F E A T U R E |P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E P R O D U C T S
Meet Elaine B ple eh
In the latest in our People Behind he Products features, Cabinet Maker goes behind the scenes at decorative lighting manufacturer Franklite to meet one of its long-serving members of staff, Elaine Taylor, as she shares an insight into her role. Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? My current responsibilities at Franklite are general day-to-day customer service care and seeing through the entire export part of the business from start to ďŹ nish.
as the content of my job. lthough it is always different, there is also a routine to it and I enjoy seeing it each challenge that arises. he people you work with make a real difference in a workplace and I feel very lucky to be in an environment such as this.
How long have you been in your current role? I recently celebrated 30 years at Franklite, on 27th February, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of being part of this great company.
What is most challenging about your role? Probably the export side of it as it changes fre uently on a day to day basis. his also makes it a lot more interesting as I always have to adjust to meet certain demands. o two days are the same!
Can you give a brief background on yourself? I have two children and three beautiful grandchildren, who I love spending time with. At the moment, my main hobby is learning to play the piano every week for minutes. I also attend a variety of social events, including limming World each week. What is the best thing about your role? Seeing the Franklite family every day as well
Can you describe your typical working day? A typical day is hard to describe as it changes day to day. However, I suppose that one thing that is consistent is that we are always busy assisting customers as much as we can. Being part of the customer service team is an essential aspect of the business and being able to maintain a high level of service
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or Name... Elaine Tayl Service er om st Cu Job role... e Company... Franklit Email... klite.ltd.uk customerservice@fran
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laine aylor with ark ancaster, former P for ilton eynes orth
is paramount to our ongoing success. I love speaking to people and being able to help them achieve their goal. Can you share something that your coworkers may not know about you? Being within the company for years, I think everyone knows everything about me!
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aQO “I SUFFER FROM PARKINSON’S AND, BECAUSE OF THIS, FRANKLITE OPERATES A DRESS-DOWN DAY ON FRIDAYS TO PROACTIVELY HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE CHARITY.”
What are your favourite things in life? I love the elements of ature, especially flowers! eeing my family and most definitely my cat olly.
eft, rank issauer, owner of ranklite td, thanks laine for her years service.
What are your future ambitions? o retire! here are three years left until my golden days! Although I will miss the people I work with a great deal.
w www.franklite.net
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If you would like to feature your staff members in our eople ehind he roducts features, email editor an Squires at dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www. cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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Dress-down Friday? Franklite’s chosen charity is Parkinson’s U , which is very dear to me. I suffer from Parkinson’s and, because of this, Franklite operates a dress-down day on Fridays to proactively help raise money for the charity. ast month we raised over ! massive big thank you to everyone who donated and thank you to those for co-ordinating!
And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three ords, hat ould they be? Dedicated, driven and happy!
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What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? And why? I would have to say my piano, as it was bought from my brother-in-law as a gift to encourage me to learn to play. lthough he passed away before he brought it, he ensured that my sister took me out shopping to get one. It was his last final gift to me.
Did you know that Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? If I m honest, I didn t know. However, following Franklite’s debut editorial the other month, I’ve taken a keen interest in finding out what s going on within the lighting sector.
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Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? My most recently cherish memory was in February, where everyone in the Franklite team gathered to celebrate my 30-year service and Frank (the owner) made a speech in my honour.
F E A T U R E |P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E P R O D U C T S Simon Spinks at the company’s wire-drawing line at its factory in Leeds
Meet Simon
How long have you been in your current role? I became managing director of the company when I was 25, but my family has been running the company for five generations. There are currently three Spinks in the business: myself, my father, Peter, who is on the board of directors, and my son, Dan, who is a buyer. What is the best thing about your role? Because we re a family business, we ve had the freedom to re invest in innovation and drive change in areas that we believe in. This has allowed us to build a really unique business — we make almost all the components that go in to our beds, from
drawing the wire to make the springs, to growing natural mattress fillings on our acre farm. We even make the machines that make the springs. We own our supply chain so we can constantly make changes to our processes and components to improve our products and how we make them. What is the most challenging? he fact that we re so vertically integrated means that we have to become specialists in many fields and literally fields . We have a farm, a forest, a manufacturing facility and an R&D team that makes the machines that make our components, so we need expertise across so many different areas. It s challenging but also e citing and ever changing. Can you describe your typical working day? No two days are the same and in a family
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Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? I am managing director of Harrison Spinks — a 179-year-old bed maker based in Leeds.
ks Name... Simon Spin Director ng gi Job role... Mana inks Sp on is Company... Harr E-mail... info@ uk harrisonspinks.co.
