Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
May 24,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Casual Furniture on May 25, 2010
The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) has named Larry Shaw and Ron Ball recipients of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The two will be honored at the casual furniture industrys annual awards gala to be held on Thursday, Sept. 23, at t
he Field Museum in Chicago, during the
International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market. The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the casual furniture industry and to their individual communities.
Larry Shaw (1928-2009) was co-founder with William Lyon of the Lyon-Shaw wrought iron outdoor furniture company in 1969. He met Shaw at
Lee L. Woodard & Sons outdoor furniture in Owosso, Mich., where Shaw went to work in 1956 as an industrial engineer. In 1959 Shaw and Lyon were both involved in opening Woodards Carolina Forge division in Salisbury, N.C. Ten years later they left Woodard when it was purchased by the Wickes Corp. and founded Lyon-Shaw.
After Lyon-Shaw was sold in 1987, Shaw returned to Woodard as vice president for product development. Three years later he joined Garden Source in Atlanta as sales manager, then became president of
Currey Co. as an outgrowth of that business. In his final professional venture, Shaw became chief operating officer of
Charleston Forge in Boone, N.C., in 1996, and held that post until his retirement in 2000.
Over the course of his furniture industry career, Shaw served as a director of the National Association of Furniture Manufacturers (1976-1983), president of the Summer and Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association (1982-1983), and president of the sales and marketing division of the
American Furniture Manufacturers Association (1986-1987).
Ron Ball is a sales representative for
O.W. Lee in Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Georgia and for
Windham Castings in Texas and Oklahoma. His 43-year career in sales began with
General Electric in 1967 when he served as a sales representative in West Tennessee for the consumer electronics division.
In the mid-1970s, he went to work for Samsonite Furniture, which was purchased by
Sunbeam in 1995. Ball started as a territory salesman for Tennessee and Kentucky, then became a regional sales manager for the Southeast and then director of sales. His title changed several more times in the 1980s, and when he departed in the mid-1990s, he was vice president of sales and marketing.
From Sunbeam/Samsonite, Ball went to work as the Winston/Lyon-Shaw representative for Tennessee and Kentucky, then quickly picked up Texas and Oklahoma. He later added the Pompeii and
Brown Jordan lines and eventually became regional sales manager for the Southeast for Winston/Brown Jordan. In 2005 he made the shift to O.W. Lee and then added Windham Castings.
I love what I do, the people I work with, and the dealers I call on, says Ball. The rep job is the greatest job in this industry.
May 24,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 25, 2010
Home Furnishings Independents Association and the
Accessories Resource Team are pleased to announce a new relationship in which ART members can join HFIA at a discounted rate as branch members.
All branch members will have access to the HFIA benefits and discounts.
This is an exciting partnership and we will continue to build other partner programming that will benefit HFIA members as well as ART members, said Sharon Davis, executive director of ART. HFIA has a long history and solid group of benefits for the independent business owner. They are savvy administrators and can deliver some of the core business benefits that ART does not currently offer. ART members will gain tangible and affordable benefit from this relationship.
The Accessories Resource Team (ART) represents accessory manufacturers, retailers, representatives, and other industry individuals and companies interested in promoting the decorative home accessories industry. The organization sponsors programs such as the ART conference, regional educational seminars and the ARTS Awards.
HFIA, the choice and voice of independent-thinking home furnishings professionals, offers business tools and solutions to help members operate more efficiently and, in return, more profitably.
It is an advantage to be able to choose an organization like ART to work with and to develop a relationship that highlights the areas of strength of both organizations," said Mary Frye, HFIA president. "Members and potential members of ART and HFIA will see more value in their association memberships because of the expanded and enhanced benefits. We are looking forward to the many new opportunities this relationship presents.
For more information on how the HFIA partnership with ART will benefit the home furnishings industry,
e-mail Mary Frye.
May 24,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on May 25, 2010
Furniture Importer Orient Express Furniture has named Christian Cousins director of sales and product development, a new position for the company.
He will report to Anders Johnson, president of
Star International Furniture, the parent company of Orient Express.
Prior to the promotion, Cousins was the company's national sales manager for three years and is adding the responsibility of product development to his present role of sales management and merchandising.
Johnson said Cousins has shown enthusiasm in producing sales that have enabled the company to exceed expectations during the recession. "(Cousins) has worked hand in hand with our product development team during his tenure as national sales manager, and I will now count on him to take charge of managing a very creative and comprehensive product line found in our Orient Express Furniture division," he said.
I am very pleased with my new role at Orient Express Furniture, Cousins said. "Direction and design of the product is imperative to the success of a lifestyle furniture company and its sales. I look forward to the opportunity to direct a great team in both sales and design to take this company to new heights.
May 24,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on May 25, 2010
Crypton, Inc., has signed a licensing agreement with
Richloom Fabrics Group to produce Crypton fabrics in Hangzhou, China.
Richloom, a worldwide distributor of fabric, will also become a distributor for Crypton fabrics in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Prior to the agreement, companies manufacturing products in China were not able to easily access Crypton fabrics. Shipping domestically manufactured fabrics to China was costly and time-consuming. Now, the partnership with Richloom will make the fabrics easy to obtain for use in manufacturing in China, Europe and the Middle East.
This licensing agreement allows Crypton to meet the growing global demand for Crypton high-performance fabrics, and it represents a significant growth opportunity for our customers and business partners, said Randy Rubin, co-founder of Crypton. The decision to select Richloom was based on the companys years of experience and because it was best suited to incorporate Cryptons proprietary manufacturing processes.
Crypton Super Fabrics are made with a patented, eco-friendly process that encapsulates fibers with permanent stain, odor, mold, mildew and bacteria resistance. It is produced with an integrated, breathable moisture barrier, which prevents liquids from penetrating the fabric and ruining an items inner components, such as padded furniture. Richloom will also be licensed to produce Crypton INCASE, a fabric treatment that offers the same stain and odor protection, but is used in applications where a barrier is not required.
"Richloom Fabrics is excited to partner with Crypton to be the first producer of Crypton fabrics in China, and to expand its portfolio of fabric offerings with Crypton in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, said Jim Richman, CEO of Richloom Fabrics Group.
May 23,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Financial Reports on May 24, 2010
Furniture Brands International (NYSE: FBN) has made a contribution of 2.3 million shares of its common stock to the companys pension plan.
The shares were contributed in a private placement transaction and in consideration for the reduction in future funding obligations to the plan.
Furniture Brands will file a registration statement for the shares contributed to the plan and has appointed an independent fiduciary,
Evercore Trust Company, N.A., to be solely responsible for all investment decisions with respect to the shares. Following the contribution, the company has about 50.9 million shares of common stock issued and outstanding.
The companys previous contributions to the plan in 2010 have totaled about $5 million. The majority of the 2010 plan contributions are eligible for favorable tax-loss carryback treatment and the company anticipates an additional cash tax refund of about $7 million during 2010.
Proactively addressing our pension funding in 2010 creates tax advantages and preserves Furniture Brands financial flexibility as the company invests in the future of our business, said Steven Rolls, senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Furniture Brands International markets its products through a range of retail channels, from mass merchant stores to single-brand and independent dealers to specialized interior designers. Brands under its corporate umbrella are:
Broyhill,
Lane,
Thomasville,
Drexel Heritage,
Henredon,
Pearson,
Hickory Chair,
Laneventure, and
Maitland-Smith.