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Electric alarm clock makers are introducing several new style clocks in fall 1995 for the back-to-school market segment. Manufacturers feel that new novel features are the biggest sales attraction for consumers, which includes niches such as licensed products. Cost-conscious consumers keep the prices of alarm clocks fairly low. One vendor is cited pricing a line of quartz analog clocks in the range of $7.99-$9.99., New York - For the back-to-school season, vendors and retailers are emphasizing alarm clocks with new bells and whistles as well as licensed products popular with children and college students. [...]

SHELBURNE FALLS, Mass.--Lamson & Goodnow Mfg. Co. plans to strengthen consumer recognition for its LamsonSharp cutlery with cable television advertising and PBS underwriting activities, company executives said. The cutlery and [...]

Plastic storage vendor, Selfix, will acquire Mericon Child Safety Products from privately held Denshaw Corp. Selfix' Tidy Kids storage products is its fastest growing product line, at 15% of all sales, and Mericon is expected to increase revenues for Selfix. Livonia, MI-based Mericon has $1 million in annual sales, produces 16 products and will move to Selfix headquarters in Chicago, IL after the sale is completed., Chicago--Selfix Inc.'s purchase of Mericon Child Safety Products is intended to give a boost to what is already Selfix's fastest-growing category, juvenile products. Selfix, a plastic storage vendor, has signed [...]

Hold Everything, a chain that retails home organization products, has carved out an upscale niche by remaining attuned to its customers' needs and providing excellent service. Frelonic VP Buzz Cutler said that Hold Everything has become more focused. The chain emphasizes home office products, media storage, closet storage and some larger storage products, Cutler noted., SAN FRANCISCO--By staying tuned to the needs of its upscale clientele and offering exceptional customer service, the home organization chain Hold Everything has carved a comfortable niche in the retail [...]

Retailers of bathroom accessories are promoting storage and organizing equipment. A record number of householders are redecorating their bathrooms, and the number of bathrooms per house has also increased. For instance, Artcraft Wireworks Inc, also called Artwire, reports a 39% rise in sales of products for the bath. White retains its popularity, but colored storage products are also selling well., NEW YORK--A more focused merchandising approach by specialty and home center retailers is boosting sales in the bath storage and organization arena. Retailers from Bed Bath & Beyond to Home [...]

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.--To regain profitability and recover from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, clock manufacturer Burwood Products Co. plans to move away from low-end products and emphasize licensed and highly decorated lines, [...]

Sterilite Corp. will begin running its first national ad campaign during summer 1995, centering around the slogan 'Sterilite Keeps You Together.' The company will run half-page ads in major home magazines such as 'Redbook,' 'Good Housekeeping,' and 'Country Living.' The spots were developed with the Pagan, Schenck and Kay advertising agency, and will alert consumers to the benefits of Sterilite products in organizing a home, in time for back-to-school themes to resonate with readers., TOWNSEND, Mass--Sterilite Corp. is looking to heighten consumer awareness of the low-profile plastic storage business with its first national advertising campaign this summer. Using the theme, 'Sterilite Keeps You Together,' [...]

SAN DIEGO - Italian gadget vendor, Pedrini will open its second U.S. shop, this one in the housewares department of the Marine Corps Exchange here on June 1. The exchange [...]

LONDON--The new owners of Bonny Products say the company's skills in purchasing can help stem the losses of its sister, Prestige Group. Apax Partners & Co., a London investment firm, [...]

Kitchen tools and gadgets were packaged in box sets at the 1995 Gourmet Products Show in Las Vegas, NV. Retailers had requested more items that could be appropriate for gifts, and suppliers responded. The hottest items at the show were gadgets for spices, including spice balls, barware, knives,electric pepper mills, and tea and wine accessories., Las Vegas - Gadgets and kitchen tools suppliers concentrated on boxed and set introductions at the Gourmet Products Show, responding to retailers' requests for more gift-oriented items to drive the [...]

