Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
January 25,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on January 26, 2010
Memory foam mattress manufacturer Anatomic Global, Corona, Calif., has joined with five of its key suppliers and Parakletos International to donate specially designed "transitional" sleep surface products to displaced Haitians.
Parakletos, a national cooperative effort of the Calvary Chapel Churches, has already delivered the first of these "WorldBed" products to a clinic in Jacmel in Southern Haiti, an area still cut off from Portau-Prince and without aid from any outside resource. At the same time, another 500 WorldBeds are being shipped this week.
Several thousand of these transitional mattress products will continue to be shipped until the company reaches its goal of supplying 200,000 pieces, which is what Anatomic Global expects the Haitian need to be in the coming months.
The specially designed, cot-sized mattresses are made of visco-memory foam and conventional foam. To provide moisture resistance during the upcoming rainy season, the beds are encased in a rugged nylon and vinyl cover. Each WorldBed also has a carry strap so it can be rolled and secured and actually carried over ones shoulder, a feature that anticipates the camp and migration issues that lay ahead for the Haitians.
Joining Anatomic Global in this initiative are its key suppliers, FXI Foamex Innovations, UPS, Deslee Textiles USA, Royal Packaging and the Brookwood Companies. For the group, this is the second such time they have manufactured the WorldBed, the first being in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when they made 3,000 units that ended up benefitting more than 11,000 temporary residents of the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, La.
In addition to this announcement, Anatomic Global said it was re-investing its corporate profits from all operations for the first quarter of 2010 to manufacture WorldBeds for Haitian relief.
"There has never been concentrated destruction and human tragedy of the scale seen in Haiti," said Anatomic Global CEO David Farley. "We learned from our Katrina relief effort that in the early stages of a disaster, there are very specific sleep surface needs that align with FEMA's sustainable disaster relief phases, that displaced persons require and we wanted to use that expertise to help--and do it quickly. This effort is part of Anatomic Global's corporate genetic code and we are grateful to our business partners who share this responsibility with us."
Farley said that many of Anatomic Globals distributors and retailers were also in the process of joining the program along with other suppliers. He has also welcomed other mattress manufacturers to work with Anatomic Global on this initiative. Each product includes care and use instructions and an announcement in English, French and Creole, stating it is a gift from members of the U.S. bedding industry.
"We welcome everyone to join with us in this critical project. We have developed the specifications, manufacturing and logistical program and welcome the participation of others in this effort," he added.
Anatomic Global Inc. focuses on the manufacture and supply of U.S.-made, environmentally-friendly mattresses and bedding. The company upholds a 360-degree green manufacturing commitment in three ways: by developing applications for its innovative and sustainable plant-based formulas; by leading the industry with its zero-air emissions manufacturing process; and by applying the most efficient direct-to-store and consumer-direct delivery methods for a reduced carbon footprint.
In 2008, the company launched the Ecomfort Mattress brand of mattresses featuring its signature, patented EcoMemoryFoam extreme open-cell plant-based memory foam. For more information, click
here.
January 25,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on January 26, 2010
The American Chiropractic Association announced its endorsement on Monday of the La-Z-Boy line of reclining furniture.
A panel of doctors of chiropractic determined that La-Z-Boy reclining furniture's benefits include:
* No added back strain: A patented three-position legrest offers a choice of locking positions to keep the back reclined.
* Multiple reclining angles: A patented reclining mechanism allows for 18 incremental tilt positions to fit different comfort preferences.
* More comfort options: An independent back recline feature allows the user to recline the back of the chair with the legrest in the closed position.
* Total body support: A patented full-layout recline position means the user can kick back and stretch out for full-body relaxation.
"Over the years we've heard from many customers that La-Z-Boy reclining chairs and sofas helped to relieve back pain," said Doug Collier, chief marketing officer for La-Z-Boy. "It's helpful to know that America's leading chiropractic organization also recognizes the benefits of our reclining furniture. We are proud to have the endorsement of the American Chiropractic Association, which represents the highest standard of quality in chiropractic care."
"Eight out of every 10 Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives," said ACA President Rick McMichael DC. "Some patients may even have difficulty finding a comfortable position for resting. Relaxing in a supportive chair in a reclined position can provide the necessary positioning to get that much-needed rest. ACA is pleased to endorse La-Z-Boy reclining furniture that provides users with comfort and support."
