April 16th, 2013 by TRT Blog

One of our favorite things to do as part of The Refinishing Touch team – next to providing our clients with award-winning furniture asset management, of course – is keeping our customers, partners, and supporters informed of news and views.  This includes on-site updates from our customers, opinions from the team here at The Refinishing Touch alongside highlights of hospitality, government and education news relating to  sustainability, cost management and refinishing trends.

As well as attending a range of industry events, frequently updating our blog, and meeting customers in person we get to do this via our quarterly InTouch Newsletter.

For those of you who are already subscribed, expect to see the latest edition of InTouch, highlighting Q1 2013, in your inboxes today! We’ve started 2013 with a bang and are so excited to share our news with you.

Here’s just some of what you can expect from today’s issue:

- Government: In a recent article for Defense Communities our founder and president, Mario Insenga, takes a deeper look at how the government is implementing furniture re-upholstery to optimize budgets and meet federal regulations

- Higher education: In a recent poll on our blog, we asked readers to answer the question: ‘What cost-saving higher-education initiative do you find most effective?’ The answer is waiting for you in ‘On The Record: TRT asks its readers’

- Hospitality: We take you on a tour of our recently completed project at the Best Western Fort Walton Beach Hotel which resulted in zero landfill waste

- Company updates: We recently received ISO 9001:2008 certification. This means a great deal to us –  and to our customers and partners.  We tell you why, and also update you on which trade shows you’ll  find us at this season

To sign up for your quarterly copy of InTouch, please subscribe here.   

You can always read past issues of our newsletter in our website archive , and remember you can always learn more about The Refinishing Touch and our services at  our website or please get in touch via info@therefinishingtouch.com.    

We look forward to staying InTouch!

company updates, Defense Communities, Government, higher education, hospitality, InTouch newsletter, The Refinishing Touch

April 5th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Along with providing high-quality furniture asset management services to our clients in the US and Canada, The Refinishing Touch also tries to spare some time to attend tradeshows, giving us the opportunity to hear more of the research, innovations and trends in our key industries.

Over the past quarter, we’ve packed our bags not once, but twice, to attend two conferences in the sunny state of California. To start off the New Year, we made our way to the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles, California. From January 22^nd until the 24^th, we attended the leading hotel investment conference in the world, accompanied by over 2,400 top industry leaders. Through networking, seminars and panel discussions, we walked away from the event with in-depth knowledge of the hospitality sector, which we have served for over 35 years.

Nearly one month later, we found ourselves at yet another tradeshow – this time at the Buyer Interactive Trade Alliance & Conference (BITAC) Purchasing & Design West, in Dana Point, California. Each and every year, as blogged about in the past, we make it a priority to attend this conference, as it provides us with a great venue to meet with past customers and future prospects. From March 10^th through the 12^th, our team experienced a warming reception, relationship-building dining, interactive educational sessions, one-on-one meetings, and evening entertainment. We had a wonderful time getting to meet industry professionals, and informing them of our award-winning furniture refinishing, re-upholstery and remanufacturing services – we already can’t wait for the next BITAC event!

While the first quarter of the fiscal year 2013 was certainly busy, filled with renovation projects and tradeshows, it was also very rewarding. By attending these conferences, we connected with potential clients, learned more about how our existing clients operate and were able to help spread the message about the work we do.

Were you at the BITAC or ALIS events with us this season? We’d love to hear more about your own experiences, and connect with you! Please email us or tweet us your feedback: @RefinishTouch.

To find out which events we will be traveling to next, be sure to subscribe to our InTouch quarterly newsletter by visiting our past archives here. The next edition will be hitting email inboxes on Tuesday, April 16^th – you don’t want to miss it!

March 22nd, 2013 by TRT Blog

Spring is here, and with the warmer weather comes the 8^th edition of our quarterly newsletter, InTouch. The next version of The Refinishing Touch’s newsletter will cover an eventful first quarter in 2013, filled with industry news, project overviews and internal milestones.

