Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Delivery on March 30, 2011
Supply chain specialist Zenith Global has acquired the former Boyles Furniture building in Conover, N.C., for a combined headquarters and warehousing operation.
The move boosts the company's home furnishings storage and handling capacity by more than 30 percent in North Carolina. The new Zenith Global corporate headquarters gives the company 242,000 square feet of warehouse, furniture repair, home delivery, and corporate office space.
"As our business has grown, we've expanded strategically throughout North America and Asia, but for some time now we've really needed a larger headquarters facility here in North Carolina," said Jack Hawn, president and CEO. "The availability of this building, which will increase our capacity in multiple areas, came at the perfect time."
Hawn added that the new facility's increased capacity and dedicated operational areas will enable Zenith to continue to expand value-enhancing services.
"When we're able to help a shipper improve the quality of the products sent to its stores or when we create an improved consumer experience for a retailer through a more efficient, effective home delivery service, we know we've accomplished what we set out to do," Hawn said.
Zenith Global Logistics is a total supply chain logistics provider specializing exclusively in home furnishings. Internationally, the company services North America, the Caribbean and Europe with warehousing, consolidation and full/split container programs originating from multiple Asia locations. Domestically, the company owns and operates its own truck fleet as well as transportation hubs and more than 4.5 million square feet of warehousing, including facilities in Southern California, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia. Zenith Global provides national home delivery service to all points in the United States and Canada through a network of company-owned delivery operations and local market providers.
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on March 30, 2011
Upholstery vendor Massoud Furniture has introduced a new Web site that makes it easier for consumers to search the company's collection of frames, fabrics, leathers and custom capabilities.
The Web site is powered by
MicroD's ePiphany platform.
"Our new site helps consumers pre-shop for custom upholstery by putting our entire selection at their fingertips with 24/7 accessibility," said Tom Skipper, Massoud president. "And, the site's new trade portal arms our dealers and designers with instant access to vital, up-to-date information to more effectively service these consumers."
The site gives Massoud retailers inventory and shipping status, along with weekend access to information previously available only by calling the factory during business hours, he said.
In addition, the sites ePreVue platform gives dealers the chance to work with customers in the showroom as well positioning the Massoud site as a valuable POS tool.
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on March 30, 2011
The High Point Market Authority will move to the seventh floor of the historic Radio Building in downtown High Point after the upcoming Spring Market.
As of April 15, the HPMA's new address will be 164 South Main St., Suite 700, High Point, N.C. 27260. All phone numbers and e-mail addresses for the HPMA and its staff will remain the same.
"The Radio Building is a city landmark and has had a strong presence in High Point," said Brian Casey, president and CEO of the High Point Market Authority. "Although it retains amazing architectural details that give the building character and charm, it has been thoroughly updated to serve the modern needs of a business office."
Furniture manufacturers have made donations to the new offices, each of which will be recognized with plaques in the Market Authority headquarters. Sponsors include: Aspenhome, Coaster Company of America, Lexington Home Brands, Jesper Office, Kincaid Furniture, and Sligh Furniture Company. Lexington also donated furniture for the lobby area.
The eight-story Renaissance Revival-style Radio Building, formerly known as the Commercial National Bank building, is one of High Point's principle early 20th-century landmarks. Architect Charles C. Hartmann, who had been recruited from New York to design the Jefferson-Pilot Building in nearby Greensboro, designed the building in 1921.
With its position at the corner of Main and Commerce Streets, the Commercial National Bank building sat in the heart of High Points business center. Eventually, as High Point Market grew and the bank moved to new headquarters, Lambeth Enterprises Inc., owner of the building beginning in 1945, began converting several floors to showroom space, although non-furniture-related businesses are also tenants in the building. In addition WMFR-AM Radio broadcasts from the eighth floor, as it has since 1935, giving the building its current moniker, The Radio Building.
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on March 30, 2011
Ready-to-assemble furniture vendor Bush Inds., Jamestown, N.Y., is expanding its nationwide sales force.
Under the direction of Karl Eulberg, vice president of sales, the sales team expansion includes 10 additional independent sales representatives in six geographic regions from coast-to-coast and will support the company's re-entry in the retail furniture market.
"I'm truly excited to be building a strong sales team with such extensive experience and knowledge of the furniture industry," said Eulberg. "At Bush, we are dedicated to recruiting and training highly skilled professionals to represent our brands and introduce more of our products to the retail market. The 10 additional independent sales representatives are just the beginning of our stronger sales force."
Bringing more than 20 years of sales management experience with global furniture manufacturers, Eulberg leads the sales effort for Bush's Home Furnishings channel, which includes the new kathy ireland Office by Bush Furniture line. Prior to joining Bush, Eulberg served for six years as vice president of sales and marketing for kathy ireland Home by Martin, and another 10 years with
Martin Home Furnishings and the brand as a manufacturer's representative responsible for the Colorado and Utah sales territories.
"Since joining our company earlier this year, Karl has played a pivotal role in creating new multi-channel sales opportunities for Bush Industries," said Jim Sherbert, CEO. "We're thrilled to be adding new team members to the Bush family and increasing our reach across the country. As we expand the kathy ireland Office line, our new sales team will be critical and a driving force in guaranteeing success."
