heat insulation

with Dreamwalk being certified at 3.13 togs. So, if the customer wants a quieter and cosier home, Tredaire has the best products to meet that need. Interfloor provide further support with sales tools including their Underlay Selection Guide and their Underlay Selector. This has proved successful for retailers who want to show a customer which Tredaire and Duralay products are best for their application. The Selector features over 50 branded underlays and

Tredaire - Colours Green

Tredaire - Sensation

Tredaire - Colours Red

Tredaire - Dreamwalk

they can be sorted by comfort, durability, sound insulation, heat insulation and suitability for underfloor heating and wood and laminate floors. Interfloor also provides extensive retailer support in terms of product and sales training, complementary accessories from their Gripperrods and Stikatak ranges and advice on maximising profitability through the product range. For further information please contact Interfloor on 01706 238 810 or visit www.interfloor.com.

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Buying Group Show goes from Strength to Strength! With several new suppliers exhibiting and the event now a firm date in Members’ diaries it is of little surprise that the 2015 Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show was a great success. However for some Members it was their first visit and they weren’t disappointed, one commented “I imagined it was a small show in a hotel conference room, I had no idea it was this big and supported so strongly by my top suppliers, I’ll definitely be back next year!” With so many Approved Suppliers crammed into the exhibition hall it can be difficult to choose who to visit first. Kenton Floors raised the bar with regard to stand design and were awarded the ‘Best Stand’, they used the event to launch their new Woodpecker catalogue and showcase some of their most popular ranges, read more on the opposite page. Other highlights included the striking new collection from Associated Weavers and the opportunity for Members’ to have a close look at Adam Carpets’ new developments. Adam Carpets had a very successful show and freshened up their stand with a selection of new mood boards, along with the new colours of Fine Worcester Twist. The new colours were incredibly well received and the new mood board displays also caught several Members’ eye with their unique perspective on colour trends and future themes.

Unlike anything else on the market, the new mood board stand has been designed with the end user in mind. It shows 16 of Adam’s ranges, displayed over four boards which are there to inspire and educate the end user. The boards are split into four themes; ‘Understated Elegance’, ‘Rich and Sumptuous’, ‘Modern Classic’ and ‘Nordic’. Each board has carpets from various ranges relating to that theme along with inspirational lifestyle images. There are also postcards of the boards for end users to take away with them. On day one of the show 20 of these units were snapped up; if you are interested in this unique point of sale aimed directly at the end user, please contact your Adam representative for more information.

Abingdon took the opportunity to showcase their new demonstration units, an easy upgrade for existing stand holders to show the new Aqua Pro-Tec ranges in action - after all they are now Abingdon’s top selling cut length ranges! With a great colourbank, multi-widths and a Stainfree for life guarantee you’d think that was enough to sell the ranges... But the new demonstration unit will enable users to easily show Aqua Pro-Tec in action! The upgraded unitary features a demonstration area and a TV Screen - don’t panic, the video is only activated when someone is nearby and is not on permanently! SMG would like to thank all Members who visited the show and we hope to see more of you next year!

Adam’s ‘Hugo & Ella’ collection of colours also proved to be a talking point at the show with many Members visiting the stand to find out more. The marketing campaign was aimed at creating Adam Carpets as a conversation starter and this has certainly been achieved. 26

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ASSOCIATED WEAVERS

ADAM CARPETS

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BGNFS! The BUYING GROUPS’ NATIONAL FLOORING SHOW is fast becoming THE industry show!

KENTON FLOORS

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Prime of its life! Leading UK carpet manufacturer, Cormar Carpets, is celebrating 10 years of its easy clean carpet collection. Over the past decade the Primo easy clean family of carpets has excelled itself, generating more than £100 million of sales for Cormar Carpets. Said David Cormack, marketing director of Cormar Carpets: “Since the initial launch of our first easy clean Primo range, we’ve developed a host of carpet collections that sit under the Primo umbrella. These now include Primo Excellence, Primo Plus, Primo Choice, Primo Ultra and Primo Delight – all of which have proved extremely successful. “The latest addition Primo Excellence is made with the same polypropylene fibre, 100% Excellon, and has been developed to make it softer than the standard Primo ranges retaining the same level of lustre giving the range a more wool-like effect.” For further information please contact your local representative or telephone Cormar’s sales office 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 Primo collection or any other Cormar Carpet range visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk. Primo Excellence - Pontiac Blue

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NEW... SAVE TIME & MONEY CLOUD BASED live stats

New Approved Supplier... Computers for Flooring Let Computers for Flooring take all the stress out of managing your business so you can work on what you do best. Using the system can help you streamline your business... saving you valuable time and money! Carman from Computers for Flooring is a user friendly, cloud based management system designed by experts in the flooring industry for the flooring industry. They work continually with specialists to ensure that our software ticks every box when it comes to running a successful flooring business.

The Carman management system not only gives complete visibility of your entire business at a click of a button, it also provides accurate stock levels for your business and sophisticated analysis tools that allow you to make key decisions on ordering future stock.

Computers for Flooring recognise that every business is different, which is why they offer tailored solutions. From independent operators to multi-site organisations, we understand your needs and have a package to suit you.

When creating a quotation with the system you select items from the database. All items have a base cost as well as a markup. Therefore it knows exactly how much profit is made on each job and selected users can view and control the profitability of each item. If you’re working on a quotation you know needs to be competitive it’s no problem, simply select the item and use the intuitive slider interface to decrease the profitability on that item.

The software runs on a private cloud infrastructure provided by Computers for Flooring. Taking this approach means they can deliver a robust, reliable and flexible system to customers regardless of their existing IT infrastructure. This cloud system provides you with a completely reliable and stable IT platform and enables the following: •

No need for expensive servers

Software upgrades are included

Data storage is assured

Secure access 24/7

The Profitability Manager

When you adjust an item’s profitability you get to see the overall impact the change has on both the item, and the quotation as a whole... all in realtime! If a customer comes back to you and asks if you can “do a bit more” on their existing quotation? No problem, open their quote start tweaking and reissue, all done within minutes. Of course the profitability manager is not there just to

reduce your profits – if you think you are being too generous the slider also goes the other way! Invoices and Payment Manager The order manager holds all of your order information in one place. Invoices are generated directly from an accepted quotation and saved in the order manager and also as a saved PDF. You can email your invoices directly from the software at the click of a button. There’s no need to attach files and compose emails to your customers – simply convert a quotation to an order and click the email invoice button. You can view your current outstanding payments and completed unpaid information. What’s more you can generate chase lists so that missing payments can be finalised, improving your cash flow. You can take part payments and deposits and issue reminders for outstanding payments plus using export functions you can automatically move information to popular accounting packages such as Sage, My Books etc. If you would like further information please contact Computers for Flooring on 0845 869 8403.

