HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-04-19, Page 5limes -Advocate, April 19, 1989
Consumers- warming up to outdoor furniture
By Adrian Harte
GRAND BEND Doug Court-
ney manages his company from a
small office beside his showroom.
The office is decorated with bright -
.1y -coloured lawn furniture. It
doesn't look out of place because
this is Casual Industries, and lawn
furniture is the name of the game.
While Courtney's business im-
ports and distributes a variety of
products associated with outdoor
living, it is the selection of tubular
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) outdoor
furniture it designs, builds and mar-
kets all over Ontario that gives the
company its reputation.
Courtney explains that the mar-
ket for PVC furniture has blos-
somed in the past fcw years as con-
sumers are becoming more quality -
conscious whenshopping for their
patios, decks and back yards.
."Outdoor furniture has almost be-
come a fashion statement" said
Courtney. Colour co-ordination is
very important to his customers,
and Casual Industries stocks furni-
ture in' three basic colours with
nine fabrics to match.
Home owners are spending more
on their outdoor furniture than ever
before and Courtney says the need
for a long-lasting product has creat-
ed the niche Casual Industries occu-
pies with PVC.
"They're graduallybecoming
aware of it," said Courtney, adding
that in the past.decadc PVC furni-
ture has been available, its attrib-
utes have been slowly discovered
by consumers.
The tubing itself is not manufac-
tured in Canada, so Casual Indus-
tries imports it and fashions it into
distinctive styles by bending it and
adding injection -molded fittings.
"Every piece we make, we de-
sign," said Courtney, noting PVC
tubing's main advantage over its
aluminum or. csin counterparts is
its impact resistance, and its.resis-
tance to -the harmful effects of sun-
light or weather.
"'That's the real key to our prod-
uct - the durability factor," he said.
However, Courtney points. out
PVC is.more expensive than most
plastics used in furniture.
This year, Casual Industries has
begun production of its own um-
brellas,. employing the same vinyl-
coated polyester fabric used on the
scat cushions.
We come up with products that
are attractive and affordable from a
consumer . point of view," said
Courtney. "We have to be careful
as to what we make and what we
don't make."
Forty dealers market Casual In-
dustries products in Ontario and
Courtney is looking into new mar-
kets in other provinces. A sales
and distribution plant is located in
Brockville.
"We're just a small company with
fairly steady growth based on the
fact.that we have a quality product,"
he said.
Other products round Out the Cas-
ual Industries line-up. They are
now the Canadian distributor for a.
new line of outdoor lamps and, fur-
thermore, sell upwards of 12,000
candle ` lamps for patio umbrella
posts.
Artificial plants are also in abun-
dance at Casual Industries. The'
company has become major suppli-
ers to restaurants and businesses re-
quiring lifelike low -maintenance
greenery. Courtney notes the
plants are also popular with cottag-
erswho can't care for real foliage
between weekends.
The 16,000 square -foot Grand
Bend factory - which includes a
brand new 6,000 square -foot ware-
house - employs eight people on
regular hours and part-time students
in the summer. Courtney calls it
just a "family operation';, but is ev-
idently proud of how the enterprise
has grown in the past four years.
"We've got our product line to the
point where were very happy with
it," he said, explaining that the me-
,dium to high end of the outdoor fur-
niture market is where the company
belongs. .
Courtney doesn't expect the Free
Trade Agreement will have much of
an impact on the industry in'gener-
al, due
ener-al,'due largely to the 10 -year phase-
out of tarrifs. He says it amounts
to about one percent per year.
"It doesn't even cover the'cost of
Page 5
inflation," he stated,.
Whatever direction the company ..
takes in the next few years, custom-
ers can expect it will be taken casu-
ally. •
Chair assembly - Jodi Kelterborn at Casual Industries installs the: fittings on chairs that will find Showroom - Doug Courtney checks over the outdoor furniture kept on display at Casual Industries
their way to Ontario patios this summer,..' for dealers and customers.
A lifetime devoted to the law and political pursuits
By Yvonne Reynolds .
EXETER - Elmer Bell 'set his
life's course 60 years ago.. He grad
uated from the University of To-
ronto in law and politics in 1929,
and those have been his major avo-
cations ever since.
Bell, who celebrated his eightieth
birthday on March 25, still practic-
es law, and his interest in the polit-
ical scene has never waned.
The oldest active lawyer in Hu
ron County ran look back with
. pride on many achievements and
honours. -He was appointed a
Queen's Counsel in 1947. He is
on the advisory committee of the
Huron PCs' 1989 executive,.
Political pursuits
While pursuing his interest in
politics, Bell moved up the execu-
tive ladder with the Ontario Pro-
gressive Association, joining as
secretary of the local association in
1934, and becoming president of
the Ontario Association in 1963.
He stepped down in 1971.
Bell has fond memories of those
golden years. Another Ixeter resi-
nt,. Charles Nati hton
provincial treasurer. rnrsterwas
agriculture Bill Stdwart was just
down the road in Middlesex Coun-
ty, and Premier Robarts lived in
London and holidayed in_ Grand
Bend.
In 1972, then Premier Bill Davis
asked Bell to chair the Ontario Po-
lice Commission. Davis told him
"You've been making balls for us
to throw. It's time to throw some
of your own." —
Acceptance meant a move t� To-
ronto. Bell liked the job, but after
almost eight years in one of Cana-
da's largest cities, hemoved back
•,.;,�,�.tafxeter.. He headed the Commis-
.. sion on t per diem basic fop anoth-
er two years anti) a replacement
was named.'
