The press bulletins below, published in home décor periodicals such as Furniture Today, speak to my ability to write long-form business copy in the editorial style. Enjoy!
CUSTOMER IS WHOLE DECK OF CARDS FOR ELK GROUP INTERNATIONAL 35TH ANNIVERSARY
Nesquehoning, PA – May 15, 2018 – Home fashion leader ELK Group International will kick off its 35th Anniversary today with a toast of gratitude to its robust retail following and over 500 independent sales promoters throughout the world.
“Our goal has always been to provide an incentive-rich resource for our valued customers – by creating beautiful, functional, whole-home décor solutions designed to suit a wide range of client budgets” said Bradford Smith, ELK Group’s long-time CEO. “We’re very pleased with how far we’ve come in both of those regards, and it has been a great, fun experience for us all.”
There’s reason to celebrate. Buoyed by their award-winning lighting designs and globally influenced home décor collections, ELK Group has grown from a modest importer of European lighting with three employees to an industry-leading single-source provider, boasting over 20,000 skus spanning a variety of complementary Lifestyle categories. Each burst of growth brings added competitive benefits for the group’s burgeoning distribution base, which includes furniture and lighting showrooms, designers, luxury resorts, department stores, and specialty home improvement companies across the globe.
“Not only are our products crafted to exceptional standards of quality, innovation, and design, they move rapidly from concept to market, keeping us on trend and stock-right without sacrificing quality or authenticity at any stage” offered James Ashley, ELK Group’s Senior VP. “As we grow, ELK customers will continue to gain access to well-followed brand offerings and unique savings opportunities.”
Along with a substantial investment in advanced web and product-to-market integration systems, ELK Group has assembled a diverse portfolio of singularly successful home décor brands to complement their popular ELK Lighting, Dimond Home and Sterling brand offerings, including: Pomeroy, Lazy Susan, Stein World, RyvyR, and Old River Road. In 2017, they added builder-community legend Thomas Lighting – a move which greatly augmented ELK’s offering of indoor-outdoor lighting fixtures designed to appeal to the construction professional. The recent opening of two large distribution centers in the state of Georgia increases the company’s manufacturing footprint to 2 million square feet worldwide, and over 1000 employees.
ELK Group International products can be viewed in any of their national showrooms – located in the lighting and furnishings markets in High Point, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas and New York
ELK Group International, headquartered in NYC, NY, is a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor residential, designer and commercial lighting fixtures, decorative accessories and furniture. Founded in 1983, the company distributes over 20,000 products under ELK Lighting, ELK Hospitality, Dimond Home, Dimond Lighting, GuildMaster, Old River Road, Pomeroy, Ryvyr, and Stein World. For more information, contact James Ashley via sales@elkgroupinternational.com
ELK GROUP INTERNATIONAL ACQUIRES STEIN WORLD – THE LEADER IN OCCASIONAL FURNITURE
Tamaqua, PA – August 2nd, 2016 – ELK Group International is pleased to announce the purchase of Memphis, Tennessee-based Stein World, one of the largest suppliers of occasional furniture in North America. The move, which unites the resources of two industry-leading home décor companies, further expands the variety of furniture categories and price points within ELK’s already substantial catalog of premium lighting, furniture and decorative accessories.
“The appreciable scale created by this partnership, together with our existing brands, earns us the distinction of being one of the largest suppliers of home furnishings in the industry,” stated Bradford Smith, CEO of ELK Group. “This means even greater product selection and money saving benefits for our customers, firmly moving us in the direction of our goal to become the most competitive line of products among our client base.”
This is perhaps the most significant acquisition thus far by ELK, whose ‘Whole Home Solutions’ credo has driven the purchase of a diverse range of home décor brands over the past few years. Known for its growing suite of innovative, award winning and design-driven products, ELK now boasts roughly 20,000 stocking skus across multiple home décor categories -all serviced by one company.
“The combined organizational strength of design sourcing and logistics will bring the best of everything to our customers”, said Dan Masters, President of Stein World. “ELK and Stein World together can leverage their purchasing power to provide an even greater value to the marketplace, creating a tremendous single source for retailers.”
ELK Group has completed over 15 home furnishing acquisitions in the last 5 years, with each brand acquired providing a specific strategic differentiator. In the case of Stein World, ELK will retain several key resources; talented personnel that bring vast industry expertise and relationships to the combined company. In addition, Stein World’s value-oriented furniture pricing, coupled with their quality- driven designs, adds a fresh infusion of available product options to the existing customer base of both companies, speaking to ELK’s ‘single source provider’ brand motto. ELK will also maintain Stein World’s operations in Memphis, TN, further expanding their distribution network.