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Axminster Carpets feeds the imagination of the young princess A very special gift left Royal Warrant holders Axminster Carpets in June destined for the palace. One of their exclusive Imagination Rugs was sent to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to celebrate the safe arrival of HRH Princess Charlotte. The ‘Baby Bunting’ design in buttermilk was chosen by Axminster Carpets’ Facebook friends and was personalised with Princess Charlotte’s birthdate. Josh Dutfield Commercial Director commented “We all were totally thrilled for the Duke and Duchess and wanted to mark the occasion with a thoroughly British present. All our Imagination Rugs are hand woven at Axminster and it was sent with all our best wishes – I have one for my young son and hope this one will be, like ours, a much loved treasure.” The Imagination Rug Collection is a playful collection of twelve rugs that are available in a range of colours. They are specifically designed for the young and young at heart depicting fun scenes that inspire and stimulate a child’s imagination. They make the perfect gift to mark life events such as births and christenings with many of them personalised with a name or date. The arrival of Princess Charlotte came a month after Members of the Royal Warrant Association visited the Axminster Carpets’ factory. Companies as diverse as wheelwrights and agricultural brushes were able to see first-hand exactly how the world famous Axminster Carpets luxury carpets are made in the heart of the market town of Axminster. Josh Dutfield hosted the day “It was a rare opportunity to share experiences with so many like-minded companies. Axminster Carpets has a long history of delivering carpets to the Royal Household and we can trace supplying carpet to the royal households back to George III. Today we have a number of carpets in a number of royal residencies including Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle and possibly an Imagination Rug is now in Princess Charlotte’s bedroom.” The select association comprising of a number of carefully selected members represent a cross-section of suppliers to the Royal Household. Axminster Carpets were proud to retain their Royal Warrant in 2012, the year of the Queen’s diamond jubilee, recognising their commitment to the highest standards of quality and excellence to the Royal Household. Visit Axminster Carpets’ dedicated website at www.imaginationrugs.co.uk for more details on the Imagination Rug.

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Distinctive Flooring goes from strength to strength with its new Vintage Parquet Design Flooring offer

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New Fine Worcester Twist colour room sets revealed Adam Carpets have continued the launch of their new Fine Worcester colours by introducing some new room set images. These images feature one colour from each side of the ‘Hugo & Ella’ collection. ‘Hugo’ is represented by Belbroughton Blue, whilst ‘Ella’ Greystone Glitter. Eamonn Prescott, Sales & Marketing Director, explains “We wanted the images to reflect the characters. So for Hugo we have a warehouse city apartment, complete with weekend snowboard and for Ella, a softer, townhouse feel with pastel colours.” Both room sets were completed with Farrow & Ball paints and Eamonn confirmed that a new, updated, colour guide for Fine Worcester Twist co-ordinating with Farrow & Ball paints would be available soon. If you would like more details, please contact your local representative or Adam Carpets directly on 01562 822247.

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Question time jonathan gamble sales & Marketing Director at Penthouse carpets

This issue we thought it would be interesting to feature someone in Question Time whose background isn’t in the carpet industry, someone who could offer a different perspective on the industry, a fresh point of view. Step up Jonathan Gamble... having met him several times in the first few months of his new role at Penthouse and learning his initial thoughts about the industry, we thought he would be the perfect candidate. Jon’s worked for a number of companies both national and international; his last role was working for Riedel Glassworks, a premium glass manufacturer based in Austria. Here he managed two of their top brands in the UK and Ireland. Prior to that, he worked at Churchill China where he set up the glassware division; before that he worked for Arc International who are the global leader in glass manufacturing, producing some 6.5 million pieces a day and having a global turnover of circa €1.3billion. “If truth be told, there are a lot of similarities to the other industries I’ve previously worked in” comments Jon. He continues “The relationship between manufacturer and retailer in the carpet trade is very similar to the relationship between manufacturer and distributor in the hospitality trade. The biggest difference between the two is that retailers will generally sell on to end users, whereas distributors will then sell on to restaurants and hotels”. For someone coming in to the trade from outside, the extent that relationships

play in the growth of sales was surprising to Jon, as he first thought that brand would be the key driving factor “Having only spent a year in this trade, I’ve realised that many retailers buy from their representatives and not from the manufacturer so to speak. So if you have a good, solid, working partnership, where you’re honest and do your best, I believe that retailers will respect it and try to do right by you.” You’ve been with Penthouse Carpets for 15 months now, what attracted you to the role?

“I was approached in January last year by a recruitment consultant and was asked whether I would be interested in applying for the position. They described a number of challenges that I felt I had the experience for; and coming from outside of the industry I felt that I could add value and a fresh pair of eyes. Following a successful first interview I was invited to come back and spend a day with Penthouse to understand the ‘family’ culture of the business and also meet the senior management team. It was at this point, having spent the time getting to know my potential work colleagues, I realised the potential of Penthouse. I was very excited about the role and looked forward to my second interview. The rest, as they say, is history.” How would you describe the values that have made Penthouse successful?

“Penthouse has been manufacturing for over 40 years and we have a proud

tradition of making high quality, tufted carpets. Being an employee owned company we all have a stake in ensuring that we continue to provide a fantastic offer for our customers. We go to great lengths to make sure that our service is of the highest standard. Although we don’t always get it right, we listen to our retailers when they make a suggestion and act accordingly. I think that’s what makes Penthouse a great company, we listen but more importantly, we genuinely care.” What are the challenges you are currently facing as a Manufacturer?

“Thankfully, we’re in a position where we have a strong product offering, competitive pricing and a loyal customer base. Our challenge is maintaining our standing for quality and service. As we all know, a reputation takes a lifetime to build but only moments to ruin. In addition, the challenge of persuading retailers to promote our products instead of a competitor’s, keeps us looking at new ways where we can add value to our customers’ bottom line.” Independent Retailers are also facing challenges, what advice would you offer them?

“I think with my limited experience in the trade I’m fairly certain retailers would probably scoff at my suggestions; however, I would always encourage retailers to “trade up”. It’s the easiest thing in the world to sell on price where the lowest generally wins. This perhaps, ...continued SMG News | Summer 2015 | 39

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is not always right for the consumer who may want something better, nor is it always right for the retailer, who might want to make more profit. In an uncertain retail climate, it’s understandable that retailers don’t want to lose a sale, nonetheless, cash contribution is generally better than a percentage mark-up.” If you could ask retailers to change one thing what would it be?

promoted to sales director at the age of 35, the youngest in the Arc International group was a personal goal I wanted to achieve. I’ve travelled the United States and Europe negotiating with Wal-Mart and Tesco International for their pan European business. But I think my single biggest achievement to date is being offered Sales Director at Penthouse Carpets. Why? Because the company has a great story and I get to help tell it.”

“Always present Penthouse first... Joking apart, I would ask retailers to sell on quality rather than price. I’ve overheard retailers selling to consumers, redirecting them to a cheaper carpet because they’re concerned the end user won’t go for the product, again, based purely on price and not quality. Those retailers that put service, quality, and attention to detail above price, in my mind offer something consumers want to buy into and we should encourage that more.”

What are your career highlights?

“During my time at Arc International, I was given the responsibility of managing the top four grocers. Their combined turnover was in excess of £9 million and represented just under a third of the company’s UK total revenue. Being

Do you have any regrets?

“I once heard someone say, “It’s better to regret the things you’ve done, than regret the things you haven’t done”. I’ve tried to live by that and look to bring new things into my life both professionally and personally. In short, I don’t regret anything I’ve done.” Outside of work, what are your passions?

“Anything snow and food related, ideally combining those passions with my family. I love snowboarding and try and get away as much as possible; I’ve just booked to go away next January so I’m really excited about getting out on the slopes and eating great French food.” What is your proudest achievement?

How would you like to see the industry change in the future?

