Leggit and Platt beefs up recliner mechanisms - fabric prices
Del Sternes, CEO & President of Taylor King, was in my store yesterday and we were talking about what is going on in the industry and three things I thought worth passing on were:
1) Leggit and Platt is now making a heavy-duty recliner mechanism good for up to 350 lb of man-weight. Previously their most durable model was limited to 275 lb. Good news! When a recliner mechanism is over-weighted by use, it will have weld and rivet failures - so this should really help for large men usage and will be used by many recliner makers.
2) Fabric prices continue to hit the suppliers rapid-fire. Big increases from all mills - this is a time where they are increasing so rapidly we can't keep up with the grade changes....so if you see a fabric and its a Grade D and you get a price quote, then come back 10 days later to order, don't be surprised if its now a Grade F. Its not a bait and switch, its these rapid price increases doing that.
3) Metal prices (springs, etc) are up 10 % this month alone.
Expect general price increases from all makers in late Spring/Early Summer. They're being hit pretty good with raw materials increases.
Re: Leggit and Platt beefs up recliner mechanisms - fabric prices
Duane,
I can second your observations on fabric prices. Within 2 weeks of January 1 I got hit with price increases ranging from 10% to 25% from all of my fabric suppliers except Microfibres, Inc., an American mill supplying us with fabrics out of their Winston-Salem and Massachusetts facilities.
Jeff Frank
Simplicity Sofas
