Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This elegant symbol conveys both beauty and strength, reflecting the grounding philosophy of this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain. The word…

CHESS 2019 – Retail’s Seismic Shift: Understanding the Forces Changing Housewares Consumers

Presented by: Michael Dart, Partner, Consumer/Retail Practice, A.T. Kearney Retail specialist and visionary, Michael Dart advises retail and consumer companies on how best to navigate retail’s seismic shifts. He combines his economics and finance training from Oxford University and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with more than 25 years of experience consulting with A.T. Kearney and Bain & Co. to provide a unique…

Global Retail Intelligence – April

April 14 – JD.com Creates Offline Catering Supply Chain SolutionJD.com with Juqi, a dinning chain in Beijing, announced a supply chain cooperation, positioning JD.com as the first platform in China capable of providing a one-stop supply chain solution covering both the full category of food and materials supply, and integrated warehousing and distribution services. Through the cooperation, JD will also provide intelligent inventory…

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left ghost towns behind. Shipping operates on the exact same…

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

To help members investigate alternatives to sourcing from China, the International Housewares Association will hold a sourcing mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next year. The 2020 Vietnam Sourcing Mission will be offered in two sessions: April 20-22 or April 23-25. Each session is limited to just six companies to provide a high level of service and allow for private meetings and factory tours. The dates were chosen to allow…

Guide to Effective Retail Store Design

by Martin M. Pegler If RETAILING is your chosen path of livelihood, here are some simple guidelines you might like to consider when planning your retail store. 1. Let There Be Light! Without the proper light the merchandise cannot be seen or judged, colors cannot be appreciated, coordinates cannot be assembled, nor buying decisions made. Let your light be the best you can afford to install and use—or, if necessary, skimp on…

International Housewares Association

Protected: Exciting Changes for The Inspired Home Show 2024

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Connect Fall, IHA’s Virtual Industry Event, Features Sessions on Shifting Lifestyle Trends, Critical Business Developments

ROSEMONT, IL (Oct. 5, 2022) – Connect FALL, an IHA virtual event, is set for Oct. 11-13 with exclusive, in-depth content designed to bring the housewares industry together around critical industry education. Session topics include opportunities in inflationary times; consumer lifestyle trends; an update on PFAS chemicals regulations and housewares; trends influencing…

Three Housewares Executives Elected to IHA Board of Directors

ROSEMONT, ILL. (Sept. 19, 2022)—Three new directors have been elected to the board of directors of the International Housewares Association (IHA), the full-service trade association for the housewares industry. They are: Scott Felsenthal, CEO, Whitmor, Inc.; Sal Gabbay, CEO, Gibson Homewares; and Michael Hayes, chief customer officer, Newell Brands. Their three-year terms begin…

Congestion Switching to East Coast Ports

Shippers are watching how the contract talks between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) will play out during the month of June. Key players on both sides have indicated they expect a smooth negotiation process even if a contract is not concluded by the June 30, 2022 expiration date. Shippers are hoping negotiations…

IHA Board Spring Strategic Meeting Focuses on Rebuilding Show Based on 2022 Enthusiasm, Continuing to Offer Member Services to Support Industry

ROSEMONT, Ill. (May. 18, 2022)—Members of IHA’s Board of Directors and several past Chairs gathered together along with senior IHA staff to review results of The Inspired Home Show 2022 and to discuss strategic direction for IHA, the Show and other IHA member services for 2023 and beyond. After a review of Association activities over the last two years, results of The Inspired…

Sean Daly Joins IHA as Vice President, Member and Buyer Relations

By Debbie Teschke ROSEMONT, Ill. (July 9, 2021) – Sean Daly has joined the International Housewares Association as vice president, member and buyer relations. Daly has more than 25 years’ experience in the housewares industry, with an emphasis on global sales and marketing, which he honed while working for several IHA-member companies. Most recently Daly was a partner…

Encouraging Signs From Bed Bath & Beyond

By Peter Giannetti I was greeted upon my arrival at the International Housewares Association in March with the opportunity to participate in the inaugural IHA Connect SPRING virtual event. The event’s array of keynotes, sessions and virtual product demonstrations delivered compelling insight into how developments of the past year have recalibrated practices and products…

Look Deeper For The Real Story

By Peter Giannetti Encouraging signs at retail continue as we head toward a back half of widespread vaccination and potentially easing pandemic restrictions. But under the surface of such positive development bubbles some uncertainty for a home and housewares business that has soared as a shopper priority during the pandemic. Read past the boldfaced type of the 9.8%…

Some Things Never Change

by Peter Giannetti There were many things the past year about which I never imagined I’d have to write. The next line is one of them: I attended my first in-person trade show in 14 months. When I stepped inside the lobby of 41 Madison Avenue recently for the spring New York Tabletop Show, it began my first physical show experience since Germany’s Ambiente in February of…

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