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In the second of a new series of features, Cabinet Maker goes behind the scenes at bed maker Harrison Spinks and meets managing director, Simon Spinks, who shares an insight into his role.
business you never stop working because you never stop thinking about the business. Day to day I can be meeting customers, working with the development team on new spring machines, be in the sleep lab with the testing team or in board meetings. During the springtime it s great to visit Hornington Manor — the Harrison Spinks farm — when the lambs are being born. Our business is spread across a huge site in Leeds and there’s also the farm and forest in North Yorkshire and wire-drawing facility at British Steel in Scunthorpe, so needless to say getting to each site can be time consuming. We have the best team in the industry and I am learning to let them get on with things I still can t help getting involved with spring design and development though. I m forever changing the mattress that I sleep on at home as I test new technology, it can drive my wife a little mad. Innovation gets me
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Simon Spinks inspects a spring at the company’s factory
“I’D SEEN A SPRING-WITHIN-A-SPRING USED IN CARS AND WONDERED IF THAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY COULD BE USED IN A MATTRESS.”
— Simon Spinks, (right) managing director of Harrison Spinks
out of bed in the morning It’s a terrible pun but it puts a spring in my step. What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? Because Harrison Spinks is a family business, bedmaking is in our blood. I began painting bed legs at Harrison Spinks when I was 11 years old and have always had a passion for manufacturing beds. I officially started working at Harrison Spinks full-time in 1989 and became managing director when I was 25. When I started working at Harrison Spinks full-time I started to see parallels with spring technology and car mechanics (my other passion), which really piqued my interest and that s where my passion for invention and Santiago
innovation started. What are your favourite things in life? y biggest achievement outside of the business is bringing up my family. My son, Dan (24), is currently a buyer within the business and my daughter, mily , is a very talented artist. I also love cars tinkering with them and driving them. In , I drove a ord Escort from Peking to Paris in the Endurance Rally. My interest in cars sparked the inspiration for the evolution spring system — I’d seen a spring-within-a-spring be used in cars to stop a valve bounce and wondered if that type of technology could be used in a mattress.
What are your future ambitions? We want to change the way the world sleeps. The team is working towards building a bed that can be recycled in its entirety at the end of its life —this is a complex challenge that involves removing all foam and chemicals from the product and replacing them with eco friendly, natural alternatives. urrently about per cent of the mattress can be recycled. We have started to weave our own fabric that is naturally fire retardant without chemicals, and we have developed pockets for our springs that are welded together, removing the need for glue. Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? he invention of the evolution pring System and the subsequent licensing of the technology certainly boosted our business and being awarded Millennium Product status by the design council was the icing on the cake. Buying Hornington anor farm in was a risky move but being able to grow our own filling materials for the mattresses has allowed for us to make meaningful reductions to our emissons and is well received by customers and consumers alike. Being awarded four Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is another highlight — meeting the ueen in after we won two awards was a huge honour and it was a special moment for the business. Winning two again in was incredible. We currently hold two Queen’s Awards, which we think is unique in our sector. »
F E A T U R E |P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E P R O D U C T S
Family business: Simon Spinks, centre, with his father, Peter, who is on the board of directors, and his son, Dan, who is a buyer.
If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? If I wasn’t running my business, I would be working within the IT or engineering industry, definitely something to do with inventing.
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If you would like to feature your staff members our People Behind The Products features, email editor Dan Squires at dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www. cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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Can you predict any future trends that may emerge? A greater focus on sustainability will be important for all manufacturers as consumers become more aware of the products they
Did you know that Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? I started working full-time in the industry in so probably for around years now! here have been copies at the factory for as long as I remember. Harrison Spinks was established years before abinet aker so we might be one of your longest-standing readers!
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What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? It would be great to see more companies have a greater focus on sustainability and take more responsibility for what happens to their products at the end of their useful lives. Support for retailers is important too — they are really key in helping customers find the right mattress so they deserve our support.
use and how they are disposed of. We’re working to reduce wastage through every part of our operations from recycling left over materials at British Steel and using waste hemp as biofuel as well as looking at the products we use in the manufacture of our products to make sure they are recyclable at the end of their lives.
