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HIGH POINT – Indiana-based case goods manufacturer Fusion Designs ramped up its quick-ship Essentials program for High Point Market, as well as adding a new panel bed in white oak.
Two new dining groups and one standalone buffet were added to Essentials, which includes pre-built dining items that ship out in 10 days. All items are in maple, and retailers can select from one of 35 finishes. The company also offers Essentials Plus, a lower-cost, higher-volume version of the same program.
“Our retailers still want things fast, and Essentials is great for buyers who want American-made solid wood furniture for customers who might have felt priced out of the category,” said Marcus Bontrager, company president.
Harmony, one of the new dining sets, is crafted in brown maple. It features a clean-lined trestle table with a Mission shaped top and an under-bevel edge, that can be expanded magnetically for entertaining with up to four, 12-inch, self-storing leaves. A table, bench, buffet and chairs are offered, with a table and four retailing for about $4,000.
A new buffet was also added to Harmony, serving as a stand-alone cabinet in solid maple. Its targeted demographic is younger consumers who may be short on space.
“This program has been a great way for us to reach younger consumers who yearn for good-looking, quality furniture that will actually last,” said Bontrager. “We know that many are urban dwellers who live in smaller spaces, and that means they need smart, multifunctional pieces, especially for entertaining.
While this market specifically didn’t represent a massive new product launch for the company, Bontrager said the company has introduced around triple the amount of product it usually does for the year as a whole.
“There’s really been little innovation over the past few years,” he said. “That’s why in 2023 we’ve been pumping out styles. Anything to grab attention. But we will eventually scale down. Our plan is to finish the year big and then pull back.”
Sales are down around 20% for the company since mid-2022, Bontrager said.
“I’m not sure when things are going to pick up,” he said. “I’m expecting the next six months to be slower and we’re really going to have to put our heads down.”
