Tropitone Reports Record Sales in Fiscal 2006

Furniture World Magazine

Tropitone Furniture Co., a leading manufacturer of fine casual furniture, announced that it achieved record sales during its fiscal year which ended on September 30, 2006, driven by both the widespread popularity of the outdoor room and Tropitone’s broad array of casual furniture collections that appeal to many different styles and customer preferences. According to Michael Echolds, Tropitone’s chief executive officer, the popularity of the outdoor room across the country -- from California to New York and the Pacific Northwest to the South and Southeast – is one of the single most important market trends in the history of the casual furniture industry. While the warmer regions of the country are most likely to have the larger outdoor living spaces which may feature many rooms in the ‘outdoor room’, the outdoor rooms in the northern regions tend to center around either fireplaces or fire pits furnished with deep-cushioned seating often referred as chat sets. “Before the outdoor room, most people limited their thinking about outdoor furnishings to poolside chaise lounges and a dining set, which they used a few months out of the year. Today, the door has been thrown wide open on the possibilities as increasingly more time is spent relaxing and entertaining outdoors. As a result, consumers expect their outdoor furnishings to be as fashionable and comfortable as their indoor furniture. “We believe Tropitone is succeeding in this expanding marketplace because we make it possible for consumers to create outdoor settings for their homes that are as warm and cordial as the indoors of their homes, with furnishings that are durable enough for outdoor use and unexpectedly comfortable,” Echolds said. Tropitone has a 50-year track record of designing and manufacturing innovative and award-winning casual furniture. The company is well-known throughout the casual furniture market for its sling furniture collections with their superior lumbar support, which is a hallmark of the Troptione sling. The company also offers umbrellas and shade products, as well as tables and tabletops, and other seating collections, such as woven and cushion seating. Founded in 1954, Tropitone is based in Irvine, California, and is recognized throughout the casual furniture marketplace for its design leadership as well as its commitment to service and value. The company sells its products to retailers, designers and the hospitality trade under the Tropitone and Basta Sole trademarks. In addition to its headquarters and manufacturing plant in Irvine, the company operates a manufacturing facility in Sarasota, Florida. For more information about the company, visit www.tropitone.com.