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INDUSTRYNEWS
NIEN MADE LAUNCHES BLIND, SHADE COMPONENT
PROGRAM
Nien Made Enterprise Co., Inc., Ltd., Santa Fe Springs, CA, has
launched a new company: Nien Advanced Solutions (NAS) to import
and locally stock blind components.
Initially, NAS will sell horizontal and vertical blind and cellular
shade components, the company states. The blinds will be available
in basswood, faux wood and composite. “Our forte will be our
ability to fill 100 percent complete orders, on time, from our conveniently
located U.S.-based warehouse,” said Patrick Rixon, president.
NAS also will seek to partner with independent custom fabricators
with a freight-free program for minimum orders. A full container
load order program also will be promoted.
Nien Made Enterprise is a global business with more than 12,000
employees.
SUPERIOR’S NEW FACILITY TO OFFER
INSTALLER TRAINING AND DESIGNER OFFICES
Superior Roman Shades, North Hollywood, CA, has moved into a new
fabrication facility in Burbank, CA. The expansion increases its
custom Roman shades and woven shades workroom capacity by more than
200 percent, the company states.
The new site also allows space for the creation of a specialized
installer program designed for Roman shades and other soft treatments.
Superior also has plans to offer office space to local designers
to meet with clients and, in essence, to treat Superior’s
showroom and workroom as their own. “This facility will enable
us to take our production efficiencies and customer service to a
new level to better meet the needs of the design community with
resources and the training of certified installers for these specialized
products,” says spokesman Ashley Bonilla.
TECHNIKU SPONSORS AUTOMATED WINDOW
COVERINGS IN Z-WAVE DEMONSTRATION HOME
Techniku, Broomfield, CO, is sponsoring the automated window coverings
in the inaugural Z-Wave Demonstration House located in St. Petersburg,
FL.
The Demonstration House brings Z-Wave-enabled products together
in a real-life retrofit application from a variety of manufacturers.
The house provides a forum to demonstrate the ease in which a home
can “come alive” through a number of products operating
together in harmony.
Z-Wave is a wireless, two-way RF communication protocol based on
an open standard for home controls. More than 100 international
companies are developing products based on the Z-Wave platform,
allowing for a wide range of products (including access control,
HVAC, security, audio/video, window coverings and interior/exterior
lighting) from multiple manufacturers to be managed seamlessly throughout
a home control network. Z-Wave solutions also are simple to install.
Nicole Lauer, Technku national sales and marketing manager, states,
“As the Z-Wave Alliance creates these demonstration homes
across North America, the growing product portfolios from participating
companies demonstrate how upgrading to a smart home is easier and
more affordable than ever before.”
Techniku is a leader in the design and manufacture of automation
and control solutions for interior window coverings. Other Z-Wave
Alliance members include Wayne Dalton, Intermatic, Leviton, LogiTech
and ControlThink.
ENDISCO SUPPLY NEW WEB SITE RUNNING
Endisco Supply Co., Tulsa, OK, has its Web site up, running and
ready for viewing at www.endisco.com. Most all Endisco products
are available to see throughout the Web site along with product
descriptions.
Professional quality photographs of Endisco products make the site
convenient for decorators and their customers to get decorating
ideas without leaving the home or office, the company says. Visitors
also may request product literature, samples or e-mail any sales
associate for more information.
TEXTOL ADDS NEW TRIM LINES
Textol Systems, Inc., Carlstadt, NJ, has introduced a new line of
drapery trims covering many different styles and collections all
contained in an available sample book. This introduction is a major
expansion to the company’s range of products offered to the
trade, it states. Textol offers its customers high-quality affordable
trims, braids, fringe, tiebacks and other products, according to
Lawrence Wolfin, president.
“Besides the new trim line, we are in the final stages of
putting together our new expanded catalog which will offer our customers
many of the items they have not been able to find before,”
Wolfin adds.
All of the company’s products and catalog requests can be
made online at draperysupply.com or textoltrims.com.
HANES FABRICS OPENS NEW DISTRIBUTION
CENTER
Effective April 1, Hanes Fabrics is consolidating the majority of
its residential Premium Lining products into its Winston-Salem,
NC, distribution center. This shift will reduce purchase transaction
costs and shorten lead times for customers, the company states.
With this move, Hanes expects customers to be able to reduce freight
expenses by combining more products per order and decreasing the
overall number of orders. Customers not already utilizing one of
the company’s nine existing stocking points throughout North
America can expect to save as much as 50 percent in freight on small,
one to two case orders and 25 percent in freight on larger, five
to ten case orders, the company estimates.
EASY QUOTE STOPS DISTRIBUTION
Systems & Solutions of South Florida Inc., Pompano Beach, FL,
has stopped distributing the Easy Quote software, the company announced
in an e-mail newsletter sent in early March. Systems & Solutions
developed and supported the software since 1999, but company president
Joseph Bird stated, “We have taken it as far as we can.”
