February 2023 – Going Back to My Roots…
…so sang Odyssey in 1982. After a successful development and then handover of an import project, followed by a stint working with Hotel and Contract Furniture, I am pleased to announce I have returned to full-time employment.
My new role at LPD Furniture in Yorkshire sees me working within this great business helping to develop a variety of new ranges this year; ensuring they’ll be On-trend, Compliant, Commercial and continually of the right Quality.
Infact, similar to what I started off doing all those years ago.
I am proud and honoured in equal measure to have been offered this opportunity and am lucky to have found my IKIGAI (Japanese theory, check it out).
My Consultancy service will remain open for comments and advice, via the contact form on this website. However, due to the requirements of this new role, I am ceasing Agency services and will no longer be covering 50,000 miles a year serving the UK retail trade. Although I’m sad to be moving onwards (though not as sad as my local mechanic / tyre fitter) and will miss Popmaster accompanying me as I planned each chartered course, each careful step along the by-way 🙂 I will certainly not miss the constant fluctuations of diesel pricing nor the spectre of electric cars…
I thank everyone that I met during a hugely enjoyable chapter of my career, and I will certainly be popping into shops to mooch at displays and share a coffee whenever I am in town!
More details of the evolving LPD Furniture portfolio can be found at www.lpdfurniture.co.uk.
July 2021 – As one door closes…
I am pleased and proud to announce the addition of Andrena to my Scottish portfolio. Andrena are a UK manufacturer of quality Living and Dining, with the ability to tailor dimensions and / or finishes to exact specification.
The sales element of this business is headed by John Parcell, thereby reuniting me with a respected name whom I worked with for a number of years at both Silentnight and Nathan.
More details of the Andrena portfolio can be found at www.andrena.co.uk.
May 2021 – End of an era…
Following disruption at the manufacturing plant, it has been announced to both agents and trade alike that Glebe Furniture Trading have ran into difficulty with supplying the Nathan Furniture lines of cabinet to the UK.
According to the statement I was issued, the flood in January over at the factory has been insurmountable, and despite many months of effort to resource, the complexities over international travel have rendered this difficult and ultimately fruitless to date.
The owners of Glebe have since announced their decision to retire and therefore the portfolio of products are not available to offer for sale at present.
March 2021 – The Online Furniture Show Apr 26-30
A year has passed since I attended the last trade shows in our industry (NEC Jan20 and Haydock Park Mar20). Although the Prime Minister’s announcement dated 22/2 indicated clear signs of positivity ahead in 2021, it still remains difficult to engage with customers and retailers on a practical and meaningful level in the short to the medium term, even though “the show must go on“.
Following a successful January event, I will be again be returning with Nathan as an Exhibitor at the April event.
The platform allows for fully integrated imagery and videos of ranges, and a variety of tools to engage with visitors in realtime.
Further details and a full demonstration are available by request.
January 2021 – COVID19, Lockdown v3
Nothing frustrates me more than sitting still, either in a literal or a metaphoric sense.
The Prime Minister’s announcement on the 8/1 telling us once again to “stay at home” shows just how the world and it’s people are clearly facing a variety of challenges at the moment. Whilst we are dealing with only furniture in the scheme of things, I fully respect that in business, an order is an order – important to you the retailer, important to me the agent, important to the manufacturer and of course, important to your consumer.
Due to aforementioned continued government restrictions I am once again unable to conduct visits for the time being but please note I am still fully available through either telephone, email, or the Contact FurnTech function on this website.
Also, don’t forget to enquire about the product related January to February consumer promotions offered by several of my principals at the moment designed to help stimulate trade.
December 2020 – Port and Freight Delays
I have been advised that there are some major issues arising at UK Ports in due to a combination of several factors that are all coinciding with the traditional Christmas spike.
Such issues are affecting the prompt and accurate unloading of vessels, and in turn delaying the release and customs processing of containers. Goods can only be planned and scheduled once they arrive in UK warehouses so updates relating to your pre-Christmas orderbooks will be a fluid process between now and the end of the year.
I want to make it known that I am on hand with a hire van to assist the logistics elements of my principals, and will be working up until and including Christmas Eve to help ensure customer expectations are met.
Please call me directly if you have any concerns about your pre-Christmas commitments involving any of my principal products.
November 2020 – COVID19, Tier Restrictions
As we approach a traditionally busy time for the Furniture trade, although I am once again restricted in movement please note I am still fully available through either telephone, email, or the Contact FurnTech function on this website.
I am hopeful of returning to frequent call patterns as soon as it is practical and fair to your retail environments. In lieu of postponed show events that were due early 2021, please also note I have 3 separate showvans ready to bring out upon appointment when the time is finally right.
I wish everyone health and happiness as we enter the festive period.
August 2020 – COVID-era visits and protocol
With holidays and other usual seasonal expenditure on hold in 2020, there seems to have been a huge amount of consumer-demand for furniture this summer. In tandem with this surge, many manufacturers have also been busy with internal projects including the development of new lines.
Whilst I have new upholstery, bedroom and dining ranges to showcase, I don’t propose to come charging around stores immediately as I imagine this will hinder not help as we all try to adjust to this “new normal”.
However, as government restrictions are slowly lifting I intend to start calling on retailers again in order to update displays and reengage with staff. This will of course be done on a strict appointment basis all whilst observing both government and your own protocols.
I want to help train, merchandise and prepare as much as possible ahead of what is hopefully a good end to this tricky year.
March 2020 – Government “Lockdown” 23/03/2020
Inline with the Prime Minister’s announcement at 8pm on the 23rd March, I will not be travelling until further notice.
Like Austria’s most famous export, “I’ll be back” but in the meantime I am fully available through either telephone, email, or the Contact FurnTech function on this website.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all stores and staff thus far and wish everyone a safe passage through these uncertain times.
February 2020 – It’s showtime! NEC done, onto Haydock Park
A big thank you to all customers past and present who I had the pleasure in seeing at the Furniture Show in January. I would like to extend a cordial invitation to the NWFRAA show (North West Furniture Representatives and Agents Association) coming up in March.
After a few discussions within the Association it was decided to revive this event and the reborn show will be (re)debuting at Haydock Racecourse 15/16 March, with around 30 manufacturers committed to showing a mixture of Beds, Upholstery and Cabinet. Open to all trade with no registration required, easy access off the M6, free parking and a complimentary free lunch – who says such a thing doesn’t exist!
Oh, and of course it’s an excellent chance to see your favourite furniture representatives and agents!
Please ask via the Contact FurnTech form in the event of any questions, further information will be added in the pop-up “Shows and Showvans” area within this site in due course.
January 2020 – Furntech is open for business!
For those that are unaware I became a self-employed agent on the 01/01/2020 and no longer work directly or exclusively for Nathan Furniture.
Nevertheless, I will continue to proudly look after their Northern and Scottish customers as an agent and think this represents an exciting opportunity for all parties. My telephone number remains the same and I will be retaining the @nathanfurniture email address as well as growing my own @furntech domains.
Throughout 2020 and beyond I will be expanding my portfolio to give a broader offering of product to show on my visits.
I hope this period of transition is a smooth one and will strive to ensure that there is no change in attitude, knowledge, service or commitment.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all stores and staff for their support ahead of this new personal challenge.