Longo has been restoring old auditorium and theater seating for over 40 years. This presentation details the process of restoring the chairs and what chair types are good candidates for restoration.
Good afternoon Welcome to: The Restoration Presentation I am going to discuss Restoration, and its part of “The Irwin Difference”. Restoration is another option, that we can use to leverage our position in the market place. We can create a need for restoration! Can we create a need for a new chair? New chairs fill needs. We can use restoration to create a need.
Presentation Overview * What is the market potential? * Why restore, for you the distributor and for the customer? * The power of a sample * Restoration process * Questions and answers
* Restoration is part of our business where we can use to create a need. * Can we create a need for a new chair? * New chairs fill needs. We can create a need with restoration. * Any existing auditorium with seating could be a candidate for restoration. Set up the appointment, free analysis on your existing seating. If chairs are not restorable you have presented yourself as the seating expert and have your foot in the door for a new chair sale.
* Few real competitors if you set the standard of quality- * We strip the chairs to bare metal and wood. * We refinish using latest technology. * WE reupholster using new molded and cut foam and new fabric. * Only a couple of competitors factory refinish. Assigned/Amseco on West Coast Cy Young in IAAM market Pockets of American Premier - Now Track Seating! * Most competition is Mom & Pop. * ON site painting * reupholster over existing * Use inferior foam. * Set the standard for restoration this means creating a specification to ensure the customer is comparing “Apples to Apples”…keeping in mind WE ARE NOT A BODY SHOP! We can’t remove every ding and dent.
Benefits to the Customer. * Cost Savings - depending on original manufacturer and model the restoration can be less expensive than new. Other possible savings, * Having to update to current building codes. ADA, wheelchair lifts, egress space calculations can sometimes be grandfathered. * Cost savings of having to dispose of old seating. * Updating aisle lights. * Allows the original aesthetics of the space to remain in the restoration project. * Has the appeal of recycling or being green with the existing chairs. * Can reaffirm original purchase of the seating. Have you ever told your customers that the chairs you are selling will last the life of the building?
Families of Chairs: * Plywood chairs of yesteryear…excellent opportunity…little competition when we start talking about replacing plywood backs and seats. Some of our options are: * Full finish - no foam or fabric on the chairs. Big in the educational market of yesteryear. * Reveal - an inner back that gets foam and fabric applied to a finished outer back. Generally done for comfort and aesthetics. * Fully upholstered or “shopping bag” * Historic buildings and theatres. Especially 1920s & 30s movie palaces * Ornate ends - we could have tooling to remanufacture or replace missing ends. * Generally chairs had thicker wood backs and plush fabric that the pile has been worn off over the years of use. We generally pitch the old seats and backs and replace with new backs and seats in existing standards (when it makes sense). * Basic Auditorium Chairs. * These are the more modern steel back chairs * with steel seat pans. Most of these can be restored but keep in mind some models cannot.
Another good reason to have a sample done is that... * It is the best selling tool! Statistically 85% of the restoration prospects that are sampled turn into orders. 8 out of 10 is a pretty good hit ratio! Anyone have a story they could share about when they are returning and presenting the restored sample chair to the customer? Often times the toughest sell of a restoration process is convincing the customer the restored sample is their chair! “That’s not one of my chairs…where did you get that new chair?... You know the order is yours when this happens!
* Allows the distributor to establish a relationship, present themselves as the seating expert, and sell the Irwin Difference. * The returned sample validates the specification for standard of quality. Shows the customer the potential of their old chairs - again creates a need! Our biggest competition is local “mom & pop” outfits. These tend to paint in place and reupholster using existing foam or inferior foam. They can’t compete on quality, but will kill you on price. Your customer needs to understand the difference.
* Why do a sample? * We can create a need Vs. filling a need. We can call on an auditorium with the ability to remove an exiting chair, restore the chair with new powdercoat paint, foam and fabric, return and present the chair to the customer. We just created a need for restoring the scratched, degraded, worn out existing chairs.
Why does Irwin want to do a sample? * Allows us to clearly understand the requirements of the project. Are the springs worn, can we self rise the seat, additional labor costs in restoring the backs etc…The sample gives us the ability to price the restoration accurately.
Additional information needed before Irwin can proceed with a sample, pricing, or specification is a properly filled out … * Site survey, Sample, price request form. This form is as important to you as it is to us. The form allows us to gain insight into the scope of work. The form also steps you the distributor through significant information that needs to be gathered. Arms you with appropriate questions to be asked and or answered by the customer. Again allowing you to present yourself as the expert! WE NEED EVERY PIECE OF INFORMATION ON THIS FORM TO PROCESS A JOB. IF INFORMATION IS INCOMPLETE, YOUR PRICING COULD BE WRONG. ITS EASIER TO COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION UP FRONT THAN CONTINUING TO GO BACK TO YOUR CUSTOMER FOR DETAILS.
