Hello 2018! It’s a new year and that means fresh opportunities – and here at Wiemann we’re raring to go!
First off, as you can imagine, excitement is mounting as we prepare to unveil our new collections at January Furniture Show in Birmingham (January 21-24).
We’re already thrilled to have learned that one of those new ranges, Cayenne, has been shortlisted for this year’s Furniture Awards, which will be judged on the Saturday before the show opens. We’ve got our fingers crossed!!
Cayenne (pictured left) is one of seven new models being launched – along with three new finishes and a multitude of smart innovations. Cayenne joins the VIP Collection and features attractive as well as practical dual depth wardrobe storage and a lovely new pebble grey finish along with a new lighting concept to be revealed.
Other new VIP ranges include: Cannes, a dual depth hinged robe in havana and pebble grey; and Cadiz, an extra deep slider (79cm) in white with a new vertical and horizontal highlight strip design on the door fronts.
Lido, a super flexible bi-fold, bi-fold combi and slider robe joins the semi-solid wood collection – this one in oak, complemented by bronze mirror or magnolia finishes.
There are three new core ranges: Almeria, a contemporary white overbed range, based on best-seller Luxor; Helsinki, a shaker style robe available in dark rustic oak and polar larch; and Sydney, an oak reproduction look with the choice of bronze mirror, havana or white glass doors.
Altogether there will be 18 models on the stand, including revamped versions of some of our most popular ranges, such as Shanghai. So you can see why we are looking forward to it!
This year’s NEC comes with a tinge of sadness, however. It will be the last show my Dad, Peter Hewitt is attending. After a 50 year career – 30 of it in the furniture trade – Peter has decided to hang up his car keys and pass over the Litmus agency – and the responsibility for running the UK agency for Wiemann – to me! It was back in 2005 that Peter and Markus Wiemann first got together (see them together left at the Osnabruck beer festival c 10 years ago!) and decided working together might just work! Twelve years and several 100s of customers and million pounds of turnover later, and the UK are Wiemann’s largest export market and going from strength to strength. Says Peter: “I told Wiemann we would need a team of field agents who knew retailers well – not just me; we would need marketing and PR – and a UK website: and we would need to offer a delivery and installation service. Fortunately, Markus Wiemann agreed to all those things – and here we are!”
Peter will be staying involved with the business in the background (as his first career was accountancy we trust him to do the books and pay the wages and commissions!) but it’s farewell to the front line, to driving the length and breadth of the country every week – and hello to the golf course!!
Peter says: “Looking back, I really enjoyed my time with Dorlux and I was very proud of being chairman of The Sleep Council – but there is no doubt I have gained the most personal satisfaction from taking a virtually unknown brand and product range into the UK market and growing into one of the UK’s leading bedroom suppliers and Wiemann’s biggest export market.
“Along the way, I’ve met and worked with so many great people. I can’t thank them all enough for the opportunities – and the challenges – but most of all for the loyalty, support and friendships. It’s those personal relationships that are the most precious and most memorable.”
We wish him all the best in his retirement. And look forward to many (trade) customers at the show!