Archive for September 5th, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mattel Inc. said on Tuesday it has recalled 11 more models of its Chinese-made toys globally, including eight pet and furniture playsets sold under its Barbie brand and three under the Fisher-Price name.
In total, 522,000 U.S. toys and 322,000 toys outside the United States are being recalled as a result of the company’s ongoing investigation of its toys manufactured by vendors in China.
Mattel in the last five weeks had announced two recalls of millions of Chinese toys due to excessive amounts of lead paint.
Mattel said no Barbie dolls were included in the recall.
(Reporting by Ed Leefeldt)
September 5th, 2007
Gibraltar Furniture (800 416-3635) is introducing the entire Arne Jacobsen collection. This legendary Danish designers work was featured in the film “2001:A Space Odyssey”, television, and gallery shows. Learn how to get Jacobsen, and other famous retro designers, furniture, clocks, watches, & lighting pieces for wholesale factory-direct prices via the internet through this secret weapon website!
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 4, 2007 — Arne Jacobsen was one of Denmark’s most influential 20th century architect and designers. Famed cinematic director Stanley Kubrick selected Jacobson’s pieces as timelessly futuristic props for his epic film, “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Both his buildings and products, like his Swan and Egg Chairs, blend modernist ideals with a Nordic love of naturalism and embodies the best in Danish Modern design.
The best prices, models, and service of any site on the internet. This Beverly Hills 90210 store (www.gibraltarfurniture.com) is nirvana for people who want Bauhaus, art deco, modern, mid century, or designer furniture at wholesale prices.
Gibraltar Furniture (800 416-3635) is introducing the entire Arne Jacobsen collection. This legendary Danish designers work was featured in the film “2001:A Space Odyssey”, television, and gallery shows. Learn how to get Jacobsen, and other famous retro designers, furniture, clocks, watches, & lighting pieces for wholesale factory-direct prices via the internet through this secret weapon website!
Traditionally Jacobsen products have been priced at stratospheric levels by Danish Modern manufactures and retailers such as DWR. For instance the legendary Egg chair retails for $5398. Gibraltar Furniture (800 416-3635) that sells the Egg chair piece for just $1599. And they include free freight too! Similarly DWR offers the Swan chair for $3,040 vs. the Gibraltar price of only $995.
What is the difference between the two versions? The Fritz Hansen Arne Jacobsen release comes with a certificate of authenticity and the Gibraltar release does not. The Gibraltar edition also features full thick pure wool from Gabriel of Denmark for the fabric covering.
A Google™ search indicates that one of the foremost sites for high end design and furniture at wholesale prices is Gibraltar. “This West coast internet pioneer features retro, modern, and post-modern furnishings at rock bottom prices. Gibraltar offers an exceptional array of wholesale, architectural, modern, high quality items at factory direct discount prices. Gibraltar Furniture is one of the leaders in the world of Internet modern architectural products. Gibraltar sells furniture manufactured in Italy, Asia, and the USA and all sales are tax free.”
Gibraltar is based in Beverly Hills California and can be found on the web at http://www.gibraltarfurniture.com This firm has been in operation for over 50 years, and is an insider secret weapon for blue chip merchandise at warehouse prices. Yahoo reports that Gibraltar Furniture has “The best prices, models, and service of any site on the internet. This Beverly Hills 90210 store (www.gibraltarfurniture.com) is nirvana for people who want Bauhaus, art deco, modern, mid century, or designer furniture at wholesale prices.”
As an architect and an industrial designer Jacobsen always strove to achieve grace and coherence in his designs. In the process, he emerged as the single most influential Danish architect of the 20th century and the designer of such modernist classics as the Swan, Egg and Ant Chairs and other Danish modern designs.
He was born in Copenhagen in 1902 and worked as an apprentice bricklayer before he started architecture at the Royal Academy of the Arts in 1924. Humble though Jacobsen’s first job may seem, he was inspired by John Soane and Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, who worked for their fathers as a bricklayer and stone mason respectively. It also imbued Jacobsen with the love of materials, which became a dominant feature of his work.
Architectural commissions dwindled during World War II as a function of scarce construction materials. Being Jewish, Jacobsen was also threatened by the Nazi occupation of Denmark. In 1943, he left the country by rowing across the Sound in a small boat for two years of wartime exile in Sweden, where he designed fabrics and wallpapers.