Mass merchandisers have found that their sales of kitchen tools to prepare low-fat and no-fat foods have increased. Fruit and vegetable preparation tools, such as vegetable steamers, peelers, melon ballers, apple corers and salad spinners have increased in sales. Pasta preparation tools, such as colanders and strainers have also increased in sales. Herb preparation tools, such as garlic presses and herb mincers, have also sold well., NEW YORK - Americans are cutting out the fat, and mass merchant sales of gadgets geared to low-fat eating are showing healthy increases. Tools and gadgets relating to fresh produce, [...]

NEW YORK--Manufacturers are showing an increased interest in trying their hands at retailing. Factory outlets have been around for a long time, frequently selling off-price goods, seconds and closeouts. And [...]

WOOSTER, Ohio--Rubbermaid Inc. is accelerating production from its Mexico factory and plans to route 30 percent of its goods for export to South America and the United States, company officials [...]

Housewares retailers were pleased with the new trash cans and dish drainers exhibited by Rubbermaid at the 1995 International Housewares Show. Also, Schulte closet organizers include easy-to-install wire shelves that provide ventilation. Other organizers flexible provide space for shoes and equipment to organize drawers. Many of these items come in new color schemes or decorated with photographs., CHICAGO--Innovation in kitchen and closet organizer lines drew the good work from buyers at the housewares show, whether it was for ease of use or richness of color. In the [...]

Wal-Mart is the first stop for Ekco stainless steel cookware, Ekco Housewares' first line of cookware products in more than a decade. Other discounters are eyeing Wal-Mart with interest to [...]

Retailers gave the back-to-school season mixed reviews regarding the performance of home organization, with some noting more sluggish growth and others reporting vigorous increases. The season marks the peak selling [...]

Meyer Corp., in partnership with DuPont, is investing in its first long-term consumer advertising campaign in order to build consumers' awareness of its Circulon brand of nonstick anodized aluminum cookware. [...]

As part of its strategy to rebuild the Farberware cookware brand, Meyer Corp. is teaming up with select department store chains, such as Stern's, to establish headquarters stores. Meyer designates [...]

Looking to capitalize on the strength of the Brinks name in electronic home security systems, Sisco is launching a line of Brinks Home Security fire-resistant and Anti-Theft safes at the [...]

This summer Waccamaw has made major changes to its storage department in order to make the presentation easier to shop. 'We felt we weren't as customer-friendly as we should be; [...]

Whitney Design, among the top three corrugated and soft-sided storage sup- pliers, plans to exit the corrugated segment, citing eroding retail support as a factor. The company plans to reallocate [...]

Mail-order company Taylor Gifts is looking to target apartment and condo dwel- lers by testing an offshoot of the Get Organized catalog. The new home organization catalog, Apartment Living, focuses [...]

Meyer Corp. and Lifetime Hoan have reached an agreement for Meyer to sell cookware in Farberware retail outlets. Meyer Corp. will stock and merchandise the stores with discontinued and sec- [...]

Regent Sheffield Ltd. is staying on course under the new leadership of Ken O'Keeffe with its plans to deepen penetration in department and specialty stores. O'Keeffe, previously vice president of [...]

Fondue may not be the rage it was in the 1970s, but home entertaining and gift-giving are boosting consumer interest in fondue sets and pushing the category beyond its status [...]

Consumers increasingly are buying cookie stamps as collectibles and to be used for a family activity. Cookie stamps appeal to kids, collectors, gift buyers, and impulse buyers alike. A cookie stamp can be sold as a $20 quick purchase. Two companies, Hill Design and Rowoco, have obtained licenses for their popular cookie stamps. Hill Designs plans to introduce two new design in 1998., Retailers and vendors note that cookie stamps have become hot sellers, primarily because they can be used for a family activity and because the items appeal to collectors. 'Those cookie [...]

Wagner Ware is working to improve the image of its cast iron cookware by offering a more upscale line and new packaging. Wagner Ware plans to turn to the European market which has a more sophisticated view of cast iron than the U.S. market. The new packaging will be used to create a more upscale consumer impression of the product. The new line being introduced, named Wagner Original 1881, is a complete assortment of polished cast iron cookware which will be priced 25-30% higher than the company's other line, Wagner 1891. The company will also add 14 new pieces to the 1891 line., Wagner Ware, under new ownership for less than a year, aims to upgrade the image of its cast iron assortment with new packaging and a step-up line. Last fall General [...]

