|
Annual Suppliers Golf Tournament More than 80 golfers participated in the 2008 Scholarship Golf Tournament in June, raising more than $7,000 to support the Suppliers Division scholarship fund.
The 2008 tournament was made possible by platinum sponsors Hickory Springs, Leggett & Platt and NCFI Polyurethanes, as well as gold sponsors Lectra, Supreme Foam and Home Furnishings Business magazine. The first place team of Kevin Mann, Craftmaster; Dale Smith, Bradington Young; and Brad McNeely and Buster Mann, Hickory Springs, donated their winnings back to the scholarship fund. The second place team included Bill McCall, Hanes Inds.; Mike Dreidler and Dan Dibble, Bassett; and Eddie Wilson, Snyder Paper. Golfing on the third place team were Mike Reynolds, Eddie White and Neil Varner, all from Bassett; and Joel Nichols, Scott Insurance. The Suppliers Division scholarship fund awards six $2,000 scholarships to children of AHFA-member company employees each year. The awards go to students age 21 or under who are enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a two- or four-year college, university or approved vocational/technical school. Application forms for the 2009-2010 school year will be available later this year on the AHFA website, www.ahfa.us. The deadline for application will be January 31, 2009. |
 Experience a Cutting and 3D Revolution Lectra, a supplier of CAD/CAM solutions to the soft goods industries, will host a furniture event at the Hickory Metro Convention Center in Hickory, N.C., August 4 - 7. The event will kick off on Monday evening, August 4, with a complimentary cocktail party from 4-7 p.m. During demonstrations scheduled throughout the three days, attendees will have the opportunity to see and experience Lectra’s global furniture technology suite, from its comprehensive 3D solution – DesignConcept 3D Furniture – to the most intelligent cutter in the world – the Vector. With dedicated solution experts on site, Lectra will demonstrate how its latest technology allows furniture designers and manufacturers to accelerate product development time, improve end-product quality, create virtual prototypes and improve overall productivity and yield. Demonstrations will be scheduled at the convention center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. August 4-7. To see a demonstration, schedule a private appointment or RSVP for the complimentary cocktail party, contact Michael Bugno at 212/730-4444, ext. 210, or email m.bugno@lectra.com. www.lectra.com |
 Team National Factory Direct Taps MicroD When Team National Factory Direct decided earlier this year to sell configurable custom upholstered furniture on its website, it tapped MicroD’s ePreVue and EasyOrder online. Team National Factory Direct is a part of National Companies, a direct sales company headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and an AHFA Supplier Division member. Consumers buy “benefit packages” from National Companies that entitle them to discounts on goods and services, such as home furnishings, communications, jewelry and more. The company had previously offered upholstery on its website but thought it could get higher ticket sales and margins with custom orders. It selected MicroD’s solutions for Custom Order Upholstery presentations, with fabric-on-frame draping and online item configuring and pricing. www.microdinc.com |
BiOH Furniture Partner Featured in New GreenHome 
The National Homebuilder’s Mainstream GreenHome in Raleigh, N.C., showcases the appeal of sustainable living to American homebuyers. The first home of its kind, the residence showcases greener building practices and furnishing options at every turn. Denver-based Metamorphous Furniture furnished the home with sofas, sleepers, chairs and recliners, all of which were manufactured using soy-based BioFlex Hybrid Foam from Flexible Foam Products. Cargill’s BiOH™ polyols are used to make BioFlex. www.bioh.com
|
NESTERwood Delivers Double-Digit Material Savings for Ralph's Frame Works 
Two AHFA Supplier Division members have teamed up to improve productivity, reduce costs and accelerate delivery times for upholstery manufacturers. Ralph’s Frame Works, which produces frames for high-end upholstery manufacturers serving residential, healthcare and institutional markets, implemented Plataine’s NESTERwood software in March and has since been experiencing consistent material savings of up to 20 percent. NESTERwood enables upholstery manufacturers to respond to market dynamics and remain viable in an increasingly competitive global environment. NESTERwood’s Rolling Nest automatically optimizes the placement of pieces from one or more orders on multiple sheets of plywood, resulting in material yields that are consistently higher. By generating efficient tool paths, NESTERwood improves the productivity of CNC routers. www.plataine.com/nesterwood
|
Globe Express Launches Cambodia, New York City and New Delhi Offices 
