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Pattern for the 2020s – Adam Carpets
Showtime in Solihul – Review • Jun 22, 2023
Plain or pattern? One Kidderminster company has quietly captured the high ground in both styles with an uncompromising approach to quality, colour and contemporary trends.
Undoubtedly Adam carpets has an impeccable reputation in exemplary plain twist – ranges such as Fine Worcester Twist, Castlemead and Inspirations set a high bar for quality in the sector.
But at the moment it’s their attention to detail in smart, modern patterned carpet with wide appeal that is catching the eye of discerning retailers and consumers.
Recent years have brought us the zippy stripes of Panache, the tekkie herringbone of Flare and the distinctive diamonds of Deco Design. Innovative but hugely acceptable modern patterns.
Now it’s the turn of Geometrics, an impressive collection of four designs varying from discrete textures to bold statement styles – any of which might be a “must have” choice for a contemporary consumer.
Geometrics had a sneak preview at Harrogate last year and has now been refined still further, ready for its launch right now.
"We have been working intensely for two years, talking to retailers
to find out what they want and what might work best,”
says company MD Chris Adam.
“One amazing thing was we found many people had never lived
in a house with a patterned carpet and have never bought a patterned carpet. We must change that!
The four styles are the organic curves of Cascade, the playful lines of Nexus, a 3D retro Parquet and the vintage, abstract micro pattern of Enigma. And because this is Adam Carpets, the thoughtful choice of bold colours is exceptional.
A stylish new POS unit presents them all to great effect with roomset imagery for all. “Put this in the window and I’m guaranteeing a reaction,”
says Chris Adam.
Retailers who buy the £399 lectern get a 15% discount on their Geometric carpet orders.
The carpet’s credentials are impeccable – a 2-ply 80/20 with nylon, and the wool is premium Platinum-accredited fibre and treated for insect resistance.
All designed, dyed, machine-made and hand finished in Kidderminster and available in 4 and 5m. What’s not to like?
T 01562 829966 www.adamcarpets.co.uk
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The leading European flooring manufacturers featured in the Flanders Flooring Days event have their sights set firmly on the UK market to expand market share and generate growth while their home markets recover.
Earlier this year, John Clark became Managing Director of Regional Distribution at Headlam. In his new role, he is managing and assisting Headlam’s General Managers in supporting independent retail customers across the UK. Headlam has been successfully implementing its strategy of broadening its customer base, including the expansion of trade counters and enhanced relationships with larger customers and house-builders. However, John talks to us about how independent retailers remain Headlam’s biggest customer group, and his team will continue to invest in improving service and quality for his customers.
In tight trading conditions, it is added-value, mid-market products that are coming through in development to attract consumer interest. Our review of the INDX event in Solihull reveals the latest trends that will be shaping the sales profile in Q4 and 2025.
Headlam is aligning three of its leading brands – Manx Tomkinson, Fells and Kingsmead – to deliver enhanced support to UK flooring retailers. This strategic move takes effect from June 1 and will streamline operations across the three brands with a dedicated sales team of 19 representatives nationally. This initiative aims to offer retailers a single point of contact for all their nneeds and to give personalised and efficient support throughout their partnership with Headlam. Heading up the venture as National Sales Manager is Keith Morgan, a seasoned industry professional with over 40 years of experience who was spearheading Headlam's Telenzo brand and who has a previous track record at Hugh Mackay and SCS. Keith Morgan expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, saying, "By aligning the three brands, we aim to optimise our support for retailers, providing our customers the convenience of a single dedicated representative for Manx Tomkinson, Fells and Kingsmead. "This strategy ensures retailers receive top-tier service and support. Our objective is to streamline the partnership between retailers and quality brands, nurturing stronger relationships and enabling seamless collaboration," he said. This strategic move reflects Headlam's commitment to driving excellence in customer service and support within the flooring industry. By aligning the three leading brands under a unified sales team, the team aims to elevate the retail experience and empower its partners for success, says the Group. www.headlamgroup.com
