Profits climbed for Warwick Fabrics last year on stronger gross margin and changes to the sales mix.

Net profits halved for Roche Bobois last year as the premium French furniture brand booked lower revenue and higher costs.

Industry takeover, flooring and charity news in brief.

The British Furniture Association (BFA) says preparations for the third Furniture Component Expo (FCE) are already underway after last week's event galvanised its position as a key dateline in the supply-side calendar.

Sofa market leader DFS has formally announced basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal as a brand ambassador, expanding on limited details released in December last year (see related).

North East living and dining furniture wholesaler Baker is opening an East Midlands showroom to display its new Arthouse collection to retail buyers.

New and planned hires in the furniture and upholstery sectors, and at one of the largest print services suppliers to the industry.

Upholstery manufacturing, wholesale and retail group Halo has increased its equity position in British manufacturing.

Sofa market leader DFS plans to reduce its borrowings before committing the funds and space required to expanding further into the beds and wider home market.

Year-on-year upholstered furniture imports climbed for the fourth consecutive month in January on the back of high growth from China and Italy.

DFS is exploring expanding the scope of its wholly-owned The Sofa Delivery Company operation by offering its services to third-party retailers outside the group.

January saw a return to negative year-on-year furniture manufacturing output while official December figures were also revised down.

Sofology will shortly expand its store footprint in the North West of England as it looks to build on an improved performance driven by a revamp of its product proposition and pricing reset.

Shares in DFS have ended the day 10.2 percent higher after the sofa market leader said orders had continued to rise in the early part of 2025, prompting it to uprate its earnings outlook.

Trayton Group, one of the world's largest upholstery suppliers, is launching into the UK and Ireland in partnership with the Mynett family, whose decades-long alliance with Natuzzi is over.

Upholstery vertical Sofas & Stuff will take its UK store network to a landmark 25 with the launch of its latest showroom later this year.

Upholstered furniture manufacturer Michael Tyler acquired its Sussex factory site last year with a seven-figure investment backed by its Scandinavian parent company.

The departure last week of two senior ScS leaders means the entire board from the former ownership era has now left the business.

A husband-and-wife retail duo have been handed director bans by The Insolvency Service after taking orders they ought to have known couldn't be fulfilled.

The owner of ScS has responded to trade speculation regarding the renaming of its remodelled estate, as well as updating on the plans for stores that have not yet been renovated.

Upholstery group TCM Living booked a large eight-figure loss last year with most of it attributable to discontinued operations within its AMX Design business unit.

Chinese retailers have agreed to open dozens more Natuzzi-branded stores in the country after the Italian company unveiled its latest product collections during two days of brand-focused events.

The CEO of Oak Furnitureland says he is enthused by the progress the national chain is making after it narrowed losses last year and returned to growth in the period since September.

Weak delivered sales in the UK and Ireland bookended the four quarters of 2024 at Stressless owner Ekornes to leave full year revenue broadly flat.

The phoenix company that rescued heritage sofa maker and retailer Delcor last autumn already owned its factory HQ by the time of the prepack buyout.

UK upholstered furniture manufacturers have been working down stock and driving sales-per-employee levels higher over the past year, according to new figures.

Upholstered furniture manufacturer Sherborne says the issue of business succession has now been resolved after it successfully transitioned to an employee ownership trust (EOT) model towards the end of last year.

The reorganisation of The Sofa & Chair Co in London is likely to cost taxpayers even more than originally thought after the legacy brand was placed into new insolvency proceedings.

Tony Buffin, chairman at Magnet owner Nobia, has joined the board of DFS as an independent non-executive director.

Restructuring advisors at PwC have detailed the terms of the sale of the Belfield Group, parent to sofa makers Westbridge and Tetrad along with foam and fibre converter Clinchplain.

Upholstered furniture manufacturer George Smith is installing solar panels at its North East factory as part of an investment in both the business and sustainability.

Workstories, a designer and maker of contemporary furniture such as modern upholstery for workplaces, says a strong order pipeline going into last year had put it on a path back to profit.

UK furniture and furnishings exports grew at a faster pace than imports last year but the trade gap still widened because of the disparity between goods arriving into the country and those leaving.

Upholstered furniture imports into the UK climbed double-digit at the end of the year, spurred by sharp increases in product arriving from Italy and China.

UK furniture manufacturing output climbed for the first time in five months in December on the back of strong demand from the domestic market.

The soft seating manufacturer and retailer behind the Mallo and Bean Bag Bazaar brands continued to find big revenue growth last year as it expanded internationally. Overhead also rose sharply.

Furniture and furnishings industry news in brief.

Private equity firm Blandford Capital has agreed an asset buyout of the Belfield Group in a transaction that provides continuity for 100 percent of the business and its employees.

