Worth-Higgins & Associates (WHA print) is a US-based company headquartered in Richmond, VA.  WHA print, print large-scale formats to specifications. The prints we’re using in Fairview Park Marriot are iconic landmarks throughout Washinton D.C., the Washington Monument, Capitol, etc. For the JW Marriott  located in San Fransisco, we ordered prints of the Golden Gate bridge. WHA prints has all the rights to the print photographs, so their pricing includes the rights to the image as well.  

Image: facebook.com/worthprinting

WHA print prides themselves off being the “largest sheetfed commercial printer in Virginia”, but also on their excellent customer service, “creating opportunities and solutions for their customers” and environmental responsibility.

Working with WHA print is easy, and can be done in good conscious. WHA print gives back to their community by being exteremly environmentally conscious. They commit to environmental responsibility and sustainability through a variety of measures, including their G7 Master printer that cuts down on paper and ink waste.  WHA print also participate in Habitat for Humanity and North field Foundation.

Aspen Associates like to recognize companies that, like us, give back to their community. Currently we are running a Suit Drive  for people to donate old business clothes to dress the homeless and help them get a job.

WHA print is an excellent printing company,  based on principles of customer service, environmentally-friendly practices, and community service. 

No one argues the business-savvy behind Trump Organization, Donald Trump. The Trump empire is no small trump. Heck, the man has a whole show (The Apprentice) based around business success.

So what made Trump and his team invest an estimated $200 million in a new luxury hotel in Washington D.C.?

Image: http://thewashingtonlobbyist.com

1. Location

It’s the first rule of any real-estate investment: location, location, location. Hotels, as much as any other real-estate investment, must be in a profitable location to do well. Located on 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, the new Trump hotel is in the middle of capital traffic. It is just walking distance from government offices and popular tourist destinations.

2. Demand

There are so many reasons to come to the capital: business, government, tourism. In 2011, hotel occupancy in DC was an estimated 69% compared to a nationwide occupancy of only 61%. The demand for Washington DC hotels is higher than the rest of the US.

Also, travel rates in general are supposed to be following an upward trend. Trump is trying to capitalize on increased travel to the capital in coming years.

3. Society’s Elite

Despite the demand for luxury hotels, a new one hasn’t opened in DC in years. Who is staying in Washington DC? Business people and government officials, the upper/upper-middle class. Society’s elite want to stay in the latest and greatest hotels. This is what you get with the Trump name, an insinuation of luxury, class, money. Trump knows his market and knows the demand for luxury hotels in a big city like DC.

Image: www.bestourism.com

4. History & Height

The new hotel will require renovating the old post office building, which is already a tourist destination. Trump has promised to preserve the historical features of the building in renovation. The building itself generates hype because its 315-foot clock tower which is the second tallest building in Washington behind the Washington Monument.

The hotel is expected to have a spa, more than 250 rooms, restaurants, and conference facilities. The mass publicity Trump has already gotten from this real-estate investment is profound. We’ll have to see how the hotel fairs in 2016 when it is due to open. Knowing Trump, it’ll be a gold mine.

Would you stay in the new Trump Hotel in Washington DC?

As a purchasing company, Aspen Purchasing Associates works closely with a variety of FF&E vendors. Among all the vendors we work with there are a few that are really proficient at what they do and know customer service. This is the case with Christopher Guy.

Image: whatsonsanya.com

Christopher Guy is a British-born designer that began with designing mirrors, but quickly grew into much more. Now Christopher guy provides carpets, chairs, tables, upholstery, etc. for countless clients in the hospitality industry.

Christopher Guy is a client on our current Fairview Park Marriott renovation. Because Christopher Guy manufactures some of their items overseas, we ran into a problem with a couple pieces arriving in time for our installation date in early March. The items weren’t scheduled to arrive until a month later in early April! What seemed like an issue was quickly resolved by Christopher Guy’s excellent customer service. Christopher Guy paid for expedited air freight to get the products to our site in time for our impending installation date.

Another example of Christopher guy’s customer service occurred over the Christmas holiday with another project of ours, the JW Marriott. A mirror became missing the day of installation from our warehouse storage. After being informed of the incident, a very generous Christopher Guy scoured the country for another mirror like the one missing to prevent having the re-order the product (which would cost a lot more and take a lot more time to receive). One was found in the country and promptly shipped to the JW Marriott site. It arrived on time for the final walk-through.

These are just a couple examples of Christopher Guy and their upstanding service. When a company so aptly demonstrates customer service, Aspen Purchasing likes to call attention to them. They really make it easy for everyone with their excellent management and communication. So bravo Christopher Guy! Keep up the good work and we’ll continue to give you business!

There are many reasons for the hospitality industry to choose purchasing companies, like Aspen Purchasing, that buy their products in the United States instead of China. But what are the benefits to buying FF&E in the US instead of China?

The general goals of hotel renovations are to deliver a finished product, as specified by the owner, on-time and on-budget. In the past Chinese products were cheaper and faster to deliver to the United States. This is no longer the case.

Image: Swifteconomics.com

Lead times on products purchased in the United States are significantly less, compared with lead times from China. Aspen Purchasing Associates recently came into problems with a vendor ordering glass from overseas and delaying the project. All renovations are time sensitive, especially recently as the economy is slowly moving out of its slump .

The extra time to get the product isn’t the only concern, however. With lag time comes quality control issues. If it takes longer to get a product, there’s more exchanging of hands and more time for the product to get damaged along the way.  If problems do happen the response time is inevitably longer because it takes so much longer to get the product in the first place.

Products from China aren’t necessarily cheaper either. China holds down the value of their yuan so their products appear cheaper to the US. But the cost of goods is a small fraction of any project. According to Alan Benjamin, president and founder of Benjamin West, in his article Bloom, Gloom, Recovery: Current Trends in FF&E he states “On average FF&E product is about 35 percent of a renovation, the majority of cost being made up of labor, freight, tax, fees, demolition, installation, etc.” Greg Sleter of Hotel Business Design affirms, “Combining shipping costs and other factors, there is far less difference in overall price between the US and China today than in past years”

Don’t be persuaded by a low upfront cost presented by China, US manufactured products are better for the overall financial health of a FF&E project.

Many of us have felt the belt-tightening effects of the recession, but after reading the article Economic factors will affect hotel investment I’m left with a smile on my face. The future looks hopeful, no economists predict a recession in 2012 and the corporate balance sheet looks strong. What about the lodging sector?

Fairview Park Marriot, Washington, DC

Predictably so, lodging follows the upward trend of the economy. It seems like lodging will fare well in 2012. Commercial real estate prices are up across the board and there are ample funds available to the government to buy. Hotel sales prices have also improved.

After a recession, there are also many opportunities to buy. Those who borrowed and have found themselves in debt, inevitably have to sell off some of their assets. For this reason, a US hedge fund Fortress Investment Group estimates more than $2 trillion in global real estate assets are up for sale. Compare this to a $260 billion dollar estimate for 1990 – the figure for 2012 proves significant.

The demand for hotels is also expected to go up. The 2012 Omnibus Budget includes some key elements that will induce foreigners to travel to the US and for longer:

• In-person interview requirements minimized
• Certain visas expire later,
• More visa officers in Brazil, India, and China to reduce wait time.

Room rates are also expected to increase because the lull in commercial construction, holding competition relatively constant.

The article highlights that debt is still a main concern for hoteliers, so they need to be more careful with their investment. Cities that will be of focus will have “robust corporate travel, strong leisure travel, and improved group bookings”. Some examples o f these cities include Austin, Charlotte, LA, Northern Virginia, and Miami.