Fast growing UK flooring distributor Likewise has confirmed a 13% growth in sales and its first single-day order intake of £1m. Likewise directors say the Group is on course to achieve it's target of becoming a £200m business after reporting group sales increased 12.9% to £139m and earning were up to £7.9m from £6.6m in 2022. And the growth continues this year. The statment to shareholders said: "The Group has again made significant progress in 2023, which has continued into the first four months of 2024, with Group Sales to the end of April increasing by 8.7% and Sales in Likewise Branded businesses increasing by 15.3% compared with the prior year." CEO Tony Brewer commented: "“The Group has made significant progress in the last three years. The Board thanks the Management, Sales Teams and all Staff for their tremendous contribution to developing the Group and what has been achieved in such a short time. "Despite challenging market conditions, 2024 has started positively and we have every confidence of a successful year and most importantly another major step towards our medium term objectives," he added. The group's first-ever £1m order intake in one day was achieved in April and has boosted confidence at the ambitions company in the ability of its servise and logistics to handle high volumes of trade. Likewise used the annual results statement to map out its current scale which comprises: 11 Distribution and Logistics Centres created with total capacity at c.15 million cubic feet 80 Suppliers across key flooring products 94 Customer focused Management and Sales Executives 139 Delivery trucks providing next day service 507 Employees, with a significant majority with long-standing flooring experience 100,000’s of point of sale items creating market presence Over 5,000 Customers, principally independent flooring retailers and contractors www.likewiseplc.com
UPDATE: 17 May 2024 The Flanders Flooring Days event closed yesterday after an impressive week with 3,474 visitors from more than 78 countries. "The successful third edition of Flanders Flooring Days definitely left visitors with a taste for more," say organisers. So the fair will be taking place again in 2025, this time from 2 to 5 June. Put the date in your diary now. ---- Flanders Flooring Days has established itself as a leading showcase event for leading European manufacturers as it opened its third event based around the Belgium town of Kortrijk. The major marketing event involved 52 companies mainly from Belgium, the Netherlands and Holland with 14 hosting displays at their showrooms in the region and 38 taking exhibtion space at The Hub in the Kortrijk Xpo centre. The event opened on Monday in glorious sunshine in Flanders and runs for four days in a show that is seen by many as a successor to Domotex. The displays by leading manufacturers at the Kortrijk Xpo centre we to a very high standard in a well presented environment at the modern facility in the town. The Stocklists visited some of the UK's major European brands including Associated Weavers, Beaulieu, Condor, Betap, Edel, Intercarpet, Lano, Lamett, LDP, Unifloor and Vebe and will be bring you detailed reports in our next issue. www.flandersflooringdays.com
Headlam – the UK's leading flooring dsitributor – warned that the market will not return to growth until 2025 after announcing it's sales had fallen 12.3% year-on-year for the four months to the end of April. The Group 's UK division was down by 11.6 % per cent and Continental Europe sales contract ed by 16.9 % and it announced a pre-tax loss of £10.6m over the first four months of 2023. Headlam said revenue in April did not show the expected seasonal uplift during spring, traditionally seen as a strong period for house sales in Britain and as a result, the company said it expects full-year profit 'to be significantly below current market expectations'. However, Headlam remain s upbeat and said it expects an improvement in the second half. In a trading update to investors, CEO Chris Payne said: "Whilst the medium-term outlook for the business remains strong, the current trading conditions across the sector have been challenging and we have seen a further deterioration in consumer spending in our markets, which has weighed on profitability." He dded: "D espite these headwinds, the balance sheet remains strong, it is pleasing to see the strategic growth areas continuing to perform well and, with the acceleration of our strategy, we have a great opportunity to simplify our customer offer to significantly improve the Group's profitability and further improve our cash position. " www.headlam.com/
A competitive revolution is coming for independent retailers in the flooring sector in 2024 - the E-Floorcentre Alliance. Listen up if you are an independent retailer who is fed up with the lack of a level playing field in your competitive position, thanks to increasingly consolidated flooring distributors, fast growing online platforms and ever-expanding multiple competition. “Independent retailers can see that more business is slipping away from them each year,” says Ken Robb of the Independent Flooring Group (IFG) and Floorstars. And he has started the revolution. He plans to redress the balance with an ambitious concept that keeps independent retailers relevant and secures their future. Known as the E-Floorcentre Alliance , participating Independent retailers can become part of a nationally promoted network with exclusive branded products, a national e-commerce platform, a logistics operation with up to 20 hubs across the country and full access to the Floorstars network of skilled installers. Floorstars enable retailers to offer ‘full service’ anywhere in the UK to service out of area business generated by E-Commerce. The concept was launched at the IFG Conference in April and is set to make a major difference to the way independent retailers do business. IFG are working with leading manufacturers to supply distinctive products to retailers across the mainstream sectors for carpets and vinyl flooring. These own branded ranges will have nationally consistent online to store pricing parity to avoid comparison issues.