Other additional information needed.. * Digital photos - this technology is a lifesaver for time and effort. A picture of the end standard, the pivot area, front of the chair and rear of the chair. 4 pictures emailed to us, and we can help you with restorability questions, original manufacturer, part availability and so on. Photos of the space tell the logistic story, and can give an overall state of affairs of the condition of the seating. Be sure to take pictures of any strange details…like roped or taped off chairs. Seats not self rising, missing product, the storage room where attic stock is located, things like that. The photos can be scrutinized at a later date to answer any questions that might come up. And can also be referred to if the is some question as to the original condition of the seating, a good record! IN SHORT, THEY HELP US ACT AS AN EXTRA SET OF EYES AND MIGHT SAVE YOU A TRIP BACK TO THE JOB SITE! Also, we are available to help you survey restoration sites - line up some prospects, invite your DSM to join and we might even include a restoration project administrator in on the survey.
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Additional information needed before Irwin can proceed with a sample, pricing, or specification is a properly filled out … * Site survey, Sample, price request form. This form is as important to you as it is to us. The form allows us to gain insight into the scope of work. The form also steps you the distributor through significant information that needs to be gathered. Arms you with appropriate questions to be asked and or answered by the customer. Again allowing you to present yourself as the expert! WE NEED EVERY PIECE OF INFORMATION ON THIS FORM TO PROCESS A JOB. IF INFORMATION IS INCOMPLETE, YOUR PRICING COULD BE WRONG. ITS EASIER TO COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION UP FRONT THAN CONTINUING TO GO BACK TO YOUR CUSTOMER FOR DETAILS.
Restoration process… This process and the upcoming slides will be incorporated into a sales PowerPoint package that will be available to you the distributor in the near future. We will step through the process starting with… *Removal *shipment to the factory. * Disassembly process *Stripping * Refinishing * Assembly * Shipment to the job site * Installation
Before pictures of the site of a vintage plywood chair manufactured in the 30’s. Obviously no self risers, duct tape tells me there are hardware issues! Before the installer begins to remove the chairs, either they or some one from the factory size and count all product that provides us with the detail we need to manufacture and reconcile counts to.
Removal photos…our factory trained installers remove the backs then the seats and finally the standards from the floor. Stage the product before loading the truck. Photo show backs removed and staged in the aisles and some staged standards before heading to the truck.
A loaded trailer that you can see the seats on top of standards in the nose and backs nested in the rear. Close the doors and ship it to Grand Rapids Michigan if the product is a plastic or steel back. Toronto, Canada for wood backed seating.
Dis- assembly…By hand we unload the truck and take apart the seats and backs. Tearing off old foam and fabric. Another operation that occurs in disassembly is the sizing and counting of parts as they come off the truck to reconcile with the installers take off numbers.
Picture of a torn down wood inner back next to one that has not had the staples removed nor fabric or foam taken off.
Beginning of the powdercoating process where you can see stripped metal parts being hung on the line. Stripping of metal differentiates us from our competitors
Photo shows seat pans going into the 5 stage washer. The 5 stages are an alkaline wash rinse phosphate etch rinse Final stage is a non chrome seal. This washer just cleans and preps the steel for the paint. Important step for good adhesion of powdercoat paint.
Parts are then dried in a dry-off oven. To get rid of any water remaining from the wash stage.
Powder is applied through a gun that charges the powder with a positive charge that is attracted to the part which has a negative charge due to the fact it is grounded to the line. The static charge holds the appropriate thickness of powder to the part to the next stage...
An oven that runs at about 400 degrees to melt and cure the powder to the part. Some multi-racked pivots shown on the left, exiting the oven. Standards and a seat pan on the right.
Unload, after parts travel around a cooling loop, to the assembly cell where the seats and backs are assembled and boxed. Standards are also boxed at this stage.
A section of the assembly manufacturing cell, shows upholsterers securing foam and fabric to the seat topper to meet up with the pan and pivots to be assembled.
Some chair models get all new guts…this happens to be an American Seating Bodiform 16M chair. I am going to pass around a bag of these replaced parts. This bag can also be used as a great tool…our competitors do not replace these parts!
The final seat assembly in the cell…the topper meets the pan gets assembled and boxed.
Back upholstery cell…Inner back is shown being upholstered here. That will meet backs unloaded from the powder line for final assembly, boxed and sent to the truck.
Photos of completed product loaded on the truck.
Unloading the truck, staging product at the site.
Layout of standards and beginning install of backs.. Followed by the seats then the armrests. I’d recommend that you keep a book of your own projects - before and after sample chairs, before and after installation photographs.
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