Castelle has promoted Rory Rehmert to the position of president of its Summer Winds Division. Rehmert will oversee the entire Summer Winds brand, including product development, manufacturing, positioning, sales, and promotion.

Steve Lowsky, CEO of Castelle, says, “Exciting things are planned for our Summer Winds brand, and there was a need to place a dedicated individual at the helm. Rory, who continues to be a valued member of our corporate-management team, was the obvious choice for taking on the opportunity to be chief steward of the upcoming product advancements, sales coordination, and brand enhancement planned.”

Rehmert is a…

Castelle has signed a licensing agreement for collaboration with interior designer and author Barclay Butera. Through the partnership, the award-winning manufacturer will produce and market a line of outdoor-furnishing designs created by Butera. The partnership also will include joint events highlighting outdoor living for the design and home-furnishings industries.

Steve Lowsky, CEO of Castelle, says, “We are very excited about partnering with Barclay Butera and his entire creative team on new products and promotions. Over the years, we have been approached regarding numerous design or brand partnering opportunities. With Barclay, we saw a true fit. In addition to his…

To help consumers conserve energy, the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) and its members have begun a three-year initiative to phase out the use of continuous pilot lights (standing pilots) in newly manufactured vented gas fireplaces, stoves, and inserts.

Continuous pilot lights have provided an automatic, reliable mechanism for stopping the flow of gas when no flame is present, but consumers have always had to remember to extinguish pilot lights manually when they weren’t needed—until now.

Technologies on the market now eliminate this step for consumers, offering increased ease of operation while eliminating unnecessary energy consumption when…

The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) will host its fourth annual industry roundtables from noon to 6 p.m. on September 19, the day before Casual Market Chicago begins. The event will include discussions of marketing to younger consumers through social media, understanding key performance indicators, marketing/selling on the internet, consumer financing opportunities, special events and promotions, handling transportation and logistics, and recruiting great sales associates.

Each attendee will participate in three one-hour sessions. The roundtables will be held at the Merchandise Mart. Lunch will be available at noon, and the program will begin at 1 p.m. Following the afternoon…

In May, Woodbridge Fireplace Inc. moved to its new 31,000–squarefoot facility in Mississauga, Ontario. The new location includes a 5,000–square-foot showroom.

Tony James, president, says, “We needed to bring our manufacturing, design studio, and showroom all in together, under one roof. We now have our offices, warehouse, and showroom all in the same facility. We not only have the extra space we needed for expansion, but also have the convenience and efficiency of having our team all in one spot. The expanded showroom allows us to display many more models of fireplaces for our local customers to browse through:…

For the second time in three years, Glen Raven Custom Fabrics and Sunbury Textile Mills have joined forces in the search for the next generation of talent in textile design. Hosting a competition with the textile- design program at Philadelphia University, the two companies asked students to imagine the future of Sunbrella® fabrics, answering this question: What’s next?

Tracy Greene, style/design manager at Glen Raven, says, “What’s great about this partnership with Sunbury and the university is that we are exposed to a group of students who have completely different perspectives. It’s interesting to see a new take on…

The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) has announced the finalists for the 2016 Apollo Awards. The program recognizes retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings. Finalists must demonstrate outstanding accomplishments and a commitment to customer service. ICFA members will vote via online ballot for a winner in each of two categories later this summer. Finalists will be honored and winners will be announced at the ICFA Awards Gala on September 22, at The Field Museum, during Casual Market Chicago.

Finalists in the 2016 competition in the single-store category are Kolo Collection (Atlanta, Georgia); Outdoor Elegance (LaVerne,…

The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) has announced the finalists for the 2016 Apollo Awards. The program recognizes retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings. Finalists must demonstrate outstanding accomplishments and a commitment to customer service. ICFA members will vote via online ballot for a winner in each of two categories later this summer. Finalists will be honored and winners will be announced at the ICFA Awards Gala on September 22, at The Field Museum, during Casual Market Chicago.

Finalists in the 2016 competition in the single-store category are Kolo Collection (Atlanta, Georgia); Outdoor Elegance (LaVerne,…