Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
December 29,
2008 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on December 30, 2008
The Tri-State Home Furnishings Association has awarded its Retailer of the Year Award to Rosen's Furniture, which has a 90-year history in East Stroudsburg, Pa.
The Tri-State Home Furnishings Association represents retailers and manufacturers in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Retailer of the Year Award recognizes healthy business practices, store design and professionalism. It was presented by 2007 winner Charles Liebman of N.B. Liebman Furniture in Mechanicsburg, Pa.
December 29,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on December 30, 2008
New York-based Sleep Analytics has introduced a mattress called BioPosture that will be available through Doctors of Chiropractic, the company announced Monday.
"Chiropractors often treat patients with headaches, fatigue, back, joint and muscle pain," said Thomas Williams, president and CEO of BioPosture. "Many of these problems can directly relate to individual sleep habits and environments and our patented-production-process BioPosture mattresses and pillows have been formulated to address these issues."
Dr. Louis E. Bisogni, a New-York-based chiropractor, said, "BioPosture products help you sleep in natural balance, leading to overall improvements in health. People with joint sensitivity due to arthritis and other conditions benefit from the BioPosture foam that adapts to body contours."
Bisogni is the chiropractor for a professional sports team and heads Bisogni Chiropractic Center in White Plains, N.Y., and Bisogni Chiropractic and Sports Care in Somers, N.Y.
The mattresses are made with the environment in mind with a bamboo-blend fabric and plant-based EcoMemory Foam. Each mattress is made to order, then roll-compressed and delivered via UPS in a biodegradable shipping bag. The BioOne mattress with a 10-inch profile is priced at $1,995.
December 29,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on December 30, 2008
World Market Center Las Vegas again held its annual Furniture Donation Day to benefit Las Vegas-based charities, which use the donated furniture, home accessories and artwork for shelters, fundraising purposes, and to brighten the homes of local families.
This year’s recipients are The Salvation Army and Opportunity Village. Major William Raihl, Clark County coordinator for The Salvation Army, said the furniture will be used to furnish a number of apartments for low-income tenants and used in The Salvation Army’s transitional housing complex. The Salvation Army also plans to use some pieces for program facilities and will sell others in its thrift shops to raise funds.
"It is always a joy to receive such quality gifts at any time, but especially at the end of the year when budgets are tight and replacement furnishings are hard to come by," Raihl said. "It is a wonderful privilege for The Salvation Army to partner with World Market Center Las Vegas. The furnishings will enhance our ability to provide services to those who need it most by helping us to have the necessary funds available."
Linda Smith, chief development officer for Opportunity Village, said Furniture Donation Day will help furnish and equip the new Engelstad Family Campus in Southwest Las Vegas, and selected items will be used in an upcoming silent auction to raise funds to help operate Opportunity Village, which services people with disabilities through its employment training centers and programming.
"Opportunity Village is fortunate to have the support of World Market Center Las Vegas," Smith said. "The executives and staff of World Market Center partnered with Opportunity Village after first arriving in Las Vegas. Proceeds from the public sales and from the upcoming Furniture Donation Day are a beacon of hope for thousands of disabled citizens and their families and (are) very much appreciated."
December 28,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in economic news on December 29, 2008
Consumer spending on all home furnishings, including furniture and bedding, rebounded in November, up 1.6 percent compared with October spending. Home furnishings spending in November was $408.2 billion. Measured against November 2007 spending, total home furnishings spending decreased 2.4 percent.
Spending on furniture and bedding plummeted in November, down 6.1 percent from this time last year to $78.8 billion. Compared with September spending, consumers spent 1.4 percent more on furniture and bedding in November.
On an annualized basis for the first 11 months of this year, furniture spending is $81.9 billion, down 3.8 percent from the comparable period last year.
Also based on the first 11 months of this year, consumer spending on all home furnishings is $414.4 billion, off 0.3 percent from the same period in 2007.
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) tracks consumer spending. Included in home furnishings is virtually everything in consumer homes, including home textiles, consumer electronics, home accents and major appliances. Antiques and valuable art are not included.
Sales of new houses slipped again in November, down 2.9 percent compared with October sales, to a seasonally adjusted 407,000, compared with a revised October figure of 419,000, based on a joint report issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Compared with November of last year, new house sales fell 35.3 percent.
The Northeast and the West regions posted gains, up 14.3 percent and 11 percent respectively, in sales, compared with October figures, with sales in the South off 7.1 percent and the Midwest falling 16.4 percent.
Measured against year-earlier sales, all four regions recorded significant drops. Sales in the Northeast fell 27.3 percent, the Midwest declined 34.9 percent, the South slid 38.1 percent and the West skidded 32.2 percent.
Weekly Review of Economic News (WREN) reports are summaries of recently released economic statistical data that affect the home furnishings industry. WREN reports are compiled by HFB Research Editor Janice Chamberlain.
December 28,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in sourcing/importing on December 29, 2008
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) issued a final determination last Monday that Chinese-made uncovered innerspring units for mattresses are being dumped in the U.S. market.
DOC assigned a country-wide rate of 234.51 percent for innerspring units. Several manufacturers investigated during the process received that rate. Those include Foshan Jingxin Steel Co. Ltd., High Hope International Group, Jiangsu Native Produce Import & Export Corp. Ltd. and Jiangsu Soho International Group Holding Co. Ltd.
Seven respondents to the petition received a separate rate of 164.75 percent. Those manufacturers are Anshan Yuhua Industrial Trade Co. Ltd., Wuxi Xihuisheng Commercial Co. Ltd., Hebei Yililan Furniture Co. Ltd., Nanjing Dongdai Furniture Co. Ltd., Xilinmen Furniture Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Sanmen Herod Mattress Co. Ltd. and Zibo Senbao Furniture Co. Ltd.
The case now goes to the International Trade Commission (ITC). If the ITC determines that the dumped goods materially damage the domestic innerspring industry, DOC will instruct Customs & Border Protection to assess anti-dumping duties on imports of the subject merchandise.
Leggett & Platt, Carthage, Mo., petitioned for the investigation. DOC estimated that Chinese manufacturers shipped $13.7 million in uncovered innerspring units for use in the U.S. market.