The Toronto Home Furnishings Show, which ran from January 15-18 this year, is over. And, judging from the reps who stopped by my booth to schmooze, it was a much better show than in years’ past.
Because it is located between the heavily populated U.S. Northeast and the industrial Great Lakes, and because it is the only true national show held in Canada once a year, Toronto is attended by more than 12,000 industry people including 6,000 buyers from the United States and 19 other countries. This is Canada’s largest furniture showcase, featuring: dining room, dinettes, living room, bedroom, accent furnishings, futon furniture, mattresses, lighting, home office, home theater, and décor accessories…all under one roof! With more than half a million square feet of exhibition space, the Toronto Market accommodates some 400 exhibitors over its six interconnected “halls.” The organizer (Quebec Furniture Manufacturers Association) calls it “the High Point of Canadian home furnishings!”
From my vantage point, it was a winner. Canada, like the United States, is going through a period of unprecedented growth, which translates into more new and renovated homes and, by extension, more furniture purchases. Buyers actually came to Toronto with the intention of buying! I saw smiles on people’s faces! Everybody I spoke with seemed upbeat, and I’m sure that once the results are published, this will have turned out to be one of the best Canadian shows ever.
On a personal note, Lofa Sales took a gamble by introducing Cotton Works to the Canadian market…the first time an American cover and accessory supplier has committed to venture north. Prices are higher because of the exchange rate, but Cotton Work’s program of stocking 150 fabrics and guaranteeing their shipment within three days has no equal in Canada, and Canadian retailers jumped on board with great enthusiasm. My two other factories, Atelier de Bois J.A. Veins and Wolf Futons (Canada), were both very pleased with the attendance and the acceptance of their new products, and we’re all looking forward to taking more space…next January!
 

Most Successful Year in Company History Gold Bonds Shipments Soar

HARTFORD (CT.) – Fueled by increased domestic and international demand and a growing futon retail base which is driving up premium futon mattress sales by double digits, futon leader Gold Bond notched the company’s all-time highest levels of sales and shipments in 1999.
Gold Bond is one of the oldest and largest independent bedding manufacturers in the country. It supplies leading retailers and hotels with a complete line of handmade innerspring mattresses and futon products.
Robert J. Naboicheck, President, is the third generation of his family to lead the business. He says extraordinary successes of 1999 reflect consumers’ desire for innovative quality futon products that provide durability and comfort in America’s living and bedrooms. “Gold Bond does have its ear to the ground. Consequently, the company concluded its most successful year in our long history. We credit this to solid performance by our products and people,” he says.
Expansion Underway
Gold Bond is a sleep surface innovator. Its business is propelled by exhaustive research, development and quality control. Stringent Q.C. requirements must be surpassed before the company will introduce new products. Gold Bond was formed in 1900. Today it is one of the largest independently owned sleep product suppliers and cotton garnetters in the nation.
Sixteen years ago, Gold Bond entered the fledgling futon industry and shortly thereafter began introducing new futon mattress concepts.
Today, Gold Bond is adding additional futon manufacturing space to its recently built 115,000 square foot factory located immediately off the interstate highway. The company presently ships about 1,500 units daily. “Our production capacity enables Gold Bond to swiftly fill trucks and get the products to our customers on time. We pride ourselves on great service. Our customers profit from that. Now we are building added production capacity on our land here,” Mr. Naboicheck notes.

Bluestone Intros New Table Group

The Millcreek table group, by Bluestone Mills, features mission styled stained glass tops and drawers with pewter pulls. The group is available in five sizes including a thirty-eight inch square cocktail table, a twenty-four by forty-eight inch cocktail table, a twenty-four by twenty-two inch end table, an eighteen by forty-eight inch sofa table and two pedestal tables. “This addition to our occasional table line will appeal to futon specialty retailers as well as oak specialty and conventional furniture retailers. The look is innovative and that’s what futon shoppers are looking for… not just another knock-off,” says Robert Thomas national sales manager. Bluestone Mills is an Amish crafted producer of solid Appalachian oak futon frames, home office and occasional tables.

 

August Lotz Announces New products for Orlando Show

Boyd, WI - August Lotz, quality manufacturer of solid wood futon frames, futon mattresses, and bedroom furniture unveiled its plans for new product introductions for Spring. They are introducing new mattress lines, new futon arm styles, a new occasional table series, and a new bedroom collection.
“We have long been known as a top quality producer of futon frames, and now we want that distinction in futon mattresses,” says Mark Schlichter, company president. “Last fall we developed an upper-end, high density foam series and a process to ensure that they open and close easily. They have done very well. Now we need to round out our line-up with some price points right underneath those.” In Orlando, Lotz will introduce two new futon mattresses. They both have precision cut, high density “Foam Spring” core systems and are surrounded by multiple blankets of densified polyester inside a new, rolled edge tick.
Keeping with their tradition of styling excellence, Lotz will add three new futon arms. “They will all be somewhat unique,” added Schlichter. “One will have a bent, radial arm top and star burst inserts. The other will be in a contemporary mission category and the third will be a log arm with wrought iron silhouettes. The industry expects us to develop new styles and I don’t think we will disappoint them.”
A new line of occasional tables has been designed to help futon retailers get more multiple piece sales. “The tables coordinate with specific arm styles,” volunteered Schlichter. “They create a visual statement that says, these belong together, they are a set. To save us and our futon retailers inventory space and dollars, they have been engineered as a bale body to which different grids get added.”
The company is also introducing another bedroom collection. Because of the success Lotz has experienced with its log futon frame, the new offering will incorporate logs to give a very rustic, cottage/lodge look. An entertainment armoire will be offered in addition to the bed, dresser, mirror, chest, and night stand. August Lotz already has a solid ash, mission bedroom collection.
 

Easy-up Futon Convertor Introduced in January

Sweet Dreams West, Inc., the company that originated the concept of controlling unruly futons with its Sticky Fingers No-Slip-Pads has introduced its newest futon-control product for the 21st Century.
The Easyup Futon Convertor makes all conventional bi-fold (SII mechanism) futon frames a snap to convert from the bed mode to the sofa mode from the front of the futon frame! Any frame can now be a “front-loader” with this simple, inexpensive (suggested retail $8.95) device. The Easy-up Futon convertor is a pulling device that attaches to the backrest of the futon frame. To convert the frame one simply kneels on the seat of the futon and pulls towards oneself. Presto, up it goes!
The Easy-up solves several problems inherent in the conversion of bi-fold futon frames. First, many people are not strong enough to lift the futon up to its sofa position from the back of the frame. Second, as anyone who has done futon deliveries knows, futons often go into areas in between other pieces of furniture that makes access to the side or back of the frame impossible. Last, many “hybrid” futons such as coil or predominantly-foam futons that don’t like to bend fly off the front of the futon frame every time the futon is converted. The Easyup eliminates these problems entirely!
“When Pete Dodge came to me with this idea I knew right away it was a winner,” says Buzz Farlow, Pres. “It solved several problems cleanly, inexpensively, and without placing stress of any kind on the frame. Perfect.”

FL