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What do you love about the furnishing industry? he people. We are very fortunate to work within an industry where competitors and customers alike are considered an extended family. This is a unique trait and long may it continue. We work closely with the urniture Makers charity to encourage young people into manufacturing and furniture. We recently had a large group of students visit the factory to see first hand what we do.
“IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE MORE COMPANIES HAVE A GREATER FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR PRODUCTS AT THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIVES.” — Simon Spinks, managing director of Harrison Spinks
F E A T U R E |P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E P R O D U C T S
Meet Harriet
production, and giving feedback to students during educational projects/visits. In addition to this, I run THIS GIRL MAKES, a multi-dimensional project, which consists of a blog, online community and events programme. This ties a lot of my skills and interests together, like graphic design, illustration, journalism, teaching, event management, as well as designing and making things.
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Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? I work for ercol, where my responsibilities include: supporting the design team with the development of new furniture projects and ranges, designing layouts for retailers and exhibitions, communicating feedback on prototypes with partner manufacturers, designing jigs to assist with in-house production, creating digital 3D models of components and complete designs, as well as tooling, producing technical drawings for
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In the ďŹ rst of a new series of features, Cabinet Maker goes behind the scenes at furniture manufacturer ercol and meets one of its furniture design engineers, Harriet Speed, as she shares an insight into her role.
eed Name... Harriet Sp e Design Engineer ur it rn Fu ... le Job ro Company... ercol
As I am new to my role with ercol, it is something I am very much in the process of establishing fully. I hope I can develop my skills and knowledge as much as possible during my time here. As well as designing and making, one of my personal interests is education and outreach (a huge part of THIS GIRL MAKES), so it would be a deďŹ nite bonus if I was able to try to incorporate this into my work with ercol.
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How long have you been in your current role? I graduated on 31 August 2018 and started my job with ercol on 3 September 2018.
aQO Hinny Reading Stools, 2017
What is the best thing about your role? I would say the best thing is working for a company that is steeped in history and one of the core pillars of the UK furniture industry, especially at such a young age and right at the beginning of my career. The opportunity to learn from everyone in the business, and a chance to be part of some amazing projects and opportunities, makes me feel very lucky. What is the most challenging? Although the transition from education into industry was made as smooth as possible by the amazing tutors at Rycotewood Furniture Centre in Oxford, with all the live projects and trips that they organised for the students, it doesn’t mean you’re ever 100% completely ready for the reality of working for a major business. I have already learnt some tough lessons about what’s involved in working for a commercial furniture company, and I’m sure there will be plenty more on the way. However, I feel I have learnt to have a thick enough skin to just keep going! Can you describe your typical working day? A lot of my day is CAD/computer-based, which is something I am quite new to, having come from a design and make background. However, it is a great skill to have, and something that is definitely aided by my time making. I like to think I am working in a virtual workshop! The best bits of my day are going down to the factory to speak to the other departments. As a designer maker, I particularly enjoy the back and forth of the whole production process, how one step influences Harriet’s Stool Making Course another, and considering all the details when resolving a design for manufacture. Can you give a brief background on yourself? I grew up in Northumberland, the youngest of three girls, and have always enjoyed keeping myself busy. My interest in creative projects was something that my family actively encouraged, which I know makes me very privileged. I decided to study product design for A-Level instead of art, as I was keen to gain practical skills and learn about materials and industrial/craft processes. There are very few makers in my family, so it was a whole new direction for me to explore as a career,
which has meant it has happened very organically and been very much individual to me.
Throughout my education, my motto was ‘do what you enjoy’, and good things have always seemed to come out of it. After A-Levels I studied an Art Foundation Diploma at Newcastle College, specialising in 3D Design. I found out about the BA Hons in Furniture Design and Make at Rycotewood Furniture Centre, after applying for a cabinet making apprenticeship, where I was advised to take my studies further. It was the most positive rejection letter ever!