BUSINESS NEWS
The 50+ store franchise United Carpets & Beds – the UK's 3rd biggest carpet retailer – saw sales growth of 3.5% last year in an "ever-tightening" market. In United's latest filed accounts for the year ended 28 September 2023, sales rose 3.5% to £27m from £26.1m the previous year. Pre-tax profit were £1m, down from £1.5m in 2022, due primarily to investments in warehousing. United re-registered as a private company under the ownership of CEO Paul Eyre in 2021 and now has 58 stores (one more than 2022) of which 46 were franchised and 12 owned by the parent company. In the company's accounts statement the directors commented: "The financial year continued to show our strength as a franchise business with our core customer base supporting the network and an increase of 1.1% in LFL sales in an ever-tightening market shows the model continues to work. “However, the franchise network, like all businesses in 2023, has been hit with the cost-of-living crisis that has been affecting our customers. This is coupled with the continued effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that still adds to the volatility with prices linked to the cost of oil." It said it had been able to keep price increases to a minimum due to its "excellent relationships" with key suppliers. www.unitedcarpetsandbeds.com
More signs of retail recovery in flooring comes with the latest report from the O ffice for National Statistics which show sales up 4.7% over last month. ONS data shows floorcovering retail sales increased month-on-month, by 4.7% during May to £219.7m from £209.7m. Compared to the same time last year, sales were up 1.3%. Flooring is outperforming the furniture sector which showed a 3.7% increase during May but compared to this time last year, the sector is down 7.2%. Across all categories, r etail sales volumes rose by 2.9% in May 2024, following a fall of 1.8% in April 2024 (revised from a fall of 2.3%). Sales volumes rose across most sectors, with clothing retailers and furniture stores rebounding following poor weather in April, said analysts.
Consumer confidence is showing increasing optimism in the economy and the appetite for big ticket purchases is improving, say analysts. GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index rose by three points in June as it made its slow climb out of negative territory to minus 14 – that's its third monthly increase since March. The key Major Purchase Index which covers consumers' confidence to buy furniture, flooring and appliances was up three points to minus 23, two points higher than this time last year. This Index has been improving over the last few months but experienced a suprise setback last month, down two points. Joe Staton, client strategy director at GfK, said: “Once again we have an improved reading for the overall index score with June showing a three-point improvement bolstered by consumers’ more sympathetic view of the economy for the last year and the 12 months to come. "Consumer confidence continues its robust long-term upward trend this month, and has recovered significantly since the record low of minus 49 reached in September 2022," he said. "Consumers like financial certainty, and this has to be the cornerstone if we are to see confidence break out into positive territory.”
Domotex, the world's largest flooring show, is all set to switch to its new two-year cycle in Hannover in January which alternates a carpets-only edition with the full all-sector event. From 2025 and in all odd-numbered years, the Domotex Carpets & Rugs Edition will take place exclusively for the world of carpets. In 2026, as in all even years, Domotex will once again bring together the entire international floor coverings industry under one roof. "It was important for us to focus entirely on the needs of the industry," explains Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director of Domotex Events worldwide. "In close consultation with our top exhibitors and the market, we have developed a strategy to make The Carpets & Rugs Edition as compact and efficient as possible." In what the organiser describe as "four days of efficient business," the first Domotex Carpets & Rugs Edition will take place from 16 to 19 January 2025. "To this end, we have adapted our supporting programme for carpets and rugs, and planned new special formats and networking opportunities," says Sonia. "Our aim is to provide all participants with a focused and productive show from which they can derive the greatest possible benefit." The show in Hannover has been exploring ways to recover its momentum since it re-launched in 2022 after two years of Covid closures. While the event was heralded as a "full success" by organisers Deutsche Messe, visitor numbers were around 20,000 compared to 35,000 pre-pandemic and exhibitors were down around 50% . www.domotex.de
After months of stubbornly high retail inflation, flooring prices have finally gone down. According to the latest Office for National for National Statistics (ONS) data, carpets and other floorcoverings prices deflated 0.3% in May, down from a rise of 1.7% the previous month and below the level of general consumer inflation. This time last year, flooring prices were rising by over 10% and this trend continued over the winter, despite marked falls in the furnishing sector as a whole at the beginning of 2024. Furniture and furnishing prices fell by 2.8% in May , following on from a decline of 3.8% in April . T he overall Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 2% in the 12 months to May 2024, down from 2.3% in the 12 months to April. On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.3% in May 2024, compared with a rise of 0.7% in May 2023.
