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Gold Furnishing 2008

January 2008 vol. 11. No 1

If you haven't received a copy and would like one, please email: info@elitepublishing.com.au

The combined first edition of both Furniture and Bedding magazines for 2008

Viewpoint

Furniture magazine is now in its 21st year and continues to act as the communication link for the furniture, furnishing and bedding industries.
We've stood the test of time, formed crucial industry links, built a loyal readership and are very excited about the future. Furniture magazine will continue to comment, challenge and keep you informed in the years ahead.

What the industry says:
For comments from the industry read more on page 6.

News

Dunlop helps young designers
Dusko Lapcevic has been named winner of the inaugural Dunlop Foams Young Designer Furniture Award (YDFA) - Australia's first furniture design competition to commercially produce the winning design for sale across Australia for a 12-month period. The competition was created to encourage new ideas and innovation in the design and production of foam-based furniture in Australia to meet the lifestyle needs of the young adult market (mid teens to late 20s). Dusko won the award for his design called Zeus, ensuring his design becomes a commercial reality as well as a cash prize of $6000.

Reginald Muir Memorial Scholarship
The Reginald Muir Memorial Scholarship will be presented again for the 14th year at the Furnitex Gala Dinner in July 2008.
The total value of the scholarship each year is $20,000, with the winner undertaking an overseas study tour developed in consultation with FIAA (Vic/Tas) Inc.
Applications for the 2008 RMMS close on 6 June 2008.

Sealy celebrates wealth of experience
Sealy's current and past employees gathered in Brisbane to congratulate an illustrious group who have been involved in the company for 20 years. Entitled Boarders, as their names now feature on the Honour Board at the entrance of Sealy's head office, the nine new inductees join those celebrating 25, 30 and even 40 years with Sealy. (Read more on page 10).

Tontine celebrates new premises
Tontine officially celebrated its move to spacious new premises in Campbellfield, Victoria in November. The Victorian Minister for Industry and Trade, Theo Theophanous officiated and a gracious Lauren Newton acted as Master of Ceremonies at the opening event attended by some 100 guests.

Awards

Australian Furniture of the Year Awards 2007
The Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (WA) Inc (FIAA WA) hosted the annual Australian Furniture of the Year Awards at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre on 3 November 2007.
Gold Furnishing's editor, Jennifer Curtis, one of the judges of the awards, reports on the event. (Read more on page 18).

Profile

Going from strength to strength
When Kim and Helen Gascoigne started their furniture business in 1975, they probably didn't expect it to be the start of an Australian family dynasty.
Today, the family company, which started out importing and retailing chesterfields from the UK, has added major retailing to its successful and on-going manufacturing and exporting arms. Jennifer Curtis reports (read more on page 24).

Buying Groups

Dynamic and fast growing
With over 120 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand Beds 'R' Us believes it is Australasia's fastest growing bedding and bedroom furniture retail group. (Read more on page 26).

A great line-up
National retail group Front Line and NSW bedding retailer Rise + Shine have formed an alliance designed to strengthen partnerships with suppliers and provide many marketing opportunities through key specialised staff and resources. (Read more on page 28).

Furniture One buying mart
Furniture One held another successful buying mart at Rosehill Racecourse in mid-October. On display were the groups preferred suppliers who showcased their new and exclusive products for possible inclusion in the group's catalogue. Members were invited to view the products and make their views known to the catalogue selection committee.
Furniture One is a non-profit co-operative, which was formed in 1964 and owned by the members.

Business award for Furniture One
Ulladulla Furniture One has added another major award to its already impressive collection with its recent Shoalhaven Business Award 2007 for small/medium businesses.
The store's manager and director, Vaughan Sansom, was also a finalist in the Shoalhaven Businessperson of the Year Category.
Situated in the Homemakers Centre in South Ulladulla, Ulladulla Furniture One has been operating for three years, becoming stronger by the year.

Women in business

Zest for life
Despite the increasing number of women in the furnishing industry, it is still unusual enough to find a woman in an executive position in a major retail organisation that it is worth celebrating.
Zina Hopgood is a young woman whose success has come about through a mixture of hard work, the right attitude and being in the right place at the right time. (Read more on page 30).

Australian Made

Consumer Campaign
The Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA) has launched a national consumer campaign to counteract the flood of Asian imports into Australia. (Read more on page 31).

Foam

Bio-based foam comes of age
by Umberto Torresan, global marketing manager, Natural Oil Polyols, Dow Polyurethanes.
For nearly 20 years, furniture manufacturers interested in marketing environmentally-friendly products have focused on sustainably harvested and recycled wood, and sometimes water-based wood finishes. More recently, 'green' furniture manufacturers have marketed all-natural, and even organic upholstery, ranging from organic wool and cotton to naturally-processed leather and in some cases bamboo fibres. (read more on page 32).

