ForeverRedwood.Com Coupon $250 OFF! ( SEE INSTRUCTIONS )

3 STEPS TO USE FOREVERREDWOOD.COM DISCOUNT COUPON

2010-06-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

FOREVER REDWOOD DISCOUNT COUPON

STEP1: USE ForeverRedwood.Com Coupon Link Below

ForeverRedwood.Com Coupon $150-$250 OFF - Use This Link

Page Should Look Like This:

STEP2: Select your OutDoor Furniture / Proceed To Check Out

STEP3: At CheckOut Enter Coupon Code

**Highlight & Copy To Use Coupon

Forever10

10% OFF All order over $1000

" MIA " - 10% OFF any purchase

" RIO " - 15% OFF any purchase

" TakeYourTime " - 20% OFF any purchase

" FOREVER10 " - 10% OFF any purchase

" REDWOOD100 " - $100 OFF $600

" REDWOOD175 " - $175 OFF $1000

" REDWOOD450 " - $450 OFF $2500

" REDWOOD800 " - $800 OFF $4000

SEE YOUR DISCOUNT!!

All Forever Redwood furniture is made from wood collected from our own forestlands and milled in our own lumber mills. We do it the old fashioned way cutting 2x6's that really are 2 inches by 6 inches instead of the industry standard of 1 1/2 inches by 5 1/4 inches. The extra thickness and girth significantly increases the feel, appearance, sturdiness, and durability of the furniture. This makes for redwood furniture that is beautiful, heavyweight and gives you, your family, and friends a lifetime of comfort and enjoyment.

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ForeverRedwood Creates Old Grow forest

2009-12-23T05:44:00.000-08:00

In 1978, the Redwoods National Park in N. California had a large swath of logged over lands added to the original old-growth park. Congress added the cutover lands with a caveat: All roads should be closed and filled in and the forest had to be restored like the old-growth around it.

With a large budget for restoration, an amazing transformation has taken place over the last 30 years. It is the largest example of full-scale restoration in the Redwoods. It can be done.

Without large budgets, restoration of some or most of the old-growth characteristics of cut over forests can be accomplished in decades—not centuries. Most forests in the U.S. have been cut at least once. For example, 96% of the Redwood forest has been cut.

What We're Doing to Help

Forever Redwood manages 700 acres of average-quality forests that had 95% of the Redwood volume cut in the 60's. By the mid 90's, the forest had too many hardwoods (uncut when the land was harvested) and endless young trees of average to poor quality. Instead of about 80 to 100 trees per acre of all sizes and ages, we inherited over 1,000 mostly small and suppressed trees per acre just waiting for a fire to set them off. Most were dying or going to die from a lack of growing space.

The roads were leaching soil into the streams. Poorly constructed roads were collapsing in the winter storms. You couldn't see a foot in front of you because most trees had grown low lying branches that were in your face. It was the furthest thing from the cathedral-like open spaces under an old-growth forest canopy.

We started in 1995 by thinning out the poorest quality trees and the over-represented tree species (mostly hardwoods and some Douglas-fir). It was an acre by acre "hands-on" thinning from below. A couple chain saws, manual loppers and a pole saw is all we used. We fixed the worst erosion problems by adding lots of natural structure to the soil and thinned most of the lower branches away to lower the fire hazard and open up the understory. It took two men 3 1/2 years working 2 days per week to finish the first 40-acre thinning.

Getting Results

It will take another 5 years to complete the first round of thinning and planting on all the acreage. But, the thinned and planted lands are already significantly transformed. If we never did anything else, the forest will grow back to Old-Growth Again with good spacing, significantly restored species composition, improved tree quality, and partially restored soils. The fire hazard has been reduced, wildlife habitat improved, and the forest opened from below and closed from above as it should be. (For example, birds can now fly through the forests where before it was mostly an inpenetrable maze of branches and dying trees).

If the thinning, planting and soil building is repeated two more times over the next couple decades, the forest will return to being multi-canopy and full of large mature trees with the general structure of the prior stand essentially restored. Then the passing decades will add the larger old-growth trees whether or not the land is managed again. And, this is after yielding a modest timber harvest each entry to help pay for the restoration!

It doesn't take a lot of money to restore forestland if you are willing to do the work yourself. It does take a lifelong commitment to getting it done in balance with nature. If you own a few acres and want to spruce them up a bit or restore them fully, take a look at the links below.

This first link shows a typical regenerating young Redwood grove 30 years after heavy logging both before and after being thinned. The work in the "after" photo was done by one person in one full day with a chainsaw and a pole saw. A lot can be done on any forestland if the owners want to put the time and energy into it: http://www.foreverredwood.com/befaft.html

ForeverRedwood Coupon Update { Up to $800 OFF }

2009-11-27T07:32:00.000-08:00

Receiving Furniture Cross-Country Made Simple

Yes, you can have large wood furniture items shipped cross-country (or across the oceans) to your door without a glitch. We do it every day. Since 1995, Forever Redwood has shipped thousands of items of all sizes all over the US, Canada, and occasionally Europe, Africa and Asia.

Our shipping partners (Fed Ex, UPS, YellowFreight and other LTL carriers) are fast and reliable. In the rare case something gets dinked, we remake replacement parts at no cost and ship within a week.

If you order Forever Redwood furniture, you will never receive boxes full of hundreds of parts to decipher. All small items ship fully assembled (that includes Planter Boxes up to 1' W x 1' H up to 8' L, Swing Seats, Mini & Tiny Foot Stools, all the folding items, etc.). For larger items, we design to minimize re-assembly (ship many sections already assembled). For example, Dining Chairs usually ship in 4 to 6 parts—just enough to limit the size of the packaging and keep shipping costs down. Even many large items are less than 10 parts, for example, the 8 ft Patio Table ships in 8 parts.

If you're curious how an item is re-assembled, download the PDF instructions for it at: www.foreverredwood.com/assembly.html

Small orders usually ship Fed Ex Ground. Large items (like picnic tables, swing sets or pergolas) ship in a crate with padded boxes strapped in it via LTL carriers like FedEx Freight or UPS Freight. Once your crate arrives at the distribution center near you, you'll be called to set up a convenient time to deliver. Crates are dropped off on your driveway. Then, you can unscrew the crate and move the individual boxes easily (no box weighs over 90 lbs). We ship from San Diego, CA. If you live in CA, we can assemble your order for a small extra charge.

When your order ships, you'll receive tracking information by email to know when its arriving. Most of the year, we ship in 2 to 3 weeks. From May thru July, our busiest time, we usually fall behind a bit and ship in 4 to 5 weeks. If you need something in days, we can have a couple carpenters come in at night and build your order as a Rush Order to ship in 1 week. There is a surcharge for Rush Orders to pay for the overtime.

To find more details about your shipping options, please visit:
www.foreverredwood.com/shipping.html

Forever Redwood operates an old-fashioned woodworking shop. Every item is made by hand to the highest standards and can be customized to meet you spatial or creative needs. Old-fashioned hand-building is becoming a lost art. Even though we may be far away, consider us your personal woodworking shop. If it's made of wood, odds are we can do it.

To save 15% on your next order, type "RIO" in the coupon code box in your shopping cart. The RIO code is valid with any order. (If ordering by phone, just mention the code.) Free Shipping is also available in the Continental U.S for orders over $500. If your order total is less than $500, you can take advantage of 30-50% discounted shipping rates, including to Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico.

Shipping to other countries is available. We also offer Priority and Rush Shipping if you need your furniture delivered quickly. Finally, an additional 5% discount automatically applies to larger orders, over $7,500.

Also Check $800 and instruction to use here

Buy Redwood Furniture At Foreverredwood.com with coupon

2009-11-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

As the kids are getting older, I love playing with them in the yard more than ever. Being Forever Redwood's founder has one great perk—my yard is littered with loungers, swings, benches, planters, a sandbox, a gazebo, and a few pieces that never made the "cut" onto our website.

