August 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on August 25, 2011
The National Sleep Foundation and mattress and pillow protector manufacturer Fabrictech have teamed to distribute sleep health educational materials to the public.
"Fabrictech is at the forefront of the sleep products industry and we're excited to be working with them to educate Americans about sleep health and safety and how to make the most of their bedroom environment," said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation, Washington, D.C. "Controlling nighttime allergies is a great way to improve your sleep."
Fabrictech's advanced allergen and wellness PureCare brand, which provides allergen, moisture, dust mite and bed bug protection, now will include a special National Sleep Foundation educational brochure in all products and the packages will bear the distinct National Sleep Foundation logo.
"Fabrictech is proud to be working with the National Sleep Foundation," said Jeff Bergman, Fabrictech's president and COO. "The National Sleep Foundation brand represents quality sleep and our core focus is to protect the well-being of the sleeper, by creating a healthier sleep environment. This partnership makes perfect sense and we are excited to join forces with the National Sleep Foundation to educate the public on better sleep."
Fabrictech's PureCare products are available in mattress retailers and specialty sleep shops nationwide. The partnership plans to announce more products soon.
August 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Financial Reports on August 25, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z5115061381&z=1250249032
Furniture maker La-Z-Boy said Tuesday it turned a $45.5-million profit in its fiscal first quarter, primarily because of a $43.4-million tax benefit, and its shares fell after hours. For the same period a year ago, the lounge chair maker recorded a loss of $216,000, which amounted to breaking even per share. This year's first-quarter net income amounted to 85 cents per share. The one-time tax gain came from cutting the valuation allowance on La-Z-Boy's deferred tax assets. Excluding that benefit, the company earned 4 cents per share. La-Z-Boy's revenue grew 6% to $280.1 million from $263.3 million. Analysts expected
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August 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on August 25, 2011
Bedding manufacturer Spring Air has introduced a comprehensive, multi-media marketing program for retailers to promote and reinforce its brand values, key product benefits and proprietary innovations.
The three-pronged, communications initiative focuses on Boston, Mass.-based Spring Air's primary business values embodying consumer trust, proper sleep support and innovation through exclusive, patented product designs.
"This is the most complete and integrated marketing launch we've ever undertaken," said Spring Air President Rick Robinson. "It encompasses virtually every touch point we can establish with our retail customers and with consumers."
The new program uses the power of emotion, evoked through a wide range of lifestyle scenes that "speak" to women, men, families, young adults and seniorsconsumers in virtually every stage of life and activity.
"We believe it's extremely important for consumers to understand who Spring Air is and what we stand for," Robinson said. "But we also know that to successfully communicate that, consumers first have to identify with and relate emotionally to what they're seeing, reading or hearing about us."
The marketing program covers every Spring Air branded line--Back Supporter, BS Perfect Balance, BS Sleep Sense and the newly introduced Sleep Sense BioMax line--while emphasizing at the same time the company's business tenets of trust, superior support and meaningful innovation.
Integrated in a broad range of media, the program offers three 60-second in-store videos plus 20- and 10-second retail TV commercials; backlit wall photography and lighted information stands; video or IPad demo stations and dimensional ceiling signage; in-store product brochures and pocket cards; top-of-bed components like coordinated pillow/foot dressings, protector labels and directional border labels that point out pressure relief and back support zones, plus an extensive library of direct mail and newspaper promotional materials.
The Spring Air Web site also has been redesigned to accommodate the new imagery and videos.
Each video is dedicated to one of the companys central messages: Trust in the name and brand (home page) expressed in the supered script "We've grown with you and your family"; support delivered by Back Supporter products (Back Supporter landing page), reinforced with the super "You are why we get up in the morning"; and Innovation (BioMax landing page), which emphasizes the new product's patented design and Specialty Sleep Association-documented eco-responsible components with the statement, "Spring Air¦taking care of you and our planet."
"This is yet another major step forward for our company and brand," Robinson noted. "Our objective is to continue enhancing the value of what Spring Air represents today in the minds of both retailers and consumers."
Spring Air has 13 manufacturing facilities in the United States and operates in 33 countries globally.
August 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on August 25, 2011
WithIt honored six industry professionals at its annual WOW Awards dinner and reception during its conference in Raleigh, N.C.
WOW Awards recognize the leadership achievements of exemplary individuals and/or companies who embody the organization's mission.
Aminy Audi, CEO and president of L. & J.G. Stickley, was presented the 2011 Legacy Award, which celebrates Audi's significant lifetime contributions to the home and furnishings industry.
"As I accept this award, I want to acknowledge my late husband, Alfred, with whom I was fortunate enough to share the journey of revitalizing the Stickley brand," Audi said. "For the Stickley team, no task is impossible, no deadline is unattainable and no
mountain is to high to climb."
Connie Lineberry, vice president of marketing, Sandow Media Retail Group, earned the inaugural Leadership Award, an honor WithIt created to recognize the contributions of a woman over age 40 who has demonstrated successful leadership in her company, WithIt and/or the home furnishings industry. Tom Mitchell, president of home furnishings for International Market Centers, presented the award.
Lauren West, director of communications for Natuzzi Americas Inc., earned the 2011 Education Award honor for her efforts to educate associates, retailers and/or consumers about home furnishings. Natuzzi Americas Senior Vice President Brad Cates presented the award
Peggy Burns, the "Queen Bee of Circle Furniture, Acton, Mass., received the 2011 Mentoring Award, which recognizes an executive who has fostered advocacy, development or promotion of women in his or her company. Burns' husband and business partner, Richard Tubman, presented the award.
The 2011 Future Leader Award was presented to Tammy Nagem, chief operating officer of the High Point Market Authority. Kevin OConnor with Samson Marketing presented Nagem's award.
WithIt President Mary Leigh Howell, Howell Communications, presented the 2011 President's Award to WithIt Regional Vice President Kassie Smith of Kassie Smith Lifestyle Group.
"In a region where WithIt had little support and virtually no membership base, Kassie has developed sponsors and supporters, and built a strong member network that spans the home furnishings, design and hospitality industries," Howell said.
WithIt also presented the 2011 Jena and Stephen Hall Scholarship, which awards $5,000 to a student to cover tuition expense, to Breanne Lutz, who studies interior design at Meredith College.
August 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Upholstery on August 25, 2011
Upholstery vendor Massoud Furniture will add new fabric options to its "Simple Choices" retail program at October High Point Furniture Market.
In addition to new fabrics, Massoud will offer quick delivery and special pricing to Simple Choices, which it introduced at April Market as the first in a series of dealer promotions designed to increase in-store traffic and upholstery sales.
"This program is now in place on dealer floors and the response has been very strong," said Massoud CEO Chuck Massoud. "We created Simple Choices to bring fresh looks, fashion forward fabrics and versatile frame options together with unrivaled ship times and pricing to generate attention and sales on the showroom floor. Our retail partners tell us it's working so we hope to build upon this success as we add more fabric choices this Fall and even more frame options by Spring 2012."
Through the Simple Choices program, current Massoud dealers are able to offer customers "25 days to your door" delivery on a selection of 60-plus frames and 150 fabrics--including sofas designed to retail for $1,899 to $2,499. As part of the promotion, participating dealers commit to additional floor display space to showcase some of the designs included in the Simple Choices selection.