US imports of cotton bed sheets, cotton bedspreads and quilts, cotton terry towels and other pile towels, and man-made fibre floor coverings increased in value and volume in 2013. Baring Asia has acquired a substantial stake in Cath Kidston while the Chinese conglomerate Sanpower has acquired an 89% stake in House of Fraser, and the Indian company Alok International has taken full control of Next Creations Holdings. The Dixie Group has acquired Atlas Carpet Mills, Crypton has acquired Nano-Tex, and Tempur Sealy International has acquired the rights to the Sealy brand in continental Europe and will acquire the rights to the Sealy brand in Japan. Annie Selke Companies has collaborated with Bunny Williams to develop new home textiles collections, and Belk has launched the first Cynthia Rowley home collection. Downlite and Pendleton Woolen Mills have entered into a licensing agreement relating to the development of a new collection of bedding products, Jennifer Adams has entered into a licensing agreement with Jaipur relating to a new range of home textile products, and Knockout Licensing has entered into three licensing agreements relating to Downton Abbey branded home decor collections. Laura Ashley Inc has entered into a licensing agreement with Morgan Home relating to the development of a range of kitchen and beach products, and London Luxury has entered into a licensing agreement with Conde Nast relating to the production of home textile products. Meanwhile, Crailar Technologies has entered into an agreement with Ikea relating to the supply of its Crailar flax fibre, and Springs Global has entered into a licensing agreement with Celessence Technologies relating to the use of its Celessence microencapsulation technology. Ulster Carpets will invest ￡30 mn (US$50 mn) in modernising and expanding production facilities in Northern Ireland and Brintons will expand two of its manufacturing facilities in the UK. 1888 Mills has purchased a towel manufacturing facility in the USA while Victoria has sold its carpet manufacturing facility to Monopro under a sale-leaseback agreement. Blu Sleep Products will open its first distribution centre, warehouse and assembly plant in the USA, and two businessmen have established a new upholstery manufacturing business in the USA called Behold Home. Ikea will open its largest store in the USA in August 2016, and Marimekko will open eight stores in the Middle East by 2019.
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