Morland

Fit Out Products for converters

Morland Fit Out Products enable small to medium size vehicle convertors to achieve a high end professional look to the furniture in a vehicle conversion. Customisation is standard, so the consumer can tailor the interior to their own tastes. This is achieved via lightweight timber-based furniture plywood, wrapped aluminium profiles and ancillaries delivered direct from Morland on a short lead time. To make this process as cost effective and efficient as possible, Morland is now seeking new distribution partners in outlying parts of Europe and worldwide

Words John Rawlings

In 2022, Morland Fit Out Products (Morland) will celebrate its 50th year of supplying the caravan industry with lightweight timber-based furniture board and fittings. As you would expect it has a lot of experience and knowledge of the market for fit out products. In 2012, Morland developed its own brand of lightweight furniture boards to target the popular VW campervan conversion market. Being specifically for campervans, and the demands of that environment, the decorative face is a tough scratch-resistant laminate, not the paper finish used in caravans. The poplar core is 9 ply to give extra screw retention. The top and bottom veneer on the plywood is hardwood to boost the impact resistance of the panel. Everything is from a certified, sustainable source. These products proved successful, so Morland the manufacturer decided to vertically integrate and become Morland the distributor. It opened a warehouse to stock the product so it could be supplied on a “next day” basis. Morland has developed an efficient distribution process to deliver to van convertors in the UK and Benelux, France and Germany. To capitalise on the take-up for its online shop, Morland developed a mobile-first interface that is second to none. Product range availability is shown by a real-time stock system, and prices and offers are live. Orders

Above: the online configurator

can be placed 24/7, with updates on delivery tracking also available. Free samples can also be ordered online to check decors against other design elements. An online configurator gives the freedom to customise an interior with a choice of 1000 laminate finishes that can delivered in two weeks. Like Mini proved with its car configurator, campervan customers like to make their vans unique. “The UK has a vibrant campervan scene with an individualistic approach to the fit out,” says Andrew Warren, Commercial Director at Morland. “We have capitalised on that demand and developed a sophisticated product range where anyone can chose from over 2,000 finishes to create their own unique interiors,” continued Andrew. In 2019, Morland created a range of aluminium profiles to allow the small to medium size convertor to introduce curves into their furniture construction without the cost of tooling. It now offers three aluminium profiles in five decors that co-ordinate with the furniture boards. Planning is underway for the 2022/3 range, including a toilet door and shower cubicle system for high roof van conversions that include a wetroom.

Current distribution system

Being based in the UK means Morland can offer UK customers next day delivery direct from their warehouse in Welshpool, in Wales. In 2019, Morland appointed Cosy Campers as its distributor in Dublin to supply converters in Ireland. Irish customers can obtain free samples and see all the products on the Morland website, but are transferred to Cosy Campers’ site when they wish to order. To supply France, Germany and the Benelux countries, Morland opened a warehouse in Rotterdam in 2020. It plans to have French/Dutch/German language online shops and the distribution network to deliver in these areas. Elsewhere, Morland is looking for partners to: • provide a “voice” in the local language • reduce delivery costs • offer a collect service

Attracting new distributors

With sales of van conversions growing more rapidly than ever, the number of new van converters entering the market in every country is also growing. As a result, Morland is now looking to appoint new distributors in various parts of Europe, and worldwide, in order to keep the distribution process as cost effective and efficient as possible for customers. “We expect the market for campervans to continue to develop for many years to come, so believe that anyone becoming a distributor for Morland’s products now will be able to capitalise on this growth in their own market areas,” said Andrew Warren. “We can offer our distributors in new territories a ‘plug and play’ storefront to deliver furniture boards to converters that is proven and effective,“ said Andrew Warren. “Whether we do that with a wholly-owned facility of our own, like the one in Rotterdam or via a third party as we have done in Ireland is open for discussion. We are completely open to hearing from anyone who may be interested in working with us,” Andrew continued. Any distributors interested in learning more about working with Morland should email info@morlandeu.com

About Morland Fit Out Products

Morland started supplying the caravan industry with laminated wall and ceiling boards in 1972 under the name Morland Decorative Panels. Since then, its production and warehousing facility in Welshpool in Wales (UK) has expanded to cover an area of 150,000 ft². Morland completes its own machining, cutting, drilling and finishing. It operates to the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system. It has an environmental policy that prohibits the use of illegally logged timber and supports sustainable forestry. Morland has FSC and PEFC Certification for the purchase, processing, sales and distribution of certified timber. It actively supports sustainable practices to protect resources for the future. Morland is part of the Interior Products Group Ltd which was founded in 1967 by John Morris, whose grandson now runs the business. It has two business areas: commercial wallcoverings/surfaces which operates globally under the names of Newmor Wallcoverings and Morland Fit Out Products.