While the suspense mounts throughout the next few weeks, we’ll leave you with a few hints as to what to expect when the new InTouch hits email inboxes on Tuesday, April 16^th:

- Learn how The Refinishing Touch executed a furniture restoration project that resulted in zero landfill waste

- Get a closer look into the Canadian hospitality market, including trends, challenges and expert analysis

- Read more about our newly acquired ISO certification, and what the recognition truly means to the team

For these topics, and much more, you’ll want to join the InTouch mailing list. To do so, please visit our news page on our site, and submit your contact information in the upper right-hand subscription box.

While on the page, why not visit our newsletter archives, where you can read up on past editions of The Refinishing Touch’s newsletter and learn more about our award-winning, on-site furniture asset management services in the hospitality, government and higher education housing industries.

And, as always, we look forward to staying InTouch with you! Please feel free to send all comments, questions and future content suggestions to marketing@therefinishingtouch.com or tweet us @RefinishTouch.

cost efficiency, furniture asset management, Government, higher education, hospitality, InTouch newsletter, refinishing, remanufacturing, renovations, reupholstery, Sustainability, The Refinishing Touch

January 22nd, 2013 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, not only do we pride ourselves on our award-winning furniture asset management services implemented by hotels, college campuses and government agencies around the country, but we also place great importance on keeping our clients, suppliers, employees and supporters informed of our latest happenings.

One of the best ways to stay up-to-date on all of The Refinishing Touch’s corporate news is by subscribing to the InTouch quarterly newsletter or by reading our past issues, updated on our website here.

For all of our subscribers, the latest edition of InTouch for Q4 2012, lands in email inboxes today! As outlined in the latest newsletter, The Refinishing Touch looks forward to 2013 and reviews our company’s successes of 2012. Here’s just some of what you can expect to find in this issue:

- Government: In a recent blog poll, we asked our readers to choose the most effective cost-saving initiative implemented by the government. Find out what the survey revealed – the answer may surprise you!

- Higher education: Read up on how college management teams are alleviating pressures from tight budgets while simultaneously going green

- Hospitality: Our production team takes a closer look at the recent Hampton Inn Batesville project, and breaks down the estimated 92.5 percent in budget savings

- Company updates: See what 2013 has to offer for The Refinishing Touch, including an expansion to our Touch Textiles re-upholstery line

To sign up for your copy of InTouch, please subscribe here. And if you missed the newest edition of InTouch, visit our website archives in the coming days, when we will post the issue for all of our supporters to read. Finally, to learn more about The Refinishing Touch and our services, visit our website or send us an email at info@therefinishingtouch.com.

As always, we look forward to staying InTouch!

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October 30th, 2012 by TRT Blog

It’s that time again! As October comes to a close, The Refinishing Touch team is hard at work putting its final touches on the latest edition of our free quarterly newsletter, InTouch. We’ll take a moment to look back on a thrilling and eventful third quarter – filled with tradeshows, Sustainability Award winners, various on-site projects and more!

In the sixth issue of InTouch, you’ll get to see behind-the-scenes pictures from our two-phase re-upholstery project at the Marriott Charlotte City Center, in preparation for the Democratic National Convention.  We’ll then visit the hospitality sector with a recap of our coverage in Lodging Magazine, and unveil our blog readers’ thoughts on PIPs from one of our recent polls.

All of this and much more, when InTouch arrives on Thursday, November 1^st!  Become a subscriber before then: visit our page here, and submit your contact details in the proper form on the right-hand panel.

If you just can’t wait until Thursday, then be sure to visit our newsletter archive. Read past editions of InTouch and gain insight into our on-site, environmentally-safe and sustainable furniture asset management services in the hospitality, higher education and government industries.

Until then, please stay InTouch! Send us an e-mail with what you want to see in future editions of our newsletter: marketing@therefinishingtouch.com.

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October 23rd, 2012 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, every project we complete is important, but not all are of the same breadth and scope. While some projects take months to complete and encompass entire hotels, others focus on revitalizing everyday furniture pieces that, without refinishing and remanufacturing, would otherwise end up in landfills.

