Order Times for 2010 on leather

There's an anomaly in the leather furniture business right now, and its affecting order delivery times for the entire industry, and it doesn't matter what company. Expect delays.

The world-wide recession we all suffered through in 2008/2009 is largely on the way to recovery it seems, but many of the tanneries, especially the ones in China, guessed wrong. They cut back buying "crusts" (raw hides) and laid off workers. Demand for leather furniture has come back briskly 4th quarter of 2009/1st quarter 2010 and they were all caught off-guard. There is no inventory of hides, and many of the workers moved onto other jobs. Now the tanneries are trying to play 'catch-up' and paying higher wages to attract employees and working overtime to get raw material. But it takes time to train new workers, and get caught up, so don't expect a normal flow in the pipeline of supply until September.

All time estimates are done on educated guesses. Every leather is imported, and most come by air freight. That volcanic ash cloud played havoc with air freight and that wiped out delivery estimates for many of the Euro hides and they're still not caught up from that as of this post. More delays.....

So if you have an order in process from ANY dealer, and from ANY company for leather furniture right now, be patient. Production promise dates are slipping on most orders for the above reasons. Some folks get very upset and think they've been lied to, or led down the primrose path, but the reality is market forces and economics (along with an Act of God) has upset the usually reliable time sequence of events.

Producers are equally as frustrated as well. I was talking with the CEO of one of the better leather furniture companies and he has plenty of orders to work through, plenty of leather on order, yet not enough raw materials to complete the orders and such is still running his factories on a 4-day work week. His employees want to work 5 days a week, there's enough work there to keep them busy, but they can't get the leathers quick enough.

Dealers like myself are frustrated as we promise estimated delivery dates based on information from the manufacturer, then find they are slipping by several weeks. I've been chewed out by customers more in the past three months than in the last ten years, and believe me when I say there is nothing anyone can do to expedite your order, we're all doing the best we can under the circumstances.

Here's what I am currently quoting.

* If the leather is in-stock at the furniture maker, you can expect 6 weeks build time, and then shipping time as usual.

* If the leather is not in stock, then add 3 to 12 weeks onto the 6 week build time.

Can your order go out to 5 months delivery right now? Yes it can by the time it rolls into your driveway. So if you really need something quickly and by a certain date, my suggestion is to select three or four hides that will work for you, have your dealer call to see if they are on-hand, and perhaps select from something they have in-stock.

Hope that helps explain time delays we are experiencing....

Duane, what about hides that are not coming ourt of China?
Will the production time be the same?
I am leaning towards kipling which may or may not come out of China.
If I pick a leather that is not from China does that mean it would be available sooner?

Delays are applicable to all leathers, regardless of country of origin. Just the Chinese hides seem to be a bit worse. As mentioned, there is no way of knowing at this time other than checking to see what is actually on-hand. For example, as of today H&M has plenty of Kipling Java in-stock when I checked for another customer.

Hi Duane,
Does that mean that we should soon be receiving our CFA in Kipling Java? Also, from what you stated, it sounds like this batch of Kipling Java may be coming from China? Thanks- Marianne

I'll check on Monday, Kipling Whiskey has been the single hardest hit leather with delays of all the ones in the H&M lineup, mostly because the Kipling series requires extensive hand-rubbing to complete (labor intensive). I know lots of Kipling has been coming in, but its all spoken for (as you well know!), and they can't get caught up in inventory on it.