Globe Express Services, a rapidly expanding, global, third-party logistics provider, has launched new corporate offices in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and in New York City. “We feel Cambodia is the next area of growth after Vietnam,” says Georges Mejaes, Globe’s executive director. “In order to better service the needs of our customers, Cambodia needs to be an integral part of our global network.” The New York location supports the company’s plans to further develop its air freight offering. In addition to air operations, the new facility will host a full slate of international logistics services, including ocean freight, drayage and customs brokerage. A new corporate office also has been added in New Delhi, India. The location has direct access to one of India’s major airfreight hubs. It is the eighth Globe Express location in India. www.globeexpress.com
|
 Ultrasuede® 'Designer's Choice' Debuts at Showtime Toray Ultrasuede has introduced six new “designer” shades of upholstery fabric – colors actually selected by designers Barclay Butera, Rick Lee, Vladimir Kagan and Stanley Jay Friedman. Butera created a calm, ocean blue that Ultrasuede calls “Barclay Butera Blue.” Lee created two shades, one a modern, deep pink hue with soft purple highlights called “MagentaModern.” The second is a vibrant teal called “South Beach.” Kagan’s shade is a balance of red and orange that accents the latest generation of Ultrasuede neutrals. It is called “Kagan Red.” Finally, Friedman conceived a deep purple-blue called “Stanley” and a clear purple called “Iris.” All the new colors were introduced at the June 2008 Showtime fabric fair in High Point. www.ultrasuede.com
|
|
Lectra Launches New Cut-Order Software Lectra, a leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to the soft goods industries, unveiled a new version of its Optiplan cut-order planning software earlier this year. With the software’s new features, furniture manufacturers can successfully combine powerful, algorithm-based software with the most up-to-date process methodologies to optimize production processes and material usage from the planning stage through to the production floor. Optiplan can simulate a range of different planning and manufacturing scenarios, immediately showing the impact of each scenario on costs and production time – down to the unit level. The selected scenarios are delivered to spreading and cutting equipment as executable plans, thereby reducing errors downstream and minimizing unnecessary costs and waste. Marker planning can be done automatically in minutes, increasing the time available for improving marker efficiency. More than 480 Optiplan systems have been installed in 49 countries worldwide. www.lectra.com |
New Environmental Award  Environmental Award Entry forms and eligibility guidelines for the new Sage Award are now available online here. AHFA created the Sage Award in partnership with Cargill BiOH™ polyols to seek out and recognize true industry innovators in the area of environmental leadership. Award applicants should demonstrate wisdom, experience and leadership within the home furnishings industry in the areas of sustainable business practices, social responsibility and profitable growth. The deadline for 2008 entries is September 5, 2008. Finalists will be announced during the October High Point Market, and the winner will be recognized at the November 13-14 Sustainability Summit in Greensboro, N.C.
|
|
Sustainability Summit 2008 For its second annual Sustainability Summit, AHFA is assembling a distinguished lineup of environmental experts, each with critical insights of value to any home furnishings company that is working toward the implementation of sustainable business practices. Don’t miss this important all-industry event November 13-14 at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C. Co-sponsored by Cargill BiOH™ polyols, the summit will open with the presentation of the first ever Sage Award honoring environmental excellence in the home furnishings industry. Mark your calendar, and look for registration details at www.ahfa.us, under EVENTS. |
|
2008 Annual Meeting AHFA’s Annual Meeting, the premier executive event of the year, is slated November 20-23 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. Presidents and CEOs from all AHFA member companies are invited to attend this three-day program designed to inspire home furnishings industry leaders. Featured presenters include Dr. Nido Qubein, president of High Point University; Charles Kennedy, senior vice president of social trends for DYG Inc.; and Gayle Butler, editor-in-chief of Better Homes & Gardens. In addition, Doug Kays, president of the National Home Furnishings Association, will provide an overview of HGTV’s Preferred Retailer Program. Registration details are available at www.ahfa.us, under EVENTS. |
AHFA welcomes the following new members to its Suppliers Division:
 CLARK & REID FINE FURNITURE SERVICES provides white-glove transportation, warehousing, and in-home delivery services for furniture manufacturers and retailers nationwide. The company’s commitment to providing quality in-home delivery services guarantees a seamless transition enabling proper brand extension from the initial sale to the final delivery. Clark & Reid also has over a century of providing executive-level household goods transportation services to the relocation industry.
