Stork Craft licenses FBI brands

Tanya Merritte -- Furniture Today, March 11, 2013

RICHMOND, British Columbia - Juvenile manufacturer Stork Craft has signed a licensing deal to produce and market infant and youth furniture under the Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville and Drexel Heritage brands, all companies under the umbrella of Furniture Brands International.
     Stork Craft is planning to show the collection at the October ABC Expo in Las Vegas, with the line going to retail in the third quarter.
     Kelly Ng, director of business development with Stork Craft, said the collections would contain cribs, which the manufacturer is known for. Ng said planning is in the early stages, but the various collections could also include toddler and youth beds, bunk beds, changing tables, dressers and accessories.
     A line of glider rockers will also be produced under license using the Lane name.
     Initial plans call for collections to be offered at various price points in multiple distribution channels. "Some cribs will be in big box stores as well as online," Ng said, adding that the online market is one channel that the Stork Craft is trying to stay on top of.
     Cheri Pfneisel, director of marketing - licensing for Furniture Brands, said the FBI brands will not be selling the youth line through their company stores or sales representatives. The initial introduction will be focused on Stork Craft's current retailers and distribution channels. While the collections will carry a brand name, Pfneisel said the logos will be designed to specify that the youth collection is a separate line made and marketed under license by Stork Craft.
     "The youth line is going to be its own brand," she said.