The expanded team includes the addition of David Benitah, who has joined the company as territory manager for New England.
"Bush is a well-respected, value-focused organization and I'm excited to join its new sales team," Benitah said. "I believe the new kathy ireland Office products complement my current lines and will be well received by my customers in the New England market."
At the upcoming
High Point Furniture Market, Bush will showcase the kathy ireland Office by Bush Furniture line, and also will unveil several new products that expand the kathy ireland Office line among its four distinctive collections with pieces that provide a complete family work and play environment. Bush returns to the Market in IHFC-W941.
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on March 30, 2011
The Sustainable Furnishings Council will stage a unique public event, "The Great Buzz Off," at High Point Furniture Market.
The event, 5 p.m., Monday, April 4 will feature television personality and designer Thom Filicia as emcee, and award-winning home fashion designer Raymond Waites, as well as multiple manufacturer member partners.
The Great Buzz Off will present a side-by-side demonstration of the differences between sustainable and ordinary products by cutting them apart with knives, scissors or a circular saw. It will feature comparisons between both upholstered and case goods, with each layer progressively peeled away and explained--organic textiles vs. polyester, recycled milk jugs vs. spun Dacron, solid and/or certified wood vs. mdf and veneer, water-based finish vs. varnish, recycled iron springs vs. standard, etc.
"It will be noisy, it will be messy and hopefully a lot of fun for everyone involved," said SFC President Jeff Hiller. "It will proceed first with the case goods demonstration, with each component issue being presented point for counterpoint, and finish with the upholstery demonstration."
The event will be staged on the SFC platform next to the party tent between Showplace and IHFC, and provide a lead-in to the Market Authority's Monday night concert and party.
The goals are three-fold: First, to create a high profile spectacle that raises awareness and interest in the SFC and its members; second, to communicate meaningful points of difference in sustainable goods; and third, to present the sustainability story in a colorful, engaging way.
SFC members Vanguard Furniture, Lazar Furniture, Columbia Forest Products and Guildmaster are sponsoring manufactures whose products will be displayed and cut in half during the event.
In the hours leading up to the Great Buzz Off, the SFC will sponsor a complementary program, the "Green Supply Chain," to gain media and public attention and drive traffic to the event. SFC will recruit participants to walk around High Point holding onto a rope and handing out maps/brochures to everyone they meet.
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on March 30, 2011
Universal Furniture has launched an all new Web site that personalizes the ways consumers can shop while expanding the extranet functions for dealers.
"We know that most consumers do their homework online before ever stepping into a store, so a great deal of thought went into creating a site that is easy to navigate and intuitive to use," said Steven Lush, Universal vice president sales for the eastern region and manager of the Web site project. "Our goals are to capture her attention with a fresh, vibrant website design; to make it easy to quickly find what she is looking for; and to drive her into the nearest Universal retailer where she can make her purchase."
Thus the site reflects the company's tagline and goal to create "good, affordable, smart design" that is both aspirational and attainable. Smart navigation options provide multiple browsing paths so visitors may browse the site by room, by item or by style. She can then narrow her search by filtering the results in several ways, including by size and by special smart product features. Whenever a piece catches her eye, she can choose to print it, e-mail to a friend, or save to a personalized favorites folder. Or, if she prefers, the site goes one step further, giving her the choice to digitally scroll through each collections catalog, page by page.
The home page also presents revolving aspirational photography of the four Universal brands--Better Homes and Gardens by Universal Furniture, Paula Deen Home Collection from Universal Furniture, Pennsylvania House and Universal Furniture. It also includes micro sites with independent URLs for each brand and is fully optimized for maximum searchability.
"Consumers today are not only looking for style but for function," Lush said. "We have included detailed product information, FAQs focused on the questions that consumers really do ask, and a conversational blog with style tips and trends, which will allow us to highlight new collections and key items in greater detail."
Visitors also may sign up for a monthly e-mail newsletter.
For dealers, the extensive image library of high resolution photography may be downloaded without a login while the enhanced password-protected extranet now offers inventory availability, shipping status and sales reports.
March 29,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on March 30, 2011
Home furnishings vendor Powell Co. will recognize confirmed orders at Spring High Point Furniture Market by giving retailers an iPad2 or MacBook Pro.
"We have had great success with this popular promotion over the past five markets so we are continuing it," said John Conrad, Powell senior vice president of merchandising. "For a placed and confirmed order of $10,000 in our High Point showroom we will give our retailers the recently released iPad2 to take home with them. And for a placed and confirmed order of $20,000 in our High Point showroom they will get the new MacBook Pro to take with them. This is our way of showing appreciation for helping us speed-up new items for production."
The new iPad2 was recently released in early March. It has a lighter thinner design, works faster, front and rear cameras for FaceTime video calling, HD video recording and ten hours of battery life.
"Our retailers will be able to use this hot new technology for not only sharing information with their customers on their sales floor but also for keeping in touch with them as new selections arrive," said Clay Ackard, Powell vice president of sales.
For larger orders, the retailer will take home a MacBook Pro 2011, which has state-of-the-art processors, all new graphics and HD FaceTime camera with better resolution along with improved low-light performance.
"The MacBooks will also help them grow their business as they keep up with the technology revolution that is taking this industry by storm," Ackard said.