February 27,
2013 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on February 28, 2013
Upholstery producer Flexsteel Inds. (NASDAQ: FLXS) has partnered with Westbridge Furniture Designs Unlimited to market product in the United Kingdom.
Introduced in during the Interiors UK 2013 show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, the Flexsteel/Westbridge collaboration was met with great interest. Marketed as Flexsteel Lounge, the displayed line included new Westbridge-designed custom product as well as select groups from Flexsteel's Asian-imported Latitudes collection.
"At Flexsteel, we always say quality begins on the inside - and it starts with our lifetime warrantied, blue-steel seat spring," said Lee Fautsch, vice president of sales for home furnishings. "That seat spring is the foundation upon which our furniture, and our excellent reputation for quality and comfort, is built. Westbridge understands that the unique visual representation of our spring, along with its lifetime guarantee, makes for a very compelling story."
Flexsteel's seat springs will be exported to the United Kingdom for use in the Westbridge-built upholstery.
Westbridge Furniture was founded in 2004 as part of the Belfield Group and headquartered in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales. Westbridge sells to independent furniture retailers and high-end department stores throughout the United Kingdom. Employing more than 600 people at three certified green factories, Westbridge markets three levels upholstered goods: Westbridge, Flexsteel Lounge, and Spirit.
"We are very enthusiastic about our relationship with Westbridge Furniture," Fautsch said. "This is an outstanding company with visionary leadership. We're eager to work with them to introduce the Flexsteel brand throughout the U.K. and to expand global distribution."
Westbridge is taking orders and building the furniture, featuring the Flexsteel brand name, at its own factories in Great Britain. While the style, scale, and cushioning components are unique to Westbridge, specifically designed to meet U.K. customer needs and European industry standards, the Flexsteel Lounge pieces will feature Flexsteel's American-made blue steel seat spring in the frame construction.
"We were drawn to Flexsteel Industries because of the company's high quality standards, legendary seat spring and strong reputation for dependability," said Steve Hampton, chief executive of Belfield Furnishings and Westbridge. "We also believe we share a common culture and common values. Flexsteel enjoys a powerful, positive image in the furniture industry and is well-respected for its long history of success, capable leadership, and financial strength. We are excited for the opportunity to help build the Flexsteel brand in the UK and we are confident we will be successful in doing so."
February 27,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Upholstery on February 28, 2013
Kincaid Furniture's Upholstery Division in Taylorsville, N.C., has not had a single lost-time accident since April 10, 2007.
To celebrate the plants safety milestone of almost six years without a single loss-time accident the Kincaid plant hosted a cookout lunch for employees.
Safety is our number one goal. The 87 employees in our Taylorsville plant are to be commended for their ongoing efforts to increase safety awareness, said Reggie Propst, senior vice president of operations for Kincaid Furniture. Also Stephanie St. Pierre, Kincaid director of safety and compliance, along with the plants management team has done a fantastic job emphasizing the importance of safety and to implement the best safety practices in industrial safety and health.
Other keys to the companys safety success include the institution of a plant-wide process reengineering that improved efficiency and cleanliness, implementing safety reminders that are shared with all employees and ongoing management involvement and feedback.
Besides controlling costs, having a safer manufacturing plant has improved attendance and plant morale along with promoting an increased sense of teamwork and accomplishment, Propst said.
February 27,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on February 28, 2013
from http://www.highpoint.edu/blog/2013/02/furniture-company-to-produce-interior-design-seniors-project/
A project created by Emma Newell, a senior at High Point University, could soon be found in dorm rooms across the country. The interior design major recently won a class competition with a double armoire design presented to furniture retailer FOB, based in Charlotte.
The design combines two armoires with a desk in the middle. Newell designed the piece for dorm rooms, with both students and parents in mind.
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February 26,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Financial Reports on February 27, 2013
from http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2013/02/27/culp-reports-rise-in-net-income-saless.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search
High Point-based fabric maker Culp Inc. reported that its net income and sales grew during the company's most recent quarter, as demand for its mattress fabrics business grew.
Net income for Culp (NYSE: CFI) increased to $2.8 million during the third quarter of the 2013 fiscal year, up from $1.8 million a year earlier.
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February 26,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Legal on February 27, 2013
Whalen Furniture Mfg. Inc. and Walker Edison Furniture Co. have reached an agreement to settle their existing patent dispute.
Both companies manufacture and sell ready-to-assemble, flat-panel-television mounting systems.
Under the agreement, the parties have agreed that Walker Edison will discontinue all sales of all 3-in-1 mounting systems, although Walker Edison may sell off its current inventory of products that were at issue in the litigation.
Whalen had filed the lawsuit in December 2011 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Whalen, based in San Diego, also does business as Bayside Furnishings. Its major retail customers include Costco.
Walker Edison, based in Salt Lake City, is a family owned business, currently directed by the second generation. The company manufactures a wide range of home entertainment, home office, casual dining, occasional, outdoor living products and youth bedroom in styles ranging from traditional, transitional, contemporary to modern industrial. Specialists in drop-ship to the consumer, Walker Edison sell through e-commerce retailers and traditional retailers.