|
Edited By Kris Kyes
 |
| Employees of Northwest Manufacturing and community leaders of Red Lake Falls, Minn., attend the opening ceremony of the company's expanded research-and-development facilities |
Northwest Manufacturing Expands R & D Facilities
Northwest Manufacturing recently held a grand opening ceremony for its expanded research-and-development facilities. The added 4,000–square-foot space houses additional testing, technology-advancement, prototype-development, and other research operations for the company's growing line of WoodMaster outdoor wood, pellet, and flex-fuel furnaces.
Chuck Gagner, president of Northwest Manufacturing, Red Lake Falls, Minn., says, “As consumer demand and our own dealer network grow, we continue looking for viable new uses of this clean, efficient solution through new products. The additional space will allow us to expand our product lines most efficiently.”
This expansion brings six new jobs to the company and area. The research-and-development division will continue to expand the WoodMaster product line. Northwest Manufacturing has always operated its research-and-development division, yet this expansion solidifies the company's commitment to advance and diversify product offerings further.
The bioenergy flex-fuel series furnace is the most recent product advance. It's the first furnace of its type—using proven, clean European technologies—that will be manufactured in the United States, right at Northwest Manufacturing's facilities. These thermal-storage boilers will be the first that allow homeowners to use cordwood, wood chips, and/or wood pellets for home heating with high efficiency and low emissions. Emissions testing conducted by the company shows that the product will meet and exceed the standards of the 2010 Environmental Protection Agency voluntary emissions program.
Gensun Casual Expands Production Facility in China
Gensun Casual is in the process of building a 500,000–square-foot manufacturing facility in Tianjin, China. The company's current manufacturing facility, also in Tianjin, will not be closed until the new building is completed in September 2009. As Jan Trinkley, vice president of sales and marketing, explains, “With the growth we've been experiencing, it's important that we make a seamless transition to the new facility so that we can continue to provide the superior service our customers expect.”
Gensun Casual has experienced an incredible 600-percent growth rate in just the seven years that it has been in business, and Trinkley predicts strong performance in the years ahead. Retailers are initially drawn to the Gensun line by the look of the products (available in 10 finishes and over 200 fabric choices), but they tend to continue to do business with the company because of its strong customer service, along with the fact that its line cannot be found in the mass-merchant channel.
Technological improvements in the new facility will allow products to be manufactured in a more timely fashion, and retailers will also have the opportunity to warehouse products in the new facility, helping to reduce their risk. “Inventory is a negative, no matter how you look at it,” Trinkley says. “It reduces profits and morale, yet it's very difficult for dealers to determine exactly how much to stock, since this is a fashion industry.” Expanded warehouse capabilities now make it possible for retailers to reduce their inventory by using the company's warehouses in both Ontario, Calif., and China.
 |
| OW Lee's Luxe 30 collection |
Luxe 30 Collection Wins Two Platinum-level ADEX Awards
OW Lee received two Platinum ADEX Awards for its groundbreaking Luxe 30 casual furniture collection. The awards are for both the Indoor Modular Seating and Transitional Seating categories.
Luxe 30 is a transitional/contemporary collection that incorporates the sleek lines and textures of the elegant art deco era and brings a chic indoor style to any outdoor setting. Crafted with high-grade aluminum alloy, the same sturdy material used for airplane frames, this collection is designed to withstand the outdoor elements.
“What is so exciting about these awards is that outdoor casual furniture has made a real breakthrough, winning an award in an indoor-furniture category,” Terri Lee Rogers, OW Lee's vice president of sales and marketing, states. “This design completes the seamless transition from the indoors to the outdoors.”
The cushioning uses the keystone cushioning system, in which the cushions are anchored to the frame through resistance to each other, rather than nuts and screws. The result is an elegant upholstered look with cushions that are easily removable for storage or cleaning. The Luxe 30 collection can be customized with a choice of nine durable frame finishes and over 100 stock fabrics, featuring Sunbrella® high-performance outdoor fabrics.
FMI Products LLCRises From the Ashes of DESA
When DESA (Bowling Green, Ky.) filed for bankruptcy protection in December 2008, it was on the verge of liquidating all its assets. Fortunately for the sake of the company and its employees, Mark Klein and two other managers bought the fireplace business in March, saving 140 jobs in Santa Ana, Calif., and 40 in Russellville, Ala. The new company, FMI Products LLC, uses the original trade name (FMI) of the fireplace company that was purchased by DESA in 1997.
