News From Casual Living®
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, January 27, 2008
Chicago Merchandise Mart expands casual presence
Pool and Spa Expo beats expectations
Leisure Products Fair expands in China
Skyline Design opens Dallas showroom
Outback Chair Co. names Bechtold national account executive for casual stores
Tucker returns to Pipefine Patio Furniture
Chicago Merchandise Mart expands casual presence
Pool and Spa Expo beats expectations
Leisure Products Fair expands in China
Skyline Design opens Dallas showroom
Outback Chair Co. names Bechtold national account executive for casual stores
Tucker returns to Pipefine Patio Furniture
Chicago Merchandise Mart expands casual presence
Due to continuing growth in the casual furnishings industry, Merchandise Mart Properties has announced several new, expanded and relocated furniture showrooms at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
Four manufacturers are expanding showrooms and moving from the Mart's 16th and 17th floors to the 15th floor, the Mart's newest design destination. Two new casual showrooms also will open on the 15th floor.
The introduction of Market Square on the 15th floor allowed MMPI to relocate leading tenants interested in growing their design business. Because of this relocation, MMPI was able to answer some of the expanding needs of the current tenants on the 16th and 17th floors and welcome former temporary exhibitors of the International Casual Furnishings and Accessories Market as permanent resources.
"In the past three years, MMPI has expanded its casual showroom offerings by 35%," said John Brennen III, executive vice president of MMPI. "This expansion honors our agreement with the Summer & Casual Furniture Manufacturers Assn. to grow the industry and allows our new and current tenants to showcase a larger selection of their product offerings to retailers and the design trade shopping the Merchandise Mart on a daily basis."
Pool and Spa Expo beats expectations
Exhibitors were elated by three days of steady traffic during the 2007 International Pool/Spa Backyard Living Expo in Orlando, Fla.
Preliminary estimates indicated that total attendance was above 13,000 and exceeded by 3% the 2005 Orlando show's attendee numbers. Participants at the Nov. 28 to 30 event came from all segments of the backyard living industry, from all 50 states and 66 countries.
"We attend every year and every time we bring back ways to expand and enhance our business," said Debbie Willard of Splash Pools & Spas. "We are excited to implement the information we gained from the seminars and the show."
With 252,000 net square feet of exhibit space, the show featured an array of products, services and ideas in casual furniture, pools, spas, hot tubs, lighting, landscape décor, hearth and grills.
"This was one of the best shows we've ever exhibited at," said Dennis Dickey of Landmann USA. "The quality of leads was outstanding.
"The leads we take away are definitely going to generate some new business."
Of the 768 exhibiting companies, 167 were first-time exhibitors or had been missing for several years.
In 2008, the IPSE/BLE and Aqua Show will combine into one mega-event that will be renamed the International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo. The event will be held Nov. 18 to 20 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
For more information, visit www.poolandspaexpo.com or call (888) 869-8522.
Leisure Products Fair expands in China
China's International Outdoor & Leisure Products Fair will be held March 18 to 21 at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou.
Held concurrently with the growing China International Furniture Fair, the Outdoor & Leisure show extends CIFF's interior furniture theme to exterior items by displaying the outdoor fashion and lifestyle of Asia.
China has emerged as a major player in outdoor furniture, with exports to the United States, Europe and the Middle East increasing at a 30% rate in recent years.
For more information about the show, visit www.outdoor.fairwindow.com or www.ciff-gz.com.
Skyline Design opens Dallas showroom
Skyline Design, a manufacturer of luxury outdoor all-weather furniture, opened a showroom at the Dallas Market Center in time for the Total Home & Gift Marketplace this month.
Skyline produces furniture using fine weaving materials from suppliers such as Viro, Rehau and Ecoplast. These synthetic fibers result in furniture that is chemical and UV resistant, safe for the environment and 100% recyclable.
Skyline showed a variety of its collections here, including Malta and Corona, and Shangrila dining.
Outback Chair Co. names Bechtold national account executive for casual stores
Kristen Bechtold has joined Outback Chair Co. as national account executive, responsible for accounts with casual furniture specialty stores.
Prior to joining Outback, Bechtold was national sales manager for furniture manufacturer Artifacts International.
Her previous professional experience includes senior positions in sales and marketing for home builders and real estate developers in the Portland, Ore., area.
Tucker returns to Pipefine Patio Furniture
Douglas Tucker has returned to Pipefine Patio Furniture, bringing more than 28 years of industry experience, including furniture design and production, mold and jig design and construction, production scheduling and management.
Quality improvement will be Tucker's focus in his new production role.
Tucker began his career with Pipefine in 1976, when the company operated out of an airport hanger at Executive Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Since 1968, Pipefine has manufactured an extensive line of PVC cushioned, strapped and sling furniture as well as accessories.
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