With most licenses the mode of action is movie first, a blitz of merchandise -- from pajamas to coffee mugs -- second. The entertainment and merchandising company Less Than 7 [...]

YORK, Pa. -- The Kichen Works, a specialty chain based here, has signed three leases to bring the retailer's store count in the Washington, D.C., area to eight and complete [...]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Playing to an increasingly germ-wary consumer audience, Lifetime Hoan is unveiling a program of Farberware cutting boards, gadgets and cutlery using the antimicrobial agent Microban, here at [...]

The Catalog Co., a publisher of gourmet catalogs, is working with independent housewares stores to create catalogs to sell their products. Most independent stores can not afford to create catalogs on their own, therefore they have to collaborate with others to develop catalogs that can compete against the catalogs at larger stores. The co-op catalogs also allow companies to stretch their payments for advertisements and negotiate advertising allowances. The co-op catalogs advertised upscale lines and unusual gourmet products that are not advertised at the larger stores., DALLAS -- There's strength in numbers. That's the premise behind The Catalog Co., which publishes a gourmet catalog twice a year for about 50 retailers and a tabletop catalog annually [...]

TAMPA, Fla. -- Housewares will be a key ingredient in Linens 'n Things' development as a home furnishings superstore and in fueling its rapid sales growth going forward, Jane Gilmartin, [...]

ENFIELD, Conn. -- Tapping into both cooking and lifestyle trends, Kuhn Rikon is marketing its latest pressure cooker as the Duromatic Risotto Cooker. Kuhn Rikon sees its new risotto cooker [...]

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Culinary Concepts is looking to spread Europe's love for copper cookware to the U.S. market with Falk Culinair, a Belgian line previously only available to professional chefs [...]

Houseware and cookware makers introduced products in bright colors, with whimsical patters and flashy looks at the European trade show Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany. Some US buyers wonder whether the styles will be popular in the US, although stainless steel designs are taking off in both markets. Products from Bodum, Pedrini, Spring, Lagostina, Brabantia, TVS, Elfo and other manufacturers are discussed.

NEW YORK -- While the garage may not be a showcase for style in consumers' homes, that room, too, is changing with the times. One major trend in garages is [...]

Floor care retailers attending last week's housewares show expressed diverse opinions about their vac business in 1996 and looked to this year with cautious optimism. Deep cleaning received the most [...]

Bissell Inc is planning to launch Power Steamer upright deep cleaner and upgrade its Big Green canister-style model and Little Green portable unit to increase its market share in the deep-cleaning category. Bissell's two models of Power Steamers feature a SmartMix system with three settings for different cleaning jobs, a floating brush and on-board tools which adjust to the height of carpets. Bissell also plans to improve the performance of its Little Green line of portable deep cleaners and the Big Green upright extractor., CHICAGO--Bissell Inc. aims to regain dominance in the deep-cleaning category with the launch of an upright design, the revamping of its Little Green portable unit and aggressive pricing to revitalize [...]

Roundhouse Products Inc is planning to launch new household goods at 1997 Consumer Electronics Show. The company's new products include a Recipe File Holder derived from the concept used to manufacture the Roladisc system for storage of compact discs, a clip-on jewel case and CD carrying wallets made of leather and neoprene. Roundhouse offers customized products which are in-house designed and are practical and functional for home use., LAS VEGAS -- Roundhouse Products Inc. wants to be known as a company with big ideas -- ideas that produce home furnishings products with unique designs and functions, that is. [...]

NEW YORK -- Floor care vendors are looking for higher numbers in 1997 and have geared aggressive advertising, planned new product rollouts, devised new promotional concepts and restructured their sales [...]

SALEM, Mass. -- Frelonic Corp. has repositioned and expanded its line of fiberboard organizers and storage boxes in an effort to present a more complete program for home organization. Its [...]