Trade Masters expands line into metal beds
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 28, 2007
Peachtree City, Ga. — Case goods importer Trade Masters is delving back into metal beds to diversify its bedroom furniture offerings.
Company President Ron O'Dell said a source factory in Shanghai has added a metalworking component that will produce a line of metal beds for Trade Masters. He declined to name the factory, but said he has been sourcing case goods from there for years and that Trade Masters is the facility's only customer.
During a trip to China this month, O'Dell and the plant will work on samples for collections that will include as many as four all-metal or wood and metal beds to be introduced at the March market in High Point. The collections also will include mirrors with metal frames.
Trade Masters will warehouse the beds in China and ship them on mixed containers with the company's wood product. Prices are targeted at $1,499 retail for group with a metal bed and four wood case pieces.
"You can make metal cheaper than you can make wood (product)," O'Dell said. "This is just another way for us to do some groups that are promotional but that are very good looking."
This isn't Trade Masters' first experience with metal beds. About two years ago, it brought out six metal beds made at a source factory in Tianjin, China. But the program did not catch on with customers and eventually was dropped.
O'Dell said he decided to try metal beds again largely in response to some recent consolidation he has seen in the category. Customers also have asked for more varied designs that include mixed-media elements such as metal.
"I see a void in the marketplace and a lack of intense concentration in design in the marketplace," he said. "When I see something like that, I see an opportunity. It hasn't quit selling. The manufacturers had just quit concentrating on it."
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