The early years
Exeter is Bell's home town by
adoption. He spent his boyhood
on a farm near the hamlet of Drew
in Minto township, Wellington
county. On graduating from Os-
•
goode Hall .Law School in 1932,
.he began scouting around for a
suitable location for a law practice,
"where there were no other lawyers
within miles". His first law office
was in Harriston. The next year,
he moved to Brussels, and --two
years later he opened a second of-
fice, in Seaforth.
Off to war
World War Two brought an
abrupt change of career. Bell joined
the Canadian ,army in June 1941.
He was given the rank of lieutenant
in the Royal Canadian Artillery be-
cause of his university years in the
Canadian Officers Training Corps,
and was soon promoted to major.
Bell was in the midst of the fight-
ing in France, Belgium, . Holland
and Germany, and took part in the
D•Day landings in 1944. He de-
scribes that time as the most vivid
of his life. The shared dangers and
the bonds of friendship forged in
those terrible yet exhilarating years
will never be forgotten.
Nor will some of the cases fie
handled. He remembers defending a
soldier who had been AWOL for
two months. The soldier confided
that he had " gotten a girl in the
family way" during his unauthor-
ized absence. Aftcr Bell got him
off on a technicality, the soldier
notified his lawyer that he might
need his services again; two more
girls were in the same ititeresting
condition.
A good offer
The offer of an appointment as
magistrate in Huron County was
delivered to Bell one cold, misera-
ble, rainy night by a dispatch rider
who managed to reach his contin-
gent supporting a British Guards
armoured brigade in a forest south
•of Willensberg in Germany.
'The Germans had blown the
dikes back a couple of miles. I was
sitting in a tank...it was wet every-
where. • This sounded like a nice dry
place. So I scribbled a note of ac-
ceptance to send back" Bell related.
Once back in Canada, the magis-
trate's job did not seem as attrac-
tive. Bell wanted to return to prac-
ticing law. The MPP of the day,
Hobbs Taylor, made a suggestion.
Jim Morley had a law office in Ex-
eter, but was not in good health.
Why didn't Bell buy him out, and
Morley could take the magisterial
appointment. Bell agreed, and was
soon in business on Main street. •
"I had always wantcd tocome to
Exeter.. I always liked the looks of
-it going through", Bell explained.
. _
rs.to himself as a jack of -
al l trades. 'Brough fic-hrefikirstiftlip,
police court duties sincc returning
from Toronto, he- still handles
Octogenarian - Exeter lawyer Elmer Bell takes time. out from a busy schedule to reminisce about
law and politics. He celebrated his eightieth birthday on March 29.
about two criminal cases a year, but.
only for old family clients. His
"bread and buttcr" is conveyances,
estate administration, commercial
work for corporations and compa-
nies, settlements arising from mo-
tor vehicle accidents, and division of
relations. One can no longer rely
on the old "shake of the hand".
The tendency now is to besoft on
criminals.
Many more disputes cnd up in
court.
Bell also believes thc public is
property in marital break-ups. less -well served now by thc law.
Bell retained ownership of the Noting that in the days. of Queen
building housing his office until his Elizabeth I all extant laws were con- •
Toronto appointment. On returning taincd in one three -inch -thick vol-
to Exeter in 1979, he made arrange- ume, he points to the current laws
ments with the new owners to of Ontario alone, taking up more
move back into his formcr quarters. than 30 inches of shelf space.
There he is to be found most days, "There's too much legislation.
unless he is in court or out working People depend on it to fix all their
on a case on behalf of a client, or problems, and sometimes the cure
fulfilling one of the many speaking creates other problems" Bell said.
engagements he still accepts, As life has become more compli-
Popular speaker cated, more lawyers have been need -
The Royal Canadian Legion has ed.
always been able to count on his "In Exeter, we got by with three
support; thc articulate formcr army for years, acid now I count a mini -
officer has been the featured speaker num of seven. Before the War,
at many military functions over the Ilu?on County had 14 lawyers, and
past four decades. ' now there arc 28", Bell added.
Throughout the years, Bell has Bell has a good relationship with
branched out tei speak to many other his colleagues.
.groups. His latest was a talk last "We get along well. I would trust
week to the residents .of Crai- lawyers when i wouldn't trust cli-
glwlme_ _ After sortie nostalgia - heel__ it's ver rare to have a lawyer
and the majority -of his audience—frig m�c e`7 rr usually rely on their
; ck4irnund - µ, rd" Sell said.
gave some pointers -on ;how to set raw nae rr .
up one's affairs when leaving this cd a"surprise eightieth birthday for
world to cause the least confusion Bell recently at Robindale's. There
for those left". was also a birthday cake for him af-
"I used to love to be out spout- ter the Assizes in Goderich a few
ing. As I get older, 1 am less im- weeks ago.
pressed with my own eloquence", A satisfying life
Bell said wryly. Bell considers himself "a satisfied
Preffis too modest. Others arc im- man". He has enjoyed good health
pressed with a mind that has re- and made good friends in a lifetime
tained its keen ledge through con- devoted to the two occupations he
scant honing. • relishes most. - •
That mind has had to be adapta- "I have been honoured morc than i .
.,ur..aas.....dcscrve. All i hope for the future is
changed more in the last 25 years that my mind -will -continue to func-
han -in the previous 100, and he tion. As soon as my memory goes,
>►
dt . --, CilL,bave to quit. However, I
Changes think I'm still re-asenr •�i 't -r
in his opinion, the general public Bell. ••
recognized their civic obligations in Judging by the evidence - and Bell
the past. The emphasis' now is on himself is Exhibit A - the Exeter
civil rights. lawyer will be happily occupied for .
Trust has gone out of most inter- awhile yet.
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