Regardless of wood grade, after a few years, the surface color tells the story of daily battles with rain, sun, and the birds (they love to bomb my table in particular...). While sitting in our garden swing yesterday with 11-month-old Norma Mia in my arms, I figured there were some Forever Redwood owners experiencing the same "I wish the stuff looked as good as it did back when..." thoughts.

Redwood is almost decay proof. It doesn't need our help to last for decades. But, if your eyes don't like the changing tones or the stains, there are quick solutions to bring back the original surface beauty completely or partially in minutes. The details are on our Finish Options and Furniture Care page:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/caring.html

When I bring out the power washer, the kids love the noise and the water. Especially the instant rain feature by shooting it straight up in the air.
:-)

My son Raul Angel when he was 2 enjoying the very first Kid's Rocking Chair.

My daughter Norma at 9 months in the Toddler/Small Kid's Swing Seat.

To read more about our forestry practices, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/restoration-forestry.html
To read more about our grades of wood, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/wood.html
We also have an extensive FAQs section here:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/frequently-asked-questions
Interested in our free report on Redwood vs. Teak? Here's the download link:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/forever-redwood-report.pdf

Thank you for your continuing support and interest in Forever Redwood. As always, comments and questions are welcomed. I look forward to hearing from you anytime. Email me at raul@foreverredwood.com and I'll get right back to you.

From the forest, for the forest—
Raul F. Hernandez, CEO
Forever Redwood Furniture from Old-Growth Again Restoration Forestry
www.ForeverRedwood.com

PS. Be sure to check out my blog, where I post Forever Redwood news, stories, photos, and updates from the forest.

Restoring logged forests back to Old-Growth Again. Forever Redwood furniture sales fund our forest restoration work.

Forever Redwood for the Holidays

2009-11-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

thinking about the holidays and rushed to order a few gifts. Working at Forever Redwood allows me to build beautiful personalized gifts from our shop at a discount. I just have to plan ahead until there is space in our busy production queue. Being mid-November, time is thin to get the wish list done and shipped (2 building block sets, 2 shower benches, a mini-foot stool and a disk swing). I really enjoy engraving personal messages on the gifts. The engraving makes it special and not "off-the-shelf."

After typing in the order, I thought there is still time to offer our customers the same opportunity to also get a few personalized gifts built at a discount. Here's what we can do with the limited time left....

How to Save Money While Giving Unique & Beautiful Gifts

You can use our 15% off coupon code (type "RIO" in the coupon box), plus we can add free engraving on any holiday gift. We've added a photo of the building block kit to show the typical engraving we do. But, you're the artist—just let us know what you want us to engrave. To get your order out on time, please order no later than Sunday, November 29th.

The kids enjoy building tall block towers. But, what they REALLY like is knocking them down and making a racket! The disk swing is great if you have a large tree to hang it from and the shower benches can be made any size to fit almost anyone's shower. The mini foot stool is made in our new Mosaic Eco-Wood (from all the other wood grades combined) and shows the engraving option also. The mini foot stool is very useful and sturdy. The kids sit on and use it to climb into trouble. I use it to get to the top of the cabinets in the kitchen.

Free Engraving for All, Free Shipping on Larger Orders...

I mention my choices because they are affordable and useful gifts, but you can choose anything you like. Our shopping cart is not set up to do free engraving and it would take too long to program it in. So, to make it easy, just type FREE ENGRAVING OFFER in the special instructions box, where you can also type in the message you'd like engraved. And, lastly, if you get carried away and order over $1,000 worth of items, shipping is on us anywhere in the Continental U.S.

Happy Holidays. Thank you for your continuing support over the years. Our next newsletter will be focusing on our forestry work and updating everyone on what has been accomplished since the 1990s.

Fun in the snow swinging on a Kid's Disk Swing (adult versions available too, for the young at heart).

Mini Foot Stool in our new Mosaic Eco-Wood wood grade.

A classic building block set makes the perfect children's gift.

The Lighthouse Shower & Spa Bench also makes an attractive and affordable holiday gift—I'm giving a couple myself.

Get Ahead in This Competitive Market with This Office Furniture in Greece Report

2009-11-04T03:03:00.000-08:00

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/85a604/office_furniture_i) has announced the addition of ICAP Group's new report "Office Furniture in Greece 2008" to their offering.

This study considers the office furniture sector (offices, chairs, cabinets-bookcases-pedestals, partitions). However, office partitions made with dry wall systems (gypsum boards), as well as school chairs, are not assessed in this particular study.

The office furniture market is a rather competitive one. Sector companies, in order to meet the increased needs of modern office spaces, sell products which are constantly changing and improving from an aesthetic and technological point of view, providing new solutions every time.

Imported products are increasing in relation to domestically-produced ones. The office furniture sectors key characteristic is the existence of a great amount of small and medium-sized companies and relatively few large companies which, however, are the ones dominating the market. This creates a highly competitive situation in which big sector companies are striving to change and innovate all the time, in order to maintain or expand their market share.

The increase in imported furniture is rather evident in the category of office chairs, which entail a much higher labor cost and in which countries with a low labor cost have an advantage. As for office partitions, they are frequently used and can be combined with other office furniture according to the users demands, offering an easy solution that can have multiple uses.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Summary

1.1 Demand

1.2 Supply

1.3 The Market

2. Sector Companies and Analysis of their Financial Data

2.1 Sales of Office Furniture Manufacturers

2.2 Financial Analysis of Manufacturers

2.3 Sales of Importers

2.4 Financial Analysis of Importers

3. Conclusions and Prospects for the Sector

Products Mentioned:

-- Desks

-- Office chairs

-- Seminar-collaboration chairs

-- Working chairs

-- Armchairs

-- Waiting room sofas

-- Movie-theatre seats

-- Amphitheater seats

How to take care of your outdoor furniture?

2009-11-04T02:00:00.000-08:00

Taking care of outdoor furniture as days get colder and wetter can be an easy task.

Haul all the pieces inside to that spot where they can avoid the onslaught of ice and cold.

But furniture dealers and makers, as well as professional organizers, know having an indoor home for that 6-foot-long, stone-top table or cast-aluminum chaise is not likely to happen.

Proper care is going to involve some time, effort and even wisdom in choosing the place.

"For this area, cast aluminum is just about the best stuff you can buy," says Marcie Buckiso from the Fireplace & Patioplace in Mt. Lebanon. "It never rusts, it has a fantastic paint surface and it has some weight to it so it doesn't blow around."

She says a four-piece table and chairs might cost about $1,599, but could be a long-lasting, cost-effective purchase.

Indoor storage would be the most-effective solution, but it is one few people have. Meredith Shuster, owner of a professional organizing firm in Wexford, Within Reach Solutions, suggests it could be worthwhile for several neighbors to jointly rent a storage unit to take care of that.

But whether it is cast aluminum, its tubular cousin, wicker, teak, stone or steel, care requires specifically aimed plans.

A flood of problems

Water always is an issue -- outside, on top or even inside furniture.

Debbie Rushin, co-owner of Cheswick Pools & Patios, says it is important to keep tubular furniture in its normal upright position to take advantage of drain holes.

Water is likely to get into the tubes because they are not firmly sealed, but drain holes allow it to escape. If the furniture is stored on its edge or upside down, or chairs stacked on top of the table, that water can be trapped, freeze and cause the tubes to "burst like a pipe," she says.

While cast aluminum is strong and can fight off most weather woes, it does have microscopic pores that can admit small amounts of water, says Fred Ilse, president of the North Carolina-based Outdoor Lifestyle furniture company. If that surface is not painted or sealed in some other way, that moisture can freeze and cause the tubes to swell, ruining the surface.

He and Buckiso strongly recommend caring for cast aluminum furniture with metal paint to keep up the appearance -- and keep the pores sealed.

