After more than three decades in the competitive world of outdoor furniture, erwin and Sons Direct Imports (Woodstock, Georgia) has come up with significant innovations, all while helping its dealer partners succeed in business. Patio & Hearth Products Report sat down with erik Dych, vice president, to get a sense of the company’s history, as well as what dealers can look forward to in the future.

How does your company’s considerable experience benefit consumers and dealers?
Dych: erwin and Sons has been in business for decades. We began our business in the 1980s with indoor rattan furnishings, but in the late 1990s, we pioneered the manufacturing of HDPe resin into all-weather furniture. that’s some two decades of experience in the outdoor industry.

We have the track record and expertise it takes to offer consumers high quality, design innovation, a wide selection of finishes and styles, custom Leisureluxe™cushions in more than 400 performance fabrics, and a solid warranty— all with competitive pricing.

Which products have been particularly successful for 2017?
Dych: Contemporary sectional deep seating collections have been quite successful, judging by dealer reports. new finishes, weaves, and frame styles continue to be well received and in high demand. We have begun incorporating mixed media (which the high-end consumer is seeking) in a number of collections.

How are you balancing your product line between traditional and contemporary offerings?
Dych: In the past few years, we have begun offering more contemporary designs and new materials to meet the fashion needs and wants of consumers. I’d say we are now at about a 50–50 split between contemporary and traditional. Of our traditional offerings, about a third are considered more transitional in design.

Which products are you most excited about for 2017?
Dych:We are venturing into more cutting-edge modern design, such as padded woven wicker, new weathered-woodlike tabletops, and a new line of contemporary table bases.

What sets you apart from the competition, in terms of product development?
Dych: the diversity and long-term experience of the erwin and Sons team and our vendor relationships— working together to achieve the best products and services that value everyone’s best interests—set us apart.

How do you support specialty retailers?
Dych:We serve such a wide diversity of retailers that, for all intents and purposes, we consider every one of them a specialty retailer. We cater to single- and multiple-specialty stores; pool, patio, and hearth shops; online dealers; and garden/hardware centers. each of them has unique consumer demographics. Geography, weather, locale, cultural style, and pricing play important roles in their merchandising decisions.