One such project was at the Sofitel Philadelphia – a four-star hotel in the middle of the historic city. The Refinishing Touch teams were brought in to refinish and re-upholster 42 of the hotel’s restaurant chairs and 34 of the restaurant tables, some of the most used furniture assets in the entire establishment. By refinishing and reupholstering existing furniture instead of buying new, the Sofitel Philadelphia saved approximately 80 percent on their originally projected budget and around 90 percent in carbon emissions.

The Sofitel Philadelphia is a luxury hotel in the downtown, French Quarter of Philadelphia, and is managed by the French hotel group, Accor. Accor has influence in over 90 countries and owns or operates over 4,400 hotels around the world. Sofitel is Accor’s top luxury brand and its Philadelphia site is described as a mix of French and American style, and regarded for its upscale accommodations, dining and overall environment. The Sofitel Philadelphia’s location is convenient for travelers, whether visiting for business or leisure, for its close proximity to the city’s primary convention center and most visited historical sites. To learn more about the Sofitel Philadelphia or to book a trip, visit their website here.

To learn more about The Refinishing Touch’s furniture asset management services, including refinishing, re-upholstery, remanufacturing, and armoire modification, visit our homepage or sign up for our insightful quarterly newsletter, InTouch. For a free quote or to inquire about starting a project at your organization, send us an email: sales@therefinishingtouch.com.

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October 19th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Over the past week, The Refinishing Touch has been tipping its hats to several businesses in the hospitality industry that have been demonstrating a commitment to environmental preservation. Not only have we extended praise through our blog series, but we’ve also recently rewarded 29 hospitality companies with the latest installment of our quarterly Sustainability Awards.

The latest chain to set a great example for the industry is none other than the Marriott International, a hospitality giant with $12 billion in revenue across hospitality locations in 74 countries. The Marriot has announced that 75 percent of its furniture, fixtures and equipment budget for fiscal year 2013 will be dedicated to employing the services of suppliers who are part of the MindClick Hospitality Sustainability Performance Index.

The MindClick Index analyzes suppliers in terms of corporate social responsibility, product sustainability efforts and environmentally-friendly operations. Marriott has announced that the index will be an important factor in choosing its future suppliers, in an increased effort to go green.

Recent studies conducted by MindClick have revealed that sustainable initiatives are not only important, but are becoming crucial in retaining customers. For example, two out of three Expedia consumers believe hotels need to be environmentally-conscious and proactive about sustainability efforts in an order to protect communities and the earth.

As a supplier of on-site, environmentally-safe and sustainable furniture asset management services such as refinishing and reupholstering, we’ve worked in various Marriott hotels all over the nation, and our services have even trickled into Marriott’s subdivisions – the Residence Inn and the Renaissance Hotels and Resorts.

For more information on our production team’s latest renovations projects in the hospitality, government and higher education industries, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter, InTouch.

Are you unfamiliar with our newsletter? Then browse our updated archives here, and read some of the previous issues. As always, we encourage you to stay ‘in touch’ – tweet us your thoughts on sustainability in the hospitality industry today!

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October 16th, 2012 by TRT Blog

In last week’s blog post, The Refinishing Touch team discussed the importance of environmental preservation, especially in the revitalized, booming hospitality industry. A great example of green leadership and implementation of sustainable practices were found at Marriott’s new TownePlace Suites located in Denver Airport at Gateway Park – and now another eco-friendly competitor has made its own mark.

Congratulations are in order to the Wyndham Worldwide, as the hospitality company recently revealed its 2011 Sustainability Report and it saw a five percent reduction in its carbon footprint since last year.

This is a big step in the right direction toward Wyndham’s corporate goal – achieving a 12 percent total carbon footprint reduction by the year 2016. A large part of the program’s success is due to the 2010 implementation of the Wyndham Green Toolbox, a cutting-edge software program that allows all of Wyndham’s worldwide businesses to centralize and report sustainability tracking and measuring.

The Refinishing Touch’s award-winning furniture asset management services – which include refinishing using low VOC lacquers and reupholstering with top of the line Touch Textiles fabric – have also been implemented at various Wyndham Worldwide locations. Our on-site production team has completed renovation projects at the Wyndham in Baltimore, MD; Harrisburg, PA; and Morrisville, NC.

