June 14,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on June 2007
Shermag, Sherbrooke, Quebec, said softness in the U.S. furniture market and the weakening U.S. dollar contributed to a 29.2 percent drop in net revenue during the company’s fourth quarter. The company, which reports its results in Canadian dollars, posted a loss of $4.1 million for the quarter.
For the company’s fiscal year, net revenue declined 17.4 percent to $155.9 million, with a net loss of $17.6 million. A year earlier, the company had a net loss of $30.6 million due, in part, to plant closings and other restructuring costs. Over the past year, the company has announced plans to close two factories and consolidate others as it shifts more sourcing to Asia.
“Shermag ends the year with much progress, including 36 percent of the company’s revenue being produced outside of Canada,” said President and CEO Jeff Casselman. “During the past two years, our workforce has been reduced by half and there has been significant consolidation in company facilities.”
The company currently has 1,200 workers and nine factories, down from 16 two years ago.
“Notwithstanding these measures, further consolidation will likely be required. The current conditions of market and currency mean that we must further reduce our expense base to bring costs in line with revenues. Shermag’s Asian production will continue to increase,” Casselman said.
June 14,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Markets on June 2007
The San Francisco Mart will host what it’s billing as the first trade show dedicated to eco-friendly home furnishings and design. The two-day “Live Green, Live Well” show is scheduled to debut at the Mart September 19-20.
The show will offer a full range of home furnishings products and price points from established and emerging manufacturers that are using greener raw materials and/or manufacturing methods.
Live Green, Live Well aims to give attendees innovative and practical ways to incorporate sustainability into their design projects and retail showrooms. Product offerings include furniture, accessories and art to floor coverings and small appliances; and educational programs feature displays, seminars and demonstrations.
The expo will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 19, earmarked as the education day and co-sponsored by the American Society of Interior Designers; and 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20. Entrance to the exhibit hall will be complimentary to all trade professionals. Fees will be charged for all seminars.
“At the San Francisco Mart, we want to encourage designers and retailers to enrich their own eco-consciousness, and that of their clients and customers, by familiarizing them with green products and practices,” said Roseann Carini, the Mart’s general manager. “Compared with related industries, such as architecture and building products, the home furnishings component is in its infancy, yet demand is reaching an extraordinary level, especially in Northern California. Our designers have told us their clients are extremely eager to find eco-friendly home furnishings. Live Green, Live Well will help them discover products that align with their own and their clients’ personal values and style.”
According to a recent AHFA survey, 76 percent of the U.S. population believes it is important to purchase earth-friendly home products, and 72 percent report they would pay up to 10 percent more for eco-friendly furnishings.
As of June 13, Live Green, Live Well exhibitors include: Beronio Lumber, Brand Kitchens & Design, Ceramic Tile Design, Decima Island Designs, Eco-terric, Falcon Waterfree Technologies, Green Home Center, Gustave Carlson Design, Knu, Liberty Valley Doors, NextEnergy, PermLight Products, Peti Antk, South Cone, Sustainable Spaces, and the Sustainable Furniture Council.
Show management will accept exhibitors based on an application that requires manufacturers to state their company’s environmental position statement, as well as list environmental certifications, affiliations and memberships.
For exhibitor information, contact Dawn McCann at dmccann@sfmart.com or (415) 437-7131; for speaking opportunities, Ellen Hall at ehall@sfmart.com or (513) 932-7304; and for registration information, Guest Services at buyerservices@sfmart.com or (415) 552-2311.
June 14,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on June 2007
Magnussen Home Furnishings has received its Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism certification from the U.S. Customs Border Protection Agency.
As part of the company’s commitment to improving efficiency and security of its supply chain worldwide, the company started the certification process about two years ago. Developed after 9/11 as a voluntary program, C-TPAT’s mission is to detect and prevent terrorists and terrorist weaponry from entering the U.S. while facilitating the orderly and efficient flow of legitimate trade through the country’s borders.
“In the past, our biggest concern was how to move goods quickly and efficiently, said Richard Magnussen, chairman and chief executive officer of Magnussen. “Today, in this age of global terrorism, security has become an equally important priority for our company and our retail partners in order to move goods more quickly through customs.”
C-TPAT certification is a three-step process, including acceptance into the program, validation by the CBP, and final validation by the CBP after demonstrating best practices. Magnussen Home received certification after final verification visits, and extensive review of all security processes by CBP specialists earlier this spring at the company’s Riverside Distribution Center in California, and its Asian Distribution Center and factory in Vietnam.
Magnussen said the certification will ultimately benefit the company’s customers.
“This certification is just another way in which Magnussen Home is meeting its goals of on-time, on-cost and on-delivery,” he said. “This, combined with the new technologies we’re putting into place to ensure the safe transit of our products across international borders, will ensure the security and efficiency of our supply chain worldwide.”
June 14,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Home Office on June 2007
Baker Manufacturing’s NEXT height-adjustable table series won the Gold award in the 2007 Best of NeoCon 2007 product competition in the Height-Adjustable Worksurfaces category.
The NEXT line of from Baker, Pineville, La., will be offered exclusively through Herman Miller’s distribution channe.The legs on the Next table are independent with no connector bar, and can be attached to any table surface, and spaced apart for different widths, as needed. This design makes the table light and mobile while maximizing legroom and storage room beneath.
June 14,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on June 2007
The American Society of Furniture Designers is accepting applications for the 2007 Pinnacle Design Achievement Awards for outstanding design in home furnishings.
The deadline for submissions is Aug. 1. An awards gala is scheduled for Oct. 1, the opening day of the High Point Market.
Go to
www.asfdpinnacle.com/downloads for specific details about the 15 categories, eligibility criteria, entry requirements and to download the entry form. For more information, or to receive a 2007 Pinnacle poster and entry kit, contact Christine Evans, ASFD executive director at info@asfd.com or call (910) 576-1273.