Archive for August 10th, 2007
By Mark Ward
Technology correspondent, BBC News website, San Diego
An interactive table and chairs that can change colour has been developed by Japanese researchers.
On display at the Siggraph show, the Fuwapica furniture uses sensors embedded in the table-top to work out the colour of items placed upon it.
The colour of the stools then change to match the colour of whatever has been placed on the sensitive table-top.
Sensors in the stools also work out the weight of anyone sat on them - heavier people are treated to darker shades.
Pulsing colours
The circular table acts as the central control point for the four stools. Sensors sit beneath a glass plate on the top of the table and scan any object placed on it.
The sensors bounce red, green and blue light off the objects in frequencies that humans cannot see and records which hues are reflected.
An Apple Mac buried in the table then sends wireless messages to the four stools, which project light through their translucent shells to match, as closely as possible, the colour of the object on the table top.
The colours are also made to pulse lighter and darker at about the same tempo of human breathing in a bid to make the stools seem more life-like.
Placing many objects on the table-top makes the system mix and merge colours to match the shades seen in the collection of artefacts.
The designers suggest that people can change the colour of the chairs to match their mood.
Dreamed up by Shinya Matsuyama and colleagues from the Studio Mongoose design company in Japan, the Fuwapica furniture draws on the country’s ancient notions that gods inhabit every manmade artefact, be it chopsticks, dishes or tables.
The designers say that instead of furniture being inert and silent, it should be given a chance to interact with the people that use it.
August 10th, 2007
After breaking a 13-month streak in April, furniture orders resumed their downward ways in May, declining 13 percent from May 2006.
Smith Leonard Accountants & Consultants in High Point, which publishes a monthly furniture industry report, had attributed April’s 12 percent increase to orders from the High Point Market, held in April 2006 but in March 2007. Combining April and May 2007, orders fell 2 percent from the same two-month period last year.
Furniture shipments were 2 percent higher in May than April but 7 percent lower than in May 2006, Smith Leonard reported. Backlogs declined 6 percent from April and 5 percent from May 2006. Inventories shrank 1 percent from April and 11 percent from May 2006. Receivables dropped 1 percent from April and 5 percent from May 2006.
Factory employment was even with April and down 14 percent from May 2006, when payrolls were down 6 percent. Retail home furnishings sales fell 3 percent from May 2006 and 2 percent from June 2006. But year-to-date, sales have increased 3 percent over the first half of 2006.
“Consumer debt growth is a continuing concern, but the recent report on consumer confidence is encouraging,” Smith Leonard said. “… With interest and inflation (except for energy-related items) in reasonably good shape, we just need some pickup in housing and sustained confidence.”
August 10th, 2007
By TAN KARR WEI
FOR those who want to indulge in handcrafted furniture, the latest Lorenzo Neo Classic collection offers a range of elegantly designed pieces.
“Each piece of furniture is handmade with high quality material. No moulds are used so each model takes about a month to complete,” said central region sales manager Joanne Cheong.
She said the designs were from Europe but they were able to keep the cost low by manufacturing the pieces in China.
To ensure a consistent look and feel, the Neo Classic range even has its own lighting fixtures and decorative items to complement the furniture.
“We’re hoping to work more closely with designers who usually come in to select a whole range of furniture for their clients,” said Cheong. Lorenzo started off as a small counter in a furniture mall, and has recently made the building in Taman Seputeh its own.
Cheong said the large space was necessary to better showcase their products. The Neo Classic range has its own display area in the 30,000 sq ft showroom.
The new Lorenzo showroom is located at Lot 621, Jalan 2/87G, Taman Seputeh, 58000 Kuala Lunpur. For details, call 03-2273 5223.
August 10th, 2007
DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Furniture Row Companies of Denver, Colorado, which currently owns and operates over 330 stores in 31 states, plans to open an additional Furniture Row Shopping Center near Downtown Denver. The Center will house four jointly located stores consisting of Oak Express®, Bedroom Expressions®, Sofa Mart® and Denver Mattress Company®.
To house the stores, the furniture retailer will build a one-level, 93,500-square-foot Furniture Row Shopping Center. The Center concept allows customers to take advantage of specialty store benefits while enjoying the convenience of a one-stop shopping destination.
Each store focuses on a particular home furnishing or bedding category, and is managed and staffed with people who are extremely knowledgeable about the store’s specific lines.
Crews have completed main steel erection on the new Center, located at 58th Ave and I-25 near Downtown Denver. Construction is anticipated to be completed by fourth quarter of 2007.
