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INDUSTRY
NEWS
SHUTTER MANUFACTURERS FORM
CONSORTIUM
Several leading domestic shutter manufacturers announce they have
united to provide participating window coverings dealers with a single
source for designing, pricing and ordering multiple industry-leading
brands.
Collectively known as Selections United™ Window Furnishings,
this group of U.S. manufacturers currently supplies Selections United
Dealers with access to: Bamboo Breezes™ shutter panels and shapes,
Davenport Shutters®’ solid poly plantation shutters, Kirtz®
exotic and domestic hardwood panels and shapes, Shutter Productions™
primed, painted or stained basswood panels and shapes, Shutter Smart®
vinyl-clad hardwood shutter panels and Timberlane® exterior shutters.
All of these shutter lines can be obtained via one point of contact,
facilitated by one piece of software.
Selections United’s extensive product offering is powered by
AMI—a design/price/build-to-order software tool customized for
Selections United Dealers by Abstrax®. All product specifications
and pricing for each of the consortium’s shutter brands are
pre-programmed into the AMI software and automatically updated whenever
a dealer is connected to the Internet. Also via the Internet, dealers’
orders are electronically transmitted directly to Selections United
manufacturers for priority production. Comprehensive software training,
along with product education, is provided to each consortium dealer.
According to Selections United Managing Partner Doug Jones, window
coverings professionals who are marketing, selling and installing
at least 500 square feet of shutter products per week are those best
served by Selections United. “Being able to design, price, quote,
sell and order any shutter, including specialty shapes, in a matter
of minutes, gives Selections United Dealers an incredible advantage,”
said Jones.
ECLIPSE SHUTTERS SETS SEVEN-DAY
PRODUCTION STANDARD
Eclipse Shutters by Vinylbilt, Suwanee, GA, announces it now can
offer a market-driven, high-quality shutter within seven days. Its
advanced automated equipment and complete production software are
two of the key elements that have enabled the Eclipse fabricator
network to provide a new standard when it comes to shutter production
time, the company states.
Eclipse Shutters is supporting and promoting its fabricators who
have committed to quick production time through its custom shutter
program. In seven days shutters are ready for pick-up or shipping.
This new standard gives a competitive advantage for the current
dealer/designer buying a competitor’s shutter or no shutter
at all. Quick delivery to the dealer/designer base allows them to
close more sales, which in turn increases cash flow and profits,
the company states.
HT WINDOW FASHIONS REALIGNS
BUSINESS FOR GROWTH
HT Window Fashions, City of Industry, CA, announces the strategic
realignment of its operations. The changes are intended as a better
way to serve its current customers and the industry, the company states.
In addition to HT Window Fashions’ ongoing fabrication and recent
introduction of cellular shade fabric materials to the market, the
company will set up distribution for hard window coverings parts and
components. These include aluminum horizontal blinds, cellular shades,
roller shades, verticals and its stock aluminum and stock cellular
blinds.
Shade and blind fabrication will be centralized in its Los Angeles,
CA-based facility. Its Atlanta, GA, facility will be a service center
and act as a will-call facility as well as a sales and customer service
office.
The company also announces it will be adding personnel to its Contract/Quote
Department.
HT Window Fashions, previously known as Richview/TEHDEX, has been
fabricating blinds and shades for more than 20 years.
VERTILUX VISION RECEIVES OEKOTEX
CERTIFICATION Vertilux Miami, FL, announces that
its Vision Solar Screen fabric collection has received OekoTex Certification.
A textile labeled with the OekoTex Standard 100 offers the consumer
assurance that the textile does not contain any amounts of harmful
substances detrimental to health.
In addition to environmental awareness as a company, Vertilux has
chosen to have its products tested independently to the strict requirements
of OekoTex standard. Certification is not compulsory, but is a standard
that is being applied more prevalently in modern textile manufacturing,
the company stated. All testing is done by specialist testing bodies
appointed by OekoTex. The Standard 100 certification is one of many
certifications that the line has earned and continues to earn, the
company added.
The Vision collection of screens by Vertilux is manufactured by
Vertisol International, an ISO-9001 quality registered company.
The Vision collection includes more than 11 styles and openness
factors. The latest enhancements to the line include the addition
of Vision WP, a waterproof screen; Vision Paradox, a black-out screen;
Vision Styles, a printed design screen; and Vision Crystal, made
with a clear thread.
COMFORTEX BEGINS COMPANY-WIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE
Comfortex Window Fashions, Maplewood, NY, announces a company-wide
Partnering with the Environment intiative, which will focus on reducing
waste, reusing materials and recycling.
The initiative will be implemented across all functions including
administrative, manufacturing, distribution, fabrication and other
company departments, according to John Fitzgerald, executive vice
president. “We have implemented a number of plans over the
past 20 years, most notably at our Phoenix wood alloy manufacturing
plant, but we decided to take this to the next level,” he
said.
Fitzgerald added that the Partnering with the Environment initiative
is consitent with the overall mission of the company, which is based
on innovation and partnering.
ECLIPSE SHUTTERS ADDS WIDE
LOUVERS
Eclipse Shutters, Suwanee, GA, has added a 4 1/2-inch louver to
its line, which provides the most unobstructed view available in
the Eclipse Shutter Collection. The larger louver size allows a
greater amount of light through, yet with the same light control
and privacy features of its other louvers, the company states.
Also with its new elliptical style and design, the Eclipse Shutter
now provides a more traditional louver shape. The new 4 1/2-inch
louver may be ordered with either the traditional tilt bar or the
patented Clearview option. The line is available in white and ivory.
NEWCASTLE NAMES G & G NEW
SALES AGENTS Newcastle Fabrics Corp., Brooklyn,
NY, announces the appointment of G & G Sales and Marketing as
the exclusive sales agents for all of its products in the North
American and South American markets.
G & G Sales and Marketing responsibilities will include calling
on existing customers, developing new customers, developing new
products, assisting with marketing efforts and establishing Newcastle
as a leader in the specialty fabrics market.
Newcastle, a weaver of specialty fabrics for more than 50 years
specializing in synthetic and natural fabrics for a variety of industries,
will continue to provide quality products and service to all of
its customers.
INDIA'S HOME DECOR PARK FOCUSES
ON EXPORTS A 400,000-square-foot International
Home Décor Park (IHDP) is scheduled to open soon in Delhi,
India, that will bring that country’s top exporters of home
décor articles under one roof. Developers are calling it
the first of its kind in Asia focused only on the export industry
and, therefore, accessible only to foreign buyers.
The business park will house permanent showrooms of the top 100
exporters in home decor products in India. The showrooms will feature
textiles, silk, rugs and metalwork. Many support services also will
be available such as testing laboratory offices, freight agents,
buying agents, design center, photography studio, restaurant and
a business center.
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