Retailers write orders in Calgary
By Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, August 26, 2002
CALGARY, Alberta — While the turnout wasn't as great as exhibitors had hoped, retailers who came to Market Showplace here wrote orders, even though the economy in western Canada isn't expected to improve dramatically in the closing months of 2002.
"Traffic was moderate," reported Mel Kemp, president of ready-to-assemble producer Canwood Furniture. "For most of our dealers, we're a destination — they come to see us — and many of them made gallery commitments to us."
Factory executives said it's important to remember the Calgary market traditionally is a small-scale regional event serving independent dealers in the West. While it does that job well, it doesn't produce barn-burning business.
The farming economy in western Canada has taken a beating in recent months with drought conditions throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Meanwhile, a beleaguered natural resources sector has dampened the economy in British Columbia, thanks in large part to an ongoing softwood lumber dispute with the United States.
"We tempered our expectations coming into this market considering the economic environment in western Canada," said Terry Clark, president of casual dining producer Acme Chrome Furniture and chairman of Furniture West, the factory association which organizes the market.
"Nevertheless, we saw good, serious attendance and buyers placed some good orders here," Clark said. "They are still buying. It's an old saw, but the people who came, came to do business."
The market originally was scheduled for mid-June but was moved because of logistical problems created by an international economic summit meeting here. Clark said the move didn't appear to hurt the market significantly, although it will return to its standard June time in 2003.
"We're glad we moved the date and people seemed to accept why we had to move it," Clark said.
"On the whole, we would call the show a modest success," said Laine Reynolds, vice president of sales for upholstery maker Superstyle Furniture of Toronto. "We wrote orders and opened new accounts, so in that respect this will remain an important show for us."
Although he concurred with the decision to move the show to August this year, Reynolds believes summer markets for Canadian furniture retailers must be held in June.
"August is clearly not the best time for a market," he said, adding it's also important that whatever event is held in Toronto next summer should not conflict with Calgary.
"There has to be a two-week spread between the shows," Reynolds said.
Market Showplace is slated for June 21-23 next year at the Round-Up Center here. However, no definite plans for a Toronto summer market have been announced by either the Quebec or the Ontario factory associations.
This summer, some manufacturers held an unofficial "open house" the first weekend in June in lieu of the canceled Toronto market. The Quebec Furniture Manufacturers Assn., which organizes the big January market in Toronto, said that after two lackluster June shows in Toronto, it was clear the summer event lacked sufficient industry support.
Derek Penney, vice president and general manager of the Ontario, Western and Atlantic Canada division of Cantrex, said that although the turnout in Calgary by his members wasn't as high as he'd hoped, those who came were serious.
"It was an OK turnout," he said. "My sense was that our members were writing orders and are confident about business over the coming months."
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