December 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Financial Reports on December 9, 2010
Flexsteel Inds.
(NASDAQ: FLX) has appointed three new members to its board of directors, including Bob Maricich, president and CEO of
World Market Center Ventures.
In addition to Maricich, Thomas Levine and Nancy Uridil were named to the board.
"It is a great pleasure for Flexsteel to welcome Mr. Levine, Mr. Maricich, and Ms. Uridil to our board of directors," said Bruce Boylen, chairman of the board. "The new directors bring distinct, extensive and relevant expertise to our board. We appreciate their commitment of time and talent to Flexsteel's success. These directors will continue the Flexsteel tradition of extraordinary board leadership."
Levine is an independent management advisor based in Pittsburgh, and has more than 35 years of business management and legal experience. He has served on both public and private company boards and is currently serving on the boards of various private companies. Levine counsels businesses in a number of areas, including strategic planning, acquisitions, and other initiatives to improve shareholder value.
Maricich has a broad knowledge of the furniture industry, which he honed over 30 years in the business. Prior to joining World Market Center, he was CEO of
Century. He has furniture expertise in engineering, manufacturing, product development and sourcing, sales, and marketing.
Uridil is the senior vice president of
Moen Inc., responsible for global sourcing, manufacturing, worldwide distribution and logistics, engineering, and quality. She has experience with
Procter & Gamble,
Mary Kay, and
Estee Lauder Cos. in various leadership roles.
December 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on December 9, 2010
West Bros. has redesigned its Web site.
The site has been designed to put the company's product front and center and provide visitors with high resolution product images of the entire line. The site also showcases the company's partnerships with the
Sustainable Furnishings Council and the
National Arbor Day Foundation.
Other changes to the Web site include:
- Improved Navigation: The consistent and intuitive design and function of each page make it easier for visitors to find exactly what they are looking for. Drop down menus & bread-crumb navigation help visitors to following their progression through the Web site effortlessly.
- New Look and Feel: The combination of dynamic links, flash & HTML technology with a new, cleaner style enhances the user experience.
- Secure Dealer Portal: Once logged in, the dealer can now access a wealth of information including engineers drawings, instructional information and marketing materials. All previous information including dealer stock status reports remain part of this portal.
- Links to Social Media: In an effort to reach out to new and existing consumers, designers, decorators and retail partners, West Bros has included links to a new furniture blog, Twitter and Facebook.
December 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on December 9, 2010
Full-line furniture vendor Lexington Home Brands and North Carolina artist Bob Timberlake are parting ways on a pioneering furniture license that lasted 20 years.
The relationship, which began in 1990 with Lexington's and Timberlake's introduction of the industry's first major licensed lifestyle collection, expires at the end of the year. Lexington will continue to market and sell the existing 833 World of Bob Timberlake product in 2011 until the inventory is depleted, at which time the line will be discontinued.
"We wish the Timberlake organization the very best in their future endeavors," said Phil Haney, president and CEO of Lexington Home Brands. A company press release said Lexington had "elected not to renew or extend" its licensing agreement.
While Bob Timberlake Inc. COO Dan Timberlake said he wishes Lexington well, he noted that it's a "bittersweet moment," and that the Timberlake organization will move ahead with a new furniture licensing partner.
"I'm surprised to hear this news from a reporter instead of Lexington directly, and was not aware Lexington was in a position to renew or extend the relationship," Dan Timberlake said. "Bob started in the industry with Lexington Furniture, which in 1990 was probably the best organization in the furniture industry. We look forward to announcing future plans, which also will end up with the best organization in the furniture industry."
December 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on December 9, 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has filed a motion in federal District Court seeking a deadline extension for issuing rules governing industrial boilers.
A lobbying effort by American Home Furnishings Alliance member companies and others helped convince EPA to request the extension, which would allow another 15 months for the EPA to release Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rules aimed at reducing harmful air emissions from large and small boilers and solid waste incinerators. Without the extension, the EPA is on a court-ordered timeline to issue final rules by Jan. 16. The proposed extension would push back the final release of the rule to April 2012 and allow another public comment period.
As originally written, the proposed boiler MACT would have prevented furniture manufacturers from using wood as a combustible fuel for their boilers. The wood currently combusted by furniture makers is a clean, renewable energy source that is a product of the manufacturing process.
The proposed boiler rule lumped this dry wood fuel into a larger "biomass" category that includes less clean fuels such as "wet" wood, pulp, bark and animal waste. Domestic furniture operations would be forced to implement costly controls in order to achieve a very limited environmental benefit--or switch to fossil fuels and landfill or otherwise dispose of their wood byproduct.
AHFA Vice President Bill Perdue organized a last-minute visit to key U.S. Senators last week to give furniture executives one last chance to convey the devastating implications of the proposed rule. AHFA member company executives participating in the effort included John and Wyatt Bassett, Vaughan-Bassett Furniture; Micah Goldstein, Stanley Furniture; Barbara Nuckles, Ashley Furniture Inds.; Reggie Propst, Kincaid Furniture; and Jon Botsford, Furniture Brands International. Gat Caperton of Gat Creek Furniture also joined the contingent.
"While EPA requested and received some information from industry before the proposal, the comments EPA received following the proposal shed new light on a number of key areas, including the scope and coverage of the rules and the way to categorize the various boiler types," according to an EPA press release. "Industry groups and others offered this information during the public comment period after EPA proposed the rule. After reviewing the data and the more than 4,800 public comments, the agency believes it is appropriate to issue a revised proposal that reflects the new data and allows for additional public comment."
AHFA applauded the EPA's move.
"The senators we met with last week understood and agreed that the proposed rule would have been harmful to U.S. competitiveness in several industries, including residential furniture," Perdue said. "AHFA will remain involved in this process in hopes that a revised rule can be written that provides meaningful public protection--without requiring cost-prohibitive controls on U.S. plants that operate using a clean, renewable energy source."
December 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on December 9, 2010
Case goods vendor aspenhome has launched new interactive Web pages help to retailers attract consumers by offering decorating tips and purchase incentives.
"Research shows that when consumers have a question the Internet is their number one resource to find their answers," said Renee Loper, Phoenix-based aspenhome director of marketing communications. "Our goal for 2011 is to create micro-campaigns to educate consumers, help them find the answers to their questions and then direct them to retail to make their purchase. These micro-campaigns, available to our retailers, will provide fresh and relevant content on their websites. We also plan to promote the micro-campaigns online via social media, e-zines, and blogs."
The first in the series of micro-campaigns, 15 Tips To Get Your Guestroom Ready For Holiday Guests, challenges consumers to find the 15 hidden decorating tips in the aspenhome Centennial bedroom scene while listening to festive music. As the consumer scrolls over parts of the photo she can click on the areas that contain the tips.
"We had fun creating this interactive Web page where consumers can find a variety of tips from pointing out the StoreCharge drawer in the nightstand to filling a stocking with bath accessories to make their guest's stay more comfortable," Loper said. "Okay, now that I have just given you two tips, can you find 13 more?"