Water can create a different kind of problem with cushions.

Buckiso says cushions will absorb some moisture even if they don't seem wet. If they are put away in some seemingly protective covering, mildew can set in.

"When you go to get them in the spring, you could have a real mess," she says.

But organizer Shuster and retailer Rushin point out the importance of using water -- for cleaning -- on those cushions before they are stacked in a ventilated area.

Shuster suggests a cleanser of a half-cup of non-chlorinated bleach mixed with five gallons of water. She suggests then topping that with a commercial material protectant.

Linseed oil also is a good cleaning tool, she says, particularly for rattan wicker furniture, but she warns that it is an oil and flammable. Any cloths with linseed on them should be heavily rinsed and then wrapped to avoid contact with anything else.

Water also plays a big role with stone-top tables. Water can seep through small cracks, freeze and cause bigger cracks, just as it does on highways, Ilse says. He and Rushin say few people are going to carry their table indoors because they can weigh 250 pounds and few homes have the space for them.

So the best thing to do is clean them and cover them, but make sure to put 2- by 4-inch pieces of wood under the cover to allow air flow and get that moisture to dry before it freezes.

But the key to stone-top tables is sealing the surface once a year.

That process can only take an hour or so, they say, but sometimes requires a good two-day stretch, one to do the work and another to let the surface cure.

"Sometimes you have to wait for a good weekend forecast," Ilse says.

Other forms of care

Like materials and pieces require similar approaches.

Shuster says umbrellas demand a treatment much like that for cushions: cleaning, perhaps with trisodium phosphate, taking them to what Ilse call's a "bone dry" state, then folding and storing in a ventilated area to eliminate the chance of mildew.

Steel furniture is like stone-top in its weight and size, Buckiso says, so generally does not come inside. The best thing is to clean the surfaces, sand rough spots, paint with an outdoor paint and cover.

Covers naturally have a vital role.

Rushin suggests high-grade vinyl is the best because it is waterproof, but she points to the air-flow issue Ilse discusses.

Microfibers are very good, and breathable, but if snow and ice sit on them, they can let water seep through.

Buckiso suggests a "material quality" covering, which is cloth-like and synthetic, is better. She points to one that is waterproof, breathable and machine-washable, selling for about $30 for a chair and $77 for a sofa.

The easy way out

One way to handle cold-weather care for outdoor furniture is to avoid it entirely.

That is possible with some materials.

"If you are lazy like me, teak is the ultimate furniture material," says Jennifer Mulholland, director of sales and marketing for Rockwood Casual Furniture in Toronto, Canada.

Bill Reese, owner of Creekside Landscape Supply in Greensburg, says that is exactly why he carries only a line of furniture made from recycled milk jugs.

"We had to find this product at the urging of the consumers," he says.

Mulholland says the best way to handle teak is to "do nothing. It has been used on boats for hundreds of years, and sailors have come to recognize is stands up to weather, cold, salt water, sunlight, everything."

Of course, one issue that must be considered is that weathered teak turns gray, she says. If that is not wanted, it should be washed off and treated with a teak sealant, which she calls "suntan lotion."

So a little work might be necessary.

Marcie Buckiso from Fireplace & Patioplace in Mt. Lebanon agrees with Mulholland about the strength of teak, but they both point out only good teak is that strong. They both warn against lower-quality wood that will not stand up to weather. Going for good quality can have a price connected to it, Buckiso says. A four-chair dining set in the top of the line could cost $5,000, she says.

That is not a problem with the man-made items at Creekside, and that is another reason for its popularity. An Adirondack chair would cost $277, Reese says, but will be easy to care for.

"You don't even have to cover it," he says. "When the spring comes, wipe it off and you are ready to go."

Keeping Your Furniture Looking Great ( See Coupon Below )

2009-10-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

When I bring out the power washer, the kids love the noise and the water. Especially the instant rain feature by shooting it straight up in the air :-)

To read more about our forestry practices, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/restoration-forestry.html
To read more about our grades of wood, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/wood.html
We also have an extensive FAQs section here:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/frequently-asked-questions
Interested in our free report on Redwood vs. Teak? Here's the download link:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/forever-redwood-report.pdf

If you are planning a purchase in the near future, make sure to use our 10% off coupon code "RIO" to save a few dollars.

Also, if you don't mind waiting a couple more weeks for delivery and would like to save even more money, consider taking advantage of our 50% Off Shipping. It's our way of buying some extra time for our crew -- they hand-manufacture each piece! Simply choose the "50% Off" option from the shipping menu upon checkout.

Businessman denies kickbacks

2009-10-26T06:03:00.001-07:00

A businessman is charged with receiving kickbacks from suppliers while serving as president of a Catawba County-based company that services the furniture industry.

Patrick Smith, who resigned from Cargo Consolidation Services Inc. in August, was arrested by Claremont police Thursday evening and charged with felony obtaining property by false pretense.

Smith, who turned himself in to Claremont police, was given a $10,000 unsecured bond.

Smith, who left Cargo Consolidation Services to become vice president of sales and marketing at Valdese-based Worldwide Logistics, made a first appearance Friday in District Court. His next court date is Nov. 18.

As yet unrepresented by an attorney, Smith said he will plead not guilty to the charge.

Capt. Gary Bost of the Claremont Police Department said the charge against Smith stems from his receipt of more than $21,000 from companies that were doing business with Cargo Consolidation Services, a provider of freight consolidation, third-party logistics and support services to the furniture industry.

Smith worked for the company for 20 years before joining Worldwide Logistics, a specialized furniture carrier formed last year with the merger of six furniture transportation companies.

Smith denies any wrongdoing.

The payments being questioned were commission-type arrangements that "did not affect the revenue stream of Cargo Consolidation Services" he said.

John Pope, Cargo Consolidation Services chairman, said Smith's compensation package was a fixed salary with a year-end bonus and no commissions allowed.

Ownership was unaware suppliers were being asked to make payments to Smith and would never have condoned such a practice, Pope said.

Smith is a past president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance suppliers division, and has been active on the Furniture Foundation board of directors, the Specialized Furniture Carriers Association and the National Home Furnishings Association.

Early Lesson For ForeverRedwood

2009-10-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

We planted 6,000 trees over 3 winters on 30 acres thru Dec '01. But, in the woods, you can't water your trees. So, by December of 2002, while preparing to plant the next year's 2,000, we counted only 310 seedlings from the prior 3 years still alive! Some had grown a bit, but most were barely alive. Our foresters pointed to the long dry summers and said it often took years for tiny seedlings to get established and begin to grow robustly. After 3 years, we realized the experts didn't really have answers for our somewhat harsh, slightly below average quality site forestlands. We were on our own to figure out how to get the trees to live and grow. We decided to take drastic steps.

First, we studied which seedlings lived and the few that were growing. The seedlings in heavily shaded areas (next to a downed logged or near watercourses) did the best. Seedlings in exposed or windy areas died or were about to die. Seedlings planted with the ability to catch water did better than those without some obstacle that held water.

Instead of sending another 2,000 seedlings to an almost certain early death, planting was cancelled in Dec '02. Instead, the seedlings were transplanted into 2, 3 and 5 gallon pots and placed in a mostly shaded Redwood grove. Over the next year, they were babied with regular watering and stakes to keep them growing straight and strong. Only seedlings at least 18 inches tall and with a healthy root ball (coming out the bottom of the pots) would be planted from now on.
In Dec 2003, we planted 1,200 seedlings at least 18 inches tall in a completely new way. Using an auger bit attached to a chain saw, holes 2 feet deep and about 9 inches wide were dug. Then about 6 inches of loose soil was thrown back into the hole before planting. After filling the air pockets and tamping down moderately, about 4 inches of duff (leaves, small branches, cones, from the surrounding forest ground) was added to the top of the hole to add insulation from the wind and sun. We planted the trees deep enough so the top of the 4 inches of duff still remained at least a couple inches below the contour of the ground. Planting this way accomplished 4 things:

1. The loosened soil under the tree made it easier for the roots to grow into the forest soil.

2. The duff insulated the roots to help retain moisture thru the hot dry summer and fall.

3. The larger seedlings didn't need plastic tree protectors because deer could no longer pull the trees out of the ground if they nibbled off the tip.