Established in 1985, Stein World has a rich history as one of the leading pioneers in the furniture industry, offering handcrafted furnishings featuring one-of-a-kind finishes, hand-painted detailing and exquisite hardware in styles ranging from classic to contemporary, cottage to urban, and everything in between. For the Fall and Winter tradeshows, Stein World will unveil their 2016 product release in their showrooms at High Point (IHFC, W447), America’s Mart (Building 1, Suite 11-A-8-10), the Las Vegas Market (Building A, Suites 344/346) and Tupelo (Building 6, Suite 6018 i).
ELK Group International, headquartered in NYC, NY, is a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor residential, designer and commercial lighting fixtures, decorative accessories and furniture. Founded in 1983, the company distributes over 20,000 products under ELK Lighting, ELK Hospitality, Dimond Home, Dimond Lighting, GuildMaster, Old River Road, Pomeroy, Ryvyr, and Stein World. For more information, contact James Ashley via sales@elkgroupinternational.com
ELK GROUP INTERNATIONAL NAMES SUSAN HOFFMAN DIRECTOR OF SALES FOR POMEROY-SAN MIGUEL
Nesquehoning, PA – October 18, 2016 – ELK Group International today announced that Susan Hoffman will join the company as Director of Sales –San Miguel, reporting to ELK Group Senior Vice President, Lee Nemeth. The move is expected to reinvigorate Pomeroy’s corporate product offering by pairing Hoffman’s progressive marketing experience with San Miguel’s growing catalog of handcrafted candle products, reed diffusers and seasonal merchandise.
“The timing couldn’t be more perfect to elevate San Miguel to the beauty-value proposition it represents– and this is surprisingly unique in today’s retail fashion industry,” said Hoffman. “There just aren’t a lot of home décor brands out there making beautiful, on-trend products at a value price point. By energizing our network of sales reps and connecting the brand to a broad new array of strong retail partners, we can grow San Miguel’s retail presence in a very significant way.”
Recently the owner and principal of an independent retail consultancy, Hoffman brings with her twenty five-plus years of merchandising and planning experience; specializing in high-volume strategic growth and product development. Susan’s main focus will be working with San Miguel corporate account reps to drive and grow existing business along with bringing in new opportunities for the brand.
“We look forward to working with Susan as she takes on this challenge,” said ELK Group Vice President Lee Nemeth. “We’re determined to take San Miguel to the next level of growth, and Susan’s proven track record in retail development, operations management and close knowledge of the San Miguel line of products make her uniquely suited to direct that progress. She’s also a talented manager who will instantly provide leadership for our sales reps – which is vital to our existing business.”
Hoffman holds a BS from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She will begin her new role at San Miguel immediately and will be based in her Menomonee Falls, WI office.
ELK Group International, headquartered in NYC, NY, is a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor residential, designer and commercial lighting fixtures, decorative accessories and furniture. Founded in 1983, the company distributes over 20,000 products under ELK Lighting, ELK Hospitality, Dimond Home, Dimond Lighting, GuildMaster, Old River Road, Pomeroy, Ryvyr, and Stein World. For more information, contact James Ashley via sales@elkgroupinternational.com
ELK GROUP ACQUIRES THE THOMAS LIGHTING BRAND AND ASSOCIATED INVENTORY FROM PHILIPS LIGHTING
Tamaqua, PA – ELK Group International announced today its agreement to acquire the brand and associated inventory of Memphis, Tennessee-based Thomas Lighting from Philips Lighting. Adding Thomas’ portfolio of value-tailored products instantly positions ELK to focus more aggressively on the construction market by providing a strong complement to their builder-friendly Cornerstone Lighting brand profile.
Thomas Lighting is one of the original pioneers of the lighting community’s ‘builder marketplace’ – providing high quality indoor-outdoor products to trade professionals for almost ninety years. By sustaining a tradition of excellence that ultimately earned them the distinction of becoming one of the largest suppliers of lighting in North America, Thomas continues to enjoy an outstanding reputation among the nation’s leading homebuilders.
“It’s an honor to carry on the legacy of Thomas Lighting and we’re very excited about the possibilities,” stated Bradford Smith, CEO of ELK Group. “By focusing our resources on growing and strengthening both Thomas and our market-specific Cornerstone Lighting line, we have the opportunity to significantly enhance our current offering to the construction professional. In addition to introducing a substantially increased range of budget-favorable lighting products designed specifically to appeal to the builder, we plan to actively expand our sales management, project coordination and customer service departments to best accommodate the client base.”
This acquisition is a game changer for ELK Group in several ways, headlined by enhanced access to a robust segment of the lighting marketplace – the Home Builders industry, which generated 79 billion dollars in revenue in the U.S. alone from 2011-2016, with an annual growth rate of 9.2%. More significant is the bolstering of their value-oriented offering: ELK Group’s cutting-edge Alico, Dimond and ELK lighting brand concepts already maintain a brisk global following among designers and retail outlets looking for premium lighting solutions. By providing ELK’s retail lighting customers with a windfall of ‘opening price point’ products – which in turn engage the budget-savvy shopper– Thomas effectively solves the value side, unlocking the full potential of ELK Group’s entire lighting portfolio.
