FURNITURE
As venues increase
their in-house furniture
contingent, providers
are stocking new styles,
and spotting new market
niches
O
rganisers are
increasingly focusing
on furniture styles to
catch visitors’ eyes, and this is
prompting some serious product
diversification. Victoria Rice,
sales & marketing manager,
Event Equipment Hire, says the
company’s regular clients are
asking for new, more unique
pieces.
“We’re not taking a venue
filled with bespoke items. But in
addition to standard tables and
chairs, one or two of our new
range poseur tables and stools,
positioned well in key places, can
change the feel of an event.
“Venues and marquee
companies are always looking
to stock their own items, we
don’t see this as too much of an
issue as space is always their
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limitation. We can have greater
numbers of all the basics, but we
can offer so many more styles
and options.”
With more styles being
demanded, Sarah Williams,
marketing manager, COF
Solutions, says there’s an
increased focus on trend
spotting: “Our clients are
looking for on trend pieces for
their events and that’s why
our velvet range is so popular.
With sofas, booth seating, stools
and dining chairs to choose
from they can carry the theme
throughout the venue. Also,
our new Vincent Conference
Chairs are also proving to be a
hit. Its modern frame is a fresh
new take on the traditional
conference chair which is what
seems to be the trend at the
moment.”
A major player in the market,
Europa International, warns
that failure to innovate can
make a company go stagnant.
Helen Lowe, its events and
marketing manager says:
“Because we have such a huge
amount of stock (30,000+ items,
in fact), we have pretty much
anything to suit any ‘look’. Our
product range has certainly
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