CUTTING EDGE BRINGS BACK THE STIFFEL BRAND
On February 5, Steven Filler, president of Cutting Edge Industries in New Jersey, and executives at Spectrum Brands (formerly known as Salton, Inc.) inked an agreement to sell the Stiffel® brand to Cutting Edge for an undisclosed sum.
Filler has long been an admirer of Stiffel and had closely followed the sale of the company to Salton and even attended the auction years ago in the hopes of obtaining some original molds (which were ultimately acquired by Salton).
“Stiffel lamps were zinc casting and that’s exactly what we do. Our intent is to revive the brand,” Filler explains. A search for the original molds, which were sent to a Chinese factory when Salton moved production of the Stiffel line overseas, has turned up empty, but Filler is optimistic. He also has at his domestic factory’s disposal some 10,000 to 12,000 molds of classic lamp designs plus operates his own domestic shade shop through the Lite Tops division.
“The timing was right,” says Filler about the purchase, which involved roughly three to four months of negotiation. “American-made products are coming back.” Domestic manufacturer Cutting Edge Industries is uniquely qualified to handle high-quality production of the venerable brand.
The new Stiffel line will be targeted toward lighting showrooms and high-end shops as opposed to the |
mass merchants that had ended up distributing the brand through its last days at retail. “The lamps will have solid brass sockets and feature high-quality plating,” Filler explains. The initial product launch will be inspired by Stiffel designs of the past. “Wherever we can re-introduce original designs, we will,” Filler notes, adding, “We’re also going to roll with the times and offer some more contemporary styles.”
The price range for the lamps is expected to be in the $100-$125 wholesale range. The new Stiffel line will not be available in time for the spring High Point Market, however, production plans are well underway. The line will be manufactured entirely at the Cutting Edge factory in Linden, New Jersey. |