A series of cost-saving initiatives will not be enough for Osborne & Little to prevent a second straight deficit this year but the fabrics and furnishings group is hoping to be profitable in 2026.

Italy's equivalent of the Competition and Markets Authority is to investigate the advertising practices of Poltronesofà, the multinational upholstery chain that owns UK retailer ScS.

Long Eaton factory filed for insolvency in 2023, but restructuring process continues.

Furniture and furnishings industry news in brief.

Upholstery and furniture brand Swyft says it expects its nascent overseas business to be generating a substantial seven-figure order intake by the end of this year.

Flooring giant Headlam Group has revamped its leadership team with a further three appointments including the arrival of James Heese in the newly-created role of chief buying officer.

Profitability and revenue affected as importer of recliners and upholstered chairs follows on from what was a standout growth period in 2023/24.

The retailer behind the Oak World ecommerce website bolstered liquidity last year in the first period after it merged its upholstery brand into its flagship property.

Upholstered furniture maker Andrew Paul says a decision to move its principal manufacturing site last year will result in a dramatic reduction in overheads as it adjusts to a challenging market.

Direct-to-consumer brand Swyft will this week launch into the German market, offering its upholstery and furniture on short lead times of within a week from order.

Upholstery vertical Sofa.com booked a large operating loss last year but said it had performed as expected as a result of operating changes.

Three years of record sales and profits came to an end for Ashwood Designs in 2023/24, the first year under the stewardship of new investors.

Shoppers of La-Z-Boy's dedicated modern upholstery retail subsidiary Joybird can now access enhanced design tools to create room designs featuring its products on their mobile device.

The CEO and co-founder of upholstery and furniture brand Swyft continues to be an equity holder following the sale of the company last year.

Dreams' franchise partner across the island of Ireland found revenue growth last year as it expanded its store footprint. Thinner margins meant profits declined.

The Chinese upholstery conglomerate behind brands including Kuka Home and Rolf Benz is expanding production in nearby Vietnam.

Furniture retailer The Cotswold Company will bolster its presence in the South East with the opening of its first Hertfordshire store this spring.

Half-year EBIT advanced on factory efficiencies for Kingcome Sofas but the high-end upholstered furniture company said it entered the second half with a weaker order book.

Willow and Hall is now wholly-owned by an affiliate of furniture and homewares distributor Gallery Direct after it increased its stake in the upholstery and beds retailer.

Furniture and furnishings industry news in brief.

National upholstery retailer ScS and emerging furniture chain NCF Living are planning to open new stores in the North West of England.

North East cabinet furniture wholesaler Baker has entered the upholstery category for the first time after a tie-up with a prominent UK designer.

Sofa market leader DFS said first half profits will rise by as much as £8 million year-on-year on cost savings and a return to delivered sales growth.

The strategic product shift by the new owner of the UK's number two sofa chain is finally beginning to gain traction, new figures indicate.

Factory gate turnover in the furniture sector was lower for the fourth straight month on an annual basis in November, according to official figures.

Dunelm posted low single-digit growth in the six months to end December and cited its big-ticket furniture categories among its strongest performers.

The size of what was formerly Recticel's UK comfort foam business serving the mattress and upholstery sectors has been disclosed for the first time.

Buoyant Upholstery, one of the UK's largest furniture makers, has upgraded the comfort level and durability of cushions and frames across its programme of sofas.

ScS owner Poltronesofà has enlisted recruitment officials to line up a new leadership team following the mass departure of senior figures at the turn of the year.

Mobility furniture specialist Oak Tree has launched the first adjustable bed in Parker Knoll's 150-year history as part of a B2C licensing agreement.

Revenue for La-Z-Boy's UK operations declined last year as the motion furniture giant absorbed the impact of lapping the order book unwind following the elevated post-Covid trading period.

Revenue fell for the second straight year at upstream upholstered furniture industry supplier Flameproofings last year, though at a shallower rate.

The Northern Ireland company behind the Balmoral Furniture and Slumbernight brands slipped to a net loss last year after a depressed marketplace combined with one-off costs.

Sales fell sharply for Scan-Thors (UK) last year as a result of the sofa manufacturer and wholesaler losing a long-term client due to a change of buying strategy and consolidation of supply.

Cushions-to-curtains manufacturer Evans Lichfield has ceased production at its Staffordshire factory with its activities moving to other group facilities in West Yorkshire.

Italian sofa manufacturer Nicoletti Home plans to open 20 galleries in the UK and Ireland during 2025 as it builds on a rollout that began in the second half of this year.

Celebrity Motion Furniture had its most productive year since 2017 in the 12 months to end September 2024 as the Nottinghamshire upholstery supplier maintained its upwards momentum.

Sofa industry supplier Fibreline is making a further six-figure investment after completing a previously signposted extension to its West Yorkshire factory.

Year-on-year upholstery imports from Italy have climbed for the first time since the start of the year as changes in ScS' buying strategy under its new owner finally took effect.