Through the use of its Green Toolbox, our furniture asset management services and other eco-friendly strategies, the Wyndham brand is ranked as one of the top 100 greenest companies in the US by Newsweek – coming in at number one among hospitality and restaurant companies.

For the latest green happenings in the hospitality, government and higher education industries, be sure to sign up for our quarterly newsletter, InTouch. You can do so by visiting our homepage, and entering your contact information in the right-hand panel.

Along with the latest in sustainability news, we’ll also uncover the most popular answers to our weekly blog polls and fill you in on some of the team’s most recent renovation projects. You don’t want to miss the next issue of InTouch when it arrives at the beginning of November!

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October 12th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, our production team has implemented our award-winning furniture asset management services in the hospitality industry all across the globe. Our sustainable renovation work – which includes on-site refinishing, reupholstering and remanufacturing – has been utilized by the Marriott Charlotte City Center, the PGA National Resort & Spa, the DoubleTree Hilton in Anaheim and many others.

Environmental consciousness remains a key component to our business, as well as the various hoteliers we work with. To commemorate such sustainable efforts, The Refinishing Touch will be running a three part blog series over the next two weeks, each spotlighting a different hotel brand that is currently making moves to become a greener establishment.

Just recently, the new TownePlace Suites located in Denver Airport at Gateway Park opened with a  silver LEED ranking, proving that the Marriott brand’s commitment to ‘going green’ has become a core component of the corporate mission. The LEED-certified building is making history, becoming the first of the TownePlace Suites ever to be built with such a ranking.

Marriott executives have decided to pursue a LEED-certified line of locations because of consumer reports indicating hotel sustainability, along with environmental responsibility, is an important factor to guests when deciding which hotel to book. Other Marriott brands in the LEED program include the Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites.

In addition, the LEED building will generate a long-term cost reduction for Marriott, adding a bonus to its bottom line – much like our furniture asset management services, which save our clients up to 80 percent in budget costs when compared to buying new.

For the latest updates on The Refinishing Touch’s work in the hospitality, government and higher education industries, be sure to sign up for our free quarterly newsletter, InTouch. You can do so by visiting our homepage, and entering contact details in the right-hand panel.

For more information on the TownePlace Suites at Gateway Park, read the full story here.

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October 5th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Earlier this week, Americans were glued to their television sets watching President Obama and his competitor, presidential candidate Mitt Romney, square off in the first series of this season’s presidential debate. Here at The Refinishing Touch, we kept our eyes peeled and ears open for any discussion of the environment and sustainability, two factors we keep at the forefront of our award-winning business.

The Refinishing Touch works closely with the government sector, implementing our furniture asset management services, such as refinishing, reupholstering and remanufacturing, at various local and state governments, as well as numerous federal agencies. Our team has completed on-site, environmentally-safe, sustainable projects at The White House, the General Services Administration, the US Superior Court and Army, Air Force, Marine and Navy barracks, among many others.

We also enjoy hearing the people’s opinions when it comes to government and environmental preservation, a topic we ask about frequently in our weekly blog polls. In August, we asked our readers what they thought the government sector is more driven by – environmental causes or cost reduction.

The results came pouring in, and the answers were synonymous. A surprising 100 percent of respondents agreed that the government administration and its efforts held a stronger focus on cost and budget management rather than sustainability. A sentiment The Refinishing Touch is working hard to shift to represent a more balanced outlook.

While this was only a reflection of our readers’ thoughts, it looks as if we will have to stay tuned to the remaining presidential debates and discussions to hear more about environmentally-conscious goals. To share your own thoughts with The Refinishing Touch team, be sure to participate in our blog polls every week.

For more results from some of our past survey questions, sign up for our free quarterly newsletter, InTouch – which is bound to be chalk full of the latest sustainability news in the government, hospitality and higher education sectors. To do so, please visit our homepage, and enter your contact details in the bottom right-hand corner.

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