Upholstery producers pick their spots
Say dealers are ready to replenish inventories
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, September 14, 2009
LAS VEGAS — Despite a slight uptick in business, stationary upholstery manufacturers don't know what to expect at the fall market here.
Although inventory levels have improved and the phrase “open to buy” is back in the furniture lexicon, a cross-section of upholstery vendors interviewed recently are still hesitant to predict what attendance and order-writing might be compared to previous markets.
“People have 'open to buy' but that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to market to do it,” said Jason Harris, national sales manager for Stylus Made to Order Sofas, which will introduce a variety of sofas, sectionals and other pieces in the medium price points.
“There will be business there for the exhibitors who are there,” he said. “My reps seem to be writing (orders) right now. But attendance is going to be off. That's the feedback we're getting from appointments we've set so far. A lot of people who have typically gone in the past just aren't going.”
Harris said that the timing of this fall's event here coincides more closely with the markets in Shanghai and High Point. “Some of it has to do with conflicts but mostly it's about cost savings,” he added about the fact that some buyers are choosing only to attend one event in the period.
Despite the typical summer slowdown, Harris said, “Our business has been actually pretty good considering what's been going on.”
Wendy Shafranski, director of marketing for upholstery and case goods source David Francis Furniture, which sells to select retail stores like Robb & Stucky, expects to see mostly designers — both residential and contract — in her company's year-round space in the World Market Center's Building A.
“Those who have projects have money and they'll be here ready to buy,” said Shafranski, noting, “Las Vegas has always been a good market for us.”
Brian Lange, president of Best Home Furnishings, said the mid-priced upholstery manufacturer plans to introduce several new products and is “expecting a good turnout.”
“Our biggest introduction was in High Point. But with the change in schedule, we've moved up some things and will be introducing product at both Vegas and High Point,” he said.
“We think there's room for inventory,” he added. “During the slow times, people did get themselves leaner so there are a lot of dealers looking to buy at the upcoming markets, which is a good feeling on our side.”
Lange said participating in three markets in the same time frame — Las Vegas, the ABC Kids Expo, also in Las Vegas, and High Point — “has posed issues as far as R&D time and getting everything ready. But our people are adjusting to help out and we'll make our way through it.”
While business levels are “a day-by-day deal with us, during the past few weeks orders have been getting a little stronger,” said Lange. “Everybody's replacing some inventory that they're down on and will continue to do that as long as consumers are willing to shop. That's why I think the next couple of markets will be fairly strong.”
Don McCoy, senior vice president at Mayo Furniture, said the Texas-based manufacturer “is seeing business pick up a little bit” as retailers come off a slow summer and get ready for the fall season.
“Retailers have played it close (to the vest) the last few months and there is more open to buy,” he said. “But for us, it always seems to track this way — July and August are slow and everybody is just hoping to get to Labor Day.”
Mayo will have a number of new products for Vegas, although McCoy said the company has been “a little more cautious and thoughtful” with regards to fabric selection and “tried not to throw so much against the wall.”
Mayo expects a strong turnout of dealers here from the Western states but not a lot from Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Ohio. And McCoy doesn't expect to see a lot of smaller dealers. They are likely to be more cost conscious, choosing to stay home so they won't be tempted to buy anything during this still-uncertain economic time.
“When dealers need to buy, they go to market,” he said. “When they don't, they don't go.”
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