Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
December 18,
2008 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on December 19, 2008
Scott Young, senior vice president of merchandising and product development for Bradington-Young, has resigned from the Cherryville, N.C.-based upscale leather seating specialist and division of Hooker Furniture Corp.
"Since rejoining the company in 1995, Scott’s contributions have helped shape Bradington-Young into the company it is today," said Alan Cole, president and chief executive officer of Hooker's Upholstery Division, which includes Bradington-Young and custom cover-to-frame chair specialist Sam Moore. "Along with his father, Charlie, Scott merchandised the product line and grew sales and production to an industry leading position in the higher end leather upholstery market. More recently, he merchandised the Seven Seas imported leather products that have been important to Bradington-Young's growth."
Until early this year, Young had served as president and CEO of Bradington-Young before opting to assume a role more focused on product development. As President and CEO, he was instrumental in the sale of Bradington-Young to Hooker Furniture in 2002.
"We wish Scott the best in his future efforts,” Cole said.
December 18,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Mattresses on December 19, 2008
Spring Air, Tampa, Fla., has teamed with a leading retailer in Israel, Dr. Gav, to enter the country's $110 million bedding market. The company's Back Supporter Classic and Four Seasons lineups will be featured in 14 showrooms across Israel.
According to an announcement Thursday, the mattresses will initially be built in Spring Air's New Brunswick, N.J., factory. But, Dr. Gav, which means "back" in Hebrew, will open a new factory in Israel in the spring to produce the mattresses. The retailer will supply other retailers as well. Dr. Gav, which was founded in 1984, also expects to add four to six additional showrooms in 2009.
According to Thursday's announcement, the retailer had carried Simmons, but dropped the line in favor of Spring Air.
"When we looked at how best to improve our mattress lineup we were taken by the research and expertise of Spring Air in the back support arena. They were the logical choice for us to partner with," said Yossi Elboher, CEO, Dr. Gav.
December 18,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on December 19, 2008
Design Professionals of North Carolina has honored High Point Market Authority President and CEO Brian Casey for aiding the organization's successful efforts to pass two bills in the North Carolina Legislature that prohibited sales taxes on interior design services.
The organization is an alliance of professionals from the Carolinas chapters of the American Society of Interior Design (ASID), the Interior Design Society (IDS), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and the High Point Design Center (HPDC). Earlier this year, the group came together to challenge efforts by the North Carolina Department of Revenue to target interior design firms of all sizes.
In a news release Thursday, the group said Casey attended an early meeting on the issue and later addressed the state Senate Finance Committee on the contention of designers that the rules were unfair.
"He helped the Senators understand the importance of interior designers to the industry, High Point and the North Carolina economy, and he spoke about the broader impact of what this issue meant for the High Point Market and the State of North Carolina," said Susan Carson of Susan Carson Associates, who led the initiative together with Emmy Williams of Interior Solutions. "In doing so, he helped make a difference for all the designers in the state today, and those that will come after us in this great profession."
Carson and Williams were recently honored with the ASID Carolinas Service Award.
December 18,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on December 19, 2008
Former Stanley Furniture President and CEO Jeff Scheffer has been named President and CEO of Universal Furniture, parent company Samson Holding Ltd. announced on Monday.
Scheffer succeeds Randy Chrisley, who's been named to the new position of President of Lacquer Craft-USA, another division of Samson Holding.
"We are very pleased to have a person of Jeff's proven capabilities join our company to head up Universal Furniture," said Samson Holdings Chairman Samuel Kuo. "He has a proven track record, and has both the vision and character to lead the management team and Universal brands.”
Scheffer reports to Kevin O'Connor, president and CEO of Samson Marketing, the company's U.S. operational unit.
"I enjoyed working with Randy Chrisley over the last several years and am sure he will continue to make a valuable contribution to our corporation," O'Connor said. "I am delighted to be working with Jeff and Universal team during these tough economical conditions to build the business."
Chrisley has been with Universal Furniture for seven years--the first three years as vice president of Sales, and the last four as president and CEO.
In his new position Chrisley will work directly with Lacquer Craft Manufacturing and will focus on alternative channels of distribution in the furniture industry currently not addressed by the Group’s two other brands Legacy Classic and Universal Furniture.
Prior to Stanley, Scheffer's experience includes president of American Drew Furniture and vice president sales at Universal Furniture before Samson's acquisition of Universal Furniture in 2001.
December 18,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in economic news on December 19, 2008
Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets has issued a new report, "Vietnam Sourcing Report: Indoor & Outdoor Furniture," that said the country has increased its wood products exports increase 1000 percent since 2000, from $200 million to $2.36 billion in 2007.
The report identified several key trends we see in Vietnam's indoor and outdoor furniture industry:
* Exports in the category are expected to see robust growth in the next 12 months, with a slight change in main export markets.
* While the United States is the biggest importer of Vietnam-made furniture, many suppliers will target the European Union in the coming months.
* Most, if not all, suppliers will increase export prices by end 2008 to early 2009. The rising production costs has prompted suppliers to implement price adjustments. However, suppliers will limit increases to 15 percent.
* In the next 12 months, many suppliers will focus R&D efforts on models with contemporary styles and colors, and feature multifunction
The report includes in-depth profiles of 17 major suppliers with a comprehensive look at their product and pricing strategy, manufacturing and export capability, and verified contact details; profile tables of 20 additional suppliers, with information such as production capacities, export capabilities and key export markets; a Product Gallery featuring 109 full-color images that depict popular furniture exports, complete with product descriptions, prices, minimum order requirements and delivery times; results of the custom-designed supplier survey, which forecasts industry trends for the next 12 months; and verified supplier contact details, including names, e-mails, telephone numbers and Web sites of profiled makers.
Vietnam's Ministry of Trade anticipates continuous growth, with exports of wooden products expected to reach $5.5 billion by 2010.
Click here for more information.