The Oak Express® and Bedroom Expressions® store, Denver Mattress® Company, and Sofa Mart® locations currently operating in the vicinity will close, and move into the Center when construction is complete.
The new Center’s exterior will be similar to the Furniture Row Shopping Center located in Park Meadows, CO. However, the interior will showcase a new design created by JGA, one of the nation’s leading retail design, brand strategy and architectural firms.
Here’s a run down on each store brand and their specialty…
Denver Mattress Company® is considered unique among its competitors in the bedding industry because it is both a mattress manufacturer and mattress retailer. It manufactures, distributes, and retails its own private label, ultimately providing full control over how its products are priced and sold.
The company uses the same components and materials as the leading brand name manufacturers, but because it manufactures and sells its own mattresses, it has eliminated the middleman markup. Therefore, Denver Mattress customers get brand name quality mattresses for as much as 50% less.
Sofa Mart® specializes in casual leather and upholstery home furnishings, as well as accent pieces such as occasional tables, armoires, and home accessories - the kind of furniture you would use in your living room and family room areas of the home.
The chain provides a large variety of styles, some of which are reminiscent of those found in high-end department stores and fashionable furnishings catalogs. The difference being that consumers will find Sofa Mart’s products more attractively priced and more readily available.
Oak Express® sets itself apart by only carrying furnishings made from fine woods like oak, cherry, maple, pine, and more. From dining and entertainment to home office, Oak Express offers consumers a chance to own quality, long-lasting furniture at very affordable prices. Oak Express is the largest cash buyer of wood furniture in the country.
Bedroom Expressions® provides a unique retail experience, a single store specializing in bedroom furniture, offering consumers a larger selection of better quality bedroom furniture at affordable prices.
Furniture Row® offers a 200% price pledge guarantee. This states that if within 30 days of purchase, the customer finds the identical item advertised for less at another local store, Furniture Row will refund 200% of the difference. In addition, Furniture Row® provides a variety of financing options designed to cater to the customer’s needs.
Furniture Row Companies is also dedicated to partnering with charitable organizations. In these efforts, the Company has worked with World Vision and The Salvation Army to provide food and bedding for the needy. The Company has planted trees with The Arbor Day Foundation to ensure the future of our forests. The Ronald McDonald House of Denver was provided with furnishings for its entire 35,000-square-foot facility. Also, the Company participates in Share The Warmth, a coat drive for the needy in Colorado.
Furniture Row® Companies is one of the largest family-owned specialty home furnishings and bedding retailers. The company is comprised of five specialty store brands including: Sofa Mart®, Oak Express®, Bedroom Expressions®, Denver Mattress Co®, and Big Sur® Water Beds and operates over 330 stores in 31 states. For more information, please visit the Company’s recently redesigned website at www.FurnitureRow.com.
Furniture Row® also owns and operates a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team. For more information on the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, the team, or driver Kenny Wallace visit www.FurnitureRowRacing.com.
Contact:
Furniture Row Companies
Wendy Manning, 303-293-2437
Wendy.manning@furniturerow.com
August 10th, 2007
By Julia Bauer
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS — G.A. Richards Co., founded here in 1900 to supply the furniture industry, is building its second plant this fall at 1060 Ken-O-Sha Industrial Drive SE.
The $3.5 million project will be completed by November.
By 2010, the company could add up to 30 employees to the 90 at the original plant.
Expansion is driven by growth in the office-furniture industry Richards supplies.
Richards also is buying new metal fabricating equipment to put into its existing plant as part of the expansion.
Tax-free bonds were approved this week for the project, by the Michigan Strategic Fund.
Of the $3.5 million package, $540,000 will pay off similar bonds granted in 1997.
When complete, the new building and site will be held by G.A. Richards Plant 1.5 LLC, while the original company will own all of the machinery and manufacturing processes.
The new plant will provide more than 37,000 square feet of manufacturing space, plus 2,000 for offices, company attorney Jessica Wood said.
“We’re looking at expanding by five to 10 employees a year,” through 2010, Wood said.
Wages average $11.50 an hour.
Send e-mail to the author: jbauer@grpress.com
August 10th, 2007
Four honored during group’s annual Education Conference in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE — Four industry executives received WOW Awards Wednesday night from WithIt, or Women in the Home Industries Today, during the group’s annual Education Conference here.
The winners and their award categories:
+ Jeff Cook, president of Broyhill, for mentoring.
+ Dawn Brinson, vice president of marketing services at The Media Matters, Lexington, N.C., for education.
+ Dana Andrew, director of marketing and public relations for the World Market Center, Las Vegas, for future leadership.
+ Lee Brown, senior consultant at Impact Consulting Services, for legacy.
