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 ..... to another information-packed edition of Suppliers on Demand. Manufacturers should be sure to check out the company news page, as well as the new products and services section, which includes profiles of four new Supplier Division members! These companies offer a wide variety of products and services designed especially to meet the needs of furniture manufacturers. Suppliers on Demand is updated quarterly. The deadline for sub-mitting news for the April 2007 edition will be March 15, 2007. Mail, fax or email information to:
If you need contact information for a product or service you saw in a previous edition of Suppliers on Demand, please click on the link below to access archived issues.
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JANUARY 2007 UPDATE What's new at AHFA Supplier Member companies...
AUTON Motorized Systems, a leading manufacturer of motorized TV lifts, has named Randy Austin its new vice president of business development. Following a four-year NFL career as an offensive tight end with the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots, Austin used his educational background and passion for technology to move into the manufacturing field where, as a sales engineer, he designed and implemented new automation and productivity systems for Mitsubishi, Boeing, Toyota America, HP and IKEA. At AUTON, Austin will manage the company’s sales division and be responsible for new business development programs and cutting-edge marketing and productivity strategies. AUTON Motorized Systems manufactures rack and pinion systems used to hide, reveal, and automate a wide variety of products, including plasma and LCD televisions, traditional television sets, speakers, paintings and art panels. www.auton.com
Home Furnishings Business magazine, published by North American Publishing Co., has acquired InFurniture magazine from Fairchild Publications Inc. Home Furnishings Business, which published its first issue in January 2006, is a business and strategy publication for home furnishings retailers. InFurniture was founded in 2000 and was known as the trends magazine for furniture retailers. Sheila Long O’Mara, editor in chief of Home Furnishings Business and former executive editor of InFurniture, said the best of InFurniture’s editorial content will be refocused for use in Home Furnishings Business. Home Furnishings Business will expand its publishing schedule to 14 issues in 2007. www.napco.com
SEEMAC Inc., Carmel, Ind., and Nickander Associates, Noblesville, Ind., announce a merger of the two companies. Both are diversified wood products marketing and distribution firms serving the nation’s woodworking and building materials markets. The merger was effective November 1, 2006. Also in November, Elliott Savage was named president and chief executive officer. Former president Tom Kohlmeier retains his position as chairman of the board and will remain active in the company’s daily operations. www.seemac.com
The High Point, N.C., practice of BDO Seidman LLP, established in 1930, has been purchased by Ken Smith, Darlene Leonard, Jon Glazman and Mark Bulmer. The four partners have over 100 years of combined experience, supported by 26 staff members. Effective January 1, 2007, the new firm, Smith Leonard PLLC, acquired the business and became an independent member of the BDO Seidman Alliance, a nationwide association of over 200 independent accounting and consulting firms. As an independent member of the BDO Seidman Alliance, the new firm is able to serve clients who have regional, national or even global needs. “While maintaining our own autonomy, we will continue to have immediate and comprehensive access to the technical knowledge and specialty services of an international BDO network that we know very well,” explains Managing Partner Ken Smith. www.smithleonardcpas.com
Toray Ultrasuede (America) Inc., the ultra-microfiber fabric company, has hired the New York-based public relations agency, GCI Group, as part of an ambitious new effort to expand the company’s presence in a wide range of industries. GCI is currently developing a comprehensive communications platform to position Ultrasuede® and Alcantara® (the global automotive brand name for the product) as category-leading brands with the style, versatility and functionality that today’s affluent consumers demand. Combining designer/influencer outreach with aggressive media relations, GCI’s ultimate goal is to position the Ultrasuede/Alcantara portfolio as a complete luxury lifestyle brand — one that consumers experience 24 hours a day, from the clothes they wear to the transportation they take to the furniture they sit on. TUA is a subsidiary of Toray Industries, a $13 billion multinational company that is the worldwide leader in advanced ultra-microfiber technology and inventor of the first ultra-microfiber. www.ultrasuede.com
The High Point Market Authority is partnering with the International Home Furnishings Center to produce a series of official Market directories and guides. The publications will include three High Point Market Preview Guides, the High Point Market Resource Guide, the High Point Market Pocket Guide and the second edition of the Insider’s Guide to Market. Endorsed by the Market Authority and produced by the IHFC publishing team, the new directories will provide consistent listings for all exhibition buildings, as well as tenants by building and showroom. www.highpointmarket.org
Lectra announces the appointment of Jerry Inman as vice president of marketing for North America. Based in New York City and reporting to Lectra North America President David Rode, Inman will be responsible for directing the overall marketing operations of Lectra in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Lectra is based in Paris, France, and is a world leader in software, CAD/CAM equipment and related services dedicated to large-scale users of textiles, leather and industrial fabrics. In other news from Lectra, the company was one of three software publishers invited by Microsoft to participate in the November 2006 worldwide launch of Windows Vista, the new Microsoft operating system. By integrating Windows Vista into the development of its design software, Lectra reports that it has entered a new phase in fashion design. Lectra’s new Kaledo 3D Trend program offers designers a means for creating a three-dimensional presentation to showcase a trend board, complete with multi-media components such as sound and video. Kaledo 3D Trend will be released commercially in 2007. www.lectra.com |