ELK Group International, headquartered in NYC, NY, is a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor residential, designer and commercial lighting fixtures, decorative accessories and furniture. Founded in 1983, the company distributes over 20,000 products under ELK Lighting, ELK Hospitality, Dimond Home, Dimond Lighting, GuildMaster, Old River Road, Pomeroy, Ryvyr, and Stein World. For more information, contact James Ashley via sales@elkgroupinternational.com
ELK Group Expands Its Reach in the Kitchen and Bath Industry, Acquires Xync Brands, LLC
Nesquehoning, PA– ELK Group International is pleased to announce the purchase of Roswell, Georgia-based Kitchen & Bath manufacturer Xync Brands, LLC – producer of the Ryvyr and Hembry Creek brands. Xync marks a significant expansion for ELK Group into the furniture and fittings segment of the Kitchen & Bath market, giving them a more entrenched, cohesive offering for the ‘single source’ shopper.
Xync Brands, founded in 2004, crafts unique products featuring exceptional design and function for the kitchen/bath industry. Each item is conceived to flow seamlessly with all elements within the portfolio, including sinks, vessels, vanities, tops, mirrors and plumbing fittings.
“This partnership will allow us to leverage our combined design team and marketing resources to launch new and exciting products and categories,” offered Hal Weinstein, President and Founder of Xync. “ELK’s expansion into this segment of the kitchen/bath industry will be welcomed by Xync’s customer base as it increases the depth of offering while allowing customers to consolidate additional products onto one shipment.”
Xync will also bring experts from the plumbing industry with extensive Kitchen & Bath knowledge to ELK’s team. In addition to Xync Brands President, Hal Weinstein, veterans John Weinstein and Sharon Taylor will be joining ELK to provide a seamless transition and continue to provide design, sales and customer service experience.
ELK Group’s ‘Whole Home Solutions’ credo has driven the purchase of a diverse range of home décor brands over the past few years. Known for its growing suite of innovative, award winning and design-driven products, ELK’s combined brand inventory now boasts over 20,000 stocking skus across multiple décor categories. For more information about the Xync and ELK Group International brands, please visit www.xync.com and www.elkgroupinternational.com.
ELK Group International, headquartered in NYC, NY, is a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor residential, designer and commercial lighting fixtures, decorative accessories and furniture. Founded in 1983, the company distributes over 20,000 products under ELK Lighting, ELK Hospitality, Dimond Home, Dimond Lighting, GuildMaster, Old River Road, Pomeroy, Ryvyr, and Stein World. For more information, contact James Ashley via sales@elkgroupinternational.com
ELK GROUP UNVEILS INVENTORY CHECKS VIA TEXT BOT
Nesquehoning, PA – June 19, 2018 – For the proverbial home fashion professional, burning the midnight oil at both ends is a fact of life – but it can also be more productive than ever. At least, that’s the buzz at ELK Group International today, as they prepare to roll out another tech upgrade: bot-driven inventory text-nology.
Starting today, clients and sales representatives need only text the word “stock” to ELK Group’s Advanced Shipment and Inventory (E.A.S.i) hotline to awaken a very polite robot (SBOCK); then, watch for a prompt, enter an item number, and presto – receive near-live product availability data, including the progress of scheduled shipments.
Such is great news to participating retailers, who can now review ELK brand product availability over the weekend while a customer is in their store or at any time; quickly, and conveniently, 24/7.
“Home Fashion is a Now-driven business” offered ELK Group CEO, Bradford Smith. “Whether round-the-clock message-based inquiries or advanced search-and-sort web functionality, we’ll continue to give our clients the optimized marketing tools they may need to gain competitive advantage.”
Announced just weeks after the company’s 35th Anniversary celebration, the move is part of a range of sophisticated IT investments made by ELK over the last five years, including a game-changing reboot to their robust multi-brand Dealer Portal.
Long known for their innovative ELK and Dimond Lighting brand concepts, ELK Group has assembled a diverse portfolio of singularly successful home décor brands, including: Sterling, GuildMaster, Pomeroy, Stein World, RyvyR, and Old River Road, as well as builder-community legend Thomas Lighting.
ELK Group International products can be viewed in any of their national showrooms – located in the lighting and furnishings markets in High Point, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, New York and Tupelo, as well as in select lighting and home furnishing showrooms. Their vast portfolio includes lighting fixtures, case goods, lamps, vanities, accent furniture, mirrors, wall art, accessories, and more.
ELK Group International, headquartered in NYC, NY, is a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor residential, designer and commercial lighting fixtures, decorative accessories and furniture. Founded in 1983, the company distributes over 20,000 products under ELK Lighting, ELK Hospitality, Dimond Home, Dimond Lighting, GuildMaster, Old River Road, Pomeroy, Ryvyr, and Stein World. For more information, contact James Ashley via sales@elkgroupinternational.com
Jared Murphy 