“For retailers to buy into the brand and what that brand stands for. Suppliers and Manufacturers spend a considerable amount of time and money promoting their products and whilst you could argue ‘a carpet is just a carpet’, there are fundamental differences between what each manufacturer produces. Whether it’s the quality of the yarn; the backing used; deliveries or the service offered, the list goes on and on. As a manufacturer I believe it’s part of our role to keep retailers informed of changes and for retailers to pass that knowledge on to consumers. In my opinion it’s not enough for a sales representative to just smarten up their point-of-sale, they should spend some time helping the retailer understand the brand and what that means.”

invited to attend a seminar organised by the British Wool Marketing Board and whilst I’m confident David Cormack probably doesn’t remember, we had a brief conversation where I congratulated him on their new Sensation collection.”

What is your favourite Penthouse Carpets’ product?

“Without a doubt, it would have to be our new Cumbrian collection. It’s a fabulous, tenth gauge cloth, with colours that are bang up-to-date and feels great underfoot. It was the first new product I was involved with when I joined Penthouse, so is special to me. I was involved with selecting the colours, devising the marketing and branding of the range and it is also one of our most successful collections to date.” Aside from PENTHOUSE Carpets which other manufacturer do you most admire and why?

“Within the trade, I would have to say the manufacturer I most admire is Cormar. They regularly bring new products to market, appear to have an endless supply of point-of-sale and are generally well regarded, particularly their enviable delivery infrastructure. Within a few weeks of joining Penthouse, I was

“It seems corny, but my proudest achievement are my two boys, I’m immensely proud of them both. Professionally, working with global manufacturers such as Arc International and Riedel Glassworks has given me a unique opportunity to meet business leaders, who have offered guidance and advice at all levels and it was a privilege to be part of their respective management teams.” What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“There have been many influencers in my life, but a great friend of mine once said to me “take every opportunity that presents itself and never look back”. Why is this good advice? Well, it makes me think about facing up to challenges that are outside of my comfort zone and reminds me that I should always try and embrace new experiences.”

We would like to thank Jon for taking the time to answer our questions. If you are interested in any Penthouse Carpets products please contact 01706 341231.

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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 SMG News | Summer 2015 | 41

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Berkeley Tradition

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Olsen Nordic Oak

York Grey Washed

On-trend Washed Woods and Contemporary Parquet... The New Woodpecker Catalogue. Kenton Floors made a real impact at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show in May and 2015 looks set to be a busy year for the solid flooring supplier. The highly anticipated new catalogue from Woodpecker has arrived, introducing on-trend designs alongside traditional favourites. As the most established brand from Kenton Floors, Woodpecker is renowned for its authentic feel but certainly remains right up to date with contemporary style. At this time of year, thoughts turn to the outdoors and the coast becomes a source of inspiration for the home. The new York White Washed blends the golden beauty of natural oak with a dusty white wash to capture a rustic coastal feel that sets the floor apart from the more traditional designs in the collection. An 18mm solid wood, White Washed is perfect for light, airy interiors and seaside-inspired rooms. A second addition to the York range is Grey Washed: a statement in contemporary flooring design. These solid wood boards combine a cool ashen stain with all the natural character of solid oak for the perfect mix of traditional and modern in coastal-esque boards. Woodpecker hasn’t forgotten the popularity of more traditional timber, with the introduction of two new engineered wood floors for the Berkeley collection. Aged and distressed to antique perfection with 7 different processes, Berkeley Distressed Tradition has the unique finishing touch of wood block

detailing. Traditionally used to fill dead knots, the blocks evoke a rustic look which is complemented by the undulating caramel tones of the boards. Berkeley Tradition will bring charming country style to any living space. Joining Berkeley Tradition is the new Berkeley Reclaim: a design that exudes chocolate shades and rustic character. Many of the boards feature traditional wood peg detailing in a lighter wood colour for striking contrasts in the floor that really stand out. Berkeley Reclaim is double-smoked to evoke warm tones in the wood and hand-scraped for an authentic finish. A drive to be daring with wood is the reason Woodpecker is still such a popular brand of flooring today. Traditional and contemporary come together in the new Goodrich collection which reinvents parquet flooring to bring wider and contemporary boards into the mix. Available in planks and squares, the flooring can be laid in traditional herringbone, checkerboard designs and more elaborate patterns. The choice of Smoked, Harcourt and Milton designs range from rich caramel tones to light white and ashen detailing all the way to sultry black. Goodrich is unmistakeably unique and allows customers to capture something different in their wood floor.

Laminate designs that are true to life, offer excellent value and provide exceptional reliability. Now into its second year, the Olsen range of laminate flooring has also been refreshed to accommodate seven new designs that improve the choice of decors. From the Nordic Oak with ashen tones and a Scandinavian feel to the classic Warm Walnut with its traditional cocoa hues, the Olsen range now offers a comprehensive selection of shades and styles to suit any interior. An extensive selection of trims that make finishing floors easy… Woodpecker are known for offering one of the most comprehensive selections of trims on the market with transition and edge finishing solutions for all of their floors. Since the launch of the new catalogue, the range has been further improved with the introduction of a stringent colour selection process that ensures all wood trims make extremely close colour complements. Laminate trims have also been developed to provide a near exact match to their equivalent floor. Plus the catalogue selection system has been completely overhauled to make it even easier to choose the perfect product for the job. Visit www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk to see the new floors and view the new catalogue. Alternatively contact Kenton Floors on 02920 888223 to receive a copy in the post. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 43

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Ceneva from Edel Telenzo Ceneva is the world’s first carpet backing containing no styrene-butadiene. Instead it uses a compound based completely on vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE). This provides a number of advantages to the final product and is the solution for those who are environmentally conscious. Vinyl acetate ethylene is produced from acetic acid. In the 1960s researchers succeeded in creating a binder that is now used in a wide range of, applications including adhesives, low-odour interior paints and nonwovens. The use of VAE in carpet backing has several advantages: • Absence of odour: Using VAE ensures that the characteristic odour of new carpets - sometimes perceived as being unpleasant - now belongs to the past. • Reduced flammability: Tests on films of carpet backing compounds with VAE and SBR showed the VAE films to be far less flammable than the SBR films. The backing compound based on SBR burnt completely and even released a black smoke in the process (as shown in the illustration on the right). Ceneva backing is therefore ideal in commercial locations such as hotels, offices and aircraft where fire safety is a high priority. • Lower emissions of volatile organic compounds: Volatile organic compounds are chemicals used to manufacture and maintain building materials, interior furnishing and cleaning and personal care products. These carbon based chemicals evaporate into the air, often in indoor environments. Since their surface area is large, floor coverings have the potential to emit such VOCs to the environment. The German Textiles & Flooring Institute tested both VAE and SBR carpet backing for emissions of VOCs. Following the rigorous standards of the GUT label, the emissions of VOCs released by carpets on VAE backing was shown to be much lower than when using an SBR backing. • Quality final product: the quality of the carpet backing has become more consistent and is now more flexible allowing for easy fitting. Ceneva backing also has excellent tuft bind and lamination qualities. From September 2015, Ceneva backing will be the standard for all Edel Telenzo carpets, for more information contact your local representative or visit www.ceneva.nl.

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OFFER Available on direct AND orderlink ORDERS!

Exclusive Axfelt Offer for SMG Members is a hit! Axfelt, the undisputed king of underlay has just got better with a 12 roll pallet offer exclusive to SMG Members until the end of August. The Triple-Layer Underlay from Axminster Carpets one of the highest quality underlays in the market and the first choice for many stockists, due to its luxury feel underfoot, along with a whole host of additional benefits. Comprising of a 95% wool top layer and durable base, the combination underlay is made from recycled materials such as broken down carpet, edge trimmings and recycled lorry tyres, making Axfelt one of the most eco-friendly underlays on the market. Marc Helliwell, Sales Director comments “When a stockist specifies Axfelt, they can be confident not only of receiving exceptional quality underlay, but also the knowledge they are helping the environment by reducing the amount of carpet sent to landfill.”

