by The bedroom segment will fall under a newly created entity called NAD Home and aims to bring new products to the US market in the 2nd quarter of 2027
LOUISEVILLE, Quebec — Longtime dining specialist Canadel soon will be getting into the bedroom category, a move made possible through its fall 2025 purchase of Canadian bedroom manufacturer JLM.
Earlier this year, the company moved all JLM’s production into its manufacturing facilities, also in Louiseville, allowing it an opportunity to expand its line while also growing its customer base in the process.
Over its 44-year history, Canadel has attempted bedroom without much success, noted Mathieu Roy, Canadel vice president of sales.
With the acquisition of JLM’s designs, customer lists and manufacturing capabilities, it now has another chance to enter the segment not just in residential but also in the contract/hospitality side of the business. As the purchase did not include the JLM name, the bedroom segment falls under a newly created entity called NAD Home, incorporating the first names of the JLM principals and also the middle of the signature Canadel brand.
“We acquired them for their expertise in bedroom in residential with beds, night tables and dressers, and also to grow the commercial side of our business outside of regular retailers,” Roy said, noting that half of JLM’s business was residential and the other half was on the contract/commercial side. “Now that we have bedroom and dining room, we can furnish a whole hotel room or a whole restaurant.”
Previously JLM was selling mostly in Quebec and some in Ontario, Mathieu noted. Now the plan is to sell the category throughout Canada.
The purchase also gives the company the opportunity to further expand into the U.S. market with a line of bedroom made with veneers and solid wood components. But first, it is getting the line compliant with the STURDY Act, a federal safety standard that aims to reduce or eliminate tip-over incidents involving clothing storage units.
“We are in the final steps of being compliant,” Mathieu said, noting the company will soon be ready to sell product that meets the stability and testing requirements of STURDY. A similar standard also is being implemented in Canada, he said.
As part of its compliance efforts, it is standardizing the size of drawers in its cases and also adding an interlock system to its cases.
“So in the next month and a half, we will be able to do the official testing,” he said of the process.
The product, he said, falls within medium price points, while Canadel, being a primarily solid wood line, is in the upper to middle price points, with dining representing about 95% of the mix and occasional representing the balance.
Over time, he said, bedroom could represent 10% of the overall business, although it would still be sold under the NAD Home banner versus Canadel.
So far, he said, the reception has been positive in Canada, where it has added a rep in Ontario and also the western part of the country.
“They are opening roughly 10-12 new accounts per month so far, and we also are looking for a rep in the eastern part of Canada,” Roy said, adding that the company will have a dedicated sales team “as we believe it is a separate category.”
He said that while the reps are doing a good job opening new accounts for the line, the company wants to take a measured approach as it adjusts its production and inventory levels.
“But we are on pace to be — in about 24 months — about 10% of Canadel’s volume in that collection.”
He said the next step, as it becomes compliant with STURDY, is to hire reps for the U.S. market. It is looking to have an official launch of the NAD Home line at the April 2027 High Point Market, with product likely being shown in the Canadel showroom in the National Furniture Mart building downtown.
“We like our spot at the corner of Main and Commerce as it is easily accessible for everybody,” Roy said. “It will most likely be next spring.”