During the 1950s, Jacobsen became increasingly interested in architectural product design inspired by the work of the US furniture designers, Charles and Ray Eames. In 1951, Jacobsen completed work on the Ant Chair - Model 3100, an intricately molded plywood seat on three spindly steel legs. This was followed by the simpler hourglass form of the 1955 Model 3107 - Series 7 Chair. Like the Ant, the Series 7 was perfect for modern living being light, compact and easily stackable, but not even Jacobsen could have anticipated that it would become one of the most popular chairs of the late 20th and early 21st century.
The Series 7 Chair premiered in 1955 at the H55 exposition in Sweden and remains one of the most popular chairs of the modern realm. The chair is perfectly suited to the human body, its seat back has a relaxed contour and its waterfall seat rim doesn’t press into legs. Gibraltar Furniture offers the entire collection of Series 7 chairs, made in Italy, at a fraction of the official price. For instance DWR retails the Series 7 Barstool for $677. Gibraltar offers the same piece, also made in Europe, for only $452.
By the late 1950s, Jacobsen was given an opportunity to put his theories of integrated design and architecture into practice in the design of the SAS Air Terminal and Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. He designed every element of the building from its sky scraping structure down to the ceramic ashtrays sold in the souvenir shop and the stainless steel cutlery later chosen by Stanley Kubrick for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Jacobsen also created two other classic 20th century chairs in 1957. The legendary Swan and Egg releases dazzled the world via their with strikingly original organically shaped upholstered seats on slender metal bases.
Arne Jacobsen also excelled in creating watches, lighting, and clocks including the Banker’s Clock, City Hall Clock, and Romer Clock. All of these Danish Modern architectural pieces are offered at wholesale prices via Gibraltar and come with complete certificates of authenticity from the manufacture.
Gibraltar offers the entire line of products from Aluma, Architectural Pottery collection, Beau et Bien, Boon, Celery , Compar, Dare Décor, David Edward, Davis, Diamond Teak, DHD Lighting, Eurotech 2, Fabulux, Firefarm, Gamma Luce, Girari, Gordon International, Gray, Havaseat Chairs, Innovation, IQMatics, ISA International, Janke, Jet Age, Lifeshop, Litto Kids, Logical Progression, Lucien Gau, Lunar Lounge, Malik, Ooba, Offi, Oeuf, OFM, Ogus Design, The Phillips Collection, Stig Hansen, Serralunga, Studio4LA, Swanky Design, Touch Design/Lighting, Trevi Outdoor, True Modern, Veneman , Vig Furniture, Zuo Modern, 100Times Better, and the, among others.
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September 5th, 2007
WESTPORT, Conn., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Compass Diversified Trust (Nasdaq: CODI - News), Compass Group Diversified Holdings LLC and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “CODI”) announced today that on August 31, 2007, CODI simultaneously entered into a definitive agreement to acquire and consummated the acquisition of American Furniture Manufacturing, Inc. (”American Furniture”).
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Ecru, Mississippi, American Furniture is a leading U.S. manufacturer of upholstered furniture, focused exclusively on the promotional segment of the furniture industry.
The Company offers a broad product line of stationary and motion furniture, including sofas, loveseats, sectionals, recliners and complementary products, sold primarily at retail price points ranging between $199 and $699. American Furniture is a low-cost manufacturer and is able to ship any product in its line within 48 hours of receiving an order.
CODI paid approximately $92.5 million to purchase American Furniture, which represents under five and a half times American Furniture’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (”EBITDA”) and under six times American Furniture’s EBITDA less expected annual maintenance capital expenditures.
Regarding the acquisition, I. Joseph Massoud, CODI’s CEO, said, “We are enthused about our acquisition of American Furniture. This company represents the best in U.S. manufacturing, competing effectively with domestic and foreign competition based upon its low production costs, its continual product and design innovation, and its ability to service a diverse mix of customers which includes furniture retailers, big box retailers and department stores. American Furniture possesses the characteristics we look for in all of our businesses, including market leadership in a niche industry, strong free cash flow and proven leadership. American Furniture’s senior managers, who will continue to manage the business under CODI ownership and who are investing alongside CODI in the transaction, have grown the business successfully over the past several years and we look forward to working with them to continue and accelerate this growth.
