Changes push growth in gliders
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, January 20, 2002
HIGH POINT — Glider rocker producers don't claim to be revolutionaries when it comes to innovations in mechanisms, but they believe their evolutionary changes have given the niche product room for continued growth.
The bulk of gliders are still built with wood mechanisms, but a handful of producers — notably Dutailier and Relax-R — have found success with all metal systems that allow the glider to glide more smoothly. Plus, the mechanism can be locked in numerous positions — a feature not found on many wood mechanisms.
"Wood is very durable …but metal allows us to be more flexible with our designs," said Richard Fournier, executive vice president of Dutailier, the category's sales leader. "We have been very successful with it."
He said the company's Avant Glide collection continues to set the pace for gliders with metal mechanisms, even though its retail price points are $300 to $400 higher than comparable Dutailier gliders with wood mechanisms.
"Some of our chairs have mechanisms that lock, swivel, glide and recline," Fournier said. "People really seem to like them."
| MIXED MEDIA Newport Gliders employs a wood mechanism for its traditional-styled rockers. |
| SMOOTH MOVES Relax-R uses a metal base and mechanism on most of its glider rockers. |
| SITTING PRETTY Dutailier says this new model is the industry's first glider rocker that glides, reclines and locks into several positions. |
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