Furniture Brands International going outdoors with its best-known Broyhill and Lane brands

Casual Living News

-- Casual Living, 5/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

Furniture Brands International has entered into a licensing agreement with Foremost Groups, Inc. for the development of two full lines of outdoor furniture that will carry the Lane and Broyhill brand names.

Foremost will design and manufacture the lines, which will be carried in national retail chains, outdoor and patio specialty stores, as well as traditional furniture stores. Foremost will debut the lines at the Casual Market in Chicago, Sept. 21-24.

“Taking two of our best-known brands to the outdoors is a natural move for Lane and Broyhill,” said Alex Hodges, chief marketing officer for Furniture Brands. “This new relationship gives Lane and Broyhill the opportunity to leverage the power of their brands into a market segment that they have not yet addressed. American consumers spend more than $4 billion annually on outdoor furniture, so this is a great opportunity to meet new consumer needs. We are also working with a great partner in Foremost Groups. Their reputations for quality manufacturing, supply chain execution and key relationships with strategic retail partners were important factors in cementing this agreement.”

“A partnership between Foremost and the Lane and Broyhill teams is extremely exciting for all of us here at Foremost,” said John Hunt, senior vice president, home division. “Research confirms that Lane and Broyhill are, without question, two of the most recognized consumer brands in the furniture industry, and they consistently rank in the top five home furnishing brands overall. Clearly, the retailers that choose to partner with us will be well-positioned to take advantage of two brands that have tremendous consumer awareness and a heritage of consumer confidence. We could not be more pleased.”

The first collections, debuting this fall in advance of the 2010 summer selling season, will reflect indoor styling translated for exceptional outdoor living. A strong concentration on traditional to transitional designs in all-weather wicker as well as cast and extruded aluminum combinations can be expected across dining, casual seating and occasional pieces. Select offerings will reveal a somewhat eclectic approach, mirroring the way many consumers pull together their furnishings today.

“When the consumer sees the styling of Broyhill's outdoor furniture collections or experiences the comfort and quality of Lane's outdoor recliners it will certainly trigger their 'must-buy' button,” Hunt said. “It's not just about looking great, but the feeling and comfort that comes when they sit down and just don't want to get up.”