“This acquisition is immediately accretive to our shareholders and increases our cash flow available for distribution. By consummating this acquisition without the need for third party transaction financing, we have demonstrated the flexibility of our financing model. Our ability to deploy capital despite recent tightness in the financing markets reflects our unique structure, which allows us to complete acquisitions in all types of economic conditions. This serves as a significant advantage for us and should result in further accretive platform and add-on acquisitions.”
Funding for the acquisition was provided primarily by excess cash on hand at the Company, as well as by a $30 million draw under CODI’s $300 million revolving acquisition credit facility. Prior to the transaction there were no outstanding borrowings on the credit facility.
Additional information on the acquisition will be available on the Company’s current report on Form 8-K that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or before September 5, 2007.
About American Furniture Manufacturing, Inc.
Founded in 1998, American Furniture Manufacturing is headquartered in Ecru, Mississippi and is a leading U.S. manufacturer of promotional upholstered furniture. The Company provides its customers with consistently high quality, attractively priced products and 48-hour quick-ship service. As the Company has grown, it has maintained a production-focused strategy with proven merchandising ideally suited to serve the promotional furniture segment. Currently, the Company operates 29 production lines from a 1.1 million square-foot facility, encompassing both stationary and motion product categories.
About Compass Diversified Trust
CODI was formed to acquire and manage a group of middle market businesses that are headquartered in North America. CODI provides public investors with an opportunity to participate in the ownership and growth of companies which have historically been owned by private equity firms or wealthy individuals or families. CODI’s disciplined approach to its target market provides opportunities to methodically purchase attractive businesses at values that are accretive to its shareholders. For sellers of businesses, CODI’s unique structure allows CODI to acquire businesses efficiently with no financing contingencies and, following acquisition, to provide its companies with substantial access to growth capital.
Upon acquisition, CODI works with the executive teams of its subsidiary companies to identify and capitalize on opportunities to grow those companies’ earnings and cash flows. These cash flows support distributions to CODI shareholders, which are intended to be steady and growing over the long term.
Subsidiary Businesses
Aeroglide Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, referred to as
Aeroglide, is a designer and manufacturer of industrial drying and cooling
equipment, primarily used in the production of a variety of human foods,
animal and pet feeds, and industrial products. Aeroglide is based in Cary,
NC and was founded in 1940.
Anodyne Medical Device, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, referred
to as AMD, is a manufacturer of medical support surfaces and patient
positioning devices, primarily used for the prevention and treatment of
pressure wounds experienced by patients with limited or no mobility. AMD
is based in Los Angeles, CA and was founded in 2005.
CBS Personnel Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, referred
to as CBS Personnel, is a provider of temporary staffing services in the
United States. CBS Personnel is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, operates
144 branch locations in 18 states and was founded in 1970.
Compass AC Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiary, referred to as
Advanced Circuits, is a manufacturer of low-volume quick-turn and
prototype rigid printed circuit boards (”PCBs”). Advanced Circuits is
based in Aurora, CO and was founded in 1989.
Halo Lee Wayne LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries, referred to as Halo,
is a distributor of customized promotional products and serves more than
30,000 customers as a one-stop-shop resource for design, sourcing,
management and fulfillment across all categories of its customers’
promotional products needs. Halo is based in Sterling, IL and was founded
in 1952.
Silvue Technologies Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries,
referred to as Silvue, is a developer and manufacturer of proprietary,
high-performance coating systems for polycarbonate, glass, acrylic, metals
and other substrate materials used in the premium eyewear, aerospace,
automotive and industrial markets. Silvue is based in Anaheim, CA and was
founded in 1986.
To find out more about Compass Diversified Trust, please visit www.compassdiversifiedtrust.com.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements, including statements with regard to the future performance of the Company. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “projects,” and “future” or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements, and some of these factors are enumerated in the risk factor discussion in the Form 10-K filed by CODI with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended December 31, 2006 and Form 10-Qs and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CODI undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Compass Diversified Trust
Jim Bottiglieri
Chief Financial Officer
203.221.1703
jim@compassequity.com
Investor Relations Contact:
KCSA Worldwide
Jeffrey Goldberger / Garth Russell
212.896.1249 / 212.896.1250
jgoldberger@kcsa.com / grussell@kcsa.com
September 5th, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
The editors of FURNITURE WORLD Magazine announced that they will be holding the second annual “Beautiful (Furniture) Truck Contest” and will be accepting entries through November 20, 2007.