Major flooring congolmerate Victoria plc has posted final year figures showing a 14% decline in sales, but says it's outperforming the 20% drop seen across the UK flooring market generally. Victoria had already told the markets that its annual sales figures for the year ended 30 March 2024 will be below 2023 levels and has been working to maximise efficiencies and cost management across the Group, including a 16% reduction in workforce. According to its audited results for the year, total underlying sales fell 14% to £1.2bn from £1.4bn in 2023. Underlying EBITDA stood at £160.7m, down from £196m, while pre-tax profit resulted at £27.1m, down from £76.9m year-on-year. Within its soft flooring division, Victoria said that sales were down 11.5% to £636.2m. “Independent market research suggests UK volumes were down circa 20%, which makes up the largest portion of the division, indicating that Victoria has continued to outperform the market – a factor the Board believes augurs well for earnings as demand recovers,” the group said. The Group said its UK & Europe broadloom carpet integration which brought Balta into the business had been a success with significant margin imporvement and a growth in EBITDA for that division to increase by 23.8%. Geoff Wilding, Executive Chairman, said he was cautious about near-term trading conditions but added: "As interest rates fall, housing transactions and deferred residential renovation, improvement and repair purchases will rebound, driving flooring demand." www.victoriaplc.com
Ambitious UK flooring distributor Likewise is accelerating its growth and is hungry for more with a team of nearly 100 sales representatives. In a statement prior to tomorrow’s AGM, the group reported that sales revenue had increased by 8.5% in the first six months to 18 June 2024, with sales in Likewise-branded business up by 14.6%. Chief executive, Tony Brewer, commented: “Whilst market conditions remain challenging, the group is confident in further overall sales increases in the traditionally busier second half.” He said that a total sales team of 94 sales executives “are making a particularly important contribution to the overall performance in both residential and commercial flooring” and had further potential to grow the business. Last month the group announced that its first-ever £1m order intake in one day was achieved in April and said it was on course to achieve its target of becoming a £200m business. www.likewiseplc.com
After a tough winter of declining flooring imports, carpet sales into the UK have jumped for the first time since October 2023 – vinyl sales, however, are faring much less well. Carpet imports into the UK in April jumped 10% to £77.8m according to HM Revenue & Customs figures compiled by The Furnishing Report . Belgium, which has had a torrid time of falling sales into the UK finally showed substantial improvement, up 17% in April. Turkey, meanwhile, is racing ahead with imports into the UK up 55%. Imports across all flooring types r ose 3.4 % to £129 million , held back by a double-digit decline in vinyl floorcovering, a sector badly hit both in terms of supply and pricing by the shipping crisis in the Red Sea which has inflated costs as containers are diverted along much longer routes - see related news item .
Leading carpet company Cormar maintained its sales last year despite the challenging market conditions and says it's in a strong position and cautiously optimistic about the future. Filing its accounts this week for the year ended 30 September 2024, the company showed sales stable at £147.8m (£148.1m in 2022) and pre-tax profit up a little at £5.9m (£5.6m in 2022). "Demand for our carpet remained resilient throughout the year despite the squeeze on household income caused by high inflation and higher interest rates," said the company in its review of the business statement. Cormar said that while volumes remained robust, margins were hit by high raw material costs and energy prices, and compounded by adverse exchange rates. "Higher average selling prices, coupled with a recovery in sterling and tight cost control, improved operating margins in the second half of the year, helping full-year operating profit margins recover from their prior year lows," said the company. "The business finished the year with gross margin in a strong position, providing us with cautious optimism for the year ahead."
