Furniture

Ikea sees slowest sales growth in India as losses mount, expands investment

Ikea's net loss widens by 15% to Rs 1,303 crore between August 2023 and September 2024 due to significant investments in infrastructure and store expansion

Fire at furniture market in Delhi's Nabi Karim area, 44 labourers rescued

The swift action of police averted a major tragedy in central Delhi as 44 labourers were rescued minutes before a blaze spread all over a four-storey building at a furniture market Nabi Karim area early Saturday morning, officials said. A call about the fire was received at 3.20 am. It was also reported that smoke was coming out from the building's ground floor, which is used as a furniture godown, a police officer said. The labourers were sleeping inside the building. It was found that there was an entry point to go on the upper floors but the shutter was closed. "The local police, in a swift action, broke the shutter, opened the gate, and proceeded to the second and third floors, where the labourers were sleeping," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M. Harsha Vardhan said. Around 44 labourers were rescued before the fire spread all over the building and fire tenders arrived, he said. An official of Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said at least seven fire tenders were pressed into

'Use of fire-resistant upholstery fabrics must in non-domestic furniture'

The government has introduced stringent regulations mandating the use of fire-resistant upholstery fabrics in non-domestic furniture, a move expected to improve public safety with respect to fire-related tragedies. Effective from October, the Quality Control Order (QCO) now requires all upholstery components used at public spaces to comply with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms. The QCO applies to upholstered composites and fabrics used in non-domestic furniture found in public areas such as offices, malls, airports, restaurants, underground shopping complexes, museums, hospitals, places of worship, and educational institutions. The order is also applicable on all imports of complete furniture or sub-assemblies having upholstered fabric meant for public use, however relaxation till March 31, 2025 has been provided on the request of industry. "This decisive action underscores the government's commitment to enhancing fire safety in public spaces and ensuring that all ...

Ingka Centres to invest Rs 5,500 cr on Ikea-anchored meeting place

The holistic project is expected to generate employment for over 9,000 youths, and boost the state's economic growth

Ikea looking for next phase of investments in India, plans smaller stores

Global furniture retailer Ikea is looking for the next round of investments in its priority market India as it enters the second phase of growth, its India CEO Susanne Pulverer said. Ikea will open small-format stores with a retail area of 30,000 to 70,000 square feet, in the adjacent markets of its existing and coming large-format stores besides growing its online presence here, she added. "We have done phase one, where we invested in the three first markets in four stores. We have taken the learnings. We have seen and learned even more from the Indian consumers, and now we take that to the next phase of the investment and expanding in India," Pulverer told PTI. Ikea's next destination is Delhi-NCR, where it will first start online sales in the first quarter of 2025 and then open its first physical store at its first 'Lykli' centre, which would come up in Gurugram in 2026. Currently, Ikea has large format stores in India at Hyderabad (4.8 lakh sq ft), Navi Mumbai (5.3 lakh sq ft)

Godrej Interio to open 104 new stores, add over 200k sq ft of retail space

Home and office furniture brand Godrej Interio on Monday said it plans to open 104 new stores and add over 2 lakh sq ft of retail space in the ongoing fiscal as part of its pan-India expansion. A part of Godrej & Boyce of Godrej Enterprises Group, Godrej Interio currently has 900 stores in more than 600 cities across India. Godrej Interio projects a 20 per cent growth this year and plans to add over 2 lakh sq ft of retail space in FY25. The company is poised to surpass 1,000 stores in August, it said in a statement. The brand will also add 104 new stores in fiscal year 2025, it added. "Our nationwide growth plan targets 34, 24, 19 and 27 new stores for the northern, western, southern, and eastern regions, respectively," Godrej Interio Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Business (B2C) Dev Narayan Sarkar said. Along with the physical expansion, the brand continues to enhance its digital presence and the company's e-commerce platform serves more than 17,000 pin codes, the ...

Amazon Mega Furniture Sale 2024: Know about best furniture deals on offer

Amazon is offering heavy discounts on furniture products. The Amazon Mega Furniture Sale 2024 is live from August 20 to 25, 2024

Ikea pilots same-day delivery in Hyderabad, hits 100% EV delivery goal

As part of its sustainability strategy, Swedish furniture giant Ikea has committed to entering all new markets, including the Delhi-NCR region, with an EV-first approach