Axfelt provides a truly luxury feel underfoot, as well as providing fantastic recovery properties and longevity for most types of carpet - out performing other leading felt combination underlays when tested to ISO 2094.

With a tog rating of 2.2, Axfelt provides the highest level of warmth and comfort in its class, with insulating properties that can also help to significantly reduce heating bills. Axfelt also boasts a sound insulation rating of 32db, helping to dampen noise levels in multi-level developments, or just where a little more peace and quiet is required. Finally, to help make life even easier, Axfelt is now available in ‘fitter friendly’ size rolls of 10.96 square metres. If you would like to take advantage of the offer or stock Axfelt, please talk to your Axminster Carpets account manager or telephone Axminster directly on 01297 33533.

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NEW... OWN BRAND Display Options Belvedere wooden flooring ranges come in three options; Coppice, Woodland and Forestry. Depending on your needs and showroom space simply select the package that’s perfect for you. Each display stand includes: • Individual feeler boards of the ranges • Large section of wood flooring fitted in display • Acrylic range header and product sheet • Branded divider strips to connect stands Imagine how great your showroom could look! Interested? For more details contact SMG on 0118 932 3832.

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New Wiltons for Ulster Carpets A top quality wilton carpet is the perfect backdrop for any interior scheme... comfortable, practical and luxurious. Ulster have answered consumer demand and the trend for muted neutral shades with brand new additions to two of their most popular wilton ranges; Grange and York. Grange Wilton, one of the finest wiltons on the market has seen the addition of six new colourways; Silversmith, Seasalt, Priory, Woburn, Millstone and Cygnet.

Ulster have also added six organic colours to the already extensive York Wilton range; Flannel, Cuckoo, Cotswold, Pavilion, Squirrel and Gainsborough.

The of-the-moment, cool beiges, warm neutrals and subtle grey tones create a timeless feel, sitting perfectly within a grand country residence or adding warmth to a contemporary family abode.

“With a total of 30 colours, the heritage palette of Grange will effortlessly help create a nostalgic, yet on trend interior scheme�

With a total of 30 colours, the heritage palette of Grange will effortlessly help create a nostalgic, yet on trend interior scheme. Constructed with 80% wool and 20% nylon, Grange Wilton combines the hardwearing properties of nylon with the softness of wool to create the ultimate floor covering - practical luxury.

Grange Wilton - Cygnet

The combination of cream, grey and earthy tones, offers something to complement any palette. The comprehensive range of 44 colours in a subtle array of plain and heather yarns, with gently textured twists conveys a simple yet classic style. The heathers add a softer yet contemporary feel to the range by blending more than one colour into the twist.

Like Grange, York Wilton is woven with 80% wool and 20% nylon, creating a floor covering which not only looks good, but will withstand the wear and tear of family life.

Please contact Ulster Carpets on 028 3833 4433 or your local representative for more information.

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Campaign for Wool and British Wool Introduce Wool Trends at The Flooring Show The Campaign for Wool and British Wool return for a second year to The Flooring Show this September with Wool Trends, the inspirational centre for wool carpet. This stylish and vibrant showpiece will host leading carpet manufacturers, Adam Carpets, Axminster Carpets, Brintons, Brockway Carpets, Bronte Carpets, Cavalier Carpets, Ulster Carpets and Westex in the Wool Trends area. Close by in Hall C you will find Whitestone Weavers, Hugh Mackay, Kingsmead Carpets and other wool brands too. Central to the carpet manufacturers is the Wool Trends installation which highlights forthcoming wool carpet colours and styles. This is done in association with Homes & Gardens magazine and there will be a free ‘Wool for the Home’ brochure for all visitors. NEW... Launch of the Campaign for Wool ‘Wool iBook’ & WoolRetailer.com A high quality tablet based tool for retailers, which focuses on the many benefits of real wool for carpets will be launched at the event. It takes a modern and reader-friendly look at the science of wool and explains the many performance strengths of natural wool

Wool iBook - a new introduction from The Campaign for Wool.

for carpet. Ideal for the showroom or the sales team - visitors can register for the Wool iBook at Wool Trends This innovative new website is set to become a key destination for wool carpet retailers and consumers searching for quality wool product. The introduction and recruitment of WoolRetailer.com retailer members starts at The Flooring Show. New... WoolRetailer.com Seminars Here visitors can find out about wool performance and the new education programme from WoolRetailer.com. There are some super surprise prizes for a few lucky seminar attendees! And those that sign-up to join - can enter our prize draw for a luxury holiday for two! British Wool is the organisation owned by the sheep farmers of the UK and markets the world’s strongest and most durable wool for carpet. The British Wool team will be there to advise on British Wool carpet benefits and visitors can access free POS, brochures and of course British Wool’s knowledgeable team are on hand to provide expert wool education and advice.

POS from British Wool is available free to all retailers registering at the British Wool stand.

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Colour Your Life with Ryalux Carpets Those of you old enough to remember will recall that Ryalux’s old logo featured the strapline ‘Colour Your Life’. This strapline was quietly removed as part of a brand refresh, however Darren Longden, Ryalux’s Commercial Director, tells us that this strapline is more true today than ever before. “Today’s consumers have a real understanding of interior design. Whether it be through the ever popular home design programmes or magazines or through using the internet, they are better able to create, or at least match to, the look they want”.

Ryalux’s old logo with its strapline ‘Colour Your Life’

Customers looking for a standard beige, or even greys and taupes, can find plenty to choose from in most retailers. The problem comes if they want real colour, or something a little different. Whilst several carpet manufacturers offer ranges with a wider choice of colours, their colour palettes typically only include varying shades of the traditionally more popular colours of green, blue and red.

ideal colour using their colour matching service, which is available on all their Ultimate Collection qualities. Retailers and consumers alike are sometimes wary about using such services, but there is really no reason to be, as Ryalux makes the whole process easy. Simply provide them with a sample of the colour your customer wants, in whatever form they have. It can be a paint chart, piece of wallpaper or fabric, or even an item of clothing, anything at all, and they will match to it. They will provide you, free of charge, with a yarn pom, which you can present to your customer to show them how their colour will look. It is beautifully presented in a box, which exudes quality, and really adds to the whole service that you offer your customer. This whole process usually take no more than a week, and once you approve the colour, the carpet is delivered within 2-3 weeks.

This is where Ryalux’s colour matching service comes into its own.

Gaelle Merlin, Ryalux’s Head of Design, comments “we are renowned for offering real colour choice, however even with such choice, our custom colour option is more popular than ever. Indeed, why restrict customers’ choices when you can give them the exact colour they want. With over 40 years of expertise, and Europe’s most state of the art dye house, along with us only using the finest New Zealand wool, we are perfectly equipped to match to any colour.”

Whether your customers wants a twist, velvet, saxony, or even a shagpile quality, Ryalux can match to your customers’

Darren Longden expands. “The key to getting the colour just right is in the materials we use.

As can be seen in their V&A Twist range, or their recently launched 104 colour palette in Ultimate Twist, Ryalux offers more standard colour choice than anyone. But what if the right carpet colour for your customers’ scheme is not in any standard range. What if the customer needs a burnt orange, a lemon colour, or a deep turquoise?

