N.Z. carpet aimed at ‘top end’ of market

Press, 23 September 1980, Page 5

N.Z. carpet aimed at ‘top end’ of market

By

KEN COATES

in London

High-quality New Zealand wool carpets are selling in stores such as Harrods in London at prices up to $B5 a square yard. Mr T. Parson, sales manager of U.E.B.’s export division based at Los Angeles, is optimistic that sales of Bremworth carpets in Britain will grow into a lucrative trade. In London last week to attend the launching of a new export drive, he said Tarian design, Ltd, of London, had been appointed his company’s U..K distributor. Bremworth established a factory in Britain about 10 years ago, but closed its manufacturing enterprise in 1976. Tarian has a large new warehouse at Cardiff and will receive carpets in containers from New Zealand and distribute them throughout Britain. The distributing company is a designer and manufacturer of highquality textiles and furnishings. The firm’s sales director, Mr A. Bedford, said

Bremworth was in the United Kingdom previously at a time when carpet manufacturers were under pressure from a big influx of cheap carpets from the United States and the Continent. While there was still price-cutting in carpet manufacture, Bremworth would now be aimed at the “top end" of the market. “While we cannot compete on price, we can on quality, design, and colour range,” he said. The proof of the pudding seems to be in the eating. A carpet called “Gold Coast,” with 100 ounces to the square yard of tufted wool, is already selling at Harrods for $B5 a square yard. Other leading stores in London, and in cities throughout Britain will stock the carpets, and four representatives have been appointed to cover the country. Tarian will arrange speedy air freight delivery should an Arab sheik order a dozen rolls from Harrods. A promotional display featuring a stuffed Drysdale sheep appears in the ground

floor window of New Zealand House. The woolshed theme, familiar enough to New Zealanders, has appealed to retailers in Bolton, Cardiff, Bath, and elsewhere — and the stuffed sheep is booked until next summer.