Klein, FMI Products' CEO, had tried to purchase the company from DESA's former owners last fall, but they refused his offer. “It was a long process, trying to buy the company prior to bankruptcy and then through bankruptcy, but the bank that took over DESA in early December eventually recognized that we could sustain a good, positive cash flow,” Klein explains.
The fireplace business continues to operate as it did prior to the reorganization. The products, brands, pricing, and warranties are the same, and there was no reduction in its workforce. “It's sad to think we could have lost everything,” Klein notes. “For the employees, it would have been catastrophic.”
After returning to the jobs that they had lost under DESA, FMI's employees are extremely motivated to make the new company as successful as possible. “Our employees are very excited to be here, and they have a lot of faith in the management team,” Klein says.
He is optimistic about the future because of FMI's ability to develop affordable technologies that appeal to the masses. “At the end of the day, we provide a value proposition that's better than our competitors': We focus on value, not necessarily the lowest price.”
HNI Corp. Receives Certification From Ethisphere Institute
HNI Corp. has been awarded the Ethics Inside® 2009 certification from Ethisphere Institute, the leading international think tank dedicated to the creation, advancement, and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anticorruption, and sustainability. Ethics Inside 2009 certification is the only independent verification of a company's ethical practices and compliance processes.
The annual certification is exclusively granted to organizations that prove the existence of a superior employee and leadership culture promoting ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. To qualify for certification, organizations must have systems, processes, and programs in place that reasonably prevent compliance failures and ethics breakdowns.
Over 50 separate criteria were evaluated in the 15-month process, including HNI's organizational culture, compliance programs, corporate-governance systems, social-responsibility initiatives, environmental performance, regulatory track record, and third-party perceptions.
TUUCI Named Among Top South Florida Manufacturers
TUUCI, a global leader in innovative shade structures, was named runner-up for the 2008 Manufacturer of the Year Award presented by the South Florida Manufacturers Association. TUUCI was one of four finalists in the category of 75–150 employees. TUUCI was nominated by the Beacon Council, Miami–Dade County's official economic-development partnership.
Forty-one companies were entered in the contest through self-nomination; nomination by economic-development councils, suppliers, vendors, or employees; or nomination by the SFMA board of directors. “We are honored that the Beacon Council and SFMA recognize our vision and dedication to our South Florida community,” Dougan Clarke, founder and CEO of TUUCI, notes. “Our roots are here in Miami, and we strive to support this community in all of our endeavors while we continue global expansion.”
ASFD Is Tweeting as A_S_F_D
The American Society of Furniture Designers is now tweeting as A_S_F_D. Furniture designer Katie Hatch, ASFD vice president and chair of the 2009 Pinnacle Awards, explains that Twitter allows the organization to update (and stay up to date with) members as well as clients, retailers, and consumers.
Hatch adds, “Twitter allows ASFD members to be updated instantly and succinctly with the latest news, events, and trends. It helps to bring traffic to our member Web sites, which showcases their products and services, increases brand recognition, and enables them to get rapid feedback from a wide range of consumers, as well as retailers. It is also a wonderful portal for job referrals, sourcing suggestions, and merchandising questions.”
Housing Now Open for 2009 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo
Online housing reservations can now be made for the 2009 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo, which takes place November 16–18 in the Bayside Halls at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. With special hotel, airline, and car-rental discounts, show participants are guaranteed several choices that will suit their individual tastes and budgets.
“We worked diligently with the hotels to ensure they offered the lowest possible rate,” Donna Bellantone, director of the Expo, explains. The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino will serve as the headquarters hotel and the site of most meetings and events. Offering rates as low as $159 per night, this tropical-themed hotel features a vast array of entertainment, dining, and recreation experiences. A separate all-suite tower, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, offers a rate of $184 per night.
Hearth & Home TechnologiesBrings Home Vesta Awards
Two Hearth & Home Technologies products—the Quadra-Fire EDGE 60 and the Heat & Glo Solaris™ 36-ST—won several industry Vesta Awards at HPBExpo in March. The Quadra-Fire EDGE 60 will be available at Quadra-Fire dealers starting in the second quarter of 2009, and the Heat & Glo Solaris 36-ST direct-vent gas fireplace will be available in the fourth quarter of 2009.
 |
Pride Family Brands' outdoor-furniture offerings appeal to
interior designers and hospitality professionals who need
speedy deliveries of custom products. |
Pride Family Brands' Custom-order Program Attracts Designers and Hospitality Trade
Pride Family Brands, designers and manufacturers of handcrafted, luxury aluminum casual furniture, reports heightened interest from interior designers and the hospitality trade due to its ability to offer customization of its product. With its manufacturing facility located in Central America, Pride is able to provide design and hospitality professionals with products ordered to custom specifications within a shorter lead time than the industry's standards for custom orders.
