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Industry News
RENAISSANCE COMPLETES EXCALIBUR ACQUISITION
Renaissance Window Fashions, Inc., Oxnard, CA, has completed the assignment/acquisition
of the primary assets, liabilities and rights of Excalibur USA. Renaissance
Window Fashions, Inc. is a California corporation representing new ownership
with a firm commitment to integrity in the conduct of business, mutual respect
and, ultimately, the overall success of the business, which inherently benefits
all parties involved including customers, vendors, employees and shareholders,
according to a company statement.
During this transition, Renaissance management has worked very closely with its
vendors to ensure the continuation of its order-to-ship time of three to five
days. Having completed the transaction, the company states its immediate focus
is on servicing the existing customer base, followed by expansion of existing
markets and then introduction of new product lines.
SKANDIA ACQUIRES EXTRUTECH
Skandia Window Fashions, Tallahassee, FL, has acquired Extrutech Plastics Inc.,
a vinyl extrusion company based in northern Wisconsin.
Skandia is a leader in the manufacturing of hollow vinyl shutter window coverings
and Extrutech is an extruder of solid vinyl shutter components for fabricators
throughout the country. Extrutech also produces many other building products.
Skandia will use this acquisition to introduce a new line of solid vinyl shutters,
which will be included in the current SunQuest brand. This new product will be
marketed as SunQuest SL300.
Skandia has been involved in the shutter market for eight years. With this acquisition
the company will be able to provide a high-quality solid vinyl shutter to the
market.
NEW PRICING, OPTIONS AVAILABLE ON COMFORTEX SHUTTERS
Comfortex Window Fashions, Maplewood, NY, has introduced a new pricing format,
a new frame option and new packaging procedures for its Woodwinds® Plantation
Shutter line. To facilitate these changes, the company has expanded its Phoenix,
AZ, plant (see D&WC, October 2004, page 18).
Beginning October 1, all Woodwinds Plantation Shutters are priced on the actual
square footage area of the framed unit from tip to tip according to frame style.
The new EZ Install Face Mount Frame option is designed for fast and easy installation
in drywall applications or for windows with no existing molding. To safeguard
all shutter units as they are shipped, sturdy foam blocks are added to the outer
edge of all protective packaging and accordion-fold inserts have been added to
protect the louver tree and tilt bar.
DSC OPENS SEATTLE SERVICE CENTER
DSC Window Fashions, Inc., Arvada, CO, celebrated the grand opening of its new
service center located at 5505 First Ave. S, Seattle, WA, in November. The new
center offers local retail window coverings designers and dealers a by-appointment
showroom, alterations and repairs done locally and the opportunity to pick up
orders, saving shipping charges on many products.
The opening of the Seattle Service Center was made possible through a partnership
with Salvin Mfg., a 50-year-old wholesale drapery workroom, and Evergreen Textiles,
a drapery hardware and decorative trim distributor, both owned by Rob and Kathy
Adamson, Seattle, WA.
DSC is a Gold Preferred Graber Fabricator and a full-service window coverings
manufacturer and distributor that has served the design industry for 45 years.
Its products include the Hi-Tech® Roman Shade. It is based in Arvada, CO,
and has a second showroom and production facility in Portland, OR.
15TH OXFORD HOUSE GOLF OUTING ANOTHER SUCCESS
The Oxford House 15th Annual Golf Invitational and Education Seminar Series held
August 11 and 12 was another in the series of successes for the company. Participants
from across the country ranging from vendors to customers as well as the local
community played in what proved to be “one of the best golf tournaments
we ever had!” said Polet Senesac, president of Oxford House, Fowler, IN.
“We had good weather, a fantastic tournament of people, great food and
even better camaraderie,” he added. The six-person team scramble produced
a lot of good scores with the first three teams scoring 12 under, 12 under and
11 under.
“Every year our two-day event seems to get bigger and better with more
new people as well as some of the same people who have been coming for the past
15 years,” Senesac continued. “I believe that people keep returning
not only to have fun, play golf and learn some product information but, most
important, to see some of their friends from previous events and to re-energize
their selves to go home and grow their businesses.”
HUNTER DOUGLAS CONSUMER WEB SITE RECEIVES MARKETING AWARD
The new Hunter Douglas consumer Web site, www.hunterdouglas.com, has received
a Web Marketing Association 2004 Outstanding Web site WebAward. The award recognizes
work above the standard of excellence in Web site design, innovation, content,
technology, interactivity, copywriting and ease of use.
Since the introduction of the new site, the number of page views has increased
by more than 200 percent, 110,000 product and topic-specific brochures have been
downloaded and nearly 104,000 product recommendations have been provided through
its Product Advisor, the company says.
The Web Marketing Association was founded in 1997 to help in setting high standards
for Internet marketing and corporate Web design. It created the award to recognize
organizations and individuals that are making an impact on Web design.
LUTRON CAPTURES AWARD FOR NEW SYSTEM INTERFACE
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., Coopersburg, PA, has announced that its SOLos system
interface has been named to Electronic House magazine’s 2004 “Products
of the Year” list. It was featured in the magazine’s September 2004
issue.
SOLos adds seamless control of Lutron’s Sivoia QED™ (Quiet Electronic
Drive) shade and drapery system to its HomeWorks® total home lighting control
system, making it possible to control a window shade or drapery as easily as
controlling a light.
“Topping our list of criteria is technological innovation, combined with
overall value—and just plain outstanding features,” said Electronic
House Editor-in-Chief Cindy Davis.
VISION 2005 CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON CONSUMER
An insider’s look at how one company has given Wal-Mart a run for its money,
a session on how to develop and market consumer products to women, and an actual
focus group exploring what consumers think about today’s products are all
part of the recently released seminar schedule for the Vision 2005 Consumer Products
Conference, January 16 to 19, 2005, in New Orleans, LA.
The dual themes of globalization and consumer marketing are expected to attract
more than 500 industry professionals to Vision 2005. The conference is sponsored
by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry.
Among the highlights of the conference are: Dieter Brandes, formerly an executive
with Aldi, the German retailer, will provide insider tips on how retailers and
their vendors can reach the modern consumer; the impact of an aging population
on consumer products will be explored by Paul Hewitt of the Social Security Administration;
understanding women will be the goal of marketing consultant Julie Plunkett in
a session titled “If It Works For Women (It Works For Everyone!)”;
and A.C. Nielsen will define the modern consumer in a “Profitable Consumer
Trends” session.
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