Sunday, April 11, 2021
IKEA launches sofa covers made from old denim jeans
The U.K. is among nine European markets where IKEA will launch sofa covers made out of recycled denim for one of its iconic upholstery designs.
Furnishings industry charity launches Step 2 It with aim to raise £250,000
The Furniture Makers' Company, the industry charity and City of London livery company, is launching Step 2 It, the largest fundraising campaign in its 120-year history.
Return to profit for Midlands sofa manufacturer
West Midlands sofa maker back in the black in 2019–20 after adjustments to raw material sourcing yielded margin improvements for the company.
Flooring retailer filed for insolvency with debts of £5.7m
A Midlands based flooring company that had traded under at least three different retail brand names has been placed into liquidation, owing millions to creditors.
Cash focus strengthens bedding company Bedeck
Bed and bath textiles distributor and retailer Bedeck bolstered liquidity in the year to end September, mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic on its business.
Ecommerce helps Dunelm take the edge off pain from store closures
Dunelm says its stores are well stocked and ready for reopening with the home and furniture chain anticipating a strong consumer response when restrictions are eased next week.
Burgess Bedding, Wolf Components join National Bed Federation
Bed manufacturer Burgess Bedding and pocket spring maker Wolf Components have joined the National Bed Federation (NBF), the trade association has announced.
Kids bedroom retailer expands teen furniture programme
Room To Grow, the Yorkshire based children's bedroom specialist, has increased the size of its teen furniture offer in response to rising search volumes across its ecommerce store.
Next enters sofa-in-a-box segment, stretching price architecture
Furnishings-to-fashion retailer Next has launched into the emerging sofa-in-a-box category with an own-brand product at an entry-level price point.
Roche Bobois to strengthen in the North of England
High-end furniture brand Roche Bobois will boost its presence in the North of England with a second store and a first in Yorkshire.
Chinese sofa maker shrugs off virus impact to grow sales to Europe
Upholstery revenue from customers in Europe climbed double-dight last year for the business that once ran U.K. sofa chain Easy Living Furniture.
Furniture retailers in Scotland back open after widening of non-essential definition
Most furniture and flooring stores in Scotland reopened their doors to the public for the first time this year yesterday following the widening of the definition of essential retail.
INTELLIGENCE
Market Data
Detailed market information about each of the Upholstery, Beds, Cabinet Furniture and Floorcoverings sectors at suppliers' prices.
Discover the up-to-date value of:
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UK production
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Imports
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Exports
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Key Trading Partners
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Total UK market size
BEST READ IN THE PAST MONTH
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B&Q says it will downsize some of its largest stores
B&Q owner Kingfisher says it will "rightsize" a number of its largest stores but expects total store numbers to climb as it looks to smaller compact formats to target urban areas.
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Stressless owner grew U.K. sales in 2020 after Q4 surge
A busy final quarter helped Stressless owner Ekornes achieve full year sales growth in the U.K. and Ireland last year, reversing earlier declines from the upholstery brand.
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Turnaround puts Fabb Furniture on path to profit
The md of Fabb Furniture, the home furnishings retailer formerly known as AHF, says it is on track to be EBITDA positive when it closes the book on its current financial year next week.
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Emma bolsters U.K. and Ireland sales team and opens Midlands showroom for retailers
Direct-to-consumer brand Emma - The Mattress Company has added more bed industry knowhow to its UK. and Ireland sales force as it looks to build a larger wholesale presence on the shop floors of key...
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Four At Home stores among eight more John Lewis shop closures
John Lewis & Partners has confirmed the location of eight further stores that will remain permanently closed once restrictions are eased. They include four of its At Home units.
INTELLIGENCE
Retail Sales
Up-to-date monthly UK retail sales data spanning total furniture and lighting sales PLUS detailed breakdowns for each of the Upholstery, Beds, Cabinet Furniture and Floorcoverings sectors.
Proprietary granular data covering:
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UK retail sales value and y/y delta. Monthly and annual
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Breakdown by product category
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Historical data
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Monthly and annual figures
Little need for ScS to talk up its share price in period of change
This is a pivotal period in time for ScS, Britain's second largest upholstery retailer, as it adjusts to the departures of a long-time financial backer and its highest ranking executive.
Consumer confidence: Actions speak louder than words
It is counter intuitive that on the day that the highest-ever single-month reading for furniture retail sales is released, we also report a drop in big-ticket consumer confidence sentiment.
Mid-sized furniture retailers at biggest risk from surging freight rates
Freight rates in the latter half of 2020 climbed at a frightening pace and leave two stakeholder groups at particular risk: the mid-sized furniture retailer, and the end consumer.
