By the end of 2013, construction on Napoleon’s new state-of-the-art logistics center in Barrie, Ontario, will have been completed, and the facility will be occupied. The 260,000–square-foot project is located adjacent toNapoleon’s corporate offices and manufacturing facilities. With this additional space, the company now has a total of more than 1.4million square feet worldwide. The logistics center is a major accomplishment for Napoleon, since it establishes centralization of all finished-goods warehousing and distribution—while freeing manufacturing space in the company’s three Barrie locations.

OW Lee, manufacturer of high-end outdoor furniture, firepits, and accessories, was honored with the Manufacturer of the Year Apollo Award for 2013 at the Chicago International Casual Furniture&Accessories Market™ in September.One manufacturer was honored in each of eight categories. Manufacturers were then judged on design and quality of products, merchandising, customer service, ethics, communications, and trade relations.

Terri Lee Rogers, president ofOWLee, says, “We are very honored to be namedManufacturer of the Year. All of our employees work really hard to deliver the best, so this award means a lot to each and every one of us.” This is…

OW Lee presented Gary and Rhonda Deane (ofGR Deane and Associates) with the Sales Representative of the Year Award for 2013. This special presentation was made during a sales meeting/ dinner at the Chicago International Casual Furniture&Accessories Market™.

The Deanes have been sellingOWLee’s products since 2005 in Arizona and New Mexico, and they addedUtah and Colorado to their territory in 2009. Over the years, they have successfully grown the territory—and this year, they enjoyed double-digit growth.Gary Deane was also the recipient of the ICFA Sales Representative of the Year Award in 2011.

The experience and reputation of the…

Phifer Inc., textile designer and manufacturer, is proud to announce and welcome Raymond Neuse andMonica Thornton as its new textile designers. Neuse rejoins the Phifer design team, bringing the company more than 18 years of experience in the textile industry and more than 20 years as a freelance artist.He has used his skill and expertise to design a variety of different types of fabrics, from indoor/outdoor and home-decor to novelty and flooring. Neuse possesses a keen artistic eye, and his education includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from the Memphis College of Art, art studies at a…

A perfect mix of warm earth tones and patterns with a tribal flair, Phifer’s Designed FabricsNative Escape collection bringsNative American design to interior and exterior living spaces. The new Native Escape collection was inspired by traditionalNative American designs and by patterns such as diamonds and geometric motifs.

Grounded by a rustic color palette, this furniture- fabric compilation incorporates modern updates through scale and unexpected colors. Spiced reds and browns paired with new, warm golden browns—and unexpected color combinations of sunbaked yellow gold and warm gray—round out the fabric ensemble in various stripes, solids, and textures.

Tony Ramos, publisher of Patio & Hearth Products Report, recently appeared on theHallmark Channel’s “Home &Family” to discuss recent outdoor- living trends and new products in the marketplace. The show’s cohosts, Cristina Ferrare andMark Steines, were particularly impressed withOWLee’s Santorini 42-inch chat-height fire table, which was displayed for viewers on the set. The Emmy-nominated “Home&Family” show airs each weekday morning throughout the United States.

Patio Renaissance recently added Mark Gorr to its management team. As vice president ofU.S. operations, Gorr will oversee the production and distribution of both domestic operations (in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Charlotte,North Carolina). Gorr has extensive knowledge and experience in the casual-furniture industry with previous tenure at Z-Line Designs and Tropitone Furniture.

InnovativeHearth Products (IHP), manufacturer of FMI Products and LennoxHearth Products, officially launched the new Envy™direct-vent gas fireplace in the retailmarketplace in September 2013. Envy incorporates new and enhanced fireplace technologies; improved design aesthetics, including a new log-set style; flame and glow presentation; increased energy efficiency; reduced emissions; enhanced safety features; and a fully developed line of accessories.

The new Envy fireplace, part of a family of six units, offers dealers in the high-end specialty hearth retailmarket a versatile selection of product inventory with two style configurations: traditional and contemporary. Both styles are available with a wide range of accessories…