Luxury furniture brand Stanley Lifestyles IPO subscribed over 96 times

The initial public offer of luxury furniture brand Stanley Lifestyles got subscribed a whopping 96.25 times on the last day of subscription on Tuesday. The Rs 537 crore initial share-sale received bids for 98,56,97,520 shares against 1,02,41,507 shares on offer, according to NSE data. The portion for Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) fetched 222.10 times subscription while the quota for non-institutional investors got subscribed 118.65 times. The quota for Retail Individual Investors (RIIs) attracted 18.13 times subscription. The Initial Public Offer (IPO) has a fresh issue of up to Rs 200 crore and an offer for sale of up to 91,33,454 equity shares. The initial share-sale has a price range of Rs 351-369 per share. The IPO of Stanley Lifestyles got subscribed 1.43 times on the first day of subscription on Friday. Stanley Lifestyles on Thursday said it raised a little over Rs 161 crore from anchor investors. The net proceeds from the fresh issue to the tune of Rs 90.13 crore

'EU laws on sustainable products to hurt exports from developing nations'

Since most products covered are consumer products, the price rise may lead to inflation in the EU, the report said

Mattress and furniture maker Wakefit unveils AI-powered sleep solutions

Users will receive reports on sleep stages, respiratory rate, snoring, movement, and overall sleep quality and get an aggregated sleep score

MillerKnoll plans to set up more showrooms in key Indian cities: Report

US-based furniture major MillerKnoll has set up its first retail outlet in the city, the sixth such facility in the country, through its authorised dealer Buildcraft Interior, the company said. MillerKnoll has drawn up plans to open additional showrooms in key cities across India, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and African regions, Kartik Shethia said. The opening up of a dedicated showroom in Chennai in partnership with Buildcraft Interior marks a significant milestone in MillerKnoll's growth strategy, a company statement said here on Sunday. The new outlet in the city showcases all the iconic brands under MillerKnoll. Some of the brand portfolio of MillerKnoll includes Herman Miller, Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Knoll, DatesWeiser, and Design Within Reach, among others. The price range of MillerKnoll products at the Chennai showroom ranges between Rs 60,000 and Rs 2.50 lakh. "With this showroom, MillerKnoll is not merely showcasing its products but creating an ..

Online furniture retailer Wayfair to cut 1,650 jobs to trim costs

The company has been taking cost-savings initiatives since August 2022, in a bid to operate more efficiently. Last year, it said it would cut 1,750 jobs, or about 10% of its workforce

Davos 2024: Ikea prices to fall despite Red Sea disruptions, says CEO

Ingka Group has invested more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in price reductions across its markets from September to November, and aims to continue lowering prices in 2024

Wakefit.co reports 35% increase in revenue during 2023 festive season sale

While mattresses and accessories continue to be the highest contributors to the revenue, furniture now commands 30 per cent of the business

Ikea India expects double-digit growth, to sell festive dedicated items

The Swedish furniture major is also changing its food menu to offer more local products, depending on where the store is located

No corporate has sought furniture to help employees in work: Godrej Interio

Leading office furniture brand Godrej Interio has "never" been approached by any corporate client asking for solutions to help an employee put in elongated work hours, a top official said on Tuesday. Corporate clients are more focused on making employees more productive, ensuring that they work as a team and also aspects like sustainability, its parent firm Godrej & Boyce chief executive Anil Verma said. "The short answer is... I never got a customer saying 'I want my people to work so many hours'," Verma told PTI, replying to a specific question if the company has seen corporates seeking such help. Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy recently triggered a flutter by suggesting a 70-hour work week to help in faster growth of the economy. As companies get employees back to work ending the pandemic period practice of work from home, there is a sharp decline of over 70 per cent in the revenues from individuals, Godrej Interio's business head Swapneel Nagarkar said. However, the ...

56th edition of IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn and Delhi Fair Furniture has begun

Delhi is witnessing a fashion to furnishing fair from October 12 to 16, 2023. The 56th edition of the Delhi fair has already started and it expects more than 3000 exhibitors

Rahul Gandhi meets carpenters, builds furniture in Delhi's Kirti Nagar

After porters in Anand Vihar and passengers on a train in Chhattisgarh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacts with carpenters in Asia's largest furniture market

Ikea enters 2nd phase of growth in India, to expand retail operations

Swedish furniture maker Ikea is looking for omnichannel expansion with diverse retail formats besides kicking off online operations in Delhi-NCR by the end of 2024 as it enters the second phase of growth in the Indian market. According to company India CEO Susanne Pulverer, Ikea is now planning to expand its operations by adding more stores to its network and considering new locations such as Pune and Chennai and increasing local sourcing making products more affordable here. Ikea, which has completed five years of retail operations after opening its first store in Hyderabad on August 9, 2018, plans to increase its employee count to 10,000 from 3,000 in the coming years. Besides, the company which sources from India for its global retail operation, is expanding its scope and looking into a big category with wood-based products here. "Our next growth phase in India looks very promising and full of opportunities. IKEA is committed to India and here for the long term. We are looking a