Omni Taking Customer Service To New Heights

Omni Softgoods has not lost its focus on providing the best service in the futon industry to their customers. Here is how it works: you ask and we listen. For the past year Omni has been asking for feedback and ideas to help their customers.“In June, Omni will be sending out its Summer 2003 updates. Included with the updates will be two fantastic new sales tools, The Omni Recipe Book and the Omni Sales Packet on CD,” Nachreiner said. The Omni Recipe Book includes photos of set ups created with all of the fabrics introduced since Spring of 2003 on a futon frame with alternate options to assist customers as well as consumers in choosing great new looks for their futon sleepers and beds. “The Omni Sales Packet on CD allows our customers to have this valuable information at their fingertips and also the versatility to print a hard copy of the sales packet with their particular information included,” she said. The CD includes the entire Omni line as well as photographs of products, current and new. “The Ressque,” an exciting new wood deck futon cover, is also featured on the CD.

Night and Day Furniture Doubles Their Space in SF

Needing more space to show their growing range of products, Mike Gallawa will gladly tell you that he now has more than twice the floor space he had in his old showroom, at San Francisco’s Mart 2 (#701). “We have more products and more lines and I am proud of them all. I wanted to show them off right, so what could I do!”

Okay, show us what you’ve got.

“Well, first, every Standard Line wood futon frame we make now includes the Snapper™ (for snap-on assembly and front operating). That’s right, all of them, our entire standard line is snap-on and front operating.

“Of course our Premium Line wood futon frames include both the Snapper™ and the Sea Horse™ (for easy drop-in assembly). The Premium Line also puts forward fresh, inventive new arm designs, and features many special construction details that are unique to Night and Day Furniture. And, I want everyone to know that all the great new premium models, including Aurora, Night Fall and Dusk are in stock and ready to ship.” The Snapper™ and Sea Horse™ are components of the Shoe Fittings™ operating system. “Made of 100% natural rubber, it is by all accounts a remarkably trouble free and easy system,” Gallawa said.

“Then, let’s see, I have a new Chinese oak futon frame I call Autumn which debuts my Seasons Oak Line. It is a sweet little mission that is well crafted and is made of selected 100% solid oak. Definitely a must see”, says Gallawa. “And, there is the ever popular Floral Rattan with our now famous Rosebud and Magnolia.” He is also happy to tell you that he has a good steady supply of the Floral Rattan, and plenty of stock for this peak season.

“And, oh yes, bedroom!” Gallawa remembers. “Spices, beds and casegoods that include dressers, night stands and of course beds; the Saffron, Nutmeg, Thyme and The Basic. Terrific models, great value and, importantly all in stock.”

Okay, okay we got the idea. “...wait, there is one more...how about a really beautiful Futon-Bunk. It is a perfect kids room item. Our Shoe Fittings™ system operates the futon frame below. And please take note: our standard storage drawers can be used under the Futon-Bunk. It’s perfect. part of the Spices Line, I call it Cinnamon. It’s hot...well, it’s cool!,” Gallawa said.

Night and Day Furniture has moved to space 701 at the Mart 2, San Francisco.

Gold Bond Names Three New Executives

HARTFORD (CT.)—Independent sleep product manufacturer Gold Bond added three business and bedding sales veterans to its management and sales teams effective immediately, Gold Bond President Robert J. Naboicheck announced. The three positions are expected to complement the company’s recent expansion and new product introductions.

Alan J. Cohen of Plainville (CT.) has been named Chief Financial Officer and Controller, responsible for all aspects of finance, accounting, human resources and management information systems. Mr. Cohen succeeds William Feldmann, who retired after over 40 years as the company’s controller. Mr. Cohen was previously C.F.O. of NAPCO Inc. of Plainville (CT.).

Jonathan Mink of Wayne (N.J.) and Robert Weinberg of Amherst (N.Y.) have been named regional sales representatives. Mr. Mink will represent Gold Bond in Metro New York and New Jersey. He was formerly with mattress makers Serta of New York and Classic Corporation of Maryland. Mr. Weinberg was formerly furniture manufacturer Lane Company sales representative and has owned and operated a retail furniture showroom in Buffalo (N.Y.).

