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Discount Store News, Oct 5, 1992 by Laura Liebeck

CHICAGO - Ready-to-assemble furniture is more than entertainment centers and utility carts commonly found in most discount stores. It now includes kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and a host of other seemingly un-RTA pieces.

At the recently concluded Hardware Show a small but varied group of furniture manufacturers unveiled a selection of RTA pieces that ranged from unfinished kitchen and bath cabinetry in birch and oak veneer by Fournier, Eden Prairie, Minn., to wrought iron coffee tables with glass tops by RTA Homefurnishings of El Paso, Texas, and Float Mat, an upholstered recliner that can be used as a swimming pool float by American Furniture Co., Fort Wayne, Ind.

While RTA furniture is generally shown at the industry's two markets in High Point, N.C., and at the Housewares Show in January in Chicago, some of the manufacturers noted that RTA is a viable department for such hard lines retailers as home centers and hardware stores. Since the Hardware Show attracts discount store buyers, they seized the opportunity to present a slightly different mix of skus to a different group of buyers.

"This is an important show for us," said Kevin Sauder, director of marketing, for Sauder Woodworking, Archbold, Ohio.

In fact, each vendor interviewed said the show was used to launch some new products geared to hard lines retailers. They include:

* Sauder, Archbold, Ohio, a six-piece collection of cabinetry in white and solid oak stripping with a double radius edge to be available this fall. Also a new Maple Youth Bedroom ensemble in sleek contemporary lines to be available late this fall. In addition, Sauder showed utility carts, bedroom furniture, entertainment centers, and bookcases in light and dark oak, white, and black finishes.

* Fournier's new five-piece bath category that includes a space-saver unit for over the toilet and a hamper is available in Sturbridge pine, white and oak, which president Gregg Sammons said is shipping to Caldor in September. Fournier also showed its line of unfinished kitchen and bath cabinetry - Sears is taking on the kitchen line - and unveiled its home office lines that includes a corner entertainment unit with cabinet doors;

* K-D Wood Products, Bingham, Maine, just entered the RTA business with a line of 12 skus of unfinished pine items such as a coat rack, step stool, end table, trunk and desk;

* American Furniture Co., Fort Wayne, Ind., introduced a bean bag chair with polystyrene beads and Port-A-Mat, a portable bed for various uses including camping, in addition to its new Float Mat;

* Costco, Columbus, Ind., a sling chair first presented in prototype at the spring market is now available for distribution in powder coated tubular steel in black or white with four color canvas cotton seats. Its sister company, Charleswood, Wright City, Mo., used the show to introduce the hard lines industry to Costco Juvenile Options, a 12-sku line of juvenile furniture;

* Gusdorf, St. Louis, Mo., offered three new storage and organization units available in a light oak or white finish. The units are available in three sizes, 15 cubic feet, 26.7 cubic feet and a 40 cubic ft. model. Gusdorf showed other storage units including its established bookcase line and Simple solutions, for kitchen, utility and bedroom storage needs.

* Titan, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, soon to ship Target its vinyl-coated storage cubes made of pressboard - the first discounter to carry a Titan product - showed a range of items including a 6-sku line of modular bedroom furniture, closet organization products in both melamine and wire and dinette furniture.