Retailers, manufacturers and trucking companies can enter the contest in a number of “Beautiful Truck” categories.
FURNITURE WORLD readers who “love their trucks” are encouraged to sent photos, filled out questionnaires and sent them to the editors of FURNITURE WORLD Magazine. Entries will be judged on the graphic approach used as well as special modifications and maintenance procedures.
The contest pdf entry form can be downloaded by clicking on this link:
Winners in the following categories will be featured in the January/February issue of FURNITURE WORLD Magazine and receive a certificate of merit.
Last year’s winners were:
Local Delivery Truck Under 5 Million Sales: Furniture Market and Shier’s Furniture
Local Delivery Truck 5-25 Million Sales: American Factory Direct Furniture Outlet
Local Delivery TruckOver 25 Million Sales: Mattress Giant
Small Service/Furniture Van Under 5 Million Sales: The Futon Company
Long Haul Furniture Delivery: Bob’s Discount Furniture
Multi-Client Residential Delivery: Cory Home Delivery Service
Other Fine Looking Trucks:
-Star Furniture
-Baer’s Furniture
-Bograd’s Furniture
-Leader’s Casual Furniture
-The Brick
-Rider Furniture’s
-Magnussen Home Furnishings
Truck photos and the complete text of the article is posted to the furninfo.com site. Click here to view photos and text.
September 5th, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
SATRA Technology Centre has announced dates for seven new furniture flammability seminars, running from November 2007 to November 2008 at its UK facilities.
Having proved popular with retailers and manufacturers in the furniture industry for several years, these seminars provide a full understanding of the UK Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations and will also be of interest to materials suppliers.
Covering the requirements for furniture and materials in the domestic sector, these seminars will pay particular attention to covers, interliners, foams and other fillings, as well as cushions, bean bags, headboards, mattresses and bed bases. They will also include a tour of the brand new SATRA furniture facility. Confidential discussion time is available to delegates and full course notes and a reference guide will be provided.
John Shipman, Assistant Director and Head of Furniture Testing at SATRA, said: “The seminar programme covers the essential flammability requirements of the UK legislation relating to upholstered furniture and beds. With the government promising to put more effort into enforcing the 1988 regulations, it is essential for everyone in the furniture supply chain to understand the implications of the regulations. Companies wishing to sell into the UK market will also find the seminar beneficial in providing a solid grounding in the subject. Recently, there have been a number of cases that have raised concerns about the amount and frequency of testing, the value of suppliers certificates and record keeping. This seminar course is designed to address these aspects and tackle the question of what constitutes due diligence.”
Seminars have been arranged for the following dates: 27th November 2007, 22nd January 2008, 18th March 2008, 20th May 2008, 22nd July 2008, 9th September 2008 and18th November 2008.
To sign up for a seminar or obtain further information, contact John Shipman on 01536 410000 or johns@satra.co.uk.
September 5th, 2007
SANTERAMO IN COLLE, Bari, Italy–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Natuzzi S.P.A. (NYSE:NTZ) (“Natuzzi” or “the Company”) will release SECOND QUARTER & FIRST HALF 2007 CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS on Wednesday September 12, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. New York time (9:00 p.m. London time – 10:00 p.m. Italian time).
Pasquale Natuzzi, Chairman of the Board, Ernesto Greco, Chief Executive Officer, Filippo Simonetti, Chief Financial Officer, and Nicola Dell’Edera, Finance Director, will discuss financial results, followed by a question and answer session, in a teleconference at 10:00 a.m. New York time (3:00 p.m. London time – 4:00 p.m. Italian time) on Thursday September 13, 2007.
ABOUT NATUZZI S.P.A.
Founded in 1959 by Pasquale Natuzzi, Natuzzi S.p.A. designs and manufactures a broad collection of leather-upholstered residential furniture.
Italy’s largest furniture manufacturer, Natuzzi is the global leader in the leather segment, exporting its innovative, high-quality sofas and armchairs to 123 markets on 5 continents.