Northern Ireland furniture retailer CFC Interiors booked a second straight profits slide through 2023/24 as revenue fell further from post Covid-era highs.

Italian upholstery giant Natuzzi says utilising logistics in Vietnam may be a potential route to avoid new tariffs imposed by the incoming administration in the US.

Profits advanced for Fibreline last year as the upholstery fillings and cushion manufacturer made productivity gains resulting from investment in staff training and increased automation.

Upholstery chain ScS will open a new store in Warrington if planning approval is granted.

West Midlands furniture maker Boss Design saw profits decline in the past year as weaker export sales offset margin gains. It said 2023/24 has been even tougher so far.

Two new Scottish stores and other furniture and furnishings industry news in brief.

The closure of Natuzzi's factory in Shanghai hit profitability in the third quarter as the Italian-headquartered company accelerated its pivot from volume manufacturing to higher-value branded product.

The product and interior design company that until earlier this autumn ran MARK, the foam-free soft seating supplier, has filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators.

Furniture manufacturing turnover declined on a year-on-year basis for the third month in a row in October according to figures released Friday morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Upholstery market leader DFS is launching a product line in collaboration with its supply chain and global basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal.

The combined UK market share of the largest sofa makers and importers declined last year, even before major buying strategy shifts by two of the biggest retailers in the sector.

NorthEdge Capital backed a management buyout at Belfield Group eight years ago that left it with a 51 percent stake. It now owns almost 100 percent of the upholstery group, new filings show.

The disposal of a subsidiary and stronger margins helped the Vita Group return to profit last year, despite a hefty decline in global revenue.

High Wycombe upholstered furniture manufacturer Greengate is targeting a reorganisation that will provide continuity for the historic brand following an insolvency process.

The owners of Siren Furniture have retired the last remaining six-figure sum related to a vendor loan agreed at the time of a management buyout in 2021.

The new owner of sofa-in-a-box brand Swyft has disclosed the terms of the spring 2024 buyout for the first time.

Roset UK, a wholly-owned retail subsidiary of French furniture manufacturer Ligne Roset, returned to profit in the year to end September 2024.

Underlying earnings were higher for furniture and homeware retailer The Cotswold Company last year despite a second straight fall in delivered sales.

TCM Living, the upholstery group behind British sofa brands Alstons, Alexander & James and Ashley Manor, has agreed debt funding with bankers in Thailand, where its majority owners are based.

Experienced furniture industry executive Kellie Oliver, who took on an expanded role at TCM Living earlier this year, has become the latest high-profile leader to leave the upholstery group.

Three senior Sofology leaders are to leave the upholstery chain as owner DFS Group hands an expanded brief to the chief executive of its DFS brand as part of a unified management team.

A challenging market and general weakness in the economy contributed to sales and profits falling for West Midlands sofa maker Alpha Designs Upholstery last year.

Sofa and curtain fabrics wholesaler Fryett's mitigated higher costs and lower sales through 2023/24 thanks to wider gross margin achieved after it increased its share of the cut-length market.

The owners of specialist furniture vertical HSL have launched LIVHOME, a new standalone retail concept selling high-end upholstered furniture and beds.

The group CEO of sofa market leader DFS says the retailer has an "obligation to lead from the front" in helping transform the U.K. furniture industry's approach to net-zero.

A hard market failed to prevent upholstery sales in Europe jumping sharply for recliner giant Man Wah Holdings in the first half of its 2024/25 financial year.

Eastern European sofa manufacturer Home Group continued to recover from the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in the past six months as revenue climbed further.

Upholstery vertical Sofa.com has added a 13th retail concession in a move that clears the path for the brand to reach a new customer demographic.

Sofa market leader DFS has appointed an experienced retail executive from outside the furniture sector as its interim chief financial officer, succeeding outgoing CFO John Fallon.

The British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM) has become the British Furniture Association (BFA) in a renaming that consolidates its expanding representation across the U.K. furniture supply chain.

Creditors of historic upholstery company Delcor face a forecast shortfall of £1.5 million following the prepack asset buyout earlier in the autumn.

The CFO of La-Z-Boy says the company expects sales through DFS to begin to accelerate in the final quarter of its financial year as it shrugs off the impact of its tie-up with ScS ending.

Two straight months of upholstery import growth into the U.K. came to an end in September despite robust figures from the two largest source markets.

Arlo & Jacob will take its footprint to a dozen stores nationwide with two new openings including one neighbouring rival retailer Loaf on a retail park just off the M25.

The supervisor of a debt restructuring process at upholstery company The Sofa & Chair Co. says he expects to be appointed liquidator in February after the company defaulted on its obligations.

Upholstery producer Westbridge Furniture is to consolidate all production into a single factory as it realigns its business following demand headwinds and the market exit of a former customer.

