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Industry News
ITA OPENS NEW MULTI-USE FACILITY
ITA, Inc., St. Augustine, FL, has opened a new distribution center
in Ormond Beach, FL, to enable the company to enhance its shipping
volumes and delivery times to customers in the Southeast and East
Coast markets.
Initially the facility will handle components for the company’s
LaPlaya™ Shutters and its newly introduced Meritec® Performance
Shades. The new distribution center will serve as a modern, centralized
facility where the company will conduct ongoing research into new
products and materials. It also will function as a training facility
where fabricators can learn new ways to maximize production efficiency
and quality assurance as part of an array of customer support services
provided by ITA. Other services include merchandising programs,
sample books, co-op advertising, technical assistance and turnkey
manufacturing support.
BUDGET BLINDS LAUNCHES AGGRESSIVE MARKETING
PLAN
Budget Blinds, Orange, CA, has created and launched a new marketing
plan that includes an aggressive national consumer advertising campaign,
targeted local advertising support for franchisees, new marketing
materials and Web resources for consumers and franchisee support in
its efforts to dominate window treatments retailing.
Budget Blinds currently has more than 620 franchises serving 2,000
cities in 46 states (see D&WC, April 2003, page 30). On average,
the company reports opening approximately 20 locations per month with
its goal to achieve 40 to 50 percent market share by 2010.
“Our business model is designed to build market share and top-of-mind
awareness on local and national levels,” said Chad Hallock, president.
AWCDA HOSTS ANNUAL EXPO
The Arizona Window Covering & Design Association will host its
Second Annual Designer’s Expo from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on October
8 at the Orange Tree Resort Scottsdale, AZ.
The expo is open to all interior design professionals. Registration
is $15 before October 3, then $20.
For information visit
www.awcda.org or e-mail linda.designersexpo@awcda.org.
HUNTER DOUGLAS ADDS ADVISORY COUNCIL,
SIGNAGE PROGRAM FOR SHUTTER DEALERS
Hunter Douglas, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, has created the Heritance
Advisory Council and has added Heritance Van Wrap for its authorized
dealers.
Five shutter installers from around the country have been selected
to serve on the advisory council for the company’s Heritance®
hardwood shutters. The group met for the first time in January to
review the Heritance installation technique for current and future
product enhancements. The council members are: Scott Yellen, Nick
Christopulos, Ray Hudson, Jeff Schaab and Rich Gabriel.
The Heritance Van Wrap presents an eye-catching marketing opportunity
for dealers to promote their select position as an authorized Heritance
dealer. With the design, dealers can promote their business information
including company logo and up to four other product categories along
with the Heritance brand.
WINDOW FASHIONS INC. ADDS NORMAN SHUTTERS
Window Fashions, Inc., Cheswick, PA, has added Norman Shutters
to its distributed product line.
Norman International has been in operation since 2001. It offers
a complete shutter line including Sussex, a painted and stained
premium select hardwood, and Woodlore, a durable poly-wrapped composite
also available in solid and stain colors. The company also offers
Normandy, an economical line of wood shutters.
SUPERIOR ROMAN SHADES ANNOUNCES FREE
LININGS PROMOTION
Superior Roman Shades of California has announced to its dealers a
promotion that it will offer a free interlining or an upgraded lining
on all of its standard shades upon request. Free upgraded linings
include Superior’s sateen, blackout or thermal linings. The promotion
will run through the month of August.
NEW RELEASE OFFERS NEW FEATURES
The 2004 release of the DreamDraper™ design and visualization
system for window treatments from Evan Marsh Designs includes new
features and capabilities. Designs can be filled with color or fabric,
or turned into translucent sheers. One still can design on top of
a photograph, but now designs can be manipulated so that they realistically
appear to be placed behind furniture located in front of the window.
The 2004 release also includes the DreamDraper Portfolio™ book
of designs and the 2004 PC Teacher™ video tutorial (three-CD
set), plus a 70-page Instruction Book.
DECORATE NOW RELEASES NEW PATTERNS
Decorate Now Patterns has released three new patterns: the Pagoda,
Elaine and Josephine Valances.
The Pagoda Valance’s flaring sides are inspired by traditional
Chinese architecture. It is part of the DN Originals line of patterns.
The Elaine and Josephine Valances are part of the DN Traditions
line of patterns.
All three patterns reflect the Decorate Now commitment to easy-to-follow
instructions and self-explanatory graphics. The patterns come with
easy-to-read print and detailed, well-illustrated step-by-step instructions,
as well as Decorate Now’s unique Instructions at a Glance system.
HUNTER DOUGLAS SELECTS NEW AD AGENCY
Hunter Douglas Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, has appointed Cossette
Post, New York, NY, as its new advertising agency of record following
an extensive search. Billings are estimated at $8 million.
Cossette Post is a 92-person full-service agency and is part of
the Cossette Communications Group, Canada’s largest marketing
company.
“We were impressed with the expertise demonstrated by their
team in building powerful brands across all communications and a
wide variety of industries,” said Jim Mathews, Hunter Douglas
vice president of corporate marketing.
CHROMAGRAPHIC HOSTS BALTIMORE RECEPTION
The Chromagraphic Processing Co., Williamport, PA, once gain hosted
a gala reception for its top customers during the International
Window Coverings Expo in Baltimore in April. This year’s event
was held at Champs Sports Bar and Grill directly across the street
from the Baltimore Convention Center.
The reception featured hot food, drinks and live music. Among the
guests were members of Vertilux, Miami, FL. Chromagraphic Processing
is a manufacturer of aluminum coil stock for horizontal and vertical
blinds.
LUTRON PRESENTED FOUR AWARDS IN ANNUAL
MARKETING COMPETITION
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., Coopersburg, PA, received four Best
of the Best Awards at the annual National Association of Electrical
Distributors (NAED) meeting in San Francisco, CA, in May. The competition,
sponsored annually by The Electrical Distributor (TED) magazine,
recognizes the best marketing practices in the electrical industry.
Lutron received the top industry award as the overall Best of the
Best Manufacturer, plus three additional awards: Best of the Best
Print Advertising for its integrated trade and consumer advertising
campaign to build the Lutron brand and expand the lighting controls
category; Best of the Best Public Relations for its program to create
brand awareness among homeowners, electrical distributors, contractors,
builders, specifiers, architects and interior designers; and Best
of the Best Integrated Promotional Campaign for its Market Builders
program for electrical distributors and lighting showrooms.
Rick Angel, a senior vice-president at Lutron, accepted the awards
at the NAED meeting. “Receiving four awards is a great tribute
to our entire sales, manufacturing and marketing communications
teams,” he said.
IFAI ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP, KEYNOTE
SPEAKER FOR EXPO 2004
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), Roseville,
MN, has announced a partnership with the National Independent Flag
Dealers Association (NIFDA) for IFAI’s annual exposition. NIFDA
will hold its Fall Workshop Conference during IFAI Expo 2004, October
27 to 29 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Members of NIFDA will be invited to participate in IFAI Expo 2004’s
educational programs, several of which are designed for manufacturers
and designers of flags, signs, banners, and software for fabric
applications.
IFAI also has announced that Robert Gates, one of the foremost experts
on the subject of global terrorism, will be the keynote speaker
during IFAI Expo 2004. Gates is a former director of the CIA and
security advisor to six U.S. presidents. He currently is president
of Texas A&M University.
Gates will provide a unique assessment of a world challenged by
instability, economic turmoil—and astounding opportunities.
He will speak on October 28 at the David L. Lawrence Convention
Center in Pittsburgh.
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