Chch firms attract at furniture fair
NZPA staff correspondent Sydney New Zealand’s first big showing at an Australian furniture fair for seven years has turned up trumps for the organiser, Focus New Zealand. The 13 companies — 12 of them from Canterbury — on the New Zealand stand at the Australian Furniture Exhibition in Melbourne have attracted wide interest and orders have already beotmade, according to the Focus coordinator, Mr Ben Rumble.' Among ■ the 12 Christchurch companies at the furnishing fair are Kareena Brassware, Ltd, which makes hand-made brass fittings; Decor Wool Wall Coverings, Ltd, which provided its pure wool wall coverings for the New Zealand stand; and Modulink Systems, Ltd, which provided joining wall panels which will be used for future exhibitions of New Zealand products under the Focus New Zealand scheme. The other companies exhibiting are Cressy Furniture, Ltd; Sheppard and
Lewis, Ltd, furniture maker, David K. Whitlow, Ltd, gfurniture maker; Peter Knox and Company, Ltd, furniture maker, Deorr Furniture, Ltd; M. W. Richardson, Ltd, furniture maker, Avoncraft, wool rugs, and wall hanging manufacturer, Millbrook Mace, video cassette storage cabinet maker, and Movements International Movers, Ltd, the freight company which helped in transporting the exhibition to Melbourne. The only company not from Canterbury is Ballan Fabrics, Ltd, an Auckland wholesale fabric upholstery firm. Eleven of the companies have never exported before. Mr Rumble said that at least nine other companies had been unable to attend.
.The eight-day fair features furniture and furnishings. The New Zealand stand was launched on Monday amid a welter of fresh, choice Bluff oysters, honey mead flown in for the occasion, New Zealand wines, cheese, and beer.
It is the first time since 1977 that a New Zealand stand has been organised at
the show, and it is also the first big project organised by Focus. The. stand features several innovations including special fabric-covered partitions, that are themselves exhibits and will be kept by the New Zealand group for future fairs, and handcrafted rugs with the Focus logo. Several items are on display in Australia for the first time and have attracted wide interest, Mr Rumble said. “The fabric on the partitions is being launched in Australia at this show, along with the hand-crafted nigs, a video cassette carousel, and brass bathroom fittings,” he said. “The quality of all the products here has impressed the Australians, even the other exhibitors.” Organisation of the show began in December. Mr Rumble said that with more time the number of New Zealand companies at the show could have been closer to the 33 Australian firms that displayed, their products at a big fair in Auckland last month.
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Press, 11 April 1984, Page 8
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438Chch firms attract at furniture fair Press, 11 April 1984, Page 8
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