Rory Rehmert, vice president, sales and marketing, says, “Forty percent of our product is ordered to meet customer-specific requests, such as the selection of frame design, fabric, and finish by individual piece. This is especially attractive to the designer trade.” Combined with the customization aspect is the ability to fill low-volume orders, another service of the Pride operation.
Rutland Products Offers Consumer DVD
Rutland Products now offers a unique educational DVD for consumers. From starting the first fire of the season to cleaning a hearth system at the end of the season (and everything in between), this detailed, step-by-step DVD covers the basics of heating with wood and much more.
Wood-burning beginners will gain the knowledge and confidence to begin heating immediately, and even experienced wood burners will pick up useful tips. The content of this two-disc DVD set is comparable to information presented in an educational seminar. For more information, call (800) 544-1307 or visit www.rutland.com.
RAIS Receives Successive Vesta Awards
RAIS, Inc., took top innovation honors, for the second straight year, at the 2009 Vesta Awards, with the introduction of its new RAIS Pilar wood stove. Presented by Hearth & Home at the annual HPBExpo, the Vesta Awards recognize and honor companies and products for innovation in design and technology. Scandinavian manufacturer RAIS offers a wide selection of hearth options, including the new Pilar, the 2008 Vesta Award winning Opus, the Rondo, the X-Basic, the 60 fireplace insert, the Gabo Gas II, and the artful outdoor Cube barbecue grill/fireplace, which was named a 2009 Vesta Award finalist.
 |
Increasing numbers of outdoor-living retailers are
teaming up with Outdoor Lighting Perspectives to provide
customers with innovative lighting solutions. |
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives Launches Preferred Referral Partnership Program
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, a leader in residential outdoor-lighting design and systems, has launched the Preferred Referral Partnership Program, designed to grow alliances and sales on behalf of its franchisees worldwide. Designed with a turnkey approach, the program offers an easy business opportunity for potential trade partners in a variety of home-related industries.
Larry Spada is vice president of marketing for Outdoor Living Brands, the parent company of OLP. He says, “The OLP Preferred Referral Partnership Program allows our franchisees to build on existing relationships for business referrals while utilizing our corporate franchise-support team to help take things to the next level. The program is ideal for a wide array of trade contacts, including landscapers, contractors, casual-furniture retailers, and others.”
OLP is the largest full-service outdoor-lighting specialist in the United States and is part of the Outdoor Living Brands franchise company based in Richmond, Va. With nearly 100 independent franchisees around the world, OLP has redefined the outdoor-lighting category through the application of innovative lighting designs and eco-friendly technologies. For more information, visit www.outdoorlights.com.
SuperPro Online Training for U.S. Hearth Dealers
Selkirk Corp. has announced its newest online course at Selkirk University: SuperPro USA Product Knowledge 101. The new SuperPro USA course addresses content specific to the United States and is designed for the hearth market. The course is hosted through Selkirk University's USA campus/SuperPro USA faculty.
Additional courses are continually in development. Selkirk believes that knowledge is power. This leading-edge online training tool is another example of the company's commitment to provide training and education to its customers.
SuperPro USA Product Knowledge 101 takes the student through three separate 30-minute segments: Basic Knowledge, Sales and System Design, and Installation Basics.
At the end of the course, a multiple-choice final exam tests the student's overall knowledge in a way that is meant to maximize educational value. Students may simply retake the test until they achieve a score that is satisfactory to them. For more information, visit www.selkirkuniversity.com.
Ordering Literature Has Never Been Easier
Selkirk announces the introduction of its new online literature-ordering system for the United States and Canada. From the company's Web site, www.selkirkcorp.com, simply go to Online Tools and select the Online Literature Order System icon. First-time users will create a quick and easy profile. Select the order form that you plan to use (based on your market/brand), complete the shipping information, select the literature that you require, and submit the form.
