Patio furniture resin-ates with new colors, styles

Discount Store News, Sept 2, 1996

CHICAGO -- New specialty items, colors, styles and table surfaces were among the trends in patio furniture on display at the 1996 National Hardware Show.

Niche products, such as gliders and folding recliners, are also made a showing, while licensed merchandise is beginning to make itself known in the category.

Manufacturers are moving away from the traditional slat or weave patterns in resin furniture toward more detailed high-style looks, powder coatings and new colors for metal furniture, said John Fravel, president and ceo of Peabody, Mass.-based patio furniture manufacturer Syroco.

Color continues to be a big trend in resin patio furniture, predicted manufacturer Grosfillex.

Grosfillex, which introduced resin table sets from retails of $100 to $199, is projecting that white will decline to less than half of the resin market, with colors like sandstone, granite, blue and burgundy gaining favor.

Syroco introduced a striking new line of dark Euro Blue resin chairs and tables that were designed in conjunction with its Dutch manufacturing partner Hartman, Fravel said.

Bemis' new Golden Palms line includes cashmere, a warm brownish-putty shade with granite flecks that offers an alternative to green and white.

Patio furnishings in the new cashmere color were test marketed successfully during recent months at Fedco stores, said Michael Gerard, national sales manager of casual furniture for Bemis.

New specialty items such as gliders also bowed at this year's hardware trade show.

Sunbeam introduced the industry's first two-seat resin glider, while Bemis showed its multi-position resin folding rockers and five-position recliners, and Syroco displayed two-seat aluminum gliders that will be priced to sell at mass.

Sunbeam's glider is part of its new Pinnacle collection, which also includes a folding chaise lounge that features a pocket for storing small items like loose change or keys.

Bemis' rocker will be priced at about $80, and the recliner will retail for about $45. Both will be available in early '97.

The patio furniture category is maturing and consumers are increasingly choosing resin products. At the same time, consumers are also demanding new items such as rockers and improved styling, Bemis' Gerard said.

Nearly 60% of the consumers who purchased patio furniture in 1995 bought resign furniture, Gerard said. "You get more for your money with resin."

Several makers of resin furniture presented tables with designs of textures molded in. Bemis, Grosfillex and Syroco all displayed tables with the new style of tabletop.

But metal furniture maintained a strong presence in the product mix on display.

Sunbeam introduced a wrought iron chair, the Swivel Tilt, that both rocks and swivels. The Swivel Tilt will be priced at about $80. Sunbeam also offered aluminum and iron sets with a sienna-colored powder coat finish.

Syroco is also adding powder coat finishes in new colors to some of its metal patio furnishings.

Licensing is also playing an increasingly large role in patio furniture and accessories.

Syroco has a new line of Disney licensed products including Mickey and Minnie Mouse chairs that will retail for about $19.99 each. A matching table with yellow Mickey feet will sell for about $50.

A quartet of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters appear on a new set of water fountains and bird feeders that were introduced at the Hardware Show by Shelby Ltd. of Memphis, Tenn.

Fountains featuring Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Sylvester and Taz will be available at retail in January. Each fountain will carry a suggested retail price of $89.99. Shelby's line of Looney Tunes bird feeders will retail for about $24.99.

Shelby's fountains and bird feeders will be available at Target, Venture, Kohl's and ShopKo stores, a company spokesman said.