What pulled you into wanting a career in the furniture industry? I have always wanted to be an artist of some kind, but one who was able to sustain a living. To me, furniture seemed the logical way of expressing my creativity, but in a relevant and useful application. People will always need furniture, so I figured it was a safe bet for a career pathway. Yes, the industry is changing, but learning and developing with it is what I hope will keep it exciting. Before studying at Rycotewood Furniture Centre, I had my hopes set on pursuing a career in film and media, but I found the people in the furniture industry were a lot more like-minded, and feeling part of a supportive community is something that is really important to me. »
F E A T U R E |P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E P R O D U C T S
What are your favourite things in life? A quick list: Having a good catch up with friends. Visiting the farmers’ market on a Saturday. Watching a film at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford. Going to gigs, and making art and music with friends from the Young Women’s Music Project. The view of bridges when the train crosses over the River Tyne, as it pulls into Newcastle central train station. A good game of squash. Starting a new notebook/sketchbook. Bonfire night. What are your future ambitions? Another quick list: To put together Volume 2 of THIS GIRL MAKES. To visit the workshops of other craftswomen in other countries around the world. To progress onto an MA programme for both my personal and professional development. To continue to learn and develop my role at ercol. To keep up my making skills by setting up a workshop or home studio.
Do you have any furniture industry icons you admire? This was one of the reasons I founded THIS GIRL MAKES, as I had very few female role models whilst I was studying. Now there are so many to choose from! But honourable mentions are Dr Lynn Jones, Ray Eames, Alice Blogg, Heather Scott and Brogan Cox. Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? The biggest highlight so far would have to be getting my first job with ercol. However, whilst studying, notable highlights were: Attending the 2017 LINLEY Summer School, Winning Best in Show at the 2018 Young Furniture Maker’s Exhibition, hosting the 2018 Rycotewood degree show at Heals in London, and setting up THIS GIRL MAKES. What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? And why? When I was growing up, my dad had a piece of furniture called ‘Corkey’s Cabinet’. It belonged to his Great Uncle ‘Corkey’, and he kept his comic book collection in it. I remember it having an amazing smell and having lots of secret compartments.
As a child, it was so exciting to rummage through it; you never knew what you might find! Unfortunately my parents sold it when they were having a clear-out, but it had such a lasting impact on me that it inspired the final piece that I made as part of my degree at Rycotewood Furniture Centre. I think the thing that attracted me to it was the fact that it had belonged to someone who wasn’t alive anymore; it was an object that carried a lot of stories and sentiment.
A hand-cut marquetry design inspired by THIS GIRL MAKES. (Photo credit: Mark Reeves)
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“HAVING A BETTER GENDER BALANCE WITHIN FURNITURE WOULD MAKE IT A BETTER INDUSTRY.”
Instead, I would opt for the word ‘movement’ because it is inherently political and, therefore, carries more purpose or meaning. I think the sustainable living and wellness movements are really important, because they are about promoting a healthier and happier planet through the objects we buy and use. Can you predict any future trends that may emerge? I think the amount of alternative materials we’ll be seeing will continue to increase. Finding alternatives to plastic is critical, and should offer consumers more exciting products. Did you know that Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? I have been aware of the magazine since I started at Rycotewood Furniture Centre. There were always copies in our break room, which we could look through when we were waiting for the kettle to boil.
What do you love about the furniture industry? I love how approachable everyone is. Especially with the development of social media platforms, like Instagram, it is so much easier to reach out to other designers and makers, and feel part of a community.
If you weren’t working with furniture, what would you be doing? Probably off making a film somewhere… And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? This Girl Makes!
w www.ercol.com w www.this-girl-makes.com
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If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, email editor Dan Squires at dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www. cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? In all honesty, I hate the word ‘trend’, to me it implies disposability, shallow fashions and unconscious consumerism. I appreciate that following trends is necessary to stay relevant as a company and maintain consumer interest, but I believe design should respond to human needs and solve problems, making ‘following trends’ somewhat irrelevant.
Above: Corkey’s Cabinet, 2018. Harriet’s award-winning collector’s cabinet Left: Hexagon Stools made by participants on Harriet’s stool-making course Below: THIS GIRL MAKES A Table, made during the 2017 LINLEY Summer School
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What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? It probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone that I would say having a better gender balance within furniture would make it a better industry. This is something I have tried to unpick through THIS GIRL MAKES. It is such a systemic issue affecting education, training and employment, but having a balanced industry would lead to a better variety of ideas and as furniture is such a historic industry, I think it would help bring it up-to-date and make it more attractive to young people.
