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Industry News
HUNTER DOUGLAS, LEVOLOR SETTLE PATENT
LITIGATION
Hunter Douglas, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, and Levolor Window Fashions,
High Point, NC, have announced a settlement in the patent litigation
pending between them in the Federal District Court o
f New York, Albany,
NY. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
In the lawsuit, Hunter Douglas alleged that Levolor’s Mystique
product infringed several of its patents. Levolor asserted that Hunter
Douglas’ Ultra Glide® product infringed its retractable
cord patent.
DSC WINDOW FASHIONS LAUNCHES SEMINAR
SERIES
DSC Window Fashions, Inc., Arvada, CO, announces the launch of a nine-month
long series of seminars. The “Four-tune Focus Seminar Series”
will travel to cities in Colorado, Oregon and Washington beginning
in February and will run through October 2003.
The seminars will present information on well-timed topics such as:
motorization, in-field troubleshooting techniques, Vinylbilt shutter
features and benefits, and DSC product features and benefits.
The company’s training seminars range from hands-on sales and
installation to in-the-field personal training. The Four-tune Focus
Seminars are open to the resale industry. For more information, contact
Melissa Conners at (800) 873-0000, ext. 137.
DSC Window Fashions is a wholesale window covering manufacturer and
distributor since 1958 with showrooms in Arvada, CO and Portland,
OR. It has been motorizing it’s exclusive Hi-Tech® Shade
product for the past two years and demand for motorized window coverings
has allowed it to expand this focus to include many other products
such as pleated shades and two-inch horizontals. DSC also is a leading
manufacturer of Vinylbilt Shutters, supporting its customers with
10 years of experience.
AGE CRAFT ADDS WOOD
Age Craft Mfg., Greensburg, PA, has begun fabricating two-inch Kirsch
wood products. Production and shipping time was a major factor in
deciding to fabricate. The company says it has been able to cut this
time in half.
Age Craft is a platinum Kirsch Fabricator and Levolor Distributor.
RAK EXTENDS LINE WITH TWO NEW DESIGNS
RAK Ltd., Chicago, IL, has expanded its X-10-Dor™ product line
by adding two new designs that will work with Weiser and Baldwin hardware,
two well-known manufacturers of door hardware. The X-10-Dor is an
extension for lever door handles that allows room to accommodate wider
window treatments including shutters and blinds.
The X-10-Dor works with Roto, Hoppe, G-U, Jado, Truth and Ashland/Amerock
door hardware found on doors manufactured by Pella, Andersen, Marvin,
Traco, Atrium and Crestline as well as other regional manufacturers.
SIGNATURE RELOCATES AS IT EXPANDS PRODUCTS,
SERVICES
Signature Window Fashions, Indianapolis, IN, is now Signature Window
Fashions & Interiors and has moved to a new facility. With the
name change comes an expansion into interior design and the company
has added custom area rugs, upscale custom furniture, framed artwork,
decorative iron accessories, upholstery and faux painting to its products
and services. Custom draperies, blinds, shades and shutters continue
to represent its main focus, the company says.
To accommodate the expansion Signature Window Fashions & Interiors
has relocated to 9855 Crosspoint Blvd., Suite 140, in far northeast
Indianapolis. The significantly larger facility houses offices, design
studio, conference area and warehouse.
US POLYMERS OPENS FLORIDA WAREHOUSE
TO DISTRIBUTE SHUTTERSMART TO THE EAST COAST
US Polymers, Commerce, CA, has opened a warehouse in Florida with
Southeast Window Fashions to sell vinyl-clad wood shutter components
throughout the East Coast. With this opening, the company’s
award winning vinyl-clad wood shutter, marketed as ShutterSmart, is
now offered nationally as a fabrication program.
“We’ve
found great success with our high quality shutter hitting a price
point that can compete with hollow vinyl shutters, and fabricators
love the ease of fabrication and low up-front investment,” said
Viken Ohanesian, general manager of US Polymers.
ShutterSmart launched its easy shutter fabrication program in November
2002 (D&WC, November 2002, page 16) and has already set up four
fabricators in the United States.
NEW CATALOG INTRODUCES NEW CONSO LINES
Conso Products Co., Union, SC, released its 2003 Merchandise Catalog
on March 1, which offers new additions to its classic collections
as well as new hardware and trimming collections.
The Ellora Collection offers eight trimming styles and five accessory
pieces. It is a high-end designer look at competitive price points.
Eleven colorways range from light hues to darker tones.
The Rajah Collection includes nine trimming styles and three accessory
pieces. Leaning toward the eclectic, Rajah is presented in 10 trendy
colorways representing high fashion at value pricing.
The new Tradewinds Collection makes an exotic statement with hand
carved beads and feathers.
New to Conso’s hardware lines is the Bella Collection. Five
new finials with matching rods, rings and brackets are available in
five finishes that lend the appearance of antiquity.
Conso’s sister company, British Trimmings, also offers two new
collections of decorative trimmings and accessories. The Mezzo Collection
combines narrow patterned ribbons with gimp cord and viscose yarns,
and the Dolcezza Collection makes use of soft yarns including chenille.
CORRECTONS AND CLARIFICATONS
In an article that ran in the January 2003 issue, “Outlook 2003:
Surviving the Year Ahead” (D&WC, January, page 20.), an
incorrect company logo ran with market forecast comments submitted
by Viken Ohanesian, vice president of marketing for US Polymers Inc.
The company’s correct logo appears here.
US Polymers, Commerce, CA, is an extruder of vinyl products including
vinyl-clad wood shutters marketed as ShutterSmart.
PolyDesign Shutters Inc., Birmingham, AL, whose logo ran instead,
is a manufacturer and fabricator of PolyDesign shutters and blinds
and a supplier of PolyDesign shutter components and shutter equipment.
The company offers a complete program including machinery, components,
software and training.
We regret the error. |