4. Planting deep and below the contour of the land left pockets to collect extra rainwater and the roots were kept cooler year round at the added depth.

Growing Success…

2009-10-24T07:31:00.001-07:00

A few months later, the newly planted seedlings began sprouting new growth. Five years later, over 7,500 of the larger seedlings have been planted this way. Over 85% have lived. While still relatively small, most grow an average of 6 to 8 inches per year at this young age without being watered or cared for in any way. Thousands of young Redwoods averaging 3 ft in height are now slowly restablishing the ancient tree's dominance in our Annapolis forestlands.

In March of 2008, a couple researchers from National Geographic magazine visited. The magazine is preparing its first expose on the Redwood forest since 1964, to be published in late 2009. After a 3-day visit, Michael Fay, the lead researcher, mentioned no one in the Redwoods was planting trees like we were. He had us plant one tree for the magazine to photograph the process explained above. It was a bit past the best time to plant, so we watered the hole extensively before and after. Hopefully the tree planting notes and photos will make it into the article.

Tree Planting 101

2009-10-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

In December '99, Forever Redwood planted its first 2,000 Redwood trees. It seemed straightforward and we were excited to finally reach this phase in the restoration work. After years of hard labor thinning the overgrown young forest of excessive hardwoods and suppressed dying trees, we looked forward to the forest slowly becoming mostly Redwoods again. The seedlings were from the state nursery from stock collected years earlier in our "seed zone."
Before planting, we consulted several forestry experts about the best way to do this. The consensus was to plant at least 200 per acre when the ground was saturated with moisture. We were told to use "plastic guards" so the deer wouldn't eat the seedlings and to not plant near existing trees. Considering a young stand of trees already existed, 200 per acre seemed excessive. We were told the best ones could then be retained and the rest thinned in future years

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ecoATM Installs First eCycling Station to Provide Only Automated Solution for Mobile Phone and Consumer Electronics Trade-ins

2009-10-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

ecoATM announced that it has installed its first Automated eCycling Station for eWaste recycling take-back programs and trade-in promotions. The installation at Nebraska Furniture Mart in Omaha on September 21, 2009, has proven to be an immediate success, both in the number of recycled devices and the resulting trade-up purchases. By automating the buy-back and payment process, the system offers financial incentives to consumers for all used mobile phone models and will soon support other consumer electronics, regardless of their condition.

"The ecoATM makes it easy and convenient for our customers to trade-in and recycle their used mobile phones," said Jay Buchanan, Electronics Division Director, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc., America's Largest Home Furnishings Store. "This benefits both our customers and the environment."

"We are extremely pleased with the initial results and consumers' delight with the system," said Mark Bowles, CEO, ecoATM Inc. "ecoATM's solution finally makes it easy for consumers to give their used phones a second life or to recycle them. Over 100 million used, but still valuable, phones are quietly retired to closets and drawers each year in the US where they decay into zero value and then enter our landfills years later. Our automated ecoATM provides consumers and retailers an easy, convenient, incentivized method to convert those devices into real money instead of toxic waste."

"Consumer electronics retailers and their OEM partners are facing a complex and growing set of state and municipal eWaste laws. Consumer convenience is important to solving the eWaste problem in the U.S., and trade-in/trade-up incentive programs are proving to be quite effective in retail," said Leslie Hand, Research Director, IDC Retail Insights.

San Diego's CONNECT organization also announced this week that ecoATM was a Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards finalist. The CONNECT MIP Awards are San Diego's "Oscars" for regional innovation. The winners will be announced in December.

ecoATM will launch additional eCycling Stations with several more national retailers over the next quarter in San Diego, Boston, Dallas, and Seattle.

Keywords: ecoATM Inc., Consumer Electronics, Electronics, Finance, Financial, Investing, Investment, Leisure

ANN BAILEY: Fall chores and dreams of spring

2009-10-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

Living on a farm, even a hobby farm, keeps me in sync with the seasons.

For example, in the spring, our family readies the lawn tractor, prepares the garden soil and plants our fruits and vegetables and hauls out the patio furniture. I don't mind the work because it's fun to prepare for the summer season ahead. It also feels good to be outdoors without being bundled up and to get some physical exercise that doesn't involve shoveling snow.

During the summer, we're busy taking care of the garden, mowing lawns and doing maintenance work on the buildings and fences. We don't really get much time to use the patio furniture, but it looks nice sitting on our front porch.

This year, as we all know, summer was slow in coming, but September helped make up for the late start. Our cantaloupe and watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers came through in the home stretch and we harvested a bounty of fruits and vegetables. We also picked hundreds, probably even thousands of apples from our tree.

Fall

When Ocotber arrived and, with it, unseasonably cold weather, we harvested the remaining vegetables and fruit in our garden. Earlier in the month when a freeze was forecast, we pulled a trailer next to the garden and loaded up about a hundred pumpkins and a fair amount of squash and gourds. The trailer now is parked inside the barn and there's a tarp over the produce to protect it from the cold temperatures.

We plan on giving the bulk of the pumpkins away to family and friends and keeping a few to make Halloween decorations and to carve for jack-o-lanterns. We shouldn't have any problem giving away the squash, either, because it seems to be a popular vegetable with people we know.

The last produce we picked from the garden was the potatoes, which we left in the ground until about a week ago. We were hoping the garden would dry out a bit before we dug the potatoes, but when no warm-up was in sight and the temperatures were predicted to drop into the 20s for several straight days, we decided we better get them out of the garden. It's very disappointing to have vegetables ruined after you've spent the summer nurturing them. Besides, what self-respecting North Dakotan wouldn't want to save their spuds?

Getting prepared

With the fruits of our garden labors safely in storage, we have turned to other fall chores, such as storing the patio furniture, putting on storm doors and windows and cleaning the horse barn. I also call maintenance professionals to get our furnaces checked and have our septic tank cleaned each fall. As far as I'm concerned, an ounce of prevention is worth for both of those systems.

We've accomplished most of those jobs on our list and hope to get the rest finished by the end of the month. I'm counting on the leaves to start falling soon so we can get gutter cleaning, my least favorite fall chore completed. Once the calendar page turns to November, the weather gets more "iffy" and we know there's a chance that what didn't get done, won't.

Sense of accomplishment

As with the spring chores, I also enjoy doing the fall chores. While I feel a little blue about putting away the summer patio furniture and battening down the hatches for winter, I also get some satisfaction from it. I like knowing that we are prepared for the colder weather ahead and that we have plenty of hay on hand to feed the horses through the winter and a good supply of straw to bed them down with stacked in the barn.

It also gives me a sense of security when I have taken inventory of my children's winter hats, coats, snow pants and boots and know that they will be well-clothed when the first blast of cold and/or snow hits.

Though, extreme cold, icy roads and deep snow drifts definitely present challenges and are the downside of North Dakota winters, there's also an upside. Sometimes the weather forces us to stay at home and gives us a respite in our hectic routines. It also offers me and my family a break from mowing, hoeing and weeding the garden and baling hay and straw.

I'm grateful to be living in a place where there are four seasons. There are good things to enjoy about each one of them and the not-so-good things help us to appreciate the things we like even more. After a long cold, winter, I know that when spring rolls around I know I'll be gnashing at the bit to get back in the garden and on the lawnmower. For now, I'm ready to hunker down and wait for what lies ahead.