Container costs are back in the headlines for flooring importers with the vinyl sector espeically under pressure as a tight consumer market combines with rising freight charges to hit margins. LVT suppliers have been discounting retail prices in ther lack-lustre first half of 2024 to stimulate sales but several have told us that this strategy has been impacted by freight costs that has seen the spot rate for shipping a 40ft container jump from $3,000s to as much as $5,000. As a result, sales margins have evaporated in some of the sector and inventory building for the hoped-for recovery in the Q3/4 sales season is looking expensive. The container costs have been impacted primarily by the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea since Houthi rebels in Yemen started attacking shipping before Christmas. Port congestion in key hubs in Western Europe has exacscerbated the problem. Not eveyone is losing out however. Maersk, a global leader in container shipping announced last week that profits could rise to $9 billion for 2024 due to the crisis but in better news for importers, it has also warned shareholders that a wave of new container vessels entering the market this year and next will cause overcapacity and hurt profit. Analysts at Bernstein expect a 15% fleet expansion across 2024 and 2025, outstripping demand.
Cormar Carpets has launched the brand-new Shetland range – a long-lasting wool loop carpet made with 100% pure new wool, which comes in 10 trend-leading shades for the perfect blend of style and practicality. Suitable for all areas of the home, Shetland is hard-wearing and durable, making it the perfect choice for high-traffic areas including stairs, hallways and landings. Further extending the choice for homeowners, Shetland sits alongside Cormar’s Fairisle range, which has soared in popularity since its launch, offering the same desirable quality with the option of a more level finish. Manufactured using a quality, moth resistant, 3-ply yarn, Shetland is a 1/5th gauge carpet, in a chunky Brussels weave design. “The beauty of textured wool carpets is that they add an extra dimension to a living space, and with loop pile carpets increasing in popularity, we are delighted to be further enhancing our wool offering with this exciting new addition. Suitable for all areas of the home with a high-quality textured look and feel, Shetland offers a trend-leading neutral palette that blends seamlessly with any interior style.” – Alexandra Ellis, Marketing Manager at Cormar Carpets. Available in a collection of 10 heathered neutral tones inspired by the natural, rolling landscape of the Shetland Isles, Shetland’s classic loop design suits any taste from rustic to contemporary. Produced in both 4m and 5m widths, Shetland balances design, durability and price for an affordable yet stylish flooring option. Samples of Shetland are now being distributed by Cormar’s Territory Managers. T 01204 881234 • portal.cormarcarpets.co.uk
With over 74,000 visitors walking through the Grand House at this year’s Grand Designs Live, Quick-Step floors proved up to the challenge, looking just as good on the last day of the week-long show. Held at London’s ExCel, Grand Designs Live is the UK’s leading consumer exhibition for those looking to take on their own home build or major renovation project. The Grand House was a new feature for the London edition and offered a showcase of stunning and innovative designs in Quick-Step’s wood, laminate and vinyl floors. Installed by Quick-Step Master Installers, the only professionals to be able to provide a lifetime guarantee for installation of the brand’s floors, Quick-Step was fitted to all rooms (excluding the house’s cinema room) demonstrating how the brand’s floors can create a beautiful home while standing up to the wear of some 148,000 feet. The Wood for Life technology in Disegno and Cascada ensured these waterproof wood floors looked just as good on day seven of the show as they did at the Grand House’s opening. Capture and Impressive laminate stood-out for their masterful realism and Alpha Vinyl for its authentic looks and comfort underfoot. With a mix of herringbone, plank and tile designs, Grand House showcased the very best of Quick-Step floors. Niall Cassidy of Quick-Step said: “Being involved in the Grand House let visitors experience our floors in a relatable environment which is always something that’s quite difficult to achieve with exhibitions. They also got to see just how durable our floors are in heavy use, something which clearly resonated with the visitors on our stand.” www.quick-step.co.uk
Flower power was at the centre of Adam Carpet’s presentation in Solihull with a fine bunch of chrysanthemums to welcome visitors and a unique story to tell about their impact on wool carpet performance. The flower heads of chrysanthemums kill bugs – specifically carpet moths. And only Adam has been able to harness their full potential with a “total insect protection” programme that saves wool fibre from attack. “This is a very big deal for Adam – putting us in a unique position to protect carpet from the increasing threat of damage by moth larvae which is an issue that is becoming more widespread in many more parts of the country,” says Chris Adam, managing director. At its factory in Kidderminster, Adam has its own dyehouse and colours all of its plain yarns itself. At the end of the process, they apply the insect protection treatment, based on nature’s own solution found in the chrysanthemum flowers.
