The ability to create high quality, bespoke furniture has seen Gasser Chairs establish themselves in the USA. They are now looking to make the most of positive market conditions and continue their worldwide expansion.
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ospitality considerations are more important than ever for casino operators and Gasser Chairs has been a giant in the sector for more than 60 years. Who better to speak to then, than the company’s European market specialist, Hugo Van Der Hoek.
Gasser Chairs has always prided itself on producing seating to the highest of qualities, pitching their products firmly at the luxury end of the hospitality spectrum. As a result growth for the company is heavily linked to market conditions, something that Van Der Hoek made no secret of.
“The product is well known and well received, orders have been a bit slow due to the recession but what we are finding now is that our existing client base is now looking at upgrading and selecting a real, quality product.”
The company has always found success in the USA through supplying a breadth of products. These have ranged from casino-floor products to quality stack chairs, mainly aimed at the five-star hotel market, including The Four Seasons and other such iconic names. However, growth in Europe has been more challenging due to regional differences in taste.
We don’t hold stock, we build to order and if we need to tweak or modify slightly, it is not a problem.
“The products in certain areas, especially in the UK with its high-value areas for gaming, require different things. There a lot of traditional builds that contain a lot of wood furniture, and don’t require our contemporary look. So we look in different areas, such as the bar areas which again is more hospitality…The beauty of the Gasser product is that is all bespoke. We don’t hold stock, we build to order and if we need to tweak or modify slightly, it is not a problem.”
Van Der Hoek is confident growth for the company rests in increasing visibility and sales, not in product development. To this end he noted that trade shows are absolutely vital.
“Exhibiting furniture is the key, the one we have attended the most in Europe is ICE in London. It is probably the most important exhibition we attend. It is a great platform to promote new products.”
The ability for customers to interact with a tangible product is the best opportunity for people to experience the quality associated with the brand, something Van Der Hoek noted:
“I have seen them in hotels for 15-16 years. Durability is a key, so it pays to purchase quality in the first place. It is an investment in hotel, initial outlay may be high but they will recoup this.”