Exceptional Babe Ruth Game-Used Bat Brings $537,750 at Heritage Auctions

2009-10-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

A Babe Ruth game-used bat, dating to the Boston Red Sox' 1918 World Series winning season - arguably the most important piece of lumber from baseball's most iconic player - realized $537,750 at Heritage Auctions Oct. 1-2 Signature(R) Sports Memorabilia Auction.

The auction totaled just more than $4.2 million. All prices include 19.5% Buyer's Premium.

"We saw very solid results across the board," said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports at Heritage Auctions. "The Ruth bat was the icing on the cake in an auction that featured examples from many of the greatest names in sports. Time and time again in this auction we saw totals far exceed the pre-auction estimates multiple times. It shows that demand for the highest quality material, as Heritage Auctions specializes in, will never diminish."

While the bat that Ruth used to crush the first homer on opening day of Yankee Stadium in 1923, a relic which commanded $1.2 million at a December 2004 auction, is the most famous Ruth Bat, the remarkable Hillerich & Bradsby sold at Heritage Auctions not only predates that bat by five years, it is also the "parent" model of all Ruth bats to come. The Babe used the bat extensively throughout the historic 1918 season, making sure it lived up to his demanding specs - and as evidenced by the tightly centralized impact area - before sending it back to the Hillerich & Bradsby factory in Louisville, KY.

The price is the second highest ever realized for a Babe Ruth bat, and the most ever for an unsigned one.

"Besides being one of the most important pieces of baseball memorabilia on the planet," said Heritage Auctions' Ivy, "it's one of the most beautiful pieces you'll ever see, too, with the white ash wood having acquired a deep patina that would make any fine furniture expert envious."

Heritage Auction Galleries is the world's third largest auction house, and by far the largest auctioneer of rare collectibles, with annual sales more than $700 million, and 450,000+ registered online bidder members. For more go to www.HA.com.

Get Heritage Auctions updates at: www.Twitter.com/HeritagePress; www.Twitter.com/JimHalperin; Facebook: Heritage Auction Galleries. To link to this press release on your blog or Website: www.HA.com/PR-1739.

Keywords: Heritage Auctions, Baseball, Entertainment, Sports.

ecoATM Installs First eCycling Station to Provide Only Automated Solution for Mobile Phone and Consumer Electronics Trade-ins

2009-10-18T06:45:00.001-07:00

ecoATM will launch additional eCycling Stations with several more national retailers over the next quarter in San Diego, Boston, Dallas, and Seattle.

Keywords: ecoATM Inc., Consumer Electronics, Electronics, Finance, Financial, Investing, Investment, Leisure

SAVE $800 With ForeverRedwood Coupon

2009-10-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

We just released these awesome new coupon codes and they are valid until the end of this year!

Save $100 on any furniture purchase of $600 or more at FOREVER REDWOOD! Enter REDWOOD100 at checkout. Expires 12/31/09

Save $175 on any furniture purchase of $1,000 or more at FOREVER REDWOOD! Enter REDWOOD175 at checkout. Expires 12/31/09

Save $450 on any furniture purchase of $2,500 or more at FOREVER REDWOOD! Enter REDWOOD450 at checkout. Expires 12/31/09

Save $800 on any furniture purchase of $4,000 or more at FOREVER REDWOOD! Enter REDWOOD800 at checkout. Expires 12/31/09

One Week Left....

2009-10-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

Use Foreverredwood Coupon Here

A quick reminder that Forever Redwood's website do-over is going live in one week (next Thursday the 15th).

We wrote 2 weeks back letting you know about the new Eco-Parquet wood grade, the price changes, and the new free shipping option. We are excited about these changes and hope you like the new layout, features, and products.

One Week Left to Save

If you are thinking about buying something from the site, please do so before the 15th to lock in the old, lower pricing.

And, yes, of course, you can use the "RIO" coupon code to save 15%....

As always, if you have questions or comments, just hit the reply button. Thank you again for your continuing support.

To read more about our forestry practices, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/restoration-forestry.html
To read more about our grades of wood, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/wood.html
Interested in our free report on Redwood vs. Teak? Here's the download link:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/forever-redwood-report.pdf
We also have an extensive FAQs section here:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/frequently-asked-questions

From the forest, for the forest—
Raul F. Hernandez, CEO
Forever Redwood Furniture from Old-Growth Again Restoration Forestry
www.ForeverRedwood.com

PS. Be sure to check out my blog, where I post Forever Redwood news, stories, photos, and updates from the forest.

Restoring logged forests back to Old-Growth Again. Forever Redwood furniture sales fund our forest restoration work.

What ForeverRedwood's Doing to Fight Forest Fires

2009-09-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

Each summer and fall the fire season explodes and the news is filled with stories of burning homes and thousands of brave men and women fighting fires and risking their lives protecting communities. It's a giant annual event and it's getting worse. In July 2008, lightning storms ignited thousands of fires in California that burned for weeks. The losses and cost to contain them were staggering. The real calamity in all this is that it is mostly an avoidable disaster. It really doesn't have to be this way.

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Forest fires are a vital and natural part of all western forests. The fires regenerate and balance countless biological processes. For example, some vegetation has been recorded as extinct in areas where fires were suppressed only to reappear after a fire!

How Good Forest Management Can Prevent Tragic Fires

The probability an average fire will grow to be a catastrophic fire is multiplied when forestlands are poorly managed. Most of the forests of the west today are young and overgrown. Hot, highly destructive fires feed on the excessive lower limbs, downed woody debris and the suppressed and dying trees of mostly young forests.

A labor-intensive program of thinning suppressed trees and lower limbs of standing trees combined with lopping and scattering the excessive woody debris lowers this dangerous fuel level. Lower fuel levels limit the opportunities for a normal fire to become a devouring dragon.

Thinning is central to the Restoration forestry Forever Redwood has been practicing since 1995. Thinning mimics many beneficial effects of mild fires and is a proven proactive solution to the growing fire catastrophies we have in the western United States. As our work grows over the years, we hope to make a significant contribution to fire hazard reduction in our neck of the woods.

To learn more about thinning, fire hazard reduction and basic restoration forestry practices that are applicable to forests anywhere, please visit our forest restoration page at:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/restoration-forestry.html
To read more about our grades of wood, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/wood.html
We also have an extensive FAQs section here:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/frequently-asked-questions
Interested in our free report on Redwood vs. Teak? Here's the download link:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/forever-redwood-report.pdf

If you are planning a purchase in the near future, make sure to use our 15% off coupon code "RIO" to save a few dollars.

ForeverRedwood Review Comments and Testimonial

2009-09-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

"Not only was it easy to put together (Ikea could certainly learn from you) but it looks just beautiful."
—Kate, Montreal CA

"My picnic table is AWESOME!!!!!!! PERFECT… BEAUTIFUL… SOFT-TO-THE-TOUCH…"
—Sharon

"Your product is more than one could ever expect from looking at the website… It is the talk of the neighborhood to say the least."
—Steve and Sally

"Love the look, love the website, love the response, love the flexibility! Bravo!"
—Larry R., New Jersey

"My Master Carpenter said it was the finest redwood he's seen in over 30 years in the business."
—Steve

Read more testimonials »

Forever Redwood 50% OFF SHIPPING

2009-09-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

We have been shipping our "Forever Redwood" Coupon outdoor furniture sets to the toughest climates in the U.S. and Canada for over a decade now. We offer decay warranties of up to 30 years on the entire line regardless of how harsh the outdoor weather is. No other outdoor furniture line has warranties like it.

We are often asked if our sets will really hold up that long. They will. And, with a bit of TLC, they'll last much longer.

Because of the quality workmanship and materials used, Forever Redwood sets cost a bit more upfront than most of our competitors. But, you save money by NEVER having to replace them. Besides some surface fading, you can expect your Forever set to last for decades without maintenance. And, if you ever have a problem with a Forever Redwood product (like a tree falling on it...), just contact us and we'll ship replacement parts to you at minimal cost.

