Motion keys on development
By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, October 13, 2002
High Point — Although motion upholstery and recliners have been two of the furniture industry's few bright spots this year, producers aren't taking anything for granted with their latest round of market introductions.
They're still concerned that the falling stock market, talk of war with Iraq, fears of more terrorist attacks, or a host of other contingencies could put a choke-hold on consumer spending and send the weakened economy into another tailspin.
As a result, manufacturers say it's important to continue aggressive product-development efforts.
"We're forging ahead; we're pretending there's not a blip in the economy," said Peder Sorensen, national sales manager at Ekornes.
Even though nearly all recliner and motion producers say their 2002 business is running ahead of 2001, many have been frustrated by the absence of an industrywide recovery in 2002's second half.
"I think a lot of people were looking for huge increases," said Wayne Stephens, president of Barcalounger. "Everybody expected the year to be a little bit better than it has been."
Stephens said that significant numbers of consumers continue to postpone furniture purchases, which pushes an anticipated wave of pent-up demand further into the future.
"I can hear the duct tape being applied to recliners all over America," he quipped.
However, Stephens and other executives agreed that now is not the time to be conservative with product introductions. They say it's important to exploit the current winners in their lines while adding new models that build on those strengths.
That's why most producers are coming to High Point with plenty of new ammunition at a wide range of price points.
Recliners at promotional price points of $299 to $599 continue to be hot sellers, as do motion sectionals that have very non-promotional price points $1,599 to more than $3,500.
"A lot of our growth has not been in the promotionally priced goods, but in the better-end product," said Gentry Long, merchandise manager for motion furniture at Lane.
Lane is showing new motion sectionals at $1,299 to $1,899, while arch-rival Berkline has new models at $1,899 and $1,999.
Plus, Catnapper has a pair of sectional introductions at $1,299 and $1,699, and El Ran has a new entry at $2,499.
Introductions are even more aggressive on the motion sofa front, where Catnapper and Lane have five each, Berkline has four, Franklin has two, and La-Z-Boy and Flexsteel have one each.
"Our motion and stationary sofa business has been great ... even though retail has been spotty," said Chuck Tidwell, product manager at Franklin. "We're trying to upgrade the looks and give the consumer more value for her dollar."
Also making noise in the motion category at market is Best Chairs, a company better known for glider rockers and recliners. The company is unveiling several motion sofas that incorporate key features of its reclining chairs.
Power in reclining
On the recliner front, power is the story at category sales leader La-Z-Boy, and it has nothing to do with the company's venerable brand name. Instead, it has everything to do with a new power reclining mechanism that is available on several models.
The company is showcasing the mechanism on a new recliner called Delta, which retails for $999. The button-operated mechanism allows the back to recline and the ottoman to be extended independently or in tandem, and the chair can be reclined without losing its ability to rock.
"This feature allows the consumer to achieve their personal, ideal comfort position," said Paula Hoyas, product manager for motion upholstery at La-Z-Boy. "Motors instead of muscles are used to achieve the ergonomically correct position."
La-Z-Boy's recliner rivals aren't standing still either. Berkline, which brought out a power reclining mechanism a year ago, has more than a dozen new models in its High Point showroom, while Lane has 11 new entries.
Headlining Berkline's introductions are a pair of reclining chairs with slipcovers that retail for $499 and $599. They're the latest additions to the company's successful Hearthside Casual collection, a lineup of club-style recliners that was a big winner in April.
"We're getting a lot of the 'wow' factor on this," said Cabot Longnecker, Berkline's merchandise manager for recliners.
Headlining Lane's recliner introductions are a pair of glider recliners. One model, retailing for $899, has an all-leather cover, and one retailing for $599 has a leather/vinyl match.
Catnapper, meanwhile, is adding nine recliners to its lineup at $299 to $699, while Franklin has three models at $399 and $499.
In addition, Canadian leather specialist Coja is re-entering the leather recliner market with models retailing for $899 and $999.
Coja also is making its debut in home theater seating, a move also being made by Flexsteel. Both companies are showing all-leather seating configurations that feature modular reclining seats.
Ekornes, which successfully debuted a "family media center" seating configuration in April, is hoping to build on that success with two new seating groups. The groups feature a three-seat stationary sofa, a reclining loveseat, and its signature Stressless chair.
And Berkline, which has had home theater seating on the market for about a year, is introducing two contemporary, standalone reclining chairs to coordinate with its seating groups. Each new model retails for $599.
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