The January Furniture Show saw the return of the Diamond upholstery brand, as Panacea brought a wealth of leather models to the UK, supported by a persuasive proposition – the delivery of said models directly to the consumer from its warehouses in Billericay and Wednesbury. Retailers seeking high-quality leather sofas without the associated costs of storage and fulfilment need look no further, writes Paul Farley …
Panacea’s intriguing concept was unveiled during a U2 concert at the O2 arena in October. Bringing together a cross section of the company’s management team, new agents and key retailers, the launch party saw Panacea outline the benefits of its product and Diamond Service fulfilment concept.
The company quickly established its unique proposition – even going so far as to supply more than 100 suites on a sale or return basis – and continued to cement its UK presence at the NEC last month.
Panacea’s initial offer – around 20 suites, drawn from the company’s 130-model Bangkok-manufactured collection – chiefly comprised full-leather sofas, specially selected to meet UK demand.
“Principally because of the pricing restraints and the length of time it normally takes to fulfil such orders, there’s no-one – that we’re aware of, at least – offering wholesale full leather upholstery of this quality to the UK market, backed up by the level of service we’re promising,” says owner Ryan Lucas, a logistical expert whose experiences have helped inform Panacea’s approach to streamlined fulfilment.
“We can’t offer the same level of variation on these full leathers as we would our other lines – it’s core models and colours only – but the fast delivery proposition should be very tempting for retailers.”
Also present were a tasteful range of leather-and-fabric-mix models, created by British designer Matt Arquette.
According to Panacea, the sofas are stylish, well priced, and built to last. Comfort is foremost – features include individual pocket-sprung bases, and seat cushions made of highly-resilient foam, enveloped in layers of Dacron and luxury fabric. The frames incorporate hardwood, every join comprising multiple fixings.
Fundamental to the offer is Panacea’s Diamond Service concept, an end-to-end delivery solution which, according to sales director Mike Carroll, will “add enormous value to retailers, saving space and removing logistical hassles, whilst providing an attractive volume-based discount structure”. Benefits provided free of charge include storage, and a white-glove delivery service to the customer’s room of choice – all of which are optional benefits for the retailer, allowing them to create a truly bespoke service.
From orders of a single unit to container loads, the Diamond Concept is already proving popular with independents, multiples and etailers keen to offer goods of such quality yet not wanting their cash tied up in stock, says Ryan.
There’s a palpable energy to Panacea’s approach, and a stated desire to “shake up the market” – from what I have seen of the product and the expertise behind it, Panacea certainly has the potential to rapidly make lasting inroads in the UK.
Ryan confirms that the company will also exhibit at the Manchester Furniture Show in July, by which time he expects Panacea’s UK sales network to be firmly established.
