Panaz Case Studies
Alex Kirk, Trudy Purtill – Q Hotels
Trudy purchased fabric for use in bedspreads in the Midland Hotel Manchester, the cost of the fabric exclusive of FR coating was £33,000.00 – after about 8 months the fabric was falling apart and you could stick your finger through it.
Despite numerous battles they would not agree to the fabric being replaced and would not accept liability for the deterioration of the fabric as it had been coated. Although she had organised the coating they stated that they did this at their clients request (Q Hotels) and any change in fabric performance was nulled following this treatment. On visiting Q I noticed this fabric, we had developed a ‘similar’ design for Hilton executive rooms that was inherently flame retardant, Trudy purchased the replacement fabric from us and is now very happy with our high performance bed throws.
Merill Design, Sue Chalmers
I was presenting to a publican, fabrics for both curtains and upholstery. She was adamant that she would buy her own fabric locally and use a local maker. She would not listen to my recommendations & the requirements of the law. The pub caught fire and she was not covered by her insurance. To work with Panaz ensures the client has full coverage and confident of the quality and of course meets the standards set by law.
Jeremy Hindley – Business Development Manager South East/London
When David Hetherington decided to call time on his 15 year career as an Engineering Consultant in Dubai, his aims were to return to the UK and spend the summer of 2008 looking for his dream home in Constable Country. At that particular time he had no idea that the events in the following months would lead to a new and rewarding career as developer and owner of 34 –bed care home.
It was while he was back in England that his mother in law was admitted to a local hospital after a fall at her remote home in Northumberland. This was the Hetherington’s first encounter of services available for the elderly and whilst certain aspects were first class, the frequent long journeys began to take its toll on all members of the family.
During a house hunting expedition in Suffolk, they came across The Cedars, a Victorian building set in 1 acre of overgrown gardens. Over a lunch of freshly caught crab at the nearby Crown Hotel, their plans for a care home began to take shape. To acquire the property was relatively easy and with David’s background in civil engineering, the applications for planning permission duly granted. The business plan was to offer care on a relatively small scale, but to pay particular attention to the comfort of the residents.
David quickly identified 5 companies that mentioned flame retardancy on their web-sites and emailed them asking to send some basic information. Three responded within 5 days, one within 2 weeks and the last never bothered. Once the technical issues regarding flame retardancy and methods of cleaning had been addressed, the challenge was to provide combinations of flame retardant fabrics that suited the both residents’ needs, image that the client wanted to portray to the outside world and still fall within budget.
The Cedars has been open for 18 months and whilst the Heatheringtons have no intention of expanding there care home business at the moment they are happy to recommend Panaz flame retardant fabrics as he now recognizes the level of commitment Panaz has to providing attractive fabrics that have the highest technical ratings, yet still manage to look attractive and elegant.
Clive Haddcock – Business Development Manager – East/South East
Having worked in the domestic market for a short while and experienced my previous employer supplying unsuitable fabrics for a Queens House Moat project in 1991. I have at first hand seen the disastrous outcome of curtain material supposedly treated to BS 5867 Type Part B. (2500 metes of fabric changed colour from Green to Pink)
It is therefore imperative that any fabric company trying to compete in this market “get their act right” as far as FR is concerned. Every client I visit is briefed that Panaz only supply commercial FR quality fabrics that meet UK regulations and beyond.