The company will continue to support Easy Quote 6 on a limited basis
through the end of this year either on the software support Web
site (support@easy-quote.net) or via e-mail.
RIVERSIDE ACQUIRES THIBAUT
Riverside Co., New York, NY, has acquired Thibaut Wallpaper &
Fabrics, Newark, NJ. The company’s new management team will
be headed by Bob Senior, its new CEO. Senior is a partner with Riverside
and has more than 25 years experience in the paint, coatings and
wall coverings industry. He previously served as president of Zinsser
paint and wall covering sundries division or RPM, which included
Thibaut. Riverside is an experienced leveraged buyout investor specializing
in buying small, industry-leading companies offering strong management
teams and potential for growth, the company states.
Thibaut serves the high-end residential decorating and remodeling
market and is said to be the oldest continuously operating wallpaper
firm in North America. The company’s products are sold through
interior designers, designer showrooms and fine decorating retailers
throughout the United States, Canada and many international markets.
Thibaut was founded in 1886 by Richard E. Thibaut, originally from
Paris, France. It began as a successful retailer with distribution
points along the U.S. eastern seaboard. The business was sold to
its employees in 1953 and to RPM in 1976.
ILLINOIS ASID CHAPTER RECEIVES PREMIERE
NATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
The American Society of Interior Designers—Illinois Chapter
(ASID-IL) has been awarded the first National Community Service
Award by ASID. This distinctive honor was presented to the Illinois
Chapter at a special ceremony during Interiors 06: The ASID Conference
on Design, held March 16 to 19 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel
in Nashville, TN.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement in design, while honoring
the excellent community work accomplished by the Illinois Chapter.
Mary Dluzen, ASID-IL Chapter president, accepted the award on behalf
of the Community Service design team.
The ASID-IL Community Service Committee included Suzanne Maviano,
ASID, team leader; Dluzen; Jody Gruel, ASID; Mary Lou Kalmus, ASID;
and Mary Murtaugh, ASID. They devoted some 500 hours of pro bono
work, solicited products and services from ASID industry partners
and coordinated efforts with the architects, specified products,
colors and furnishings for the interior design of the newly constructed
and remodeled 10,000-square-foot building housing Southwest Women
Working Together, located in Chicago, IL. Southwest Women Working
Together is a not-for-profit, community-based women’s organization
that serves women and children primarily from the South Side of
Chicago. The group provides them with the tools and resources needed
to lead self-sufficient and violence-free lives.
SURFACES 2006 BREAKS RECORDS
Surfaces 2006, held February 1 to 3 at the Sands Expo & Convention
Center, Las Vegas, NV, was the show’s biggest event to date.
A record-breaking 40,588 retailers, manufacturers, distributors,
architects, designers, builders and installers from around the world—a
six percent increase over 2005—came to see thousands of new
products being introduced at the show.
Exhibitors also were in attendance in record numbers—1,070
companies, an increase from the record-setting 1,054 in 2005, showed
products to serious, qualified buyers in 515,000 net square feet
of exhibit space. More than 300 new companies participated in this
year’s show, bringing even more new styles and trends to the
event.
Even the Conference Program broke records—2,808 sessions were
attended at this year’s program (up 14 percent over 2005),
proving floor covering professionals’ need for continuing
education to keep their businesses a step ahead of the competition.
The 42 courses in the program, which was sponsored by Mannington
Mills, covered a wide range of topics—marketing, business,
sales, installation, design and window coverings—ensuring
every segment of the industry had an opportunity to learn about
new industry trends.
The official sponsor of Surfaces is the World Floor Covering Association
(WFCA), the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy organization
representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service
providers throughout North America.
STUTTGART SHOW SEES INCREASES
The R + T International Trade Fair, Stuttgart, Germany, ended its
five-day run in January on an optimistic note. The show’s
producer says 50,000 trade visitors from 91 countries attend this
year’s event, which showcased products from 545 exhibitors
from 38 countries.
Foreign visitors were up in number, most notably from Asia, which
accounted for 12 percent of the show’s visitors (up from eight
percent in 2003, the last R + T show). The number of visitors from
North America and Australia also increased, according to a statement
from Messe Stuttgart. By their own description, 52 percent of visitors
said they were self-employed entrepreneurs or managing directors,
while 90 percent said they were involved in purchasing and procurement
decisions.
ECO-CONSUMER A TOP TREND AT MAISON
& OBJET 2006
The Maison & Objet home furnishings show in Paris, France, registered
record attendance in January with 76,249 buyers attending, up 8.3
percent from a year ago, states the show’s producer. There
to meet them were 2,845 exhibitors, 900 from counties outside France.
International attendance at this year’s show was up 16 percent
from 2005, with visitors from the United States being among the
top 10 with an increase of 16 percent as well.
The show’s producers note that one of the top trends at this
year’s show was the Eco-consumer. Exhibitors make furniture
and objects all over the world and want to publicize their efforts
in favor of responsible and fair trade in home décor.
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