The awards are presented each year to leaders with at least five years of industry experience, and who have had a significant impact on the home furnishings industry.
Special recognition also was given to incoming president Tiffany Mullis-Brittain of Vanguard Furniture, and to Robin Campbell of Stanley, Stephanie Lowder of Graphic Solutions International, Linda Hutchison of Allgood Printing, and to Sara Lyke, executive director of WithIt.
August 10th, 2007
Latest expansion could add $20M to current $50M annual volume
TUPELO, Miss. — Promotional upholstery producer Affordable Furniture is adding three production lines to its factory here.
One line is for recliners, and another for stationary upholstery. A third line, also for stationary, is set for October, which will bring the total to 11 production lines for the three-year-old company.
The expansion will allow Affordable to add $10 million to $20 million in annual sales to its current $50 million, said CEO Jim Sneed. The company now employs 225 workers and expects to add 30 to 50 people for the new lines, he said.
The company has expanded its factory a couple of times, and moved to its present 600,000-square-foot plant last November.
Affordable makes sofas at $299 and $399 retail in limited styles and covers.
Meanwhile, the company has hired R. Wilson Ellis as its sales representative for east Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and the two Carolinas.
Most recently he was an independent rep, and previously repped for American Furniture, Culp Inc. and Leggett & Platt. Earlier, Ellis was president of Culp of Tennessee in Cleveland, Tenn.; vice president of sales for Culp of Mississippi in Tupelo; and regional sales manager at Super Sagless Corp. in Tupelo.
August 10th, 2007
Relocation will give bedding maker more room, with showroom and tech center
HINSDALE, Ill. — Top 10 bedding maker Comfort Solutions is looking west — and slightly south — for its new corporate headquarters, and will move this fall from Hinsdale to another Chicago suburb, Willowbrook.
The new 25,000-square-foot headquarters will be bigger, and will include a showroom and a technical center for the company’s bedding products. The Willowbrook site is a few miles southwest of its current headquarters in a Hinsdale office complex.
Comfort Solutions recently expanded its senior management team as part of an aggressive growth push. The new headquarters is needed “to accommodate expected future growth,” the company said.
“This is an exciting time for Comfort Solutions,” said President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Roberts. “The licensees support us and share the same belief in this being the right time to focus on our future capabilities.
“Moving only a few miles accommodates many of our needs, plus we keep our great proximity to both major (Chicago area) airports,” he continued. “It allows us to consolidate and enhance product development efforts, all under one roof.”
The office move is set for October, and Comfort Solutions will focus on finishing the technical center by the end of the year.
“As a worldwide company, we offer outstanding products that are well built and durable,” Roberts said. “The tech center will give us the capability to promote even higher standards while keeping us in front of industry issues such as flammability and designing environmentally safe products.”
August 10th, 2007
Relocation will give bedding maker more room, with showroom and tech center
HINSDALE, Ill. — Top 10 bedding maker Comfort Solutions is looking west — and slightly south — for its new corporate headquarters, and will move this fall from Hinsdale to another Chicago suburb, Willowbrook.
The new 25,000-square-foot headquarters will be bigger, and will include a showroom and a technical center for the company’s bedding products. The Willowbrook site is a few miles southwest of its current headquarters in a Hinsdale office complex.
Comfort Solutions recently expanded its senior management team as part of an aggressive growth push. The new headquarters is needed “to accommodate expected future growth,” the company said.
“This is an exciting time for Comfort Solutions,” said President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Roberts. “The licensees support us and share the same belief in this being the right time to focus on our future capabilities.
“Moving only a few miles accommodates many of our needs, plus we keep our great proximity to both major (Chicago area) airports,” he continued. “It allows us to consolidate and enhance product development efforts, all under one roof.”
The office move is set for October, and Comfort Solutions will focus on finishing the technical center by the end of the year.
“As a worldwide company, we offer outstanding products that are well built and durable,” Roberts said. “The tech center will give us the capability to promote even higher standards while keeping us in front of industry issues such as flammability and designing environmentally safe products.”
August 10th, 2007
SALEM, Ore. - Almost exactly one year ago, a furniture store went up in flames. Now investigators have determined a cause.
Investigators have listed “and electrical malfunction” as a probably cause for the four-alarm fire that ripped through McMahon’s Furniture Store.
Two firefighters were injured battling that blaze which caused $2 million in damage.
Additional questions were raised about the cause of the fire because the store was slated for closure at the end of last year.
Fire officials say the door is still open for insurance companies or private investigators to confirm or deny their results, but they will have to foot the bill for the investigation.
8/9/2007
August 10th, 2007
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