Furniture Today - April 14, 2003

Exhibitors and showroom owners usually exhale heavily at the end of every International Home Furnishings Market, but as they wrapped up the most recent show, those sighs were not entirely due to exhaustion. Many were simply relieved the market wasn't as bad as they had expected. There certainly were reasons for the market to be bad, and attendance was down in many showrooms.

• Special Report
• Market Highlights
• Case goods reaching out
• Vietnamese factories gaining momentum
• Webb launches CG importer Outlook
• Upholstery reps hitting road after market
• Décor-Rest scores with Julian launch
• Tyrell: Sweet tune for Pennsylvania House
• Durham's new dining rooms to hit retail floors this summer
• Jaclyn Smith to launch Largo line with appearances at key retailers
• HomElegance sets 6-story complex
• Relax-R expands chair line
• Value drives leather action
• Survey reveals leather buying trends
• Interline Italia debuts quick-ship program
• Pick your styles, prices in casual dining
• Occasional keys on style, function, licensing
• New technology could kick-start home office
• Anti-France mood affects some vendors
• Pump-priming key in motion
• There's more to recliners than price
• Leather uph. makers expand into motion
• Sleep, study, storage still important to youth bedroom
• Coaster draws good response to youth
• Bedding business brisk
• Visco-elastic foam bedding on the rise
• Sealy's one-sided Posturepedic wins strong market reception
• Sealy line more fire-resistant
• Youth category sparkles in metal bed showrooms
• Elliott's Designs unveils lower-priced lineup
• RTA emphasizes unique looks, mixed media
• Sauder's new Web campaign a hit
• Value, fashion are main drivers for rugs
• Best of market
• Mexico sharpens competitive edge
• Ashley, La-Z-Boy among U.S. contingent at expo
• South American factories building business

• Bedding Today
• Regional player adds voice to FR discussion

• Opinion Today
• Seeking and finding those market jewels
• Niche players get chance to shine

• Store Openings
• P.J. Kids opens licensed store
• Talsma adds Broyhill gallery
• Lexington gallery in Mich. store
• Cresent installs first Jamison Crest Collection bedding area

• Up Front
• Gold sees more growth for spun-off producer
• Market group hopes budget will get state boost
• Culp plans to make fabric in China plant
• Dutailier acquires kids source E.G.
• Aaron to convert, close Sight & Sound retail units
• Gabberts may buy Arizona's Ladlow's
• Nichols & Stone to make Williamsburg line
• Lunsford joins Hickory Springs
• Masco promotes Barry to COO
• Alters new Kingsdown sales VP
• Carpenter decides to stay at Boyd

• News
• Cantoni enters Atlanta with Innovations buy
• Wickes sets California warehouse
• BDO: Factory orders down 7% vs. Jan. '02
• Brooks hires Widner, adds BR line
• AFMA panel readies views
• Mullins succeeds Zaliagiris as Taylor King's president
• New company finds out why consumers don't buy
• Palliser conducts first layoff
• ISPA challenges flame proposal
• May Shanghai market still on tap
• American Home enhances displays in new store
• Emerald Home taps Zihlman for new post
• Corrections & Amplifications
• Vermont wood sources plan joint marketing campaign
• ATMI elects Unifi's Moore chairman
• Mitchell Gold raises funds for Edwards
• Leggett & Platt integrates bed, steel units
• Cargo Transporters launches international operations unit
• Leggett & Platt creates Adjustable Bed Division
• Bush combining N. American furniture units
• Sears Canada opens Natuzzi areas
• Natuzzi planning Brazilian tannery

• People Today
• Wilson named sales VP at Stanley
• People on the Move
• People on the Move

• Insider's View
• U.S. factories still have home court advantage

• Business Today
• Amisco's 1Q earnings rise 6.9%
• Hudson's Bay net earnings jump 53.2%
• Pier 1 sales up 13.3%, profits rise 29.1% in yr.
• DMI 2Q sales up 35.2% as income skyrockets
• Bombay same-store sales up 30%
• Simmons Canada reports 2002 gains