You will receive a confirmation of your order by email; orders are processed within 24 hours, directly from Selkirk's literature supplier. You can either use the site directly or continue to go through Selkirk's customer service team. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your Selkirk representative or call the company's customer service department at (800) 992-VENT/8368 from the United States or (888) SELKIRK/735-5475 from Canada.
Glen RavenLaunches Recycling Program
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, LLC, has created a recycling program for Sunbrella® fabrics, the company's industry-leading brand for awnings, furniture, and boating. Sunbrella fabrics returned to Glen Raven will find new life in a variety of products, ranging from felt used for car insulation and protective padding for sports equipment to decorative applications such as outdoor rugs.
Randy Blackston, vice president of operations, says, “For more than 20 years, Glen Raven has reclaimed Sunbrella fiber and fabric waste resulting from the manufacturing process, but this is the first time we have offered recycling to our customers and consumers. This program is part of our decades-long commitment to environmental stewardship.”
The new program, Recycle My Sunbrella, operates through a new Web site: www.recyclemysunbrella.com. Anyone interested in submitting Sunbrella fabrics for recycling should visit the site for additional details on the return process.
ICFA Adopts New Award Criteria
The International Casual Furnishings Association has announced revisions to both its Design Excellence and Apollo Award competitions. Two new product categories have been added to the annual Design Excellence competition for 2009; they are Fabric and Outdoor Carpeting, Rugs, and Flooring.
A fee of $100 per entry has also been instituted. As in the past, only ICFA member companies may enter the Design Excellence competition. The judging panel will include a balanced group of journalists, designers, and retailers.
In addition, the ICFA board of directors has announced changes to the selection criteria for its annual Apollo Award, which recognizes excellence in casual-furniture retailing. Nominations may be made by any ICFA member, and nominees must be ICFA members. The top five finalists in two categories—Single Store and Multistore—will be selected by a vote of ICFA manufacturer/importer members. After the top five stores in the two categories have been selected, the ICFA board of directors will vote (by secret ballot) to name an Apollo Award winner in each category.
“With the creation of the new ICFA, the board of directors felt it was important to reexamine our award criteria and selection process in light of having all industry stakeholders under one umbrella,” Joseph P. Logan, ICFA executive director, explains. “We want all association members to be part of the award nomination and selection processes.”
Caluco Launches Summer Partnership Program
To kick off the summer, Caluco outdoor furniture announces its Summer Partnership Program. This exclusive promotion on Caluco's entire product line offers discounted prices to its business partners across the country. The program is designed to support its partners by allowing them to expand their stock and sell more Caluco outdoor furniture at a discounted price. Promotional pricing is available for orders made through June 30, 2009.
“We are thrilled to provide our business partners with an opportunity to increase their inventory and sales margins,” Aaron Gochman, CEO of Caluco, explains. “Caluco's Summer Partnership Program is our way of showing appreciation and commitment to our long-standing partners for our continued success and growth during this challenging economic time.”
The Summer Partnership Program includes all of Caluco's luxurious outdoor-furniture sets and more than 100 discounted items. Caluco now offers eight innovative new furniture collections for 2009, plus updates and additions to many of its current best sellers, all made with the highest-quality materials. The company uses premium aluminum and grade-A, kiln-dried, sustainably harvested Indonesian teak for its collections, as well as a range of eco-friendly, all-weather, resin-wicker furniture that is low maintenance. For more information about Caluco outdoor furniture, please call (866) 535-6558 or visit www.caluco.com.
PelletSales.comAnnounces Five New Hires
As a result of exceptional company growth, PelletSales.com, the country's leading distributor of wood pellets for home heating, recently added five new employees to its team. Chris Lambert was hired as senior business analyst and brings the company 12 years of management and operations experience, with expertise in process and systems development, cost control, project management, and procedural improvement, all of which will be used in his role with PelletSales.com.
“We continue to grow by leaps and bounds, and are sure the new additions to the team will help PelletSales.com continue to thrive,” Jon Strimling, company president and CEO, says. Jude Augusta joins the company as director of business development and will be responsible for integrating PelletSales.com into third-party Web sites and physical locations, as well as linking partners to the site, which currently reaches scores of unique monthly visitors.
Mark Duffy joins PelletSales.com as chief financial officer; he will help manage and structure the company's growth as it aggressively expands, as the country's largest direct-to-residence biomass-fuel retailer. The company also added Joy Schmidt as a customer service representative and Audrey Brecknock as a marketing assistant.
PHPR May/June 2009
|