Since 1990, Natuzzi has sold its furnishings in Italy through the popular Divani & Divani by Natuzzi chain of 123 stores, and 1 Natuzzi Store. Outside Italy, the Company sells to various furniture retailers, as well as through 158 licensed Divani & Divani by Natuzzi and Natuzzi Stores.
Natuzzi S.p.A. was listed on the New York Stock Exchange on May 13, 1993. The Company is ISO 9001 and 14001 certified.
www.natuzzi.com
September 5th, 2007
Leeann Hildreth of Wheaton launched Second City CPR Bears to distribute stuffed bears that provide a refresher for people who have taken a CPR class for babies and children.
The bears, made by Trainikins, a Virginia company, sell for $79.95 each, and come with a DVD that reviews first aid for choking and other breathing emergencies and offers tips for childproofing homes and cars.
The bears play recorded information about how to perform CPR and allow people to practice the skills they learned in a class.
The bear’s bow tie changes color to tell a person if they’re performing chest compressions correctly, and a mask with a bag on one end allows people to practice rescue breathing, she said.
“This is in no way supposed to replace being certified for CPR,” Hildreth said. “When you take a class, if you don’t use it, which hopefully you don’t have to use it, you kind of lose what you’ve learned in the class. This is a reminder for the parents or whomever’s taken the class to update your skills.”
She is marketing the bears to parents, people who take care of children, hospitals and toy stores.
“I’ve been selling the bears about a month and a half, and it’s going pretty good,” she said.
For more information, call 630-723-7916 or visit www.secondcitytraining.com.
Office furniture distributor expands
Interior Investments, which distributes office furniture and provides services including interior design, installation and project management, opened a Naperville location.
Resident Mark Galati, the Naperville branch manager, has more than 25 years experience in the commercial furniture industry.
Interior Investments has its headquarters in Lincolnshire, as well as offices in Chicago, St. Louis, Madison and Milwaukee.
The Naperville office is at 1240 Diehl Road, Suite 103, and can be reached at 630-563-4700.
Starbucks opens in south Naperville
Starbucks Coffee Company opened a drive-through store Aug. 24 at 1979 McDowell St., at the corner of McDowell Street and Route 59.
In addition to drive-through services, the store has cafe tables and chairs and carries breakfast and lunch items as well as coffee and tea.
The store employs about 20 people and can be reached at 630-637-6092.
Rug store opens at Design Pointe
Rug Decor opened a Naperville store, the first of about a half dozen locations planned for the Chicago area.
The store is owned by brothers Ben and Nick Boss, and their father, John Boss and sells area and accent rugs.
There are 37 Rug Decor stores nationwide, and the company plans to open an additional 40 stores by the end of 2008.
Rug Decor is at 1320 N. Route 59, in the Design Pointe shopping center, and can be reached at 630-420-9760.
September 5th, 2007
David Perry — Furniture Today
Park Place principals launch Mattress Works
GREENVILLE, S.C. — The principals of Park Place Corp. have launched a new bedding company called Mattress Works that has begun selling its mattress line in Wal-Mart Super Centers.
The first three independently operated sleep shops are in Wal-Mart Super Centers in South Carolina, where third-generation bedding maker Park Place is headquartered.
The Mattress Works line, retailing from $299 to $1,299, includes traditional innerspring and memory foam models. It is sold in “vestibule” space at the front of Wal-Mart stores acquired through a master lease with Wal-Mart.
Mattress Works officials said the program has considerable growth potential but declined to estimate how many stores will open. They described the program as offering “a new dimension in mattress retailing,” which
will be national in scope. The initial rollout will be on the East Coast.
The program targets Wal-Mart Super Centers, which typically attract 40,000 customers per week.
Mattress Works sleep shops offer “a full-service mattress shopping experience,” said David Karr, CEO of Mattress Works, who also is chief financial officer of Park Place and president of Park Place’s airbed company, Comfortaire.
That experience includes knowledgeable sleep consultants, a value-priced line and services like layaway, financing, home delivery and removal of old bedding, Karr said.
Here’s how the program works: Mattress Works, which has signed a supply agreement with Park Place, is looking for Park Place customers who are interested in becoming “operating partners” in the program, who would own and operate Mattress Works units in markets served by Wal-Mart Super Centers.
