More than 40 years ago, Avis Bederian launched Beka Casting, specializing in cast aluminum outdoor furniture. However, over the past few years, the Canadian company had focused mostly on retailers in their home country rather than the American market.
But this year, Beka is making moves to relaunch to dealers in the U.S. with new sales reps, a new director of sales, and incentives to order now for the 2022 season.
“Our brand has been around for so long, most of the dealers know us,” says Steve Dekermenjian, director of sales, Beka Casting. “It’s a matter of seeing us again and seeing what we’re doing now.”
Dekermenjian, who worked with the company 20 years ago, says Beka Casting has tightened its collection offerings, focusing on the lines that sell best.
“When I came in, I could count 30 different collections,” he explains. “I started running the numbers, and it’s the old 80-20 equation—you take your top 20%, and that will give you 80% of your sales. So why are we doing so many choices? It just clogs up production and slows everything down.”
And with the unprecedented delays on product due to COVID shutdowns, supply chain disruptions, and logistical issues, speed of delivery has become more important than ever. Dekermenjian said Beka is able to deliver product with around three-month lead times—an almost unheard of timeframe in today’s marketplace. While shipping issues can sometimes cause delays, Dekermenjian says the company’s factory in China has maintained significant production.
“We actually have part ownership in our factory in China,” he says. “And we went out and showed them how to bring the quality up to North American standards. Because of that partnership, they guarantee us a certain amount of production a month.”
While Beka has long been known for more traditional cast aluminum styles, Dekermenjian explains that as part of the relaunch, the company is diversifying its offerings, with new materials and more modern designs and silhouettes. The new Myla collection, for instance, has a sleeker style with clean-lined slats.
“For us to start venturing out into new products was something we needed to get into to show more diversity,” he says. “We’re trying to bring it into a more modern, contemporary look.”
Beka Casting will bring the Myla, as well as other collections, to Casual Market Chicago in September. And while many in the industry know the company, Dekermenjian says he hopes dealers will take a look at the new Beka Casting.
“We’re still family-owned and family-run, but we’re moving into the future with a more modern look,” he says.