January 25,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Advertising on January 26, 2010
An advertising industry legend will be speak during the "Business Survival Series" next week at the Las Vegas Market to share his insight into digital branding in a multi-channel world.
Stan Richards, founder and principal of The Richards Group, will be presented by the Western Home Furnishings Association and the World Market Center. Richards will address the changing media landscape and the impact
The seminar will be held Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m. Richards will share innovative and engaging ways retail marketers can use the Internet as a branding channel. He will analyze cutting-edge brands that are harnessing the power of new technologies to make an emotional connection that will propel them into the future.
Richards founded The Richards Group as a freelance practice after graduating from Pratt Institute in New York. Over the next 20 years, it became one of the nations premier creative resources. His work has received awards in virtually every major competition, and Richards himself has garnered dozens of honors. He's been
ADWEEK's "Top Creative" four times, one of
The Wall Street Journal's "Giants of Our Time" and
Inc. magazine's "Entrepreneur of the Year." Richards, along with Walter Cronkite, Ted Turner and Bill Moyers, has received the University of Texas' Reddick Award for leadership in communication. In 1999, he achieved the highest honor in his fieldelection to the Art Directors Hall of Fame. Fellow laureates include Walt Disney, Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol.
Western Home Furnishings Association and the World Market Center Las Vegas have joined forces to bring the Business Survival Series to the next level. With WHFAs Academy Series enjoying great success in the Retailer Resource Center, B-1630, it was natural for the organizations to work together to co-brand this series.
We are thrilled to work together on this project. Both staffs have researched the best business speakers and icons to be found and look forward to a very inspiring series, said Sharron Bradley, WHFAs executive director. We each bring unique skills to the table and any time we can partner in this industry, we all win.
For more information on seminars taking place during the Las Vegas Market, click
here or
here.
January 25,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on January 26, 2010
Ed Tashjian has joined case goods and motion upholstery vendor Home Meridian International, High Point, as chief marketing officer.
Most recently, Tashjian ran his own marketing business. Until March last year, he served as vice president of marketing at Century Furniture for 11 years before his position there was eliminated due to the poor economy.
HMI is a global design and marketing company that operates distribution centers on both coasts. The company has offices in Dongguan, China, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is the parent company of Pulaski Furniture, Samuel Lawrence Furniture, Samuel Lawrence Hospitality, Creation's juvenile furniture and, as of last week, Prime Resources International.
January 25,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Markets on January 26, 2010
World Market Center Las Vegas, is launching a free, downloadable Smartphone application to provide attendees of the Feb. 1-5 Las Vegas Market and the Feb. 1-3 InspireDesign show with quick and easy mobile access of exhibitors and events during the events.
To download the World Market Center Las Vegas Market App, iPhone and iTouch users may go to the Apple App Store within iTunes and search for "World Market Center Las Vegas."
With this ground-breaking app, attendees can search for thousands of products and exhibitors by product category or company name; view maps of every floor of all World Market Center buildings with the ability to zoom and scroll from their mobile devices; download information on numerous seminars, showroom events and parties sorted by day of the week or event types and include their favorites by creating personalized agendas; and keep up with industry and event happenings by leveraging the social "buzz" features including seamless integration with Twitter.
For exhibitors at Las Vegas Market, the application offers sponsorship opportunities for banner ads that can link attendees to manufacturer's new products and other company information.
"With the growing importance of mobile technology and social media, especially for trade show attendees who want to stay connected at market, this first-of-its-kind application is a very exciting development and speaks to the New World, New Way of attending market," said Robert Maricich, president and CEO of World Market Center Las Vegas. "Developed exclusively for World Market Center, this application will give iPhone users a completely wireless experience at Las Vegas Market and InspireDesign, enabling market-goers the ability to easily access exhibitor and event information, strengthen social communities and share information with others--all from their touch of their Smartphone."
In the future, World Market Center Las Vegas plans to further enhance this technology across all of its shows and events, as well as develop applications for other Smartphone operating systems such as Blackberry.
The application, which helps to reduce paper waste during Market, is in line with World Market Center's focus to implement environmentally responsible decisions in its business operations. World Market Center regularly recycles packing material, and has put into circulation environmentally-friendly products whenever possible, from water bottles, paper and plastic materials that contain a higher level of recyclable material.
"Convention experts say the trend toward greener behavior at meetings and tradeshows is taking hold," Maricich said. "We pride ourselves in being a cutting-edge market with a commitment to sustainability. We are committed to continued development of other facets of this new technological tool for the benefit of the industry."