Doca opens doors to London showroom

Spanish kitchen, bathroom and bedroom furniture manufacturer Doca has opened the doors of its 1,500sq ft showroom in West London. Architects, developers, interior designers, housebuilders and kitchen retailers visited the showroom, during the two-day opening event at the showroom, situated at Studio 20, Acklam Road, just off Portabello Road.

Doca has identified London and Russia as its first two 'strategically important' export markets, as it aims to broaden the base of its business outside its native Spanish market.

Its London trade showroom features three kitchen displays, two of which are working, as well as bedroom furniture. Taking centre stage of the showroom was the Milano kitchen with chamfered veneer doors and matching chamfered worktop edge, for a floating surface appearance. It is available in a choice of 30 veneers, eight carcasses and three internal drawer finishes.

This was joined by a kitchen display in white, with full ceiling-height top units with bi-folding electric opening doors. However the same display is available in 25 standard lacquers or any RAL colour providing over 250 finishes.

Completing the kitchen displays was a setting with a 7.5m walnut ‘dining’ table, which has a secondary use as a boardroom/training table for dealers. However, arguably of key interest in the same room setting was a ‘Gum’ lacquer that felt like soft rubber.

Completing the showroom, were wardrobe systems made from framed glass doors with an internal light which, when switched on, allows the opaque glass to become transparent.

Director of Doca UK, Steve Holgate was pleased with the response to the London showroom. He said after the first day of opening: “It was absolutely constant. We were open 12-8pm. The last person arrived at 7.20 and although we were open until 8pm, we were prepared to stay open longer.”

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Symphony launches 'New Perspectives' support package for retailers

Furniture manufacturer Symphony has revisited its retail offer to introduce the New Perspectives support package to help them attract more customers, win more business and increase margins.

The New Perspectives package covers product choice, display assistance, ordering and delivery packages, training, marketing, support, exclusive sales territories.

But where this support package arguably stands out, is independent retailers will be able to ‘pick and mix’ from the offer to best suit their locality and client base.

Retailers will be able to choose from Symphony’s collection of product ranges to suit the design tastes and price mix of the locality.

In addition, they can pick from marketing materials – brochures through to sales promotions - so the package is tailored to suit each business.

Group marketing director of Symphony Group Simon Collyns explains the concept behind the flexible retail package: “We’ve recognised the market - at the moment - is very, very tough. We’ve also recognised that retailers are very much their own people, in terms of localised areas, what they want to do and how they want to present their own businesses”.

Group managing director Marytn Davis commented: “New Perspectives is a huge milestone for us. We have spend the last few years transforming our marketing, product range, manufacturing capability and service delivery, so that we can respond to independent retailers better than ever before. This means our retail offer is now the strongest it’s ever been, as we can deliver a real point of difference in terms of our competitors. We’re raising the bar when it comes to the retail market.

“New Perspectives brings everything together in a compelling and tangible package that demonstrates a clever commitment to our retailer partners and shows how far we’ve come as a business. We’re confident this is a market-leading offer.”

This is the latest initiative from Symphony to help increase its customer of independent retailers. Most recently, the company committed to a price promotion with 50% off its Gallery premium range of kitchens and last year the company invested a six-figure sum in its marketing suite at its Barnsley HQ.

Symphony has 500 dealers selling its Milano and Gallery Kitchens brands, Embrace bedrooms and Aquadi bathrooms brand.

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