Chad Hill, who runs Spencer’s Mattress in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is the operating partner for the Mattress Works in the Wal-Mart Super Center in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“I am very excited to be a part of Mattress Works,” Hill said. “My sales volume is going as expected, and the daily traffic through my store is unbelievable. Even though we are very early in the game, I am already making plans to accelerate the growth of this business.”
That Mattress Works store has been open for about a month. The two other units now open are in North Charleston and Travelers Rest, just outside Greenville.
The logo for Mattress Works has echoes of the American flag and features red and blue lettering. It includes the tag line: “Work hard, sleep easy.”
Jimmy Orders, president of Park Place and a partner in the new Mattress Works venture, said Mattress Works represents “an all-American mattress program,” one that should resonate with Wal-Mart customers.
Edwin Shoffner, chief operating officer of Mattress Works and a vice president with Park Place, was involved in an earlier company, American Mattress Centers, which also sold mattresses at Wal-Mart. He and a partner launched the venture in 2001 and were operating more than 100 bedding departments in leased space in Wal-Mart stores within a year, but the company ran into financial difficulties and liquidated in 2002.
Shoffner said Park Place officials learned valuable lessons from the earlier program and have a different strategy with Mattress Works, relying on local retailers to operate the bedding departments.
The Mattress Works locations will occupy footprints of 450 to 1,150 square feet at the front of Wal-Mart Super Center stores. Wal-Mart leases that space to a variety of companies.
The first three Mattress Works sleep shops carry eight or nine beds.
Mattress Works, a management and marketing company, is owned by Jimmy, David and John Orders, all members of Park Place’s founding family, and by Karr, Shoffner and Darrell Miller, vice president of operations at Park Place. The six are equal owners.
September 5th, 2007
Store continues Gulf Coast expansion
— Casual Living
Coconut Creek, Fla.-based Carls Patio, part of Top 100 company Carls Furniture, has opened its 13th patio showroom and first in Fort Myers, Fla., continuing an expansion push on the state’s Gulf Coast.
The company now has 11 stores in Florida, including two on the west coast. The other, in Naples, opened in 2004. The Fort Myers store, which is about 15,000 square feet, is along Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) at Alico Road.
“This is a great opportunity for us to continue the steady growth of our company,” said Carls Patio President Gary Ecoff.
Carls Patio was established in 1993 as a division of Carls Furniture. The company has 11 stores in Florida and two in California, with another set to open in the fourth quarter in Agoura Hills, Calif.
September 5th, 2007
Jeannie Bethel named national sales manager
— Casual Living
Furniture Classics, an industry resource for accent, reproduction and occasional furniture, will exhibit its new casual furniture collection, Two Palms Casual, at the Chicago Casual Market, Sept. 17-21.
This will be Furniture Classics’ first time exhibiting in Chicago, and marks a new category for the company, which has been a manufacturer in the U.S. furniture industry for nearly 20 years.
“Our company has considerable expertise in manufacturing furniture around the world, particularly Indonesia, China, Vietnam and India,” Furniture Classics President Michael Ricks said. “The casual channel is a natural progression for our company, and we look forward to bringing competitively priced, on-target products to the market.”
Furniture Classics has named Jeannie Bethel as national sales manager for its new division. Bethel worked as a consultant for Furniture Classics in the development of the Two Palms Casual brand. She will now be responsible for all sales and marketing efforts. Prior to her association with Furniture Classics, Bethel spent 10 years as director of sales and marketing for Tyndall Creek Furniture.
Among the products Two Palms Casual will introduce in Chicago include the Boca Bay and the Bal Harbour collections, which are made of premium all-weather wicker with aluminum, powder-coated frames. Other introductions include deep seating, dining and occasional pieces made of natural materials such as hyacinth, rattan and mahogany for indoor or sheltered use.
Two Palms Casual will also show its classic rocking chair and side table assortment, which is available in eight finishes, ranging from white, black and pepper red, to vibrant coral and lime selections.
In addition to the Chicago showroom, Furniture Classics maintains permanent showrooms in Atlanta, High Point, Las Vegas, Norfolk and San Diego.
The company maintains a strong commitment to domestic warehouse shipments, with a 200,000-sq.-ft. warehouse in Norfolk, Va., and a West Coast distribution center in San Diego. The Two Palms Casual Market showroom will be located on the 7th floor, space 6106, of the Merchandise Mart.
September 5th, 2007
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