F&FI L E T T E R S
Letters to the Editor Comments on Top 28 Upholstery Fabric Buyers (Winter 2017) I assume by the list that you are only looking at US or Canada based companies of upholstered furniture because I don’t see any distributors, outdoor, contract, or RV accounts on the list. Below are 14 companies that I agree that should be on the list. La-Z-Boy, Ashley, Best, Ethan Allen, Flexsteel, Bassett, Jackson, Franklin, Klaussner, Craftmaster, Bernhardt, Jonathan Louis, Bauhaus, Palliser… It gets tricky after that. (Sherrill, Lexington, Heritage Home, Lee Industries, Schnadig, Rowe, Hooker,) may or may not buy enough total fabric to make the list. They may have a plain fabric that is broadly placed but the business tends to come in one sofa at a time. It is really a special -order business now. It is hard to measure because they may buy at
some higher cut yard price points but the aggregate yards are small. I’m not sure about Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams anymore. I don’t think they do the volume that they once did; Again, they have become a high-end supplier. I don’t know about Universal. Their owner also owns Craftmaster so I typically think of Universal as the case goods/dining room portion of the company. I will tell you that you are missing two major companies. HM Richards is the largest supplier to Rooms to Go and is effectively owned by them. United is the largest supplier to Big Lots (a retailer) and they also have common ownership. Note: HM Richards main merchant is Andrea Banda. She has two people working for her. The more senior of the two is Ashley Barnett. United’s buyer is a Chris Burgett. He was previously with Ashley. Other promotional companies
that are missing are Southern Motion, and American Furniture. Both are Tupelo, Miss. based companies who cut miles of fabric albeit mostly cheap plains and polyurethane so I’m not sure if you want them on the list. The truth is that La Z Boy and Ashley probably consume more that all others combined. Then you get into a whole other area of fully built imported furniture companies who target the dot com suppliers. Meridian Home is an example of this. Everything is specified in China and the fully upholstered (usually some sort of KD) sofas are imported. The landscape has changed so much that is it difficult to tell who is doing the most fabric business. I think that I have given you more questions than answers but it is very confusing out there. Name withheld on request.
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Congratulations Hi Eric and Michael: My heart is smiling and I am full of the warmest wishes for you both on this transition of ‘passing the baton’. What a beautiful new chapter Eric to see your legacy continue and to enjoy your son and grandsons keeping the torch burning brightly. Cheers and blessings for even more successes, I couldn’t be happier for you two! Debbie McArthur, President and CEO Integral Fabrics
Dear Mr. Eric, Thank you very much for the great honor you offered us by inviting me and my fiancé to your really special birthday celebration in Como. We were really glad and privileged to be a part of this fantastic evening with your closest business colleagues and family. I know you have already many Greek friends but now you have an extra one and a loyal one too; not only for yourself, but also for your family! I will be very happy and honored to host you and your family as our guests in Athens any time you wish. I am wishing you again from my heart all the best so you will be strong & healthy to host more parties celebrating your 80th & 90th & 100th celebration! Even more!!! I remain at your disposal & see you soon. Thanks & best regards, Christos Stamatopoulos CEO, The Fabulous Group Athens, Greece
Passing the Baton Hi Eric, I am writing you from Beirut Lebanon as I am relaxing before dinner and reading the latest edition of your magazine. Congratulations on the addition of Michael to your team. You have done a wonderful job and we look forward to many more editions. I always read it cover to cover. We are celebrating 70 years in business this year and have an exciting agenda coming up. Have a great day Peter Auger President, CEO C&M Textiles
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Tom Warwick Passes, 76 F&FI News Network
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ELBOURNE, AUS—Tom Warwick, who was born February 11, 1942 and was the founder and Group Chairman of Warwick Fabrics Pty. Ltd, died May 8 as the result of a head injury at the age of 76. He built one of the largest decorative fabric wholesalers in the world with branches in Australia, New Zealand, UK and more recently, India. His two sons Cameron and Leighton will continue the legacy of running the $50 million plus company just two years after their father spoke to a crowd of 600 people celebrating the company’s 50th Anniversary in a Melbourne event loft. To all who knew Tom, he was a larger than life character who liked to have a good time and still work hard. Fifty two years ago, Tom was an Australian homebuilder who decided there was a better line of work to be in so he got into the vinyl coated products business for the local car and furniture industry. Little did he know at the time, but his career change would sew the seeds of an ever expanding family business with a growth rate of 10-12% a year. Cameron, 52, and his brother Leighton, 47, both Joint Managing Directors, expect the growth rate to double in sales over the next decade. Warwick is a broad line supplier and the largest fabric wholesaler in Australasia today but the competition is fierce from smaller family owned specialists in residential, contract drapery and upholstery. Warwick does 80 percent of its business in domestic Australia and 20 percent export. In the UK branch; Warwick does 70 percent of its business in the UK with 20 percent elsewhere in Europe, Africa and North America. “The USA is too competitive and we choose to focus on the other markets, especially in Europe and South Africa for growth,” Cameron says. F&FI
Tom Warwick
Summer 2018
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