Eric Foucrier to sell Guardian Protection Products in several markets

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, September 13, 2012

Eric Foucrier

CLAREMONT, Calif. — Industry veteran Eric Foucrier has acquired the Guardian Protection Products distributorship for several western markets and all of Canada.

Foucrier, who had a long career at the former Linder's Furniture of Garden Grove Calif., purchased the distributorship from Steve Rachlin of Rachlin Group for an undisclosed amount.

Foucrier joined Rachlin Group and its upholstery import division, Rachlin Classics, earlier this year as vice president of sales and marketing and will continue in that position as well, he said.

Based in Claremont, Calif., Foucrier will be selling retailers Guardian and Crypton Super Fabric protection plans and furniture care and maintenance products for case goods and upholstery. His territory, in addition to Canada, Hawaii and part of Texas, includes Southern California, greater Las Vegas and Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona and New Mexico.

Among the reasons Foucrier said he chose to buy the Guardian distributorship was because of its eco-friendly Crypton line, which he said was the first Environmental Protection Agency-approved and certified fabric protection and cleaning products for the home furnishing industry.

Equally important, he said, is the fact that Guardian's plans are underwritten by a third party, giving consumers added protection should a product or business fail.

Foucrier said the new business allows him to "leverage my 30 years of retail sales expertise.... My long-term goal really is to be able to work on developing sales training and motivational type programs (for retailers), and the Guardian franchise is the vehicle that lets me get in there and do that."

He said he will use social media outlets to help retailers and their salespeople hone skills to increase closing ratios and gross profits.