All Ultimate Collection qualities also feature stain protection and mothproofing, and are available any width to 7 metres.

Free of Charge colour matching service beautifully presented pom to show your customer how their colour will look.

Not all wools are the same, and the reason we only use the finest New Zealand wool is that it is significantly whiter and cleaner than any other wool, making it the perfect canvas for colour. That is why whichever colour is chosen, our match will be brighter and more vibrant.” For more information on Ryalux’s colour matching service, please visit www.ryalux.com or contact your local Ryalux Sales Representative, or the Ryalux Sales Office on 0161 762 3030.

Above: Ryalux’s new 104 colour palette for Ultimate Twist. Right: Ryalux only use the finest New Zealand Wool, as it provides the ‘perfect canvas for colour’. 54

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Sh Se ow e u ,H s a ar t T ro h ga e F te lo - S or ta i n g nd C3

Proud to present our FABULOUS FIVE new collections. Signature wool-rich carpets featuring Dimensions Plain and Connections in sumptuous colours, luxurious Minerals twist and velvet, and the very distinctive Beachcomber and Rare Breeds. See you at Harrogate.

www.brockway.co.uk

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@brockwaycarpets

/brockwaycarpets

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NEW from Hugh Mackay Tartanesque by Hugh Mackay is a collection of ten 7-row axminster plaid designs in modern shades at a competitive price. For more information please contact your local representative or Hugh Mackay on 01429 892555. www.hughmackay.co.uk

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Interfloor expand Meister hard flooring range into engineered wood Interfloor have recently launched a new range of Meister engineered wood floors. Meister is a German manufacturing company with a reputation for quality, innovation and design flair. Featuring 30 colours, with matching accessories, this is a premium range specially selected for independent retailers and flooring contractors. With Meister’s outstanding 35 year ‘Longlife’ residential warranty this range is on-trend for the consumer and comes with Interfloor’s 3-5 day delivery service as standard. Meister’s reputation for innovative products is again evident with 3D finishes and the incredible new Lindura range which combines a wood layer with wood powder technology, and an HDF core, to give a harder wearing floor that is more resistant to indentation. Interfloor also provides a complete marketing package including a modular POS system, accessory sample boards, design-led brochure, consumer sampling service and a consumer marketing programme through Facebook. Interfloor’s range of Meister Laminate and Nadura flooring has proven very popular with retailers since its launch in 2014. The range includes 42 decors, an expanded range of colour matched accessories, backed up with a dedicated

Elvaston Edition Caribbean Oak

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60 page brochure, point of sale and a consumer sampling service. All Meister laminates incorporate an HDF core for greater durability and the collection features narrower, longer and tile formats as well and some planks with a non-repeat decor. The unique Nadura flooring, which utilises wood powder technology, is incredibly hard wearing and comes with an unprecedented Lifetime warranty for residential use. Most of Meister’s flooring products incorporate their patented Masterclic Plus click system which produces a more secure locking mechanism and reduces installation time. Steve Woodhead, Interfloor marketing director says “the response to the Meister laminate range has been outstanding. Customers seem to love the brand. We believe our new range of Meister engineered wood will offer a unique solution that will be equally popular.”

Lindura Oak

The superb design-led Meister brochure.

For further information please contact Interfloor on 01706 238 810 or visit www.interfloor.com.

Cranbourne Oak

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ARAN

SUMPTUOUS WOOL RUGS

TWEED

LINDEN

IN STOCK NOW

COMING SOON

SLOAN NEW COLOURS COMING SOON

HAYS IN STOCK NOW

Aran’s sophisticated colours and sumptuously thick pile effortlessly adds warmth, comfort and refinement to any home. Aran is in stock now in three sizes, including 2m x 3m. Tweed is a stunning and unmissable range of hard wearing plain New Zealand wool rugs in eleven beautiful colours, all of which are now in stock. The Hays collection with its understated graduated tones in a durable wool and cotton pile is also available now. Two new colours and a new large size have been added to the hugely popular Sloan flatweave collection. Marsala and Silver will be available early August and a 2m x 3m size will be arriving in all colours in September.

www.asiatic.co.uk | sales@asiatic.co.uk | 020 8800 2000 SMG News - Summer 2015.indd 60

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Sealy Wins Again! Yet another which? Best buy award as a Sealy mattress receives the highest score in their latest review. “To achieve one Which? Award is great, but to receive TWO in the space of a few months, is simply amazing” says Neil Robinson, Sealy’s Marketing Director on hearing the news that the Company’s Teramo 1400 mattress was the top scoring mattress in the latest Which? review. “Everyone here at Sealy is thrilled to bits and it’s a real tribute to the Company’s commitment to being at the cutting edge of sleep technology. We always want to bring consumers the very best solution to getting a good night’s sleep and it’s just so great to see our hard work recognised.” Sealy’s Napoli 1200 Pocket Spring Mattress has already achieved Best Buy status in 2015 for a THIRD year running, but now, in the latest review of mattresses in general in the magazine, Which? said the Sealy Teramo 1400 was “the best mattress we’ve tested in years”. As Neil went on to say “a Which? accreditation is trusted by the consumer as objective, trustworthy and hugely important when it comes to making major buying decisions and is recognised everywhere by the public so this Award is really important to us” One of the main highlights of the review said “This is one of the most durable mattresses we’ve tested – it’ll still be in great condition and able to support your body well even after years of use. Unlike some mattresses, it doesn’t sag or become less firm over time. The breathable material should also help you avoid getting sweaty during the night.”

Other comments included “It’s very easy to turn over on the mattress and it’s stable enough that you won’t disturb your partner when you do” and “it’s a mattress that will serve you well for many years” The Company, based up in Aspatria in Cumbria, are now bracing themselves for a huge surge in orders as a result of their achievements and both beds will be on display on the Sealy stand at the NBF Show in Telford on 22 and 23 September alongside some of the Company’s other best selling ranges and some brand new products to whet buyers’ appetites.

“Everyone here at Sealy is thrilled to bits and it’s a real tribute to the Company’s commitment to being at the cutting edge of sleep technology. We always want to bring consumers the very best solution to getting a good night’s sleep and it’s just so great to see our hard work recognised.” So, if you haven’t already done so, make an astute buying decision yourself and make sure you’ve got either or both of the Award winning beds in your display so your customers can join the ranks of Sealy’s Deeper Sleepers. For further information please contact your local representative, contact Sealy direct on 016973 20342 or visit www.sealy.co.uk.

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h t l a e H w e N ! r e f f o e c Insuran Health Insurance is not a ‘one size fits all’ product and can often become confusing and misleading. The Health Insurance Specialists’ aim is to provide a service that evaluates your needs and provides a product suitable to you as an individual.

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With over 30 years in the health insurance arena, they have worked regularly with the largest health insurance providers in the UK, including Bupa, Aviva and AXA.

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Get covered for as little as

£1.49 a day! *

Call The Health Insurance Specialists today on

01892 704 120

(Don’t forget to mention you’re an SMG Member to access the exclusive deal)

PLUS... SMG Members who sign up in 2015 get one month FREE!