Spotlight on Acme

Acme bounces back
Acme Fine Furniture Pty Ltd was place in receivership in March 2007. Since this time, the management team has made numerous changes in the business. As a result the company has traded profitably during this period to the extent that it was able to exit receivership in November. (read more on page 36).

Manchester

New brand ardor
Arriving in March, ardor is an exciting new brand in bed linen from Interfab. Designed specifically for release this winter, ardor bed linen truly captures the spirit of its name and offers designs that will appeal to men and women alike.

A tropical delight
Legend Australia has released a stunning new Tropicana design under the Logan and Mason brand to coincide with summer. This cool and inviting fresh design is made from 100% cotton and features ties on the quilt cover, pillowcases and cushions.

Summer nights
The Linen House collection for summer highlights the precious luxury of green and a renewed appreciation of nature and her gifts. An awareness of the land and the shifting light of different times of the day were key elements when designing this season's range.

Upholstery

Taking the green challenge
Environmental champion Sustainable Living Fabrics, the first Australian company to offer commercial furnishing fabrics with the Good Environmental Choice Ecolabel, won the Small Business award in the 2007 Premier's Sustainability Awards.

Essential fabric care
Today, more than ever before, we have a great range of upholstery fabrics to choose form. Technology in the fabric mills has developed rapidly since computer technology was introduced into the fabric industry. This has given the consumer a large variety of fabrics from which to choose. The only thing that has not changed is that all fabrics still need regular maintenance. (Read more on page 39).

AIFF 2008 Review

AIFF adds new showcases
The Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) and the co-located Decoration + Design has added two new showcase areas to the furnishing and interiors event.
New in 2008 will be the launch of the Hotel and Hospitality Showcase and the Retirement Living Showcase, both featuring the latest furniture products specifically targeting these markets.
The fair will kick-off the 2008 Asia Pacific calendar of furniture and furnishing trade fairs, when it opens in Sydney on 6 to 8 February at the Sydney Exhibition Centre. (Read more on page 40).

Exhibitors

Garland Imports
Garland Imports is a family owned and operated business located an hour north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast. As an importer of stylish home decor, the company's goal is to continually search the globe for beautiful homewares, which are of high quality, exceptional standard and affordable prices.

Popcan
Popcan International's new collection will be launched at the Australian International Furniture Fair in February. The Capetienne Collection is a new range added to the popular Les Saisons French style furniture and is inspired by the majestic power and driving passion of the Capetian dynasty, the ruling house of France from 987 to 1328.

Linak
Linak is a world leader in the design, manufacture and supply of quality actuator systems. These include products to enable a TV screen to raise and lower from a cabinet or tall boy. The Linak product range includes actuators, columns, control boxes, controls (including infra-red and RF) and massage systems.

Everbright
Everbright Furniture is a professional manufacturer of flat-pack (ready-to-assemble) furniture utilising computerised modern production systems. The company makes quality but budget priced furniture from a Shanghai production base.

Software

Exceeding expectations
Over the years the local furniture industry has developed from a market where very few colours and options was the rule to today's market, where every option and colour is required for each piece of furniture with no two customers wanting the same. (Read more on page 46).

Business Management

Systems = Sanity
by Sue Hirst, Director, CAD Partners
Many business owners struggle with doing everything in their business - paying bills, day to day management, getting products and services ready, selling and managing staff etc. A major challenge for any business owner is how to get others to help run the business, so that it doesn't completely take over your life. (Read more on page 48).

International

Intense trade
The 13th China International Furniture Expo, staged at Shanghai New International Expo Centre SNIEC, Pudong Expo Centre and Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, closed on 15 September after four days of most intense trade. (Read more on page 50).

Intertextile Shanghai
One of China's best-known home textiles sourcing fairs returns in August 2008. (Read more on page 52).

Like never before
With its tagline "Captivating Designs, Pioneering Innovations, Globalised Networks", visitors from the world over to the Malaysian International Furniture Fair 2008 (MIFF 2008) can expect to be enthralled by a wide variety of products with captivating designs and pioneering innovations during the exhibition from 4 to 8 March.

Famous fair gets thumbs up
The 17th International Famous Furniture Fair (Dongguan) was held successfully from 17-21 March 2007 alongside the International Famous Furniture Woodworking Machinery & Material Fair and the Dongguan Home Furnishings Fair. (read more on page 54).

Outdoor living and leisure
China International Outdoor & Leisure Products Fair (Outdoor & Leisure Guanghzou) will be held from 18 to 21 March, 2008, concurrently with the China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) at China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex. (Read ore on page 56).