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OFMA plans June 7–9 Toronto show

By Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, February 16, 2003

Toronto — The Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Assn., gearing up to stage a market here June 7–9, is creating a steering committee to run the show and expects to name a chairman this week.

"This will be a show for the permanent showrooms in and around the Toronto International Center of Commerce," said OFMA President Hugh Owen. "No temporary space will be available. We'll be sending out invitations for the show to independent dealers in the near future."

There are about 90 factory showrooms in metro Toronto, including 75 in the TICC.

The weekend will kick off with the annual Retailer of the Year Award dinner on Friday, June 6 at the TICC. Nominations are being reviewed and OFMA will announce the honoree soon. Last year, the award went to Tom Leon, chairman of Leon's Furniture.

For some years, OFMA organized a furniture market in conjunction with the Canadian Gift & Tableware Assn. show in August. The Quebec Furniture Manufacturers Assn. sponsored a summer market in 2000 and 2001 but canceled the 2002 event for lack of industry support.

A small group, mainly Toronto-area upholstery makers, held an ad-hoc "mini-market" last summer on the first weekend in June.

Since the QFMA owns the rights to any furniture market at the TICC, OFMA requested they mount an event this summer. The QFMA declined but gave their Ontario counterparts the green light to organize an event.

A number of leading upholstery makers, including Superstyle, La-Z-Boy Canada, Sklar Peppler, Therapedic/Crown Design and others, have said they will support a midyear market. Several participated in an e-mail campaign to persuade the associations to organize it. Factory executives believe such an event is particularly important to small and midsized independent retailers from Ontario and Atlantic Canada who need upholstery for the fall selling season.

OFMA recently polled members on whether a summer show should be held. Respondents almost exclusively were upholstery makers who wanted an organized event. Bedding producers also indicated they would participate.

Most case goods makers prefer to introduce product at the Toronto market in January, and at High Point in April and October.

For more information on the Toronto summer market, contact OFMA Executive Vice President Derek Ashton at (905) 677-6561 or by e-mail at dashton@ofma.ca.

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