Mattress manufacturer eyes the Thunder Bay market for expansion.Mattress manufacturer eyes the Thunder Bay Thunder Bay, city (1991 pop. 113,946), SW Ont., Canada, on Thunder Bay inlet of Lake Superior. The city was created in 1970 by the amalgamation of the twin cities of Fort William and Port Arthur and two adjoining townships. market for expansion After six years at the helm of a retail furniture store, Herb Verhoeven decided it was time to take on a new challenge. Standing in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of unfinished box springs and mattress coils on the production floor of his company, North Star Bedding Ltd. in Sudbury, Verhoeven joked, "We started the business at a bad time, but it just makes it that much more challenging." Verhoeven was the owner of Furniture Unlimited for six years before selling the business and opening the manufacturing firm in 1989. "I just thought there has to be a better system to get furniture up here," he recalled. "A lot of guys in southern Ontario said we'd never make it." Even with the recession, the company still managed to rack up sales of approximately $400,000 on 6,000 pieces in 1990. At full production, the company's seven employees can produce 80 units per day. However, the impressive sales figure is still "under the break-even point break-even point - In the process of implementing a new computer language, the point at which the language is sufficiently effective that one can implement the language in itself. ," according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Verhoeven. He noted that in 1984, the last year for which figures are available, mattress sales in Ontario totalled about $74.5 million. "If we could get 10 per cent of that (total), we'd be all right," Verhoeven said. His Sudbury operation manufactures custom-made mattresses and box springs for furniture retailers and hotels, as well as for tourist outfitters and camps. The products are currently marketed by a single salesman in an area stretching from Parry Sound Parry Sound, town (1991 pop. 6,125), S Ont., Canada, on Parry Sound, an inlet of Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. It is an active port and the center of a popular vacation area. north to Timmins and from Renfrew, near Ottawa, west to Sault Ste. Marie Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced "Soo Saint Marie" (IPA /su seɪnt məˈɹi/) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. . Verhoeven noted that there is little chance the market will be expanded to the south because of the plethora plethora /pleth·o·ra/ (pleth´ah-rah) 1. an excess of blood. 2. by extension, a red florid complexion.pletho´ric pleth·o·ra n. 1. of manufacturers already there. However, he said there is a possibility the company will expand west to Thunder Bay, even though most of the dealers in that city purchase their goods from Winnipeg. "I've had some enquiries from Thunder Bay," he stated. It is North Star's competitive prices which have attracted attention to the company. Prior to the formation of North Star Bedding, Sudbury retailers had to ship mattresses and box springs from Toronto or other southern Ontario locations. By Verhoeven's estimation, the cost of transporting a set (mattress and box spring) from Toronto to Sudbury is approximately $24. In addition, Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is the part of the province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron (including Georgian Bay), the French River and Lake Nipissing. Northern Ontario has a land area of 802,000 km² (310,000 mi²) and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it dealers are last on the pecking order pecking order Basic pattern of social organization within a flock of poultry in which each bird pecks another lower in the scale without fear of retaliation and submits to pecking by one of higher rank. For groups of mammals (e.g. when it comes to receiving goods warehoused in the south. "If you want to get merchandise out of Toronto you need to order a truck load because Northern Ontario is a low priority for them. If someone from Toronto needs the goods, chances are they'll get it before someone from up here. "In a sense, you can't really blame them, since that's where most of their money comes from." Sudbury furniture dealers not only save transportation costs (which can be between 10 and 20 per cent of the price), but they can also take delivery faster from North Star Bedding. Verhoeven said he can have a mattress ready for delivery in as little as 45 minutes after receiving an order. "With us here, retailers only need a floor sample and then call us with the order," he said. The reason for the quick turnaround on orders is that all the components are pre-cut and ready for assembly. The Sudbury facility orders pre-constructed coils and box spring foundations, as well as foam and quilting quilting, form of needlework, almost always created by women, most of them anonymous, in which two layers of fabric on either side of an interlining (batting) are sewn together, usually with a pattern of back or running (quilting) stitches that hold the layers , from southern Ontario. The quilting is cut and sewn sewn v. A past participle of sew. sewn Verb a past participle of sew Adj. 1. into top, bottom and side panels which are stored until they are needed. In Sudbury the mattress and box springs can be constructed to a customer's specifications. "Someone can be in a store and say, |I like this mattress, but I want that design,' and all the retailer has to do is call us and we can do it," he said. Verhoeven said he is attempting to expand his market by supplying hospitals and the federal government. Recently Verhoeven was given the opportunity to bid on a contract to supply 100 mattresses to the federal government. "I've been trying to get into the procurement The fancy word for "purchasing." The procurement department within an organization manages all the major purchases. system for some time," he said. "If I get the contract it will open a lot of doors." In addition, he is attempting to secure specifications from the Ministry of Health and from Sudbury-area hospitals in a bid to begin supplying the institutions with mattresses. PHOTO : Herb Verhoeven, owner of North Star Bedding Ltd. in Sudbury, uses a closer on a mattress. The machine joins the sides with the top and bottom panels of fabric. |
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