There are 3 reasons we confidently offer the long decay warranties. First, Redwood is extremely decay resistant. Second, Forever Redwood is built the old-fashioned way using genuine thick-timbers that are no longer available in the marketplace. And, lastly, Forever Redwood is fastened with Stainless Steel hardware.

Combining generous amounts of the highest quality lumber with the best hardware insures your furniture will last decades in any outdoor weather. Yes, Chicago winters, Florida's summers, Arizona's 110 degree dry heat, or the stormy high and dry Colorado Rockies.

What Do We Mean by "Forever Redwood"?

Dear Micheal,

We have been shipping our "Forever Redwood" outdoor furniture sets to the toughest climates in the U.S. and Canada for over a decade now. We offer decay warranties of up to 30 years on the entire line regardless of how harsh the outdoor weather is. No other outdoor furniture line has warranties like it.

We are often asked if our sets will really hold up that long. They will. And, with a bit of TLC, they'll last much longer.

To read more about our forestry practices, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/restoration-forestry.html
To read more about our grades of wood, please go to:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/wood.html
We also have an extensive FAQs section here:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/frequently-asked-questions
Interested in our free report on Redwood vs. Teak? Here's the download link:
http://www.foreverredwood.com/forever-redwood-report.pdf

If you are planning a purchase in the near future, make sure to use our 15% off coupon code "RIO" to save a few dollars.

ForeverRedwood Thank You Coupon Code 15% Discount

2009-09-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

Forever Redwood has reached a milestone moment and I want to share what is happening with you—our friends and supporters.

First, some background...

As you know, Forever Redwood is a restoration forestry company that operates a custom wood-working shop to fund the forestry work. We mill our oversized timbers from our carefully managed lands and build each order by hand. Handcrafting has led to the development of an extensive and growing line of wood patio furniture with many items developed by you—our customers and supporters. Since 1995, we have invested all excess sales revenue in restoring forestlands that were clearcut back to a maturing forest. Our forest is storing over twice more carbon today than when we started.

This Year and Beyond

2009 has been an exciting year for us. Even in this soft economy, we have continued to grow by constantly improving the quality of the furniture. To continue our growth, we are beginning the construction of a second story expansion in our existing wood-working shop and are planning to equip and man a second wood-working shop.

Unfortunately, the cost of most items used to make our beautiful Forever Furniture have risen considerably in recent years. Thus, we wanted you to know with plenty of lead time that we are moving forward on our first general price hike in three years. It is planned to go live on the site in mid-October. The price hike is coupled with a new free shipping option to keep the net increase to an average of 15%. The popular 4-6 week discounted shipping introduced this summer is being expanded to a free shipping option in the continental U.S. Because of the high cost to ship outside the continental U.S., free shipping will not be available for orders to Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska—but the discounted shipping option will continue to be.

Introducing "Eco-Parquet"

At the same time, we are introducing a new wood grade using recycled small pieces of wood, called Eco-Parquet. It is quite beautiful and long-lasting. But, more importantly, it uses perfectly good small pieces of wood that were otherwise going to the landfill. We are thrilled about this and can't wait to show off the results of many months of experiments to put this wood to use.

We also have some beautiful new designs that are will be posted to the site in time for the holiday season. As soon as they go live, we'll email you so you can check out our latest work.

I wanted you to be the first to know about these changes. We are excited about these steps and hope we can count on your continuing support.

How to Save a Little Money

If you have been contemplating a purchase, you can lock in the lower pricing by ordering before October 15. Make sure to use the "RIO" coupon code to save 15% (if calling in, just mention it). If you can wait, we'd appreciate your using the 4-6 week shipping (and save some $).

Zuo Modern offering free freight on Vegas orders

2009-09-17T23:18:00.000-07:00

Contemporary case goods supplier Zuo Modern is offering free freight during this week's Las Vegas Market.

The company's line of 500 SKUs, including office, occasional, bar, dining and outdoor furniture items, is eligible for the promotion, said Luis Ruesga, CEO.

"Instead of giving free chairs or a specific discount amount, we are probably giving away what customers hate to pay for the most - freight," Ruesga said.

There is no minimum or maximum on orders, Ruesga said, adding that the cost savings is about 12% to 17%. The company has warehouses in Oakland, Calif.; Miami; Montreal; and Guadalajara, Mexico.

The company is introducing 22 new SKUs at market.

In other news, the company recently hired Kevin Gates as marketing director. Gates formerly worked for fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo.

Multiple store closings are opening up opportunities for furniture buyers, sellers

2009-09-06T23:55:00.001-07:00

The Central Oregon furniture market is clearly hurting in this recession, with seven furniture stores in Bend closing since July 2008.

But at the stores that have survived, managers say, furniture is definitely selling. Some of the buyers are those who have weathered the recession well, the retailers say, and others have also recently bought homes - just not new homes, as new home construction in the region has all but halted.

"Deschutes County went from building four (hundred) or five hundred homes a month to virtually none," said Tim Duy, University of Oregon economist and author of the Central Oregon Business Index. "There's just not as much demand for the stuff that goes into those homes."

However, sales of existing homes are up. According to a recent report by the Bratton Appraisal Group LLC of Bend, the number of houses sold in Bend in July was up 40 percent over July 2008; in Redmond, the number of houses sold was up 66.6 percent in the same period.

For those who have just bought a home, furniture is next on the list.

Getting started

When you've passed the age when you find your couch in the 'free' section of the classified ads, the process of furniture shopping might seem daunting.

Nancy Glasser, who owns Redeux, a consignment furniture store in Bend, says it's a good idea to do your homework before heading out to the store.

"There are so many great magazines out there," Glasser said. "Maybe start a little portfolio of clippings you can give whoever you're working with so she has an idea of the direction you';re trying to go in."

Some stores have consultants who will come to your home and give guidance about what colors and styles will work with what you already own. At Feingold Home in Bend, for instance, there's no charge for a home consultation with a designer.

Jed Teuber, owner of Furnish in Bend, which specializes in higher-end, modern-style furniture, says that once you have an idea of the general style you're interested in, it's time to think budget.

"When you start furniture shopping, remember that your living room sofa, your dining table and your bed are where you're going to live." He advised focusing your budget on those items, and making sure you get high quality and style in those pieces. Then you can fill in with side tables, lamps and rugs.

Price isn't always the No. 1 indicator of quality in furniture. Pamela Armstrong, a designer at Complements Home Interiors in Bend, says in addition to utilizing the knowledge of a designer or sales staff, buyers should look at the warranty for clues to the quality of furniture construction.

"Comparing warranties is a good way of knowing how confident the company is, how much the company that makes the furniture is willing to stand by it," she said.

A high-end company might have a lifetime warranty on a sofa frame, but if the company's willing to offer only a one-year warranty, you can probably expect to be shopping for a replacement fairly quickly.

Upholstered furniture

Upholstered furniture can be especially intimidating to shop for, as it's often custom ordered and options can seem endless.

Cliff Feingold, owner of Feingold Home in Bend, suggests looking at floor models to assess the quality of the pieces.

"In upholstery, you want to look at the tailoring of the fabric or the leather," Feingold said.

Leather is more expensive, but lasts longer, and he says it improves with age.

Feingold also suggests asking about how the piece is made, from the frame to filling and coils. The classic choice for high-coil quality for a sofa is what's called eight-way, hand-tied coils.

"It's what your parents had," Feingold said. "It just creates a more balanced, comfortable seat."

Armstrong says some sinuous coil-spring methods are very good, but it's a good idea to ask a knowledgeable salesperson or designer.

Feingold says the quality of the coils and the quality of the frame can make the difference between a piece you toss a few years down the line, and one you simply re-cover and keep for decades.

Remember, too, when ordering a custom sofa, there will be a wait before delivery, sometimes six weeks or more.