Number-crunching the impact of post-Christmas lockdown on retailers like DFS, ScS and John Lewis
Data compiled by The Furnishing Report reveals the expected near-term order impact of the new restrictions on furniture and flooring retailers in the immediate aftermath of Christmas.
DATA & LISTS
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The Debt Report: Entities owed cash by insolvency industry companies: April 9, 2021
Three companies left combined debts of £5.8 million with 25 companies owed £10,000 or more.
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The Insolvency Report: Filings in the week to April 9, 2021
Five insolvencies from within the furniture and furnishings industry were announced in the period from April 1–9, 2021.
TOP STORIES
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IKEA launches sofa covers made from old denim jeans
The U.K. is among nine European markets where IKEA will launch sofa covers made out of recycled denim for one of its iconic upholstery designs.
-
Furnishings industry charity launches Step 2 It with aim to raise £250,000
The Furniture Makers' Company, the industry charity and City of London livery company, is launching Step 2 It, the largest fundraising campaign in its 120-year history.
-
Natuzzi explores Asia Pacific deal with Vietnamese furniture maker
Italian sofa giant Natuzzi is in talks with a large Vietnamese furniture maker that could see it expand its operations in the Asia Pacific region. It follows a similar arrangement made with the owner of the Kuka brand in 2018.
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Large Midlands independent expands delivery nationwide following web launch
East Midlands furniture and furnishings retailer Toons is now delivering nationwide after the launch of a new transactional ecommerce website.
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Warranty warning for big-ticket retailers following routine Argos probe
Routine monitoring of the way extended warranties on big-ticket items are sold has cost Argos well over £500,000 in goodwill payments and serves as a warning to other retailers.
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Tony Ashwell, a 'force of nature' who was instrumental in the rise and success of DFS
Tony Ashwell, who died last month aged 73, was a legendary furniture industry figure who played a key role in building DFS into the largest and most successful sofa retailer in the country.
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Record low furniture industry insolvencies in first quarter
The number of U.K. furniture, flooring and furnishings companies falling insolvent fell to record lows in the first three months of 2021, despite limited trade because of coronavirus restrictions.
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Leap in cash, profits for ecommerce oak furniture, leather sofa retailer
Newly-filed figures are indicative of strongly positive trading for the company behind the Oakworld.co.uk and Sofaitalia.co.uk ecommerce furniture websites through 2019–20.
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Third-party furniture, home brand sales jump 55% for Next
General merchandise retailer Next says furniture and home sales from third-party brands have climbed by more than half in the past year with another double-digit rise forecast for 2021–22.
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Upstream price negotiations "ever more dictatorial" says key supplier to U.K. furniture makers
Upstream cost pressures continue to create supply chain difficulties according to the managing director of Wade Spring, whose customers include many of the U.K.'s most important sofa manufacturers.
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OTHER NEWS
Return to profit for Midlands sofa manufacturer
West Midlands sofa maker back in the black in 2019–20 after adjustments to raw material sourcing yielded margin improvements for the company.
Flooring retailer filed for insolvency with debts of £5.7m
A Midlands based flooring company that had traded under at least three different retail brand names has been placed into liquidation, owing millions to creditors.
Cash focus strengthens bedding company Bedeck
Bed and bath textiles distributor and retailer Bedeck bolstered liquidity in the year to end September, mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic on its business.
Ecommerce helps Dunelm take the edge off pain from store closures
Dunelm says its stores are well stocked and ready for reopening with the home and furniture chain anticipating a strong consumer response when restrictions are eased next week.
Burgess Bedding, Wolf Components join National Bed Federation
Bed manufacturer Burgess Bedding and pocket spring maker Wolf Components have joined the National Bed Federation (NBF), the trade association has announced.
Kids bedroom retailer expands teen furniture programme
Room To Grow, the Yorkshire based children's bedroom specialist, has increased the size of its teen furniture offer in response to rising search volumes across its ecommerce store.
Next enters sofa-in-a-box segment, stretching price architecture
Furnishings-to-fashion retailer Next has launched into the emerging sofa-in-a-box category with an own-brand product at an entry-level price point.
Roche Bobois to strengthen in the North of England
High-end furniture brand Roche Bobois will boost its presence in the North of England with a second store and a first in Yorkshire.
Chinese sofa maker shrugs off virus impact to grow sales to Europe
Upholstery revenue from customers in Europe climbed double-dight last year for the business that once ran U.K. sofa chain Easy Living Furniture.
Furniture retailers in Scotland back open after widening of non-essential definition
Most furniture and flooring stores in Scotland reopened their doors to the public for the first time this year yesterday following the widening of the definition of essential retail.