**

*Advisory rate, individual cost will vary depending on circumstances. ** Payable through cheque redemption after first three months. E&OE

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Eternal Project Vinyl Forbo’s new Eternal collection presents an advanced range of natural wood, stone, textile and colour designs along with some exclusive digitally printed visuals. Eternal is a high tech heterogeneous compact sheet vinyl that fits all general purpose needs in various segments. It is produced with the latest technology and contains up to 50% of recycled content in its backing plus it’s 100% phthalate free. Eternal is created around a nonwoven, fully impregnated, glass fleece core which provides dimensional stability and allows a lean-development approach, resulting in a sustainable compact, high tech base. Adding to stability and determining the high quality standard

of Eternal project vinyl is the optimized calandered backing; a firm yet flexible layer to allow easy installation, even when coving is required. The unique and innovative embossed wear layer ensures maximum wear resistance and provides optimal appearance retention. The backing layer of the construction, contains up to 50% re-used content. Authenticity: All of the Eternal designs are true originals, created by an in-house team of expert designers who translate the latest trends in classic, contemporary as well as modern and advanced flooring designs that cannot be distinguished from their original material expressions, like wooden and concrete floors. PUR Pearl and PUR Wood Pearl: For the majority of our designs Forbo uses its proven PUR Pearl lacquering protection technique. The application technique for the lacquering layer assures an even amount of lacquering both on top and in the deeper areas of the embossing. It prevents the surface collecting dirt and is the best guarantee

for quality and gloss consistency that ensures low maintenance costs. New in this collection are 8 items that are introduced with a specific PUR Wood embossing, offering the best possible performance on an all over wood grain design with integrated Pearl effect. The mat embossed lacquer layer ensures the highest level of both chemical and scuff resistance. Phthalate free: All collections are created with the highest environmental standards using the best qualified virgin materials as well as controlled recycled content creating a closed loop production. In addition all items in the Eternal range are phthalate free. For more information please contact your local representative or the Forbo sales office on 0800 0935846.

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Sealy... Great beds for Great British sports people The World of Sport and Sealy have been inextricably linked for years. In the last few years they’ve supplied beds to people as diverse as Olympic Medal winning equestrian Mary King, Olympic Gold Medal winning boxer Nicola Adams, Champion snowboarder Zoe Gillings and Mr World and Mr Universe, Neil Cranwell. Now the latest crop of British sports stars have caught up with the secret and are busy being ‘Sealy Deeper Sleepers’ on their hybrid mattresses, the runaway success story of the bed world over the past couple of years. Danny Ings, one of the new star strikers in the England U21 football team and recent Liverpool signing, now has a Sealy Hybrid bed, maybe he’ll be a full England star in the years to come... We all live in hope for England football, as ever!

Meanwhile, over at Harlequins, the premiership rugby club, Sealy have provided Hybrids to the whole of their senior squad as their Performance Director is a serious believer that a good night’s sleep is a major contributor to his players’ performance on the pitch and to aid recovery from injury off the pitch, he is delighted with the amazing feedback he’s had. The players have loved their Hybrids with comments such as; “I literally felt like I was floating” “What a great night’s sleep I’m having” “Your fantastic bed is amazing” “Best bed I have had” Some of the key players in the England Rugby Squad are Harlequins players, including the club captain Joe Marler and scrum half, Danny Care, so with the Rugby World Cup in the next few months, being at the peak of their performance is critical. Everyone at Sealy has their fingers crossed for the Harlequins guys and

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England and they most definitely won’t be sleeping on the job this September and will be ‘trying’ their best to win the trophy. However you don’t have to be a sporting celebrity to be a Deeper Sleeper... just lie down on a wonderful Sealy mattress, a Which? Magazine Award winning pocket spring, a back relieving Profile or everyone’s favourite, the Hybrid and have sweet dreams. You could be winning Wimbledon, The Ashes, The Grand National or FA Cup... then you can go and watch the reality of it all on TV! For further information please contact your local representative, contact Sealy direct on 016973 20342 or visit www.sealy.co.uk. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 65

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Fairfield Sofabed

New Sofa Bed additions from Buoyant Buoyant are pleased to announce, in response to the demands from their customers, that they have added sofabed options into some of their best selling models.

Fantasia Sofabed

Chicago Chairbed

The Chicago, Dexter, Fairfield and Fantasia sofabeds are all available in three sizes, 140cm, 120cm and 80cm and have two mattress options, Standard and Deluxe. The addition of the sofabeds to an already extensive product offer gives the customer even more choice and with a swatch that features the very latest fabric trends and colourways, this Sofa Bed Collection is a certain winner. For more information please contact your representative or Buoyant Upholstery on 01282 691631.

Dexter Chairbed

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In a recent survey when customers were asked... "How important was finance in your decision to buy from the retailer?� An outstanding

47% said it was very important!

Don’t Miss Out!

Make sure you can offer these customers a retail finance option. PLUS... It will help you increase your average sale value too!

36%

Quite important

47%

Very important

17%

Not important

Giving you the edge to help you increase your sales! The Flooring industry is fiercely competitive so anything that can give you an edge such as a range of payment solutions could make a real difference to your business. Therefore SMG, in association with Hitachi Finance, are delighted to offer an exclusive finance option to the Membership.

SMG

To register your interest please visit www.smg-group.co.uk/retailfinance

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A busy start for Jaymart With the largest collection of specialist mats and matting and a portfolio of approximately 500 different ranges it’s no surprise that Jaymart have many examples of installations. Here’s a selection of some of the more high profile in 2015. Logo mats are the perfect way for companies to project a positive first impression, whilst protecting the internal floorcoverings from ingressed dirt and moisture. Jaymart logo mats are manufactured in-house with custom cut accurate inlays that produce exceptional results. Recently they provided their Raincheck super heavy contract quality, extra absorbent, deep nylon brush-on-vinyl backing clean-zone barrier matting to the prestigious Randolph Hotel in Oxford for their ‘Cartoon’ Bar. Raincheck is attractive, effective and hardwearing and is available in Brown, Honey, Terracotta, Burgundy, Hunter Green, Navy Blue, Solid Black, and New Charcoal - a perfect solution for the classy Randolph Hotel which is well known for having featured in the popular Inspector Morse television series.

Aquamat is specially designed and recommended for extra hardwearing service in busy traffic areas where water drainage is a concern. The narrow fluted surfacing does an excellent job of providing a dirt-removing anti-slip surface, while the pebble studded under surfacing allows water and air to circulate under the matting, permitting the subfloor to dry and breathe.

Talking of a top performer, Jaymart’s hardwearing Vynagrip Plus - a tough, rugged ‘go anywhere’ duckboard matting is regularly specified due to its unique self-draining design.

Sticking on the television theme, BBC Roath Lock Studios - one of the biggest producers of drama for the BBC - is the next subject. ‘Casualty’ and ‘Doctor Who’ are just two of the programmes filmed there. Jaymart’s Aquamat looselay heavy duty reversible corrugated/ pebble studded koroseal vinyl matting has recently been specified for these important studios in Cardiff.

It’s not just specialist products that Jaymart offer, they also have an extensive range of prestigious aluminium based entrance matting systems. The ‘Grime’ range for example, has been installed in many prestigious commercial locations, including the Wilson Bowden offices.

Aquamat is suitable for indoor or outdoor use and for a wide range of dirt and traction applications: traffic paths, corridors, walkways, etc. Steve Witt, Chief Technical Manager, says “Aquamat has excellent abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, low water absorption and is tear and impact resistant... so it’s an all-round brilliant performer”.

