Four Hands gets exclusive to distribute Old Java line
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 14, 2008
Austin, Texas — Furniture importer Four Hands has been named the exclusive North American distributor for the Old Java line of Indonesian-made furniture.
The line includes case goods, upholstery and accessories made from reclaimed teak. All the products are produced in factories in Jakarta, Indonesia, owned and operated by Mark Saunders-Davies.
In North America, the line previously was distributed by Hoyt Trading of Charleston, S.C. and Designer Imports of Dallas. Saunders-Davies said both companies did an excellent job, but he believes Four Hands can help Old Java reach a broader national audience.
"Knowing their product and seeing its compatibility with our own collections made it quite clear that this is the kind of company which could fit with and represent Old Java extremely well," Saunders-Davies said.
"As we found ourselves increasingly selling to regional chains, it became clear that we needed one national sales and marketing strategy with uniform pricing, in depth inventory and a strong industry presence," he added.
He said 30 container-direct customers of Old Java have been transferred to Four Hands, along with several hundred retail and designer accounts.
Four Hands officials said Old Java is expanding its production capacity.
Four Hands founder and CEO Brett Hatton said he has known Saunders-Davies for about seven years and has been an admirer of the Old Java line.
He said it is a perfect match for Four Hands, which also markets a line of case goods made from reclaimed woods.
"When you see the line, it makes perfect sense," Hatton said, noting Old Java's Colonial influences and strong finish and construction elements. "It's just true Javanese craftsmanship."
Hatton said Four Hands will ship the line directly from the Jakarta factories and also from its Austin warehouse.
Four Hands will show about half a dozen Old Java SKUs in its showrooms at this month's Atlanta and Las Vegas markets.
A larger rollout will take place at the April High Point Market.
