Stuart Priestley, Sales Director at Kaydian, talks about the success of its refreshed Derbyshire showroom as well as how business has been so far this year.
Back in April this year, upholstered bedstead supplier Kaydian announced the extension of its Alfreton showroom.
The project, which took four months to complete, has allowed the business to significantly increase its wholesale product range, while also moving into offering sofas to its customers.
Furthermore, the expansion has seen the space double in capacity and is geared towards helping the business reach its next level of growth.
Having settled in and with five months on, the business is certainly doing just that. “We have had a fantastic reaction from customers who have visited our new showroom, where we are able to showcase both existing wholesale products, which has increased significantly, and exclusive container designs,” says Stuart.
“A large part of our business is selling direct containers to retailers and we needed more space to show new designs and innovation effectively.
“Also, we are to diversify slightly and have taken delivery of sofas that we will be selling to UK container customers. We have over 30 sofa designs to choose from and all are made within our existing Malaysian factory, so we know Kaydian’s reputation for quality will be upheld with our sofa offering.
“The showroom is a massive upgrade to what was there before and has more than doubled in size. Our new showroom investment is helping us grow and reach the level.”
As Stuart says, feedback from customers so far has been ‘fantastic’, which was echoed by AIS’ Joanna Fielding, Category Manager – Furniture, who visited the showroom and commented: “What I like about Kaydian is the focus on continuous innovation and quality improvement.
“Their product development process involves rigorous testing and the use of high grade materials to ensure durability and comfort. They also pay close attention to contemporary design trends and customer feedback, allowing them to create beds that meet modern demands for both style and utility.
“My top pick is the Walkworth Ottoman Bed, which is particularly praised for its versatile design. It is now available in a choice of 6 fabrics across a variety of qualities, making it adaptable to various interior styles and preferences.”
Stuart spoke of the importance of recognition, as well as how the business has been performing this year, while highlighting some challenges along the way. “I believe it is important to get recognised by industry bodies. The recognition of our designs, service and commitment to development is important to share with the trade.
“For us, business as a whole is good. Our wholesale is on track to equal last year and we are also seeing a large increase in our direct container business. With more choices in our collection, our factory has been very busy, so we have increased staff to alleviate this problem and keep lead times competitive. Another challenge has been around shipping and while current rates are high, we are starting to see them return to normal.”
One area that is performing well, are its new covers. Kaydian introduced three new covers to its ever-popular Walkworth bed, while the business is also seeing strong sales in its new Maskat clay, winter moss green and deep ocean blue fabrics.
Furthermore, the company is introducing a new Dolby Atmos Sound TV Bed to its wholesale collection, which are fully automated power lift ottoman beds. “These are available in three sizes and stocked for quick delivery,” says Stuart. “The Dolby Atmos design has already proved popular with our container customers so this will be a fantastic addition to our wholesale range.
“Although our main investment of late has been in the showroom, we have been very busy behind the scenes working on the new products too. We have new sofa designs and a new sofa bed currently in development with exciting new covers, so watch this space!
“We are also making a real conscious effort in reducing our carbon footprint and we are working on removing all plastic packaging in our products to paper. Furthermore, we’ve introduced a new and improved telephone system, installed in our Newcastle office, to enhance our customer service experience, which is working very well.”
Looking ahead, Stuart added that the business is “excited” for the future and is working a number of new partnerships along the aforementioned product innovations. “This month we are launching a new mattress partnership with Airsprung and our retailers. These are exciting times for Kaydian and we look forward to welcoming guests to our showroom to fully experience the key to our ongoing success.”
