Furniture Today - March 7, 2005

When industry officials talk about China, they often speak with a sense of awe at its sudden emergence as a furniture producer. The growth has taken the industry by storm over the past 10 years with products that often match the quality of furniture once made in the United States. The difference is that China's cheap labor has lowered the price for many goods.

• Bedding Today
• Retailers say comfort returns are bad for bedding industry

• Editor's Desk
• May it add up to excitement

• Industry Numbers
• Havertys sales rise, profits fall
• Pier 1, Bombay post Feb. sales declines; Havertys up
• Amisco sales, earnings slump in 4th quarter, year
• Havertys plans stores in three new markets
• Bestar 4Q revenues off 8%

• News
• Natco payout settles Weave claim
• Caye boosting motion output
• Correction
• WMC mails 110,000 pieces to buyers
• Consolidation a vintage bedding story
• Spring Air merger
• FR regs face delay
• Federated-May No. 1?
• High hotel rates anger Tupelo visitors
• Brazilian group to show 2nd time in High Point
• ASFD sets new award for young designers
• Jeffco shifting sourcing
• '04 orders, shipments up 6%
• Klaussner's Jeff Davis raises $136,000 for kids' charity
• Leather players watching merger closely
• CPSC analysis: FR mattress standard could save over 300 lives per year
• Natale steps up leathers
• Robb & Stucky to enter new markets
• Lexington cuts wood workforce
• Hooker creates supply chain department, hires manager
• FFDM names design director
• Therapedic to market line of Kathy Ireland mattresses
• Aaron buys 6 RTO franchise stores in N.Y.
• Obituaries
• Obituaries

• Opinion Today
• The worst of times ... or the best of times?
• What Federated, May merger may mean

• Special Report
• Miskelly's puts fun in furniture shopping
• Robb & Stucky stands tall in mall
• Fabric protectants build sales
• Performance fabrics don't hurt market
• Latin American Sourcing
• Product sources
• Communication key to building relationships
• Proximity to U.S. market can be an edge — or not
• Major leather producers set up shop in Latin America
• Ownership stakes provide greater control
• Primex focuses energy on Latin American goods
• Methodology for the product source list