Industry News

New York — Federated Department Stores Inc. announced plans to fully integrate fulfillment operations and merchandise offerings of its bloomingdales.com and Bloomingdale's By Mail businesses. The company also created Bloomingdale's Direct as an umbrella organization to manage the integrated businesses, appointing Franz Weiglein president. Implementation of the integrated infrastructure of Bloomingdale's Direct is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2001. Bloomingdale's By Mail and bloomingdales.com will share inventory and fulfillment operations and be serviced and by a single planning and merchandising division, consolidated in New York under the supervision of Bloomingdale's Direct management. Finance, web management, human resources, and technology functions for both the catalog and the e-commerce operations will also be managed by Bloomingdale's Direct. Weiglein joins Federated Direct after ten years with Lands' End Inc., most recently as vice president/general merchandise manager of the men's division.

Los Angeles — WeddingChannel.com and Waterford Wedgwood USA Inc. signed a multiyear agreement in which Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood products, and All-Clad cookware will be featured on the online bridal registry WeddingChannel.com. In an effort to focus its online marketing efforts, Waterford Wedgwood will sponsor WeddingChannel.com's product selection guide, giving it a "first-in-line" position as visitors to the site search for products. "The partnership is a strategic opportunity for Waterford Wedgwood to positively and creatively assist the decision-making process of one of our most important consumer audiences," said Chris McGillivary, president and CEO of Waterford Wedgwood USA. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Clintonville, WI — Converting Inc., manufacturer and marketer of disposable solid color and designed fashion tableware for the party goods industry, received a 2000 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year (MOTY) award. Eight special awards were presented in the annual competition. In total, 44 companies were nominated. Converting Inc. markets four distinct brands, and distributes its products in 23 countries. The Manufacturer of the Year awards were presented February 22 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.

Pacific Palisades, CA — EyePoxy Productions secured a distribution agreement for its animated digital cards through Internet portal Yahoo! The first content, featuring the artwork of Todd Parr, debuted on Valentine's Day, and EyePoxy also had five St. Patrick's Day greetings featured on the site. EyePoxy is a creative studio that develops and acquires content — including E4B (Entertainment for Business), digital greetings, and webisodes (streaming, animated shorts) — for distribution and consumption online. EyePoxy works with licensed and original properties, as well as brands developed for the company's advertising customers. The company was founded by George White, former general manager at Gibson Greetings, and Frank O'Connell, former president and CEO at Gibson. EyePoxy does not distribute content on its own site, but syndicates content to leading portals and sites on the Internet.

San Diego — Advanced Marketing Services (AMS), a global provider of customized services to book retailers and publishers in the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, announced the launch of Advanced Global Distribution (AGD), a U.S.-based book distribution division of the company, along with the openings of distribution centers in Singapore and Toronto. AGD's promotional and marketing support includes catalog design and production, publicity campaigns, advertising, and collateral promotional material. In addition, AGD will offer operations service, order entry, customer service, credit and collections, and order fulfillment from distribution centers around the globe.

New York — OneNest, the online bazaar for handcrafted gifts and specialty products, named Drik (Sanskrit for "vision") its new Bangladesh-based technology partner. Drik, founded by Shauidul Alam in 1989, is a multimedia resource and image bank for photography of Bangladesh. Drik and OneNest will work together to promote Bangladesh, its people, and their array of handcrafted goods. In other news, economist and managing director of Grameen Bank, Professor Muhammad Yunus, accepted a seat on the board of advisors for OneNest. Professor Yunus pioneered the success of micro-loans made to villagers in Bangladesh in the late 1970s. More than two decades later, his lending institution serves as a model for worldwide success.

Compton, CA — Privately held plush manufacturer Aurora by A & A Plush reported record sales at 2001 International Toy Fair in New York, representing a 40 percent rise in sales orders over last year's Toy Fair. Paul Roche, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the company, commented that Aurora's new Pony Tales line was a "galloping success." Roche also noted that there was a strong trend toward fantasy in plush this year, and that the entire plush toy industry has held its own against electronic and video games. Roche concluded, "We believe we can attain $50 million in sales for 2001, an exceptional achievement for a company in business only nine years."

