|
Industry News
ADEX AWARDS TO TWO INDUSTRY MANUFACTURERS
Two window coverings industry manufacturers have been recognized
for product design and presented an Award for Design Excellence
(ADEX).
Comfortex Corp., Maplewood, NY, received a gold level ADEX in the
window treatment category for its Harmony™ Cellular Verticals.
Draper, Inc., Spiceland, IN, received a Platinum Award, the highest
level of recognition, for its IntelliFlex control system.
The ADEX awards are sponsored by Design Journal. Award winners are
selected by an anonymous panel of design industry professionals
and are selected for product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes
marketed to the design trade.
HUNTER DOUGLAS PRODUCTS RECEIVE GOOD
DESIGN AWARDS
Four recently introduced products from Hunter Douglas Window Fashions,
Upper Saddle River, NJ, have received Good Design Awards. Heritance®
hardwood shutters, improvements to Remembrance® Window Shades,
PowerTilt™ Remote Control Motorization and Cadence™ Soft
Vertical Blinds were selected.
The Good Design awards are hosted by the Chicago (IL) Athenaeum, a
distinguished cultural institution and one of the few museums of architecture
and design in the United States. Good Design bestows international
recognition upon design and manufacturers for advanced, new and innovative
product concepts and originality.
HOULES NAMED DESIGNERS' TOP ACCESSORY
SOURCE
Houlès, Paris, France, was named best source for design accessories
by top interior designers polled in a survey for House & Garden
magazine. The results of the survey were published in the magazine’s
April 2004 issue.
The poll asked interior designers specifically which companies they
prefer to buy from for themselves and their clientele. “We are
honored to receive this recognition,” said Sylvestre Bono, CEO
of Houlès-U.S.A., the manufacturer’s American subsidiary.
LUTRON ADDS THREE UPDATES TO PRODUCT
LINE
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., Coopersburg, PA, has introduced three
new line extensions to its Sivoia QED™ (Quiet Electronic Drive)
product line: the Roller 225 System, which more than doubles the capacity
of its Sivoia QED window shading system to offer smooth, precise,
quiet control of large shades (up to 15 feet by 15 feet, or 225 square
feet); an in-line coupled system that provides up to three adjacent
shade panels to be tied together and driven by a single electronic
drive unit; and a dual-mount shade system allowing two different styles
of fabrics to be used on the same window (one in front of the other).
The Sivoia QED was designed with its electronic drive and internal
components located inside the roller tube, allowing it to fit within
a five- by five-inch pocket. It utilizes low-voltage wiring, allowing
for easy retrofits, and its proprietary brackets allow roller tubes
to be readily adjusted and easily aligned without removing fabric
from the tube.
ITA SIGNS NEW FABRICATORS FOR TWO PRODUCT
LINES
ITA, Inc., St. Augustine, FL, has announced three new fabricators
for its LaPlaya™ Shutters line. The shutter is based on MikronWood®
XT®, a composite that offers strength, stiffness, weight and
durability.
The new fabricators are: Davidson Bishop, Winston-Salem, NC; International
Wood Shutters, Tampa, FL; and Finecraft Industries, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada.
ITA also announces two new fabricators for its Caslan™ Designer
Shadings. These soft-folding shades offer premium quality woven
fabrics and a patented fabric panel system.
The new fabricators are: The Blind Maker, Austin, TX; and BlindWorld
USA, Inc., Miami, FL.
WINDOW SHADING TECHNOLOGIES MOVES
Window Shading Technologies, Sylmar, CA, has opened its new manufacturing
facility and showroom, a move that almost doubles its manufacturing
space. The new address is 12843 Foothill Blvd. Suite A, Sylmar, CA
91342; (818) 838-6400; fax (818) 838-6409.
“In addition to streamlining manufacturing, the new facility
has allowed us to inventory more components, additional fabric options
and the opportunity to distribute Mermet fabrics,” says Bruce
Tarpey.
The company is a longtime manufacturer of shading components for fabricators,
a fabricator of custom manual and motorized shades as well as a distributor
of hardware, fabrics, motors, electronic controls and roller shade
and lift system components.
TECHNIKU INTRODUCES NEW CONTROLS, ACCESSORIES
Techniku, Broomfield, CO, introduces new receiver controls and
power accessories to support its IR and RF configurations. With
its Intelligence Interface and Power Distribution Box, Techniku
systems can be easily installed, upgraded and expanded to integrate
into full-home automation systems.
The Intelligence Interface (I2) brings communication to the individual
window covering that can be concealed in the headrail or a variety
of other placements. The I2 provides plug-in features for the motor,
power (six- or 24-volt), RF or IR receiver port, RS485 networking
and dry contact closure with switch operation.
The Power Distribution Box can be used with all Techniku automation
systems, powering up to four window coverings. The Power Distribution
Box relays incoming power (six-, 12 or 24-volt) from a power supply
and transfers it to up to four window coverings. The small Box can
be discretely concealed in a variety of locations.
SERVICE OFFERED TO CORRECT ERRORS
The Midwest-based Precision CutDown Service is offering its services
to blind retailers as an answer to mis-measured window treatments.
Retailers and homeowners can resize or relocate new or used privacy
sheer products from several manufacturers with the original factory
warranty honored after the serv
BLANKS FABRICS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS
IN BALTIMORE
Blanks Fabrics, Woodlawn, MD, is celebrating 100 years in business
in the Baltimore area.
In the aftermath of the Great Baltimore Fire in 1904, Isaac and
Minnie Blank opened the doors to their home to welcome customers
into their first-floor home goods shop. Here the business developed
its customer-first attitude in providing towels, pillowcases, draperies,
clothing and other much-needed home goods.
In 1996 the company moved to its present location in Woodlawn. Today,
still a family owned and operated business, automated widow coverings
and motorized blinds are just some of the many new and innovative
products and services Blanks provides.
GET PUBLISHED
D&WC Trends columnist Kathleen Stoehr is currently working
on a beauty book, “Dream Floors,” to be published in January
2005 by Randall International. Stoehr is seeking beautiful interiors
photography that also highlights the wide variety of flooring options
available today. A resource guide in the book will list your name
and contact information, making this a great opportunity to highlight
the inspired work you do. Direct queries to: kstoehr@chemistrycreative.com,
or stoehr@bitstream.net.
WINDOW FASHIONS, INC. GOES ONLINE
Window Fashions, Inc., Cheswick, PA, has launched its new Web
site: www.windowfashionsinc.com.
The site gives visitors the ability to obtain information about
the products the company offers, as well as view product photographs.
The Window Fashions, Inc. Web site also offers dealers access to
its Dealer Resource Center giving them the ability to place quotes
and orders, check order status, view account balances and pay invoices
online. The online site also contains user-friendly features that
allow dealers to compare product pricing, view their product discount
structure and track orders, as well as keep an informational database
of customers for their convenience.
To obtain a login and password for the Dealer Resource Center please
visit the site and submit the “Request for Login” application
or contact the company’s sales department .
|