CONTACT: Don Martin, 800/358-3600 E-MAIL: finefurniture@clarkreid.com WEB: www.clarkreid.com |
TOUCH UP SOLUTIONS INC. is a family owned business located in North Carolina that provides a line of touch-up and repair products for wood, leather, vinyl, metal and plastic. The company emphasizes quality products, custom colors, competitive pricing, prompt shipping and no minimum orders.
CONTACT: Troy Pait, 877/346-4747 E-MAIL: troy@touchupsolutions.com WEB: www.touchupsolutions.com |
THE GOVMARK ORGANIZATION INC. is an independent testing laboratory and manufacturer of fire test equipment. Founded in 1971, the company specializes in fire testing of furniture as well as apparel, aircraft interiors, camping products, transit vehicle interiors and other products. In recent years, Govmark has expanded its scope to include a wide range of physical tests, including abrasion, colorfastness, strength and more. Govmark flammability testers are used worldwide by manufacturers, testing laboratories, retailers, government agencies, colleges and universities. Govmark fire test reports are widely recognized by agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation.
CONTACT: Bobby Brown, 631/293-8944 E-MAIL: info@govmark.com WEB: www.govmark.com |
WRANGLER HOME Since the 1940s, the Wrangler® brand has developed a reputation for quality, value, comfort and style. Wrangler Home™ brand furnishings and accessories feature warm woods, luxurious leathers and soft fabrics. The Coming Home and Series 47 collections are manufactured by Flexsteel and include dining room, bedroom, occasional and home theater as well as upholstery. A decorative lighting collection from StyleCraft was introduced in April.
CONTACT: Holly Stewart, 336/558-9696 E-MAIL: hollydstewart@earthlink.net WEB: www.wranglerhome.com |
WALL ESLEECK BABCOCK LLP provides counsel to businesses and individuals throughout North Carolina in all facets of corporate and health care law.
CONTACT: Robert E. Esleeck, 336/722-2922 E-MAIL: resleeck@webllp.com WEB: www.webllp.com |
AMPAC FORWARDING Located in High Point, N.C., since 1989, Ampac Forwarding is a warehousing, packing and shipping company specializing in home furnishings and special commodities. Ampac has both domestic and overseas customers and offers “turnkey” distribution. Along with its storage and shipping capabilities, the company specializes in the professional packaging of products for transport. This service is of particular importance to overseas customers who ship containers of goods packed in export wrap only, as well as to showroom clients who require packaging of “off the floor” products and furniture samples prior to shipping.
CONTACT: Kregg Kinnear, 336/889-6617 E-MAIL: kkinnear@ampacforwarding.com WEB: www.ampacforwarding.com |
TFX INCORPORATED has been a provider of intermodal transportation services since 1984. Its management has over 300 years of combined experience in intermodal transportation. The company’s network of terminals services the primary ports on the East Coast and the key railheads and major manufacturing centers of the South and Midwest. With its company-wide computer network and information systems, shipments are monitored from pick up to delivery, ensuring complete and accurate status information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CONTACT: Keith Patenaude, 919/493-5311 E-MAIL: dp@tfxincorporated.com WEB: www.tfxincorporated.com |
|
Suppliers on Demand is a quarterly newsletter keeping AHFA members in touch with the products and services offered by its Supplier Division members.
This complimentary copy of Suppliers on Demand was sent to you as a benefit of your American Home Furnishings Alliance membership. Click here to unsubscribe. Click here to change your e-mail address. Send feedback here. The American Home Furnishings Alliance is not liable for the use of or reliance on any information contained in this newsletter. The next update of Suppliers on Demand will be in April 2008. Deadline for news and product releases is March 14, 2008. Email press releases and inquiries to pbowling@ahfa.us. For information about other member benefits, please contact the American Home Furnishings Alliance at 336/884-5000, ext. 106 |