TCM Living, the upholstery group behind the Ashley Manor, Alstons, AMX Design, and Alexander & James brands, saw its third quarter net loss double as it faced up to multiple market challenges.

U.K. furniture makers' collective output declined for the fifth month in the past six in September, according to official figures released Friday.

Furniture and furnishings industry news in brief from across the sector.

Furniture and furnishings industry news in brief.

In-the-home adjustable furniture seller Oak Tree Mobility made continued gains as it shrugged off the last of its ties with former sister business Middletons, the now-closed mobility retail chain.

Sofas & Stuff founder Andrew Cussins transferred some of his stake to other family members earlier this year in a development that saw the next generation become shareholders for the first time.

Poltronesofà, the Italian upholstery retail conglomerate that completed its acquisition of ScS in January, booked lower profits last year as higher operating costs negated a revenue climb.

Suppliers have briefed that furniture retailers can expect incoming price increases, with manufacturers saying that mid-single digit hikes will be necessary "just to stand still."

The Long Eaton sofa maker that acquired the assets of Acclaim Upholstery last year left modest six-figure debts when it collapsed into liquidation, with the largest creditor being a connected party.

The CEO of Andrew Martin says the furniture and furnishings wholesaler and retailer can double the size of its upholstery business, having already transformed sales in the category since investing in its own manufacturing facility.

Upholstery vertical Sofas & Stuff will bolster its presence in the West Country later this month, taking it back into net store growth for the past year.

Three senior officials at the turnaround private equity investor that rescued Maker & Son two years ago have each been given 22-month prison sentences for contempt of court, The Times has reported.

A launch into new product categories and wider gross margin helped profits rise last year for NLC Group, the lighting conglomerate that shares ownership in common with Gallery Direct.

A South Wales maker of bespoke lift and rise mechanisms used in the production of adjustable furniture has acquired the upholstery manufacturer trading as Recliners.

A manufacturing company that acquired the assets of once-prominent Long Eaton sofa maker Acclaim Upholstery has folded, a little more than a year after the transaction completed.

Underlying losses almost doubled at direct-to-consumer upholstery and furniture brand Swyft in the year leading up to its spring sale to new investors.

The defined benefit pension scheme of heritage sofa covers and reupholstery business Plumbs is the largest creditor following a prepack rescue of the business last month.

UK and Ireland revenue almost doubled for Stressless and IMG brand owner Ekornes in the third quarter as it lapped a weak comparative last year.

Third quarter profits declined for the upholstery conglomerate behind the Kuka Home and Rolf Benz brands, putting it at risk of a first full year drop in earnings in the post pandemic era.

Furniture, furnishings and beds industry news in brief.

Furniture and furnishings news in brief.

A £41 million Scandinavian furniture and homeware retailer has recalled a number of Italian-made lounge chairs and sofas here because the fabric fails to meet U.K. fire regulations.

Upholstery and flooring industry news in brief.

Pasquale Natuzzi, the founder and chairman of Natuzzi, is to buy the Italian upholstery company's High Point building in North Carolina for €12.1 million.

High-end French furniture retailer Roche Bobois said tough trading conditions in the UK "penalised" the company in the third quarter.

The managing director of British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM) has called on industry to act immediately on Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) amid a paradigm change in thinking among legislators and consumers.

The owner of ScS has drafted in a new group chief executive officer with experience of running large consumer-facing businesses that have acquired and integrated U.K. companies.

Upholstery vertical Sofa.com is back trading from a dozen concessions again after it opened a new space inside the latest store of sister retailer Frasers.

Wider gross margin alleviated the impact of lower revenue last year at Whitemeadow, the U.K.'s largest privately-owned upholstered furniture producer.

DFS has begun an external search for a new chief financial officer after John Fallon decided to step down. He will leave the board after its AGM next month, and the company outright in mid-January 2025.

Ercol says order intake improved through 2023 but much of it came too late to prevent the furniture maker's bottom line taking a hit in its just-reported financial year.

An insolvent restructure has secured the future of heritage sofa covers and reupholstery business Plumbs along with the jobs of almost all of its 240 employees.

Upholstery chain ScS has followed market leader DFS in reintroducing extended interest free credit (IFC) as part of tactical, temporary consumer promotions.

Upholstery imports into the UK climbed for the second straight month at the height of summer as buyers turned to suppliers in the Far East.

Halo Group paid another six-figure sum to acquire the final 20 percent of the shares in Dudgeon Sofas, a deal first signposted in the spring of this year.

The closure of Cavendish Upholstery's Lancashire factory resulted in six-figure losses for the manufacturer's owner but will likely pay back in the medium-to-long term.

Shareholders and lenders to the Belfield Group have agreed over £9 million in new and refinanced funding this year as the upholstery giant realigned its cost base to a new trading environment.



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