Last year, the company added bedding veteran Andrew Freedman as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, a newly created position. Dennis Ferry was named Vice President of Manufacturing. The executives add extensive national mattress manufacturing and marketing experience as the company expands and introduces new products, Mr. Naboicheck said.
The company has always emphasized hand-made craftsmanship and utilizes the industry’s best foams, fibers, cotton, innersprings, boxsprings and its technicians custom-design its ticking covers. Mattresses are sold under its brand name “Gold Bond. The Greatest Name in Sleep. Since 1898”.

Gold Bond recently invested one million dollars in new state-of-the-art mattress production equipment following a move into new 115,000 square foot facilities.

Gold Bond also pioneered advances in the futon mattress industry and is now the world’s largest futon mattress manufacturer. Gold Bond gained industry leadership status when it introduced plush futon mattresses that fully emphasized comfort and durability, helping to fuel the national futon sofa-sleeper boom. Gold Bond is the futon industry’s first noncommercial cotton batting producer to receive the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Classification on its futon mattresses.

The company supplies department stores, furniture stores, bedding and specialty retailers, hotels and universities from its diverse product mix. Gold Bond dealers are provided with award-winning point of sale sales aids, dealer ad-maker materials, as well as banners, posters, cutaways, and brochures.

Wolf Corporation’s Tony Wolf Elected President of NCBI

Memphis, TN — Tony Wolf, president of Wolf Corporation, a Fort Wayne, IN., bedding and futon upholstery manufacturer with a 130-year history of cotton use, was elected president of the National Cotton Batting Institute (NCBI) at the organization’s annual membership meeting in Las Vegas.

Wolf joined Wolf Corporation as a sales associate in 1976 and worked through all phases of sales before becoming vice president of sales in 1982. He was named president of Wolf Corporation in 1994.

He served as board chairman of the International Sleep Products Association in 1998, representing more than 500 manufacturers nationwide.

Two other NCBI officers elected for 2003-04 were Alan Posner of Jones Fiber Products, Inc., Memphis, TN, vice president, and Jim Blasius of InCide Technologies, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, secretary-treasurer.

Serving as Board members are: Weston Arnall, Norman W. Paschall Co., Peachtree City, GA; Charles “Chuck” Bing of Syncot Fibers, Inc., Charlotte, NC; Lawrence Feinberg, Sherman-Feinberg Corp., Boston; Robert J. Naboicheck of Gold Bond Mattress Co., Hartford, CT; Alan N. Vincent, Vincent Manufacturing Co., Inc., Little Falls, NY; and Greg Windsperger of Airtex Industries, Inc., Cokato, MN.

The NCBI represents U.S. companies that manufacture and provide batting for use in mattresses, futons, and upholstered furniture. Membership includes manufacturers of cotton batting, suppliers of cotton linters and textile by-products and businesses allied with the batting industry.

FAI Futon Marketing Committee Creates New Brochure

This recently formed committee, chaired by FAI Past President Chet Stoler, has created a new futon consumer brochure for the Association’s retail members. “This new brochure will incorporate some verbiage from the previous literature along with some new information reflecting today’s futon consumers wants and needs,” Stoler said. It was designed to print in four color on standard (8 1/2” x 11”) glossy stock. “This piece will be folded in half and will include information about all the products our futon members carry, and will include key words like: affordable, portable, convertible, and comfortable on the front and inside pages,” he said.

Designed and written by Russ Kramer, the new brochure utilizes the most colorful and appealing photography available. “We wanted to capitalize on this opportunity to continue to educate futon buyers about the stylish functionality of today’s futon sofa sleeper,” said Kramer. A simple order form on the back provides a space for notes on which convertible frame, futon mattress, futon covers, accessories and any other items the consumer may have selected. There is also a space for the salesperson’s name, the date, and the futon store’s name. “This brochure will be available on CD-ROM for FAI members to use if they want to do their own printing run,” Stoler said.