The NICF has announced the fitters who will take part in the semi-finals laster thismonth, competiting for a place in September's grand final in Harrogate. The line-up for the semi-final which take place at the FITA Training Centre in Loughborough on June 25 and 26 are: Darren Ash - Alfrick Hayden Barr - Windermere Chris Farbrother - Stevenage Ryan Hughes - Luton Stephen Johnson - Liverpool Richard Long - Dundee Joni Reeves - Skipton Danny Thornley - Salford Steve Whitburn - Torquay Gareth Williams – Launceston The Stocklists, a sponsor of the competition, wish all the participants the best of success! There will be live streaming on UK Flooring TV at www.youtube.com/c/UKFlooringTV The final t akes p lace over 2 days at The Flooring Show in Harrogate Sunday 15th and Monday 16th September 2024. www.nicfltd.org.uk
The Campaign for Wool has announced that HM The King will remain as it’s Patron, supporting the Campaign and its educational activities and events to remind the world of wool’s support for the planet and its natural, renewable and biodegradable properties. The Campaign for Wool was HM King Charles’s personal initiative when he was The Prince of Wales in 2008 and was officially launched in 2010 in a bid to assist wool growers from throughout the Commonwealth to challenge the rise of toxic synthetic fibres in the worlds of fashion, interiors and the built environment. As Patron, over the past decade of the Campaign, the then Prince of Wales has visited numerous regions of the UK, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa to engage with wool growers on how best to explain the distinct environmental excellence and ecological benefits of wool in all its end uses. The Campaign fits perfectly with HM The King’s recently announced personal focus of Climate, Community, Commonwealth and Culture. Endorsing the natural benefits of wool Wool is more important today, moreover as climate change and plastic over consumption hits the headlines on a weekly basis, requesting all of us to be more considerate in our choices. The Patron has passionately endorsed the natural benefits and use of wool, issues he raised on the introduction of mainstream plastic use in his student days over 50 years ago. Choosing wool will help to safeguard the planet for future generations .The Campaign is supported by companies across the globe, including farmers, the wool processing pipeline, designers, brands and retailers. 2024 will see the Campaign launch some exciting initiatives and collaborations for Wool Month which takes place throughout October. www.campaignforwool.org
Abingdon Flooring has refreshed its competitive Stainfree Twist with a range of brand-new colours. One of the most affordable carpets in Abingdon Flooring’s Stainfree family, Twist is a popular choice for homeowners concerned with getting great value and a carpet that’s ready to take on life in family homes. With a Stainfree for Life guarantee, this easy clean carpet is considered the ‘original and best’ by many retailers. Now with a range of brand-new colours to suit the latest home interior styling, Stainfree Twist is ready to become the best for a whole new generation of carpet purchasers. Stainfree Twist’s refreshed palette includes pale neutrals, modern greys, earthy colours and rich hues ready to add a touch of style and comfort to every home. Charlotte Coop, head of marketing, Abingdon Flooring, says: “The original Stainfree carpet, Twist represents an affordable entry into quality stain-resistant carpet for the home. Offering great value and with all the performance needed for busy family homes, it’s easy to see why Twist continues to be such a key part of our Stainfree line-up.” Proudly made in Britain, Stainfree Twist comes with the additional benefit of a fleece backing that boosts underfoot comfort and improves thermal and acoustic insulation. The fleece also makes life easier for installers, adding stability and preventing marks to walls and skirtings. Equipped with a 10-year wear warranty, the 1/10th gauge twist pile can be used confidently in living areas, bedrooms, hallways, stairs and landings. In 2,5m, 4m and 5m widths, It’s a versatile performer available in a range of fabulous new colours sure to uplift any home. T 01274 655 694 • www.abingdonflooring.co.uk