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F E A T U R E |PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS /ALEXANDER HAY DESIGN
Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? I am the founder of Alexander Hay Design; fundamentally I am a designer and a maker. I work on high-end bespoke commissions for private clients; have my own range of furniture, which I sell direct through my website; and I work on contract design for major retailers. In this role I design, through sketching, CAD, model making and prototyping, and, of course, I make furniture. Having set up my own business, I am involved in all aspects of a business and the responsibilities that come with it. How long have you been in your current role? I set up Alexander Hay Design in August 2018, so have just finished my first year in business — and it’s been an exciting one! Can you give a brief background on yourself? Originally from Devon I grew up on the edge of Dartmoor and in close proximity to the Jurassic coast. Growing up in the South West, I spent much of my time hiking and mountain biking, and developed a love for the great outdoors, which has gone on to inspire my work today. December 2019 | 44
Alexander Hay at work on one of his creations
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Alexander Hay, founder of his own furniture design and maker company just over a year ago, features in our People Behind The Products series, and reveals his hopes for the future.
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Hay Name... Alexander Job role... Director r Hay Design Company... Alexande
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UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET
Meet Alexander
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aQO UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET
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Growing up in Devon, I have been surrounded by local craftsmen of all areas, from pottery to woodwork, and this has probably played a part in getting me into this industry. I spent some time working with local furniture makers in Devon before going on to study 3D (product and furniture) design at Northumbria University. Currently I am on a designer in-residence scheme at the university and have set up my business from there. What is the best thing about your role? Being my own boss. I have always loved both the design and making side of things. Having my own company means that I am involved in every element, from prototyping to marketing and meeting clients. I enjoy the whole aspect of it and it’s incredibly exciting to be finding your own path in the industry. What is the most challenging thing about your role? It’s tough getting started. The hardest thing I am finding at this stage is getting my furniture out there and making people aware of what I do. I’ve also found it a steep learning curve with everything else that comes with running a business; accounts, marketing, IP. Sadly it’s not just designing and making furniture!
Carefully choosing materials is important to be environmentally friendly Can you describe your typical working day? Every day is different — sometimes my day is spent in front of a computer on CAD and responding to emails or researching for upcoming projects. Other days are spent in the workshop prototyping and making pieces of furniture for my own range or as bespoke commissions. I particularly enjoy days where I am out meeting people and seeing new spaces, or perhaps visiting locals sawmills and seeing how other companies work. What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? At school I always enjoyed creative subjects and did design technology and art as part of my A-Levels, from there I had a few years struggling to work out what I really wanted to do. I briefly studied architecture and then business before dropping out of uni. It was at this point that I got offered a job by a local furniture maker in Devon and again realised I had a love of designing and making. I went back to uni knowing what I wanted to do this time and studied product and furniture design at Northumbria University. Having graduated, I went on to work for Benchmark, which was a fantastic experience, to see a company that delivers such a high level of craftsmanship. I think the combination of all of the above and a strong desire not to sit in an office all day, everyday led me to want to set up my own company. What are your favourite things in life? Being outdoors, hiking, exploring and
travelling. I particularly enjoy being by the coast and spend a lot of my time in Devon or Cornwall. What are your future ambitions? I’ve got lots! In the near future I want to open up my own studio and workshop, and further down the line I’d love to one day open a shop selling my range of furniture, perhaps in London. I’d like to get my designs into the Conran Shop in London, I feel like that was one of the first places I visited that got me interested in design, so to get to a point where my work can be represented there would be fantastic. Likewise, achieving a design Guildmark would be a tremendous accolade. I am also really keen to develop collaborations with other designers. Do you have any furnishing industry icons you admire? Having worked for Benchmark I can’t help but admire Terence Conran and Sean Sutcliffe. I love the work of Russell Pinch, Tom Raffield and Sebastian Cox. I feel there is something very honest about their work, and such a beautiful quality to every piece they produce. Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? Getting my final university piece into production with made.com was definitely an exciting step. It was great to see my work go from a university project into a real life piece, available for people to purchase. I then went on to get a job at Benchmark; this had always been at the top of my list as a company I’d love to work for so that was certainly a highlight. And more recently I won an award from Country Living for my craftsmanship and business acumen and have just reached the finals of the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards.
Alexander likes being outdoors as much as he can when not in the workshop
What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? And why? I don’t know who designed it or who made it, but a cabinet in the hallway. It’s beautifully crafted, with curved doors on either end that swing open, with all sorts of drawers and » December 2019 | 45
F E A T U R E |PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS /ALEXANDER HAY DESIGN UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET
Alexander busy in the workshop
If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, please email our editor Dan Squires — dan@ cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www.cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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Did you know that Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? I discovered Cabinet Maker almost when I first gained an interest and a love for woodwork. I was working for a local furniture maker who always seemed to have a copy of the magazine lying around.