Wood furniture

In modern homes, metal and glass furniture are popular choices, but wood is the standard for most tables and bed frames.

From oak to teak to cherry to pine, a vast array of wood furniture is available; each type comes with its own special considerations. Again, research can be helpful. Spend a little bit of time online reading wood furniture buying guides to help you decide what's best for you.

Oak is popular because the hardwood is particularly sturdy and difficult to damage, but it can be costly. Pine is much more affordable, but more susceptible to scratches and dings.

For one of those essential home pieces - the dining table - one big question to ask yourself is whether you want a solid-wood tabletop or a veneer. Veneer is made of thin slices of wood which are glued down. This method makes use of the attractive grain of a particularly high-quality log, while the base of the tabletop can be made from a more economical wood.

Solid tops are generally more expensive. They have the advantage of being able to be repaired or refinished, while once a veneer top is damaged, it's difficult if not impossible to fix.

But Feingold warns that the more expensive, solid tabletop isn't a good option for many people, especially in this climate.

"With the solids, you sometimes have the challenges with warping, cracking and splitting," he said.

Veneers tend to be a little tougher than solid woods, and the way they're made virtually eliminates the possibility of cracking and splitting with seasonal humidity changes.

Eleanor Pierce can be reached at 541-617-7828 or epierce@bendbulletin.com.

ARTICLE ACCESS: This article is among those available to all readers. Many more articles are available only to E-Edition members. Sign up today!

An Essential Report on Furniture Manufacturing

2009-09-06T23:54:00.001-07:00

First Research is the leading industry intelligence company that helps sales teams perform faster and smarter, open doors, and close more deals. First Research performs the "heavy lifting" by synthesizing hundreds of sources into an easy to digest format that a sales person can consume very quickly to better understand a prospects business issues.

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Furniture manufacture in the US generates about $65 billion in sales from 20,000 companies. Large companies include Steelcase, Herman Miller, La-Z-Boy, Sealy, and Furniture Brands International. The average company operates a single plant and produces less than $50 million in annual revenue. Some sectors, such as metal office furniture, are highly concentrated, but the industry as a whole is fragmented: the largest 50 companies hold less than 40 percent of the market. The industry is fairly labor-intensive: average annual revenue per worker is about $130,000.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The volume of home furniture sold depends heavily on the level of home sales, while office furniture sales depend on the health of the US economy. The profitability of individual companies is closely linked to volume, since many costs are fixed. Small companies can compete effectively if they produce specialty items or high-quality workmanship that can sell for a premium price. Imports have become a major competitive factor.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Manufacturers generally specialize in either household furniture ($40 billion market) or office furniture ($25 billion). Within the household segment, wood furniture accounts for about 60 percent of sales; upholstered furniture 30 percent; and mattresses, metal furniture, and other products 10 percent. Products include "case goods" (bedroom, living room, and dining room furniture); upholstered items like sofas and recliners, kitchen cabinets, mattresses and box springs; and other items such as occasional furniture and home entertainment centers.

Key Topics Covered: - Industry Overview - Quarterly Industry Update - Business Challenges - Trends AND Opportunities - Call Preparation Questions - Financial Information - Industry Forecast - Website and Media Links - Glossary of Acronyms

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4c57ce/furniture_manufact

sneak preview of new forestry video

2009-08-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

on this beautiful summer morning. The kids are making a delightful wet mess next to me in the kiddie pool as I am watching our new 7 minute forestry video. I think its the best work we've done to explain what we are about and I couldn't wait another minute to share it with our friends and supporters. So, with water darting about me, I took the plunge to somehow type this email. First, one more quick thanks to everyone for their input and patience while we've worked thru our backlog of orders this summer. We're still finishing up some old orders, but we'll be back to a three week turnaround for new orders by the second week in September. Finally...

The 20% off "Take Your Time Sale" has been a big hit. But, like all good things, it will end Thursday, Sept. 3rd. Also, because of your feedback, we added a 50% off shipping option if you choose to wait 6 weeks before we ship your order instead of the standard 3 weeks. The good news is you can double up and use both the discounted shipping and the 20% off discount. Its the best deal we've had in years and a good way for us to not get overwhelmed with 3-week ship out orders now.

The new video (last forestry video was in 2002) is going live on the website soon. But, while the kids were soaking me, the thought occurred to me to send it to our friends and supporters to see it before the general public. Please email me and let me know what you think. The YouTube link to the video is:

http://www.youtube.com/user/charity283#play/all/uploads-all/0/gLMpkQjBzTg

To take advantage of the sale, just type "TAKEYOURTIME" in the coupon code box at checkout (or mention it when you call in) and choose the 50% off shipping option to maximize your saving. Or you can see this coupon instruction page to see if there's any other coupon that should suite your orders.

As always, if you have questions or comments, just hit the reply button. Would love to hear from you anytime.

Thanks again for your continuing support.

From the forest, for the forest,

Getting Results ForeverRedwood Coupon

2009-08-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

When complete in 1999, a strong contrast with neighboring parcels was obvious. The neighbors noticed, the government noticed, our friends noticed. We began to receive requests to work on neighboring lands and modest financial offers to help buy nearby parcels and restore them. A portable mill was purchased to mill some of the downed material and a furniture company was born. In the last 9 years we've grown to manage 700 acres and thinned and planted nearly 300 acres to date

See ForeverRedwood Coupon Here

It will take another 5 years to complete the first round of thinning and planting on all the acreage. But, the thinned and planted lands are already significantly transformed. If we never did anything else, the forest will grow back to Old-Growth Again with good spacing, significantly restored species composition, improved tree quality, and partially restored soils. The fire hazard has been reduced, wildlife habitat improved, and the forest opened from below and closed from above as it should be. (For example, birds can now fly through the forests where before it was mostly an inpenetrable maze of branches and dying trees).

If the thinning, planting and soil building is repeated two more times over the next couple decades, the forest will return to being multi-canopy and full of large mature trees with the general structure of the prior stand essentially restored. Then the passing decades will add the larger old-growth trees whether or not the land is managed again. And, this is after yielding a modest timber harvest each entry to help pay for the restoration!

It doesn't take a lot of money to restore forestland if you are willing to do the work yourself. It does take a lifelong commitment to getting it done in balance with nature. If you own a few acres and want to spruce them up a bit or restore them fully, take a look at the links below.

This first link shows a typical regenerating young Redwood grove 30 years after heavy logging both before and after being thinned. The work in the "after" photo was done by one person in one full day with a chainsaw and a pole saw. A lot can be done on any forestland if the owners want to put the time and energy into it:

http://www.foreverredwood.com/befaft.html

What We're Doing to Help

2009-08-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Forever Redwood Coupon manages 700 acres of average-quality forests that had 95% of the Redwood volume cut in the 60's. By the mid 90's, the forest had too many hardwoods (uncut when the land was harvested) and endless young trees of average to poor quality. Instead of about 80 to 100 trees per acre of all sizes and ages, we inherited over 1,000 mostly small and suppressed trees per acre just waiting for a fire to set them off. Most were dying or going to die from a lack of growing space.

The roads were leaching soil into the streams. Poorly constructed roads were collapsing in the winter storms. You couldn't see a foot in front of you because most trees had grown low lying branches that were in your face. It was the furthest thing from the cathedral-like open spaces under an old-growth forest canopy.

We started in 1995 by thinning out the poorest quality trees and the over-represented tree species (mostly hardwoods and some Douglas-fir). It was an acre by acre "hands-on" thinning from below. A couple chain saws, manual loppers and a pole saw is all we used. We fixed the worst erosion problems by adding lots of natural structure to the soil and thinned most of the lower branches away to lower the fire hazard and open up the understory. It took two men 3 1/2 years working 2 days per week to finish the first 40-acre thinning.