Randolph Hotel

chemical resistance and the ability to withstand high and low temperatures are beneficial. The open grip design allows free circulation of air beneath and around cartons.

Earlier in the year Howco Oilfield Services specified Vynagrip Plus as the versatile product is ideal for applications including processing plants, manufacturing sites, workshops, warehousing, production assembly and packing lines, industrial kitchens, food production areas and much more. The heavy duty PVC duckboard matting is supplied in roll lengths in Black/Yellow and Red/Yellow. It is hygienic and easy to clean and it’s unique self-draining design helps to keep standing surfaces clear of liquids and industrial debris. The good

Paul Macfarlane, Sales Director, comments “Grime-Grabber is great at reducing cleaning costs within any building and can prolong the life of internal floor coverings. The ingenious polypropylene coloured strips are secured between the aluminium interspacer bars, and are replaceable, which is excellent for long-term use”. What’s more logos can be incorporated into a selection of Jaymart’s in-house, bespoke engineered mats. Amongst Grime-Grabber’s many installations are Co-Op, Kurt Geiger, Lancaster University, Ask Restaurant, Maidstone Hospital, Burlington Danes Art Centre and Ayrshire Athletics Arena. For more information on Jaymart’s mats and floorings please visit www.jaymart.co.uk or telephone 01985 218994. SMG News | Summer 2015 | 69

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A Blissful choice for the home from Lano Carpets With sumptuous softness that demands to be touched, SmartStrand Silk is the benchmark in luxurious carpet; a new generation to appeal to buyers looking for exclusive finishes for their home. Now presented in Gentle Bliss, the latest introduction from Lano Carpets, SmartStrand Silk brings a sense of blissful indulgence thanks to the lavish 11.5mm pile height of this 1/10th gauge Saxony carpet and the exclusive textile backing used enhance underfoot comfort. Available in 16 colours including contemporary bolds such as purple and granite, as well as natural tones including

camel, almond and ivory, Gentle Bliss is a carpet perfect for today’s modern home. “We’ve certainly seen a move towards carpet that offers a luxurious finish from an audience less committed to wool and Gentle Bliss is our answer to this,” comments Birger Karlsson, Sales Director UK & Ireland for the Belgian manufacturer.

“Younger buyers are certainly more open to alternative fibres and are hunting for silk-like qualities that give an opulent look, yet they also want carpets that are easier to look after and again thanks to SmartStrand Silk, Gentle Bliss delivers.” This new Lano introduction bears all the low maintenance qualities that have made SmartStrand popular, offering outstanding stain protection and cleanability, with stains removed quickly and effectively with a diluted beach solution. True low maintenance carpet for the home, Gentle Bliss also offers exceptional durability, providing long-term appearance retention and recovery far better than more traditional stain resistant fibres can offer. Of course, SmartStrand Silk still uses bio-based content derived from corn found in the original SmartStrand fibre, for lower environmental impact, a story that also holds kudos for buyers: “Not only does Gentle Bliss tick all the boxes from a comfort and performance perspective, it also has excellent environmental credentials, combatting some of the concern of the impact of man-made fibres. Good news for homeowners wanting to make sure they are purchasing responsibly, it also adds more bite to the whole package, making Gentle Bliss an easier selling proposition,” continues Birger Karlsson. Available in four and five-metre widths, Gentle Bliss comes with a Heavy Domestic rating and is now available to retailers across the UK. For further information please contact your local representative or contact Lano Carpets on 00800 5266 5266.

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NEW...

From trinity creations

Trinity Creations have some superb new ranges including the unique Digi Rugs featured here.

For more information please contact SMG on 0118 932 3832.

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Gripperrods... the number ONE for carpet gripper The Gripperrods brand is synonymous with performance carpet gripper and is the only company manufacturing gripper in the UK, offering the best quality available in the market. The flagship products produced by Gripperrods have a long heritage of delivering the best stretch fitting solution in the market. The premium ranges of Golden and Tackfast gripper are manufactured from five ply Russian Birch plywood. This provides the installer with a structure that is tougher and more durable than Poplar plywood. This, together with hardened nails and rust free precision pins, available in all three pin heights, is designed to give better holding in all types of sub floor and heavy stretching, allowing a trouble-free installation. Equally important is that these products provide the customer with an installation finish that looks good, is safe and lasts. Golden Gripper Golden Gripper has a wider 25mm strip that gives greater stability on the floor and also has 10% more floor holding nails and a greater number of precision pins.

Tackfast Gripper Tackfast Gripper has a 22.5mm strip with a pronounced bevel edge for an easy and consistent roll-edge finish. The nails are made to exacting hardness standards to penetrate and hold in any sub-floor and the precision pins are designed for the carpet holding strength required. It is available in all three pin heights and floor nail specifications.

Both these grippers provide high quality installations with the minimum of installation cost. As testified recently by one group member, “The additional cost in a recent project was £1.20 for a 20m2 room, but this gave a more satisfactory floor finish and the fitter was happier using the better gripper”. Steve Woodhead, Interfloor marketing director, says “Gripperrods has fantastic

brand awareness amongst consumers and is one of the most well-known brands in the flooring industry. It offers a great opportunity to complete the job with a product that is reliable, profitable and trusted by installers and consumers alike.”

For further information please contact Interfloor on 01706 238 810 or visit www.interfloor.com.

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FOUNDATION FOCUS LATEST NEWS FROM THE CARPET FOUNDATION “With the temperature gauge reaching record levels and The Ashes in full swing, it is slightly strange talking to the media about their October and November issues. Home interest magazines, by and large, work at least three months in advance so this time of year is vital for ensuring carpet gets good exposure in the busy Autumn selling period” Comments Rupert Anton. He continues, “We already know that House Beautiful, Country Homes & Interiors and Grand Designs are doing features on carpet and we are in all three. I know we keep saying it, but these magazines are read by your customers, people who are interested in their home and looking for decorating ideas”.

of the power of accreditation. The fact that the Code of Practice is backed by the TSI is a real bonus and influence. It gives Consumers shop and do their due businesses an independent stamp of diligence online and increasingly through authority and it gives consumers peace smartphones and tablets. But don’t have of mind. Imagine the delight when The sleepless nights! Online retail sales in the Carpet Foundation heard, at first hand, UK last year amounted to just 11.3% of from two retailers in the South East that the total. There will always be a place they had secured orders of £15,000 and for independent shops, for good £20,000 respectively as a direct result of old-fashioned personal service and a being members with the Code of Practice. good selection of products. It is not a contest between online and offline, bricks Looking for ‘young’ retailers, new entrants to the carpet industry and clicks will be the future. a march of technology as a gallop. It is enough to make your head spin!

There was a very good supplement in The Sunday Times recently entitled The Future of Retail. It made some very interesting and valid points. The world of retail is a changeable place with technology playing a key role.

One of the challenges facing the industry at large is the shortage of ‘youngsters’ coming into it. It is not perceived as being a ‘sexy’ industry. That said, one of the great strengths of SMG Members is that they are often family businesses, second or third generation, steeped in flooring. The Carpet Foundation are keen to expand on this and are looking for volunteers who have joined the industry in the last couple of years, either in a family business or anyone who has bought or started up a flooring business.

Websites make everything easier, quicker and cheaper, putting your products right under the noses of potential consumers. The problem for many, however, is the sheer speed of advance. It is not so much

They would like to talk to you about how you see the carpet industry and retailing, the challenges you face and the opportunities you see. Please contact Rupert Anton on 01568 750 070.

