NEW OFFERING FROM SHADE ELEMENTS

Shade Elements is a subsidiary of New Zealand company QCD, and, as QCD Internal Division Manager Damon Campbell confirmed, represents an expansion of the company’s offering to encompass an internal blinds program.

“We’ve moved from our wholesale manufactured exterior range to a full offering of internal and external window and shading solutions. In New Zealand there are no true wholesale only manufacturers across both.”

The next release for the company would be a comprehensive range of curtains and roman blinds, he confirmed. Other new releases would include an internal roller blind offering with high performance Serge Ferrari Soltis fabric, which would enable retailers to be more specialised in the commercial and outdoor shade sectors.

The company’s externals product stable also includes Ziptrak screens, a comprehensive folding arm awning range and retractable pergolas, he confirmed.

“Shade Elements is the only true wholesaling manufacturer for both indoor and outdoor products in New Zealand that does not have a retail arm. This allows us to work closely with our partners and provide them with complete support and transparency.”

“Serge Ferrari Soltis fabric allows un-matched performance and stability with its Preconstraint technology, meaning large and unusual blinds, in which previous fabrics have struggled to perform, can now be achieved.”

Shade Elements had been positioned to fill a critical gap in New Zealand’s highly competitive market, he said.

“We saw an opportunity to provide an independent fabric offering, using the likes of Serge Ferrari, Texstyle, Shaw and others, giving retailers a comprehensive range of fabrics to supply their clients.”

“Shade Elements has been on the edge of the internal market for a number of years and has since put the correct machinery and staff in place to take the offering to the market. With the market being very saturated, we have strived to offer a point of difference and a service second to none. We also offer an external collection, resulting in a complete solution for the sector.”

The company’s status as a true wholesaler looked set to offer the industry real value over the long term, he said.

“Over the medium to long term we believe there will be a move away from the businesses who are offering wholesale/retail, which opens up opportunities for us as a true wholesaler. Nobody wants to compete with their supplier.”

“In terms of product innovation, we see a shift away from the traditional manual operation to complete automated building management systems, removing the need for consumers to even think about blind operation.”

“Consumers are becoming aware of the differences between a quality made-to-measure blind and a budget manufactured blind. Shade Elements product sits at the high quality end while still carrying a competitive price tag.”