INDUSTRY UPDATES
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Marquis Furnishings Celebrates Successful First Year
Marquis Furnishings, the national brand of Crispen Holdings, a Florida based manufacturer of futon frames, bedroom and living room furniture, is celebrating its first year on the national scene. “I can’t believe we have our first year under our belts,” said company President Mark Crispen. “One year ago, all we had was a business plan to take our beautiful products national, now we have a foothold in some of the better futon retailers in the country.”
Crispen purchased the eight store New Dawn Futon and Furniture chain and manufacturing facility with the intention of selling its high end futon products nationally.“We believe that the real growth in futon frames will be in the high end,” said Crispen.
Marquis will be offering a derivation of its popular Level 2000 futon frame line that it introduced in Orlando last March. “Our patented “Interlock” mechanism, a front operating, zero tolerance wall hugger has been a hit with customers, but it does add significantly to the cost,” he said.
To approach a more moderate price point Marquis will now offer the Duke, Duchess, Panel and Pyrenees with a traditional slot and roller mechanism. “There is a significant segment of the market that applies little or no value to wall hugging mechanisms,” Crispen stated. “For those customers we now offer our hottest futon frame styles without the “Interlock” at a sharper price.”
The company also announced that is had upgraded its Level 1000 futon frames line to utilize the same seat and back that is used in its Level 2000 line. The seat and back are connected with a continuous hinge with 72 screws as opposed to the standard pin connection which dominates the futon frame market. “Spreading out the stress on the futon frame conversion over the entire length of the futon frame greatly reduces the risk of breakage. This will be our standard seat back connection company wide.”
Bob glade Leaves Big Tree
After a successful nine-year association with Big Tree, Bob Glade is moving in a new direction.
“In those nine years, Big Tree had some significant growth and became one of the major players in the futon industry,” said Glade.
Glade and his associates are putting together an extensive line of solid oak accessories and futon furniture with the popular mission styling.
“Our “Craftsman Collection” line up is being manufactured at our factories in Mexico, and is being shipped out of our Los Angeles distribution center,” he said.
The line will make its debut at the upcoming San Francisco Show in Space #108, at the
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
FL
Burlington Futon Company Celebrates 16 Years Of Success
Burlington Futon Company is celebrating its 16th anniversary. Since its start, the company has seen many strategic developments and business improvements, and recent months have been no different. Long known for its progressive and socially responsible business principles, Burlington Futon Company considers its staff its most valuable asset.
Such thinking explains the company’s priority of investing in its employees as well as in its customers. “We are committed to creating the best possible work environment,” says Mark Binkhorst, President of Burlington Futon Company. “We are continuously looking for new ways to demonstrate our commitment and appreciation to our employees.”
Such investments include launching a wellness program, involving daily exercise, a smoking cessation program, and attention paid to safety and workplace ergonomics. A flexible approach to scheduling encourages employees in their efforts to adopt or continue a healthy lifestyle.
Employee benefits include health insurance and were recently upgraded to provide a retirement fund with the company making matching contributions. In the production department, Burlington Futon Company continues to focus its resources and energy to continuously improve in futon order fulfillment.
“We faced challenges with our lead time in the past and we made the commitment to significant and long lasting improvements in this area,” explains Chris Van Genechten, the wholesale coordinator. Technological improvements aside, “it has been the teamwork and synergy between our cutting, sewing futon covers, and shipping departments that have made this growth possible. As a result, our customers are confident in ordering and often surprised by our quick delivery.”
Gold Bond Posts Record Sales Driven By Super Premium Futons
HARTFORD (CT) – Domestic, international and new accounts deepened Gold Bond’s market penetration while its line of super premium futon mattresses achieved record sales in 2000, the company announced.
Two new premium futon mattresses—the futon industry’s first pure natural latex futon mattress, (the “Latex Plus”) and the new encased spring futon mattress (“Coil Wrap”)—achieved virtually “instant” success. Sales and shipments for the two units doubled the company’s projections. Existing and new Gold Bond retailers continue to place them on their floors, fueling what will be a strong first quarter.
Gold Bond is one of the oldest and largest independent futon bedding manufacturers and cotton garnetters in the country. It supplies leading futon retailers and hotels with a complete line of handmade innerspring mattresses and futon products.
“Texas Futon’s (Austin, TX) experience with the Coil Wrap, and America the Beautiful’s (Washington, OR) placement of the Latex Plus, show just how the great futon retailers successfully offer premium futon mattresses to the consumer,” Gold Bond President Bob Naboicheck said.
The latex futon is the industry’s first pure natural latex foam futon mattress. Gold Bond’s Latex Plus includes two 2-inch pieces of fully molded latex foam, one 2-inch piece of 1.8 density high resiliency foam, four 7/8” pieces of super soft 1.5 density foam, two heavy batts of world class Gold Bond cotton batting and two layers of pure New Zealand virgin wool. The futon mattress carries a 15-year non-prorated warranty.
“Progressive retailers—in either the futon or innerspring categories—know that latex conforms naturally to the body, is anti-microbial and is nature’s most durable and resilient cushioning. Consumers seek our latex for precisely these benefits, and they like the fact that it ‘breathes’ and provides the support of a three thousand-dollar sofa for a fraction of the cost. Therefore, it is an essential unit for futon retailers’ floor plans,” Mr. Naboicheck said.
The new Coil Wrap was added to the company’s super premium line up last year. The Coil Wrap futon mattress retails for about $299, carries a 10-year non-prorated warranty, and employs heat tempered individually encased coils that eliminate body impressions, “coil sag” and fatigue that may occur in generic encased coil innerspring units.
The company provides futon retailers with extensive dealer training and award winning point of sale materials. “We know the consumer loves the ‘feel’ of the Gold Bond super premium line up. Couple that with knowledgeable retail sales people…you have a powerful combination,” Mr. Naboicheck said. “Last year, we and our futon retailers really performed well together. It was a spectacular success.”