The power of accreditation A couple of months ago The Carpet Foundation remarked on how they were being told by new and existing members

Technology - the driver of retail change

Brintons - Padstow

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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. This July SMG travelled to the South-West to visit a long-standing member in the delightful market town of Kingsbridge, Devon. Moyseys Interiors were the winners of the Free Membership draw at The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show and it has become the tradition that the winners are put in the spotlight for the Summer Issue.

many local families and farms that knew the importance of supporting local businesses.

Moyseys of Kingsbridge was founded over 100 years ago on Fore Street by Mr Moysey. It was a traditional hardware store with some home furnishings and delivered goods to customers in the local area. John Baker bought the business from Mr Moysey in 1977 and kept the name, however slowly but surely John and his wife Sue developed the carpet, flooring and curtain side of the business - this was also supported with a thriving carpet cleaning business. Today Roger and Alice, John’s daughter, work side by side as directors of the family business, with Alice’s sister Claire managing the shop.

“When we took over we really made a conscious effort to give the business a contemporary feel and it was important to us that we could offer a complete furnishings solution; a strength that would stand us apart from the competition” comments Roger.

During the initial years John found it difficult to develop accounts with the major the carpet companies and in 1982 contacted SMG. It was Chris Moffat, now Chairman of the Group, who opened the door and signed Moyseys up as Members. In fact Moyseys joined on the 23rd July 1982, so they have just reached their 34th year of Membership. Joining the Group helped Moyseys access many companies that they’d previously struggled with. Alice joined the business and became a valuable asset, developing the curtain and accessories department to a considerable level. Roger’s background is unique, he took a bold decision to leave an industry he knew extremely well to switch to one which he knew very little about. Roger was from the farming industry, a farmer’s son, who achieved a Diploma in Farm Management before he took control of the family dairy for several years. In 2001 Roger came to the conclusion that the future of dairy farming might not be as beneficial as it once was and that it was time to explore another industry. He spent time training at Moyseys with John, his father-in-law, quoting and measuring and regularly assisting the carpet fitters on site, always gaining knowledge along the way. His farming background helped as he knew so

Alice and Roger bought Moyseys when John retired in 2005. Ten years have passed since then and in this time they have adapted the business to interiors only; forming Moyseys Interiors Ltd as it is now known.

It’s safe to say that they’ve certainly achieved that, Moyseys has a really modern feel with smart displays from Alternative Flooring, Woodpecker, Victoria, Zoffany Paints and Harlequin Fabrics. “We wanted to create a showroom that people would enjoy being in and looking around, previously it was particularly dark so we opened up the roof and exposed the skylights to give it a huge amount of natural light” added Alice. This has certainly been achieved as the store is a pleasure to walk around and provides an ideal environment to view the products. This is particularly important to Moyseys as they offer much more than flooring “Around 30% of our turnover is soft furnishings” explains Alice. “It’s a lot more profitable than the flooring side as we are selling a product that you can’t get in any high street shop or online. The brand protection we receive from the suppliers we use such as Harlequin enables us to protect our margin, of course the personal nature of the service goes a long way too.” Although they don’t offer a complete interior design service Moyseys work closely with their customers on their design scheme, offering advice and ideas on colour and fabric choices - even advising on paint choices from their instore display of Zoffany Paints. Having seen lots of retailers I would have to say it is up there as one of the tidiest and most organised stores I’ve visited! The benefit of their warehouse, which is located a few hundred yards away, helps to keep the store clear of deliveries and gives them the advantage of being able to buy competitively and hold stock of 10 rolls at a time.

Alice and Roger at their store in Kingsbridge.

As with many of the retailers in this industry their success is built on reputation and it’s clear to see how Moyseys have built theirs; the enthusiasm, genuine care and attention to detail shines through the business and will no doubt win more and more customers over in the years ahead. What do you feel is the independent retailer’s strength? “Definitely the service. Our business relies heavily on the amount of second homes in the area so being able to offer the full service; moving furniture, hoovering etc. is crucial as the multiples can’t offer that. Also we often have to win their trust in the first meeting, to strike up a personal relationship, one where they are happy to give me a set of keys! The excellent service that our fitters can offer is vital too. Another strength is the variety we can offer, for example we have a big range of sisal and multiples just won’t have that choice!”

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Member: MOYSEYS INTERIORS joined smg: JULY 1982 LOCATION: KINGSBRIDGE, DEVON

Alice and Claire in the accessories section of the store.

What are the most common questions from Customers? “At the moment I’d have to say it is the man made vs wool question. Or more and more we have the dreaded internet question; will you match internet prices and what deal can you do.” SMG has a strong policy of supporting British Manufacturers, is this something you support? “With my background in British farming, I will always try to promote British industry in general. I do try to support British Wool and British Manufacturers especially Cormar, Victoria and Abingdon, however sometimes it’s necessary to adapt to the customers’ needs if they are looking for a particular product and budget comes into play as well.” What is the key market challenge? “I think increasing footfall into the store is and always has been a challenge. We do take a lot of time and effort on our window displays to entice customers in and our website is currently being revamped as it is often the main driver for people to come into a store nowadays. In recent years the internet has become the biggest challenge, competing price wise with online retailers is difficult as we have big overheads and the markups that some have are ridiculous. However a lot of customers ask if we’ll match the price they’ve found online. The funny thing is they seem to expect they’ll have to pay more with me and are happy to do so but I’ll often have to lower my prices to somewhere in the middle which obviously effects my margin.”

What is your top selling product at the moment? “Victoria’s First Impressions by a country mile, it’s fantastic! Second would be our roll stocked product Abingdon Stainfree Classic. The man made carpet has improved greatly and the good ranges take all of the shine and static issues of the past away. Around 80% of my carpet sales are man made, the other 20% buy wool mainly because of the greater colour options available.” What has changed most during your time in the industry? “A lot! The internet has obviously had a huge impact and as mentioned earlier has increased competition. With this knowledge customers have become more discerning and expect a higher standard of service than before. But perhaps the biggest change is the type of flooring being chosen. When I joined the industry it was all carpets, now half the house is hard flooring. Wood and LVT has increased dramatically so adapting to a flooring specialist has helped us move on and not get left behind. As mentioned earlier, customers are more accepting of man made products than they used to be and I think this is due to the improvement and quality of the carpets. For example when I joined the industry we sold about 80% wool products and 20% man made, now it’s the other way around. That shift has happened in the last 5 years and in my experience I can see the 80% growing even more.”

If you could ask suppliers to change one thing what would it be? “On the whole the suppliers we deal with are really good, they support us and help find solutions to any problems that come up. However if more manufacturers defined a policy for internet sales and made a stand on the internet price wars that would be welcomed. Kenton Floors have a really solid internet selling strategy and it is respected and abided to which is absolutely brilliant and in turn is why we push them so confidently in store.” Having been an SMG Member for MANY years what advice would you offer to retailers who are not members of a group? “I would definitely recommend them to give it a go, it’s such a little cost for the amount you can save. For us in particular Orderlink is a huge benefit, being able to access SMG Approved Suppliers and Manufacturers through this service is brilliant. Another great benefit is the Buying Groups’ show in Solihull, it can’t be underestimated. In recent years Manufacturers seem to choose this event to launch new products and it helps to be one step ahead of your competition. As it’s such a concise show with all the top suppliers, and with limited retailer access, you get to spend more quality time building relationships with your contacts.”

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