Palatine, IL — Designs of the Interior (DOTI), a network of design stores and design studios throughout North America, added two new franchises. Brenda Roth and Deborah Spaulding were selected as new licensees for the northern Indianapolis location. Roth has extensive experience in the home furnishings industry, while Spaulding's experience is in computer consulting. Rebecca Campbell signed on in Freeport, IL. Her store will serve the Galena and Monroe, WI, markets, as well as Rockford, IL, in addition to Freeport. The franchisees' new DOTI affiliation will offer benefits to clients, including computerized space planning and access to high-end home furnishings and accessory lines. DOTI also carries its own lines of furniture available only through franchise outlets. DOTI was founded in 1983, and began franchising in 1998.

San Francisco — Buylink Corp., an independent global marketplace for vendors and retailers of consumer products, will offer a number of online payment and financing options provided by Wells Fargo's WellsXchange solution program. These new features will be available at www.buylink.com. Through the WellsXchange suite of services, Buylink members will have easy access to international trade tools such as document collection and prepaid letters of credit. Buylink will also offer financing to members through the WellsXchange BusinessLinea line of credit, which provides working capital for businesses of all sizes that need immediate cash but don't qualify for traditional forms of lending. Buylink currently hosts more than 85 co-branded vendor sites as part of the Buylink network. The company's online marketplace links vendors representing over 80,000 products with retailers around the world.

Dallas — The Home Furnishings International Association (HFIA) moved its offices to suite 170 in the World Trade Center of the Dallas Market Center (DMC). After 15 years in its highly visible location near the main entrance of the World Trade Center, HFIA was forced to give up its space at the end of its lease. The DMC will create a new rug center in the former HFIA space. "Our new office is less visible, but is still located in one of the most beautiful wholesale buildings in our industry," said HFIA president Mary Frye.

New York — The New York chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA) recently held its biennial Circle of Excellence gala and awards ceremony at the Millenium Hotel's Hudson Theater in Manhattan. Three special awards were presented. Lynette Jenning received a Laurel Award for her achievements in and her work to promote the home furnishings industry, Helen Wagner of 3M received special recognition for her ongoing support of IFDA, and Colleen Brewer received the Rising Star Award for her commitment to the New York chapter. Circle of Excellence Award winners were: Kate Kelly Smith, Advertising and Public Relations; Clodaugh, Interior Design; Warren Shoulberg, Media/Editorial; Larry Laslo, Product Design and Development; and Penny Sikalis, Sales/Marketing/Management.

New York — David Miller, president of Toy Manufacturers of America Inc. (TMA), was honored with the 2000 Margaret Dana Award by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). John Blair, ASTM's chairman of committee F15 on consumer products, presented the award to Miller "for his outstanding service and dedication to the safety of consumers through his work in the voluntary standards system." Blair went on to say, according to a statement, "[Miller] is the first and only producer to receive this award. As part of his role as president of the toy association, he has demonstrated his commitment to educate the consumer about toy safety, both on a domestic and international level." The award was presented during Toy Fair, the TMA's annual toy industry trade show.

Oneida, NY — Oneida Ltd. announced financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended January 27. Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000 was $3.9 million, compared to net income of $11.4 million in the fourth quarter last year. Net revenues during the quarter were $141.4. million, compared to $130.4 million reported in the same quarter last year. Debt levels during the quarter were reduced by $22 million, principally as a result of inventory reductions. For fiscal 2000, net income was $23.2 million, compared to $36 million in 1999. Net revenues were $516 million, compared to $495 million in the prior year. The year-end figures include six months of results for the new acquisitions that Oneida completed in mid-year: Delco Intl. Ltd., Sakura Inc., and Viners of Sheffield Ltd.