AM17004

AMA RESEARCH Market Report : UK Window Coverings : November 2004

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Brief Description

AMA Research have now published the Seventh Edition of the “Domestic Window Coverings Market – UK 2004”.  The report incorporates original research and is a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the domestic window coverings market.

Product areas covered include: -

CURTAINS - Ready-mades, Custom-mades and fabric.

BLINDS - Venetian, Vertical, Roller, Soft and Pleated.

LACE/NET CURTAINS

CURTAIN SUSPENSION SYSTEMS - Wooden and Metal Poles, Metal and Plastic Tracks

These well established markets have changed substantially during the last decade.  In recent years, the window coverings market has experienced moderate-good overall growth, though there are substantial variations between product sectors.  Window coverings are now worth an estimated £1.2 billion at retail prices, with performance affecting a wide range of supplying and retailing companies.

Executive Summary

The UK domestic window coverings market is comprised of four major sectors - curtains, blinds, net/lace curtains and curtain suspension systems.  The market has experienced moderate-good growth during 2003/4, continuing the trend experienced in the previous two years.  The overall window coverings market was estimated at just over £1.2 billion at retail prices in 2003, increasing by 6% in value terms on the previous year.  Indications are that the growth trend of 2003 has continued into 2004 with the market anticipated to be worth just over £1.3 billion by the close of the year.

The window coverings market has experienced a relatively steady rate of growth over the period.  As largely deferrable products, the window coverings market has tended to suffer stagnation or market decline during periods of economic uncertainty, as was the case in 1998.  Market performance since 1998 has reflected annual value growth of 2-6% and current indications for future prospects show that the market is likely to increase by 4-5% per year in value terms to reach just under £1.5 billion by 2007.

One of the key developments within the overall window coverings market has been the trend for suppliers to enhance product offerings with wider ranges of window coverings products, rather than concentrating on a single specific sector.  This has been the case not only with distribution channels but also manufacturers and suppliers of window coverings products.

Curtains continue to represent the largest sector of the market with an estimated 56% value share in 2003, but the curtain sector is coming under increasing pressure from blinds, which has increased both volume and value share since 2001/2.   The overall curtain market has shown only moderate value increases during the past 3-4 years with annual value growth rates of 2-3%.  This compares with a buoyant blinds market where annual value increases have been between 10-13%.

Within the curtain market, the wider adoption of custom-ready-made/express curtain services has helped to boost growth within the custom-made sector, whilst the ready-mades sector has experienced more moderate growth.  The curtain fabric sector has been affected by the decline of home curtain making and the continuing decline in numbers of independent high street fabric and drapery outlets.  Another characteristic of the overall curtain market has been the increased penetration of imports both into the fabric and ready-made sectors.  This has led to increased pressure on average prices for some curtain products, particular at the lower end of the market where price remains a key motivational factor for curtain purchasing.

The effects of a dwindling UK based textile manufacturing industry and corporate reorganisation and restructuring has led to the exit from the market of some of the larger suppliers to the curtain market.  Leading suppliers of ready-made curtains include Rectella, Curtina and Texplan, with leading fabric supplies including Crowson, Laura Ashley and Walker Greenbank.

Blinds are the second largest window coverings sector with an estimated 27% value share in 2003. The market has enjoyed good value growth in the last 2/3 years and this is expected to continue into the short-term future with the market estimated to be around £480 million by 2007.  The sector is currently benefiting from the “fashion” focus and the majority of blinds styles have all been beneficiaries of increased interest from the blinds buying consumers.    Domestic conservatories continue to be a key end-use application for blinds, although blinds are now being used in all types of rooms within households, having lost their association as purely kitchen and bathroom features.

The recent success of the blinds sector has resulted in new entrants to the market and the relocation of some blinds manufacturers and suppliers to new premises in order to keep up with increased demand.  The sector has also been subject to corporate activity in recent years with both acquisition and divestment activity by some of the leading players in the market.  There has also been a blurring of the distinction between components suppliers and blinds manufacturers with many organisations increasing their activity in what was previously their secondary sector.  Leading companies within the blinds sector include Hillarys, Hunter Douglas, Louver-Lite and Faber Benthin.

The net/lace curtains sector of the window coverings market is in long-term decline and has been affected by the introduction and widespread acceptance of voiles and voile panels, but has also come under pressure from the use of lightweight blinds.  This sector represents 6% share of the market in value terms and has seen value decline by over 9% since 2001.  Characteristics of this sector include the continued penetration of imports into the market and the driving down of retail prices.

The curtain suspension sector represents 11% value share of the window coverings market in 2003 and has continued to benefit from the trend to plainer curtain styles.  The demand for more decorative products has seen the poles sector increase in recent years and this trend is likely to continue in the short-medium term, mainly at the expense of plastic track.  In terms of suppliers, the sector is dominated by dominated by the Newell-Rubbermaid Corporation (USA), with other suppliers including Integra, Hunter Douglas and Copes.

The window coverings market has benefited from wider distribution of products through retail channels in recent years. However, a key feature of domestic distribution has been the continuing decline in the number of window coverings independents/drapers.  This has been mainly due increased competition from the home furnishing and DIY multiples sectors who are able to negotiate substantial discounts for large orders.  Homebase in particular has extended its range of home furnishings and curtain products to include an express curtains service.   One aspect of the distribution mix in 2003/4 has been corporate activity within the specialist sector with the failure of Texstyle World and the divestment of the Rosebys division by the Homestyle Group.

Companies mentioned

Tyrone Textiles, Filigree, Northern Nets, John Aird, Newell-Rubbermaid Corporation (USA), Coats, Headlam, Cornwell Parker, Courtaulds Textiles, Gordon John Textiles, Rectella, Curtina, Crowson, Arthur Sanderson, Walker Greeenbank, Laura Ashley, Coats plc, Coats Viyella, Ewart Liddel, Sarah Lee Corporation, Headlam Group, Style Furnishings, Global Exports, Al-Zukhraf, Textile Mills, Hamilton McBride, Imperial Home Décor Group, Blackstone Capital Partners, Semple & Peck, Mostyns Group, Sleepdown Textiles, Willman Interiors, CWV Group, A T Cronin, Cleland Mciver, Curtain Express, Norwood Textiles, Trendmost, Home Curtains UK, Ena Shaw, Ashley Wilde, Prestigious Textiles, Tichard Barrie, Whiteheads Fabrics, Claremont Fabrics, Silentnight Holdings, Cornwell Parker, Eclipse Blind, Monkwell Fabrics, The Design Archive, GP & J Baker, Kravet Fabrics, Montgomery Tomlinson, Walker Greenbank, Colefax Group plc, Osborn & Little, Sixten & Cassey, Buckingham Tapestry, Denise Fabrics, Designer Guild, Edmund Bell & Co, Hardy Fabrics, Marvic Textiles, Rufflette Ltd, Skopos Designs, Style Furnishings (Sheffield) Ltd, Tyrone Textiles, Warwick Fabrics, Whiteheads Fabrics, Anne & Robert Swaffer, Clough House, Evans Textiles, Riva Fabrics, Tudor House Textiles, Stead Mcalpin, Louver-lite, Hunter Douglas, Ventolite, Arena, Turnils, Villa Nova, Eclipse Blinds, Faber Blinds, AS Chresten Fabers Fabriker, John King & Son Ltd, Somic plc, Glamorline International, Milltex Fabrics, Arding Marketing, Julius Koch (UK), Decora Window Blinds, William O'Hanlon, C & I Holdings, Deans Blinds & Awnings, Starline Blinds, T F Sampson, Velux Company, VKR Holdings A/S, East Anglia Blinds, Julius Koch Living Connection, Regal Heights, Solent Blind & Curtain Company, Tailor Made Blind Company, Appeal Conservatory Blinds, Fiesta Blinds Ltd, Plymouth Blind Makers, Solaris Sunblinds, Westwood Blinds, R E Ashworth, Morton Young & Borland, Simon May & Company, White Angel Curtain Company, Stuart Knitting Mills, John D Maltby, Newell-Rubbermaid, Spur Shelving, Homelux Nenplas, EGP IP Ltd, Harper Industries plc, Cope & Timmins Holdings, Speedy Products, Silent Gliss Holdings AG, Phoenix Furnishing Accessories, Byron & Byron, Benson For Beds, Decorative Holding Company, Northern Nets, Knightingales, Dunelm Soft Furnishings, Freemans, Otto Versand GmbH, Grattan plc, Empire Stores Group plc, Pinault Printemps Redoute SA, Ewbanks, Scotts of Stow, N Brown Group, Designers Guild, Crest Décor, AG Stanley, Ingka Holdings BV, Habitat UK, Courts, Next, Laura Ashley, Sainsburys, Focus Wickes, Handyman House, Arnold Lever, Budget DIY, Trago Mills, Leekes, Hillary's.

List of Contents

1	INTRODUCTION
2	SUMMARY
3	ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
3.1	GDP
3.2	INFLATION & INTEREST RATES
3.3	UNEMPLOYMENT
3.4	HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION
3.5	HOUSING & CONSTRUCTION
3.6	STERLING
3.7	CONCLUSIONS
4	WINDOW COVERINGS MARKET OVERVIEW
4.1	DEFINITION
4.2	TOTAL MARKET SIZE
4.3	KEY MARKET INFLUENCES
4.3.1	Purchase Motivation Factors for Window Coverings
4.3.2	The Housing Market
4.3.3	Domestic Window Market
4.3.4	Market for Patio Doors
4.3.5	Domestic Conservatory Market
4.4	INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN WINDOW COVERINGS
4.5	MAJOR PRODUCT SECTORS
4.5.1	Comparison by Window Coverings Sectors 2003
5	CURTAINS
5.1	MARKET SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS
5.1.1	Market Size
5.1.2	Market Characteristics
5.1.3	Future Prospects
5.2	CURTAIN PRODUCT SECTORS
5.2.1	Ready-Made Curtains
5.2.2	Curtain Fabric
5.2.3	Custom-Made Curtains
5.3	TRENDS IN CURTAIN FASHIONS
5.3.1	Curtain Styles
5.3.2	Fabric Types
5.3.3	Curtain Linings
5.4	KEY SUPPLIERS
5.4.1	Ready-Made Curtains
5.4.2	Key Fabric Suppliers
6	BLINDS
6.1	MARKET SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS
6.1.1	Key Market Influences
6.1.2	Market Development 2001-03
6.1.3	Future Prospects
6.2	APPLICATION AREAS BY END USE
6.2.1	Windows
6.2.2	Conservatories
6.2.3	Patio Doors
6.3	BLIND TYPES
6.3.1	Custom Made Blinds
6.3.2	Ready-made Blinds
6.4	BLIND STYLES
6.4.1	Venetian Blinds
6.4.2	Vertical Blinds
6.4.3	Roller Blinds
6.4.4	Soft Blinds
6.4.5	Pleated Blinds
6.5	CONTROLS AND AUTOMATION
6.6	FUTURE PROSPECTS
6.7	KEY SUPPLIERS
6.7.1	Supply Structure
6.7.2	Key Suppliers
7	NET AND LACE CURTAINS
7.1	MARKET BACKGROUND
7.2	MARKET SIZE
7.2.1	Market at Constant (1995) Prices
7.3	MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND TRENDS
7.4	PRODUCT MIX
7.4.1	Net/Lace Curtain Formats
7.4.2	Net/Lace Curtain Styles
7.5	KEY SUPPLIERS
8	CURTAIN SUSPENSION SYSTEMS
8.1	MARKET SIZE
8.2	PRODUCT MIX
8.2.1	Wooden Poles
8.2.2	Metal Poles
8.2.3	Plastic Tracks
8.2.4	Metal Tracks
8.2.5	Others
8.3	KEY SUPPLIERS
9	DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION
9.1	DEFINITION
9.2	DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL SHARES
9.3	INDEPENDENTS & SPECIALISTS
9.3.1	Independents
9.3.2	Specialists
9.4	DEPARTMENT STORES AND VARIETY STORES
9.4.1	Department Stores
9.4.2	Variety Stores
9.5	MAIL ORDER & CATALOGUE STORES
9.5.1	Mail Order
9.5.2	Catalogue Stores
9.6	DISCOUNT WAREHOUSES/FURNITURE & FURNISHING MULTIPLES
9.7	DIY MULTIPLES
9.8	OTHER DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
10	FUTURE PROSPECTS

Tables and Charts

Text © 2004 AMA Research

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Last updated by Amanda Porteous 2004