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Can you predict any future trends that may emerge? I think my previous comment on the choice of materials will continue to be an important development, but I think there will be a shift towards more handcrafted furniture as well and away from the large batch and mass produced furniture, which can have a very machined and, in some cases, basic look. I think the market is starting to look back to simpler times and appreciate traditional crafts, seeking out local makers and something different.
And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Passionate, driven and entrepreneurial.
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Industry icon: Terence Conran
What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? With global warming being a central topic in the news, the industry is making a shift to try to be more environmentally friendly. I’m noticing more and more companies are carefully choosing their materials to minimise their impact on the world, which is great.
If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? Something outdoors for sure. Perhaps work for the National Trust?
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What do you love about the furnishing industry? Definitely the networking side of things; furniture makers and designers always seem incredibly open and keen to meet each other. So far I’ve found that people seem really happy to help each other and advise on different projects or put you in touch with their contacts. Many projects often involve a completely new process to me at this stage,
and as such everything is a learning curve. Being able to reach out to other makers and ask advice, sharing knowledge between each other, is such a useful tool to have.
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compartments. Looking at it I can see the work that has gone into it and I can’t help but appreciate how much time must have been spent crafting a piece like it. I often wonder most people even notice the work in something like that or whether perhaps you only notice if you are a maker.
F E A T U R E |PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS /WOODSTOCK FURNITURE
Name... Andrew Hall and design director Job role... Managing k Furniture Company... Woodstoc Email... iture.co.uk andrew@woodstockfurn
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Andrew Hall, managing and design director at Woodstock Furniture, features in our People Behind The Products series, and reveals how his talented father set him on a career in art and design. »
UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET
Meet Andrew
November 2019 | 39
F E A T U R E |PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS /WOODSTOCK FURNITURE “THE COMPANY HAS ALWAYS REMAINED SMALL SO THAT WE CAN OFFER A
PERSONAL SERVICE TO ALL
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Dedicated wine storage and tasting room
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How long have you been in your current role? I have worked within the company since 1996 then have owned the company for the past 16 years.
Can you give a brief background on yourself? I studied furniture and product design at Kingston Polytechnic (now university). I then started working in 1987 in various jobs, such as model making, designing American Express cash card machines throughout Europe, designing office furniture and then moving to Woodstock Furniture to design kitchens and fitted furniture.
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Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? Managing the company, designing and overseeing quality control to make sure we always aim for the highest quality.
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UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET
Media/display cabinet with sliding picture panel to reveal TV
and was incredibly talented. He could produce beautiful silverware and enamel, make furniture, rebuild a car and build an extension on a house. In fact, he could do almost anything he turned his hand too. A small part of his talent has rubbed off on me and the art and design world was always my destiny.
What is the best thing about your role? I love working with a client to turn their dreams into reality. We are a truly bespoke manufacturer so no project is ever the same. This means that every project is stimulating and exciting. We never do mediocre.
Can you share something that your coworkers may not know about you? I love the escape and feeling of relaxation I get from painting a picture.
What is the most challenging thing about your role? Coordinating builders to make sure a space is ready for our cabinetry installation.
Classic English kitchen with copper worktop
Can you describe your typical working day? What I love is that no day is typical; some days are spent meeting clients in their stunning homes (I love houses) to create a brief and take site measurings. Other days are office-based, designing and coordinating projects. The best days are visiting clients when our installations are all complete and making sure we have achieved the highest quality. What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? My father was the head of the design and technology department at Bedford School November 2019 | 40
OUR CLIENTS �
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What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? Being even more environmentally aware, the reusing of materials and, therefore, less wastage.
What are your future ambitions? Woodstock Furniture was established in 1978 and has been delivering quality design and manufacture since then. The company has always remained small so that we can offer a personal service to all our clients, and give clients as much time and effort as their individual project requires. We aim to continue in this vein.
What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? I’ve noticed a move towards the use of more natural materials and to greener, more sustainable initiatives, as well as the popularity of trends such as recycling and upcycling continuing to grow. Can you predict any future trends that may emerge? More smart technology being incorporated into homes, the creation of new materials resulting from more sustainable working, more combined living and working spaces.
