TROPITONE ACHIEVES RECORD SALES DURING FISCAL 2006
Popularity of Outdoor Room Across the Country Expands Opportunity for the Company’s Wide Selection of Casual Furnishings
Irvine, Calif., Dec. 6, 2006 – Tropitone Furniture Co., a leading manufacturer of fine casual furniture, announced today that it achieved record sales during its fiscal year which ended on September 30, 2006, driven by both the widespread popularity of the outdoor room and Tropitone’s broad array of casual furniture collections that appeal to many different styles and customer preferences.
According to Michael Echolds, Tropitone’s chief executive officer, the popularity of the outdoor room across the country -- from California to New York and the Pacific Northwest to the South and Southeast – is one of the single most important market trends in the history of the casual furniture industry. While the warmer regions of the country are most likely to have the larger outdoor living spaces which may feature many rooms in the ‘outdoor room’, the outdoor rooms in the northern regions tend to center around either fireplaces or fire pits furnished with deep-cushioned seating often referred as chat sets.
“Before the outdoor room, most people limited their thinking about outdoor furnishings to poolside chaise lounges and a dining set, which they used a few months out of the year. Today, the door has been thrown wide open on the possibilities as increasingly more time is spent relaxing and entertaining outdoors. As a result, consumers expect their outdoor furnishings to be as fashionable and comfortable as their indoor furniture.
“We believe Tropitone is succeeding in this expanding marketplace because we make it possible for consumers to create outdoor settings for their homes that are as warm and cordial as the indoors of their homes, with furnishings that are durable enough for outdoor use and unexpectedly comfortable,” Echolds said.
Tropitone has a 50-year track record of designing and manufacturing innovative and award-winning casual furniture. The company is well-known throughout the casual furniture market for its sling furniture collections with their superior lumbar support, which is a hallmark of the Troptione sling. The company also offers umbrellas and shade products, as well as tables and tabletops, and other seating collections, such as woven and cushion seating.
“The Tropitone tradition of innovation and comfort,” Echolds said, “continues to contribute to the ongoing success the company has achieved in the market with recent collections. These collections include Tropitone’s Stoneworks™ tables and tabletops, which are designed to resemble natural stones such as marble and granite; the Tropitone Relax Plus cushions with a soft look and sink-in feel not typically found in outdoor cushions; and the new woven seating collections featuring the company’s synthetic weave, TropiKane™, which creates the look of such natural materials as wicker, rattan or leather,” he said.
Retailers such as Steve Cohen at Pool, Patio and More in California and Ashley Nolen at Leaders Furniture in Florida have perceptions consistent with Echolds about what makes Tropitone successful in the marketplace. They agree that the outdoor room has created more interest in outdoor furniture and the many possibilities that surround creating a living space outside that reflects their customers’ own sense of style. And, in addition, they both believe that much of Tropitone’s historical and current success comes from staying true to what they do well – designing innovative and eye-appealing casual furnishings while maintaining a strong commitment to consistent quality at a reasonable price with dependable delivery.
Cohen at Pool, Patio and More believes that incorporating new design elements into a mainstay product such as Tropitone’s hallmark sling collections ensures Tropitone’s products have enduring appeal in the marketplace.
“Tropitone’s slings are widely believed to be the most comfortable sling seating in the market. By significantly expanding the selection of powder coated finishes and fabrics for its sling seating and adding distinctive design features such as decorative castings, which Tropitone has done over the years, customers can now choose from a wide spectrum of styles. For example, some Tropitone sling collections, such as the new Stone Harbor collection, appeal to those who prefer a more traditional design, while the Opus collection appeals to those who like a more contemporary look.
“With this ability to successfully expand their core product strengths, Troptione tends to offer something for everyone -- from both a design and pricing point of view. In particular with pricing, the company’s furniture tends to stand out on our showroom floor as one of the best values we offer,” Cohen said.
According to Ashley Nolen, the buyer for Leaders Furniture in Florida, her customers today want something truly unique and which complements their lifestyle. As a result, in many instances, her customers are willing to pay a little more for such outdoor furnishings.
“Tropitone’s woven Montreux collection is such a collection with its distinctive look resembling the richness of leather. Yet, it can be rinsed off with a garden hose when it needs to be cleaned, and it is as comfortable as the seating people are accustomed to in their dining and family rooms,” Nolen said.
Founded in 1954, Tropitone is based in Irvine, California, and is recognized throughout the casual furniture marketplace for its design leadership as well as its commitment to service and value. The company sells its products to retailers, designers and the hospitality trade under the Tropitone and Basta Sole trademarks. In addition to its headquarters and manufacturing plant in Irvine, the company operates a manufacturing facility in Sarasota, Florida.