Recreating Old-Growth Forests

2009-08-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

Once an old-growth forest is cut down can it be recreated? After almost all the large trees are gone and the land is cut up by roads? After the soil is exposed to direct sun and rain and erosion has lowered its productivity? After the streams are filled with sediment and the fish populations plummet? Can the forest really be brought back to anything like it was before?

In 1978, the Redwoods National Park in N. California had a large swath of logged over lands added to the original old-growth park. Congress added the cutover lands with a caveat: All roads should be closed and filled in and the forest had to be restored like the old-growth around it.

With a large budget for restoration, an amazing transformation has taken place over the last 30 years. It is the largest example of full-scale restoration in the Redwoods. It can be done.

Without large budgets, restoration of some or most of the old-growth characteristics of cut over forests can be accomplished in decades—not centuries. Most forests in the U.S. have been cut at least once. For example, 96% of the Redwood forest has been cut.

Cute Dog Photo of the Day

2009-08-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

This photo comes to us from Penny W. in Chico, California. Penny is the creative inspiration behind our beloved “Penny’s Lounger.” She suggested the design after visiting a resort in Mexico some years ago.

Starring in the photo is Penny’s dog, Camille, a 9-month old Red Standard Poodle. Reports Penny:

The pad is wonderful, as she will run around the yard — muddy feet — and jumps up on the lounger and sleeps for a couple of hours — sunbathing! Obviously, we redheads love to sunbathe! Every evening, I hose the pad off and VOILA!!! Once again it looks brand new — waiting for the next day. I haven’t even had time to spend on it.

Hmm… It sounds like we might need to rename it “Camille’s Lounger.”

Camille the Red Standard Poodle poses for the camera on a Penny's Lounger with Sunbrella Cushion

The influence of desk and display design on posture and muscle activity variability whilst performing information technology tasks

2009-08-23T07:04:00.001-07:00

Desk design and computer display height can affect posture and muscle activation during computer use. Amplitudes of postural variables and muscle activity during computer use do not explain the results from epidemiological studies of musculoskeletal discomfort and disorders related to computer use. The purpose of this study was to assess variability of posture and muscle activity during work with two computer display heights and book/paper, in conjunction with a curved desk designed to provide forearm support and a traditional, straight desk. 18 male and 18 female participants performed 10-min tasks involving keying, mousing, reading and writing in six desk/display conditions. 3D posture and surface emg were assessed for the final 2 min of each task. The curved desk resulted in greater postural and muscle activity variation, suggesting an advantage of this supportive surface over the straight desk. There was little difference in variability associated with the two display heights. However, greater variability of posture and muscle activity was evident with the book/paper condition. Non-touch typists had greater neck flexion variation. The design of information technology tasks and workstations can influence the short term variation in posture and muscle activity. Variation is influenced independently of mean postures and muscle amplitudes and therefore needs to be considered to adequately assess the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

Epperson: Don't expect return to domestic wood production

2009-08-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Despite a recent drop in wood furniture imports, don't expect a return to domestic manufacturing.

That was a message from industry analyst Jerry Epperson, who spoke to the American Home Furnishing Alliance's annual Manufacturing Summit here June 5.

Epperson, managing director of Richmond, Va.-based Mann, Armistead & Epperson, said U.S. wood furniture imports fell by 23.6% in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2008, with China experiencing a 26.8% drop. But shipments of U.S.-made product fared even worse, falling 28.6%.

Epperson said wood and metal furniture producers face a challenging regulatory process that makes it difficult to open a U.S. plant. He estimated that it would take two to three years to get the necessary government approvals, permits and environmental studies to start or reopen a factory.

And U.S. factories face tough competition from Asian factories, including some that have their own U.S. sales forces and distribution facilities.

"In wood and metal, it is so much more competitive," he said.

Still, he noted that some U.S. manufacturers continue to succeed thanks to their investments in flexible production, and inventories aimed at meeting retail demand.

Fabric upholstery, in his view, has better long-term domestic prospects. While the glut of shipping capacity has made it cheaper to ship a sofa from overseas, Epperson noted that domestic upholstery shipments fell less than imports in the first quarter, the first such reversal in recent memory.

He added that companies that have shifted to an all-import model for upholstery have had mixed success. And while both upholstery and mattress imports have grown, he said, so have complications with each category.

To some extent, domestic producers have been aided by a weak dollar, which boosted exports of wood furniture by 17.1% in the first quarter and upholstered furniture by 18.6%, according to Epperson's research.

Home furnishings sales continue to be affected by factors ranging from lagging housing construction to sagging employment, he said.

Because the category is not as sensitive to housing, he predicted that mattress sales will rebound before furniture. Upholstery, he said, will come back by around early 2010, with case goods in tow, making a comeback sometime in mid-2010.

He predicted that youth and entertainment furniture will help drive the wood side of the business as more households have children and the price of large-screen televisions continues to fall.

Item business, he added, will continue to outperform sales of suites, at least until consumer confidence returns.

U.S. factories seen as viable

2009-08-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Domestic furniture manufacturers can survive if companies take the right steps to refine their processes and sharpen their business focus.

That was a view held by three manufacturing experts who spoke to about 70 industry professionals attending the American Home Furnishings Alliance's annual Manufacturing Summit here June 5.

One speaker, Steve Taylor, a professor of management at Mississippi State University, said that as the number of foreign home furnishings manufacturers grows, it will be important for U.S. producers to be small, smart and extremely agile.

In particular, he said manufacturers should identify niches where they can compete.

Among the growth opportunities he sees are serving the Gen Y consumer who wants products tailored to his or her individual needs, and serving aging Baby Boomers who are downsizing their living spaces.

But in serving these markets, Taylor also warned manufacturers against getting too big.

"Long production runs are not in our own best interest," he said. "When you have a long production run, you have a commodity product and that is based on price and we cannot win that war.

"You have to make things efficiently and you have to make things that differentiate you from your competitors," he said, adding that processes and products should be developed with the customer experience in mind.

Taylor also urged manufacturers to be innovative, doing things like installing WiFi devices in recliners and updating Web sites to include videos that update consumers on where their product is production.

Art Raymond of Raleigh, N.C.-based wood furniture and cabinet manufacturing consulting firm A.G. Raymond & Co. described the "Factory of the Future." Citing Winston Churchill, he took an optimistic view of the old industry model that has resulted in hundreds of plant closures, seeing "opportunity in every calamity."

To compete now, he said, a manufacturer must define its marketing plan to identify customers and clearly state its value proposition. A factory must focus on what it does well, he said.

Raymond said successful factories will be able to combine and manage the use of technology and information systems, suppliers, space and people. People in particular are a critical part of a plant's success and need to be nurtured through leadership training and other education programs, he said.

"I would prefer to have a mediocre plant and equipment operated by a world class team than vice versa," he said.

He also identified two models for the factory of the future. One was a semi-custom, upper medium-priced wood furniture operation that produces in small lot sizes, and the second was a high-production facility making a limited number of SKUs of low-priced yet highly functional and innovative products.

Eric Lail, director of lean solutions for Hickory, N.C.-based business consulting firm Total Insight, described the lean manufacturing process. He cited an unnamed company that went through a five-year conversion, reducing its raw materials inventories and its number of facilities, and cutting its worker compensation costs because it had fewer accidents.

Lail said a key element of lean is reworking the plant floor to remove wasteful processes and anything that doesn't add value to the finished good.

Another major element is the notion of a "pull" system that responds to customer demand for certain products, rather than producing goods and hoping they sell.

He said workers are critical to the success of any lean conversion.

"Lean always works if it uses the proper leadership strategy to implement it," he said.

"You have to constantly create enthusiasm with your employees and always pat them on the back for what you have done to improve."

He also cautioned that a conversion to lean manufacturing can take time to yield benefits.

"Lean is not a silver bullet if you are looking for a quick solution," he said. "It's not a quick solution."

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Epperson: Don't expect return to domestic wood production

By Thomas Russell