ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 28, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Furniture Brands International (NYSE:FBN) today announced the expansion of its licensing program beyond the current Thomasville platform to include several other of its leading brands.
"Expanding our licensing program helps deliver the 'Build our Brand Power' element of Furniture Brands' strategic plan," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ralph P. Scozzafava. "A robust licensing program will focus on leveraging the power of our market-leading brands into new and adjacent home furnishings categories. This increases consumer awareness for our core furniture offerings and creates an additional income stream that provides a tangible return on our brand equity."
The new licensing program will be led by Shelley Peters, Furniture Brands' director of licensing. Ms. Peters was most recently the leader of Thomasville's brand licensing operations. Under Ms. Peters' direction, the Thomasville brand has expanded beyond home furniture into residential flooring, lighting and kitchen cabinets. Ms. Peters will now coordinate licensing opportunities for not only Thomasville, but Lane, Broyhill, Drexel Heritage and Henredon.
"We have some of the best known and respected brands in the home furnishings industry, and they form the perfect cornerstone for a national licensing strategy," said Chief Marketing Officer Alex Hodges. "Our brands touch every segment of the consumer spectrum, and we are rapidly expanding our presence in new sales channels such as big-box retailers and national chains. Under Shelley's direction, we will aggressively explore opportunities to link the power of these brands to new products for the home that can touch an even broader customer base."
About Furniture Brands
Furniture Brands International (NYSE:FBN) is a vertically integrated operating company that is one of the nation's leading designers, manufacturers, and retailers of home furnishings. With annual sales of approximately $2 billion, it markets through a wide range of retail channels, from mass merchant stores to single-brand and independent dealers to specialized interior designers. Furniture Brands serves its customers through some of the best known and most respected brands in the furniture industry, including Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair, Laneventure, and Maitland-Smith.
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