To kick off April’s edition, we’d like to start by sharing our recent big news once again. We’ve been recognised with the ABC ‘stamp of trust’ after completing our first audit, further cementing our status as the leading trade publication in the furnishing industry trade press with the audit transparently declaring our print circulation. Will others declare their numbers? Time will tell, but clearly, we were not the ones making “spurious” claims. For now, we’re enjoying the moment.
Also enjoying their own moment is Forte, our April cover star. Alongside its new branding, Forte was a destination stand at the recent Meble Polska event, where we had the pleasure of experiencing the refreshed ranges first hand. With Poland in mind, we recap the Poznan show with further reflections from Lech Fabrics and Cófra.
In keeping with shows, this month also reviews the recent Furniture Components Expo, organised by the British Furniture Association (BFA) as well as taking a first look at what to expect during the upcoming INDX Beds event and the Spring Furniture & Bed Show in May.
We caught up with West Midlands Upholstery, Sealy UK, Willis & Gambier, Gallery Direct, IFD, Birlea, Bluebone and Higgys on their respective updates, as well as continuing the conversation of Purecare’s Sleep Study impact. Avriio details retail confidence, Sofa Source looks ahead to Milan and TOKABO builds momentum. Meanwhile, FWS Direct is to launch more products, Beehive introduces Hudson & Solaya, Guardsman offers real industry insight and Furnilytics explores the Italian furniture market.
Furthermore, we produce an extended Furniture & Flooring Retail Sales Report, Boutique announces the return of its Home & Garden Conference and MattressNextDay looks to the future. This month also features some anniversary milestones with Vispring, Highland Blindcraft and The Carriage all sharing historic moments. Also featuring, ALPI talks about why furniture deserves careful logistics, ufurnish calls for final entries, Wade Spring unveils a new brand and we sit down with The Odd Company.
Michael Concannon, Area Sales Manager for Ireland and Scotland at Bentley Designs, talks about his role, current trends and raw material transparency in our latest Big Interview. Meanwhile, Grant Berry, Managing Director and Owner of Home World Beds, talks about recent progress at the business as well as hinting at expansion plans ahead in our Retail Focus feature. RetailSystem’s WebSystem launches TradeDirect, James Wilson, aka The Sleep Geek, talks about snoring and sleep apnoea, George Sinclair highlights changing imports due to the Middle East conflict and RouteSystem details the importance of a delivery experience.
We sat down with Paul Longmuir in our latest Meet the Agent/Rep feature, Natalia Samodina shares further legal insight, while letters from China, Vietnam, Ireland and USA detail respective market updates. Furniture Sales Solutions rounds off the edition by asking: Who is your best salesperson?
That’s enough from me, so enjoy our latest magazine. If you have any news you want to shout about or if you’re keen to get involved with the industry’s leading publication, drop me an email on dan@bigfurnituregroup.com. We’d love to share your story.