Do you have any furnishing industry icons you admire? Charles and Ray Eames, Mies Van de Rohe and most of the Danish designers
Walk-in pantry with walnut shelving and sliding ladder
What do you love about the furnishing industry? I like the fact that it is still one of the thriving manufacturing industries in Great Britain.
If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? I would love to own a country house hotel with the aid of my wife and four sons. The eldest would be head gardener, the second the talented chef, the third would do the graphic design and the fourth would look after finance. I would hopefully relax in the grounds! And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Passionate, patient and practical.
w www.woodstockfurniture.co.uk If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, please email our editor Dan Squires — dan@ cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www.cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? And why? We have eight Charles Eames aluminium group dining chairs, which are still the most comfortable chairs for a social dinner party.
Did you know that Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? My father used to read the magazine so when I was a young boy it was always in the house.
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Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? We have worked in some amazing properties over the years. A stunning apartment overlooking Tower Bridge, Mayfair and country houses in Yorkshire and Hampshire. We have also spent some time producing galley kitchens on some of our clients’ super yachts and kitchens in their houses abroad.
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What are your favourite things in life? Spending time with family and friends, and visiting historic buildings within idyllic gardens.
BEDS FEATURE|PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS / MAMMOTH BEDS
Meet John John Tuton, chief executive and founder of Mammoth, features in our People Behind The Products series and reveals the passion behind his business and his Eureka moment.
Can you give a brief background on yourself? I’ve always had a passion for health and wellbeing. I used to work in healthcare, providing medical equipment for seriously unwell patients. During this time, I discovered how getting the right mattress can really make a difference to your life. One particular case still stays with me to this very day and is a constant reminder of Mammoth’s driving December 2019 | 76
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I had been called in by doctors to help an elderly patient in a critical condition due to severe pressure wounds caused by a fall and subsequent long period in bed. With traditional prescribed methods failing to help, the outlook was bleak. As part of her treatment, I recommended using a new technology within a pressure relieving mattress and cushion, proven to stimulate circulation and blood flow. The results were amazing and within a couple of weeks she was out of bed and, shortly after, she was enjoying days out with her
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children and grandchildren. The thank you letter from her family was so moving, it made me realise what I wanted to do for the rest of my career.
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purpose to help everyone make the most of life.
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How long have you been in your current role? I started this company ten years ago.
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Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? My part in the business is to drive the vision of the brand and mange a very bright Board of directors to help translate the vision into a clear strategy; also, to ensure the operational plans align with the business goals. I also love to get my fingers dirty in our PR and communications.
Name... John Tuton r ecutive and founde Job role... Chief ex Company... Mammoth mammothuk.com Email... enquiries@
Around the same time, I was also struggling to get a comfortable night’s rest after getting injured playing rugby, and it led to me having a Eureka moment. I began thinking, why should anyone wait until pain or poor health strikes to get maximum rest and recuperation from their mattress. So Mammoth was born with the aim of helping anyone and everyone
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John Tuton and his wife and co-founder, Jennifer
sleep better, feel better and make the most of every day. Now in our 10th anniversary year, we are proud that our award-winning technologies are recommended by health professionals, including the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, and used by professional athletes across a wide range of sports. What is the best thing about your role? From driving the vision of the business to bringing on board new partners who help realise that vision in different product and service categories as well as new sales channels. We call this “John catching Tigers”. Fundamentally, by doing this we can increase our footprint in order to help people make good health choices that are available to everyone, no matter their age, physical wellbeing or income. What is the most challenging? Life hasn’t been easy all of the time and my ambition tends to determine that I don’t take easy options. In the beginning I had to spend my life savings and pay my mortgage on credit cards to set up the business. Everything I had was invested into the business and I even had to go on honeymoon on a shoestring budget. It wasn’t just making sure we had enough money to start operating, it was getting suppliers and manufacturers to take us seriously for prototyping. It was a long process and I had to go back to employment for an interim period to keep the business going. We’ve also had to face navigating a changing retail environment and further challenges when the business plateaued. After reinvesting in and evolving our brand and vision at quite a high cost, we are back in double digit growth thanks to strengthening the team, resource and capability, identifying talent and lots of hard work. Although we’ve had difficult times, the sacrifices have been worth it. Can you describe your typical working day? After an early school drop-off