March 13,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Advertising on March 2007
TruckSkin, a leading provider of specialized fleet vehicle graphic programs, has been awarded the fleet re-branding program for Rent-A-Center, the leading rent-to-own operator in the United States.
Work has already begun on the project, which spans 700 locations and involves 1,100 delivery cube trucks and vans across 34 states.
Joe Lapekas, owner of TruckSkin, Traverse City, Mich., the company was awarded the re-branding project following a successful test.
“During the summer of 2006, we re-branded 85 trucks for Rent-A-Center’s Cash AdvantEdge program,” he said. “This involved locations in 10 states from Oregon to Hawaii. Not long after this task was completed, we began discussing the major undertaking to re-brand the vehicles Rent-A-Center acquired when they purchased their competitor, RentWay.”
There are approximately 600 delivery cube trucks and 500 vans in the process of being re-branded.
“We have completed the locations in the Southern states and are now focusing on installations in the North,” Lapekas said. “The project is more than 60 percent complete, and we are right on schedule to finish all vehicles in mid-April.”
The brightly colored flex face vinyl being installed by TruckSkin features Rent-A-Center product and brand messaging, and Lapekas noted that when Rent-A-Center is ready to update its message, TruckSkin’s changeable flex face graphics allow Rent-A-Center do so quickly, easily and economically.
March 13,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on March 2007
Furniture Brands International, St. Louis, announced Wednesday that the company expects sales in its current first quarter to be down 15 percent from a year ago.
In a release, Chairman and CEO Mickey Holliman said, “Retail conditions remain challenging across the industry and are softer than expected when we last commented on the business. We now expect net sales in the first quarter to be down nearly 15 percent versus a very strong first quarter last year. We also expect our net earnings per diluted common share to be in the 3 to 7 cent range.”
Results for the quarter will be reported on May 2. The company had previously said it expected earnings per share to be in the range of 12 cents to 17 cents.
FBI’s brands include Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville, Drexel Heritage, Henredon and Maitland-Smith.
March 12,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on March 2007
Market-goers and local businesses are invited to hit the pavement in the early morning hours before the opening of the Spring High Point Market as part of the home furnishings industry’s second annual Hike for Hope.
The one-hour event, a two-mile walk through downtown High Point, is an industrywide fundraiser for City of Hope, a leading cancer research and treatment center. The hike starts at 7:15 a.m., Sunday, March 25, the morning prior to market’s official start.
“The Hike for Hope is a chance for everyone connected to the home furnishings industry to show their support for the City of Hope,” said Jena Hall, co-chair of the National Home Furnishings Industry board. “Every year, the industry’s fundraising efforts for this vital organization are greatly appreciated by the doctors and researchers at City of Hope. But more important, it matters to the patients, whose lives we are helping to save. Unfortunately, cancer touches almost everyone’s life in one way or another.”
Organizers are encouraging manufacturers, retailers, designers, market showroom buildings, local businesses and other market-goers to participate in the Hike for Hope. The Hike will start promptly at 7:15 a.m., rain or shine, beginning at the High Point Market Transportation Terminal at the 200 Block, East Commerce Avenue. Refreshments will be served courtesy of the International Home Furnishings Center.
“We’re asking everyone connected to the High Point Market to get involved in this important event,” said Kimberley Wray, vice president of marketing at the High Point Market Authority. “The Hike for Hope is an opportunity for everyone to demonstrate their team spirit and raise funds for an important cause. At the same time, the event is also a unique marketing opportunity—enabling companies to promote their brands on the streets of downtown High Point. Participants can either add their company name to a tee-shirt specially designed by City of Hope for the event, or wear a tee-shirt (or other logo apparel) that promotes their company during the hike. Last year, Ashley Furniture flooded the streets with hundreds of sales representatives wearing Ashley’s signature orange at the inaugural walk. On that morning, the Ashley representatives not only helped to raise $50,000 for COH, they made quite a visual statement about the Ashley brand and their support of one of last year’s honorees, Todd Wanek.”
This year, Hike for Hope Grand Marshall Jeff Cook, newly named president of Broyhill Furniture Inds., will lead the procession through the streets of downtown.
Many market buildings, including IHFC and Market Square are supporting the event, and Tom Dayvault, president of the High Point Chamber of Commerce is getting the word out to local merchants.
“We are inviting all of the local businesses that serve the High Point Market to participate in the Hike as a show of support for the market,” Dayvault said.
A registration fee, which serves as a suggested donation to City of Hope, is $50.
“This is a suggested amount,” Hall said. “Individuals can of course invite others to sponsor them in the walk in order to raise funds, and everyone, whether they choose to walk or not, is invited to make a donation.”
Registration forms and tee-shirt templates may be downloaded at
www.highpointmarket.org/cityofhope. Volunteers from MGM Transport will also man the High Point Market Authority Information Booth on Saturday, March 24, the day prior to the hike, to collect donations and enable individuals to register for the walk on-site.
For information about group registration contact Ellen Gefen at (336) 884-5020 or via e-mail at ellen@thehome.com
March 12,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on March 2007
Universal Furniture International has named David Pinamonti senior vice president of sales and marketing. He reports to Randy Chrisley, president and chief executive officer.
Pinamonti will oversee all Universal Furniture sales and marketing efforts, and organize field and dealer input for product development.
Pinamonti comes to Universal from Broyhill Furniture, where until recently he served as senior vice president of worldwide sales. Before Broyhill, Pinamonti was senior vice president of marketing and sales with case goods importer A-America.
Pinamonti has more than 30 years of industry sales and marketing experience including Lenox China, Hunter-Douglas, and Stanley Furniture.
“As our new senior vice president, David brings an unmatched passion for the furniture business and the strategic expertise needed to ensure Universal’s growth,” Chrisley said in a release Monday. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the Universal team.”
March 12,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on March 2007
Red Egg Resources, an importer of Asian furniture reproductions, announced yesterday that it will shift production of its distinctly Chinese-style lacquer goods to two existing plants in North Carolina.
Red Egg is moving the manufacture of goods previously sourced in Asia to a small plant in Thomasville, N.C., that has specialized in chair production; and a medium-size case goods plant in Lexington, N.C. No other details were available on Red Egg’s new production by press time today.
The company’s new collection for High Point market, Double Happiness, will be produced at the new source plants. Red Egg counts on domestic production for Double Happiness, as well as future collections, to reduce lead times and offer more color options to customers.
In a statement, the company also cited environmental reasons for its move to North Carolina, including reduced energy needs by avoiding transport of goods from Asia.
Red Egg Resources was founded in 1997 as an importer of Chinese antiques and has grown to offer fresh products from around the world following the style direction of owner/designer Carol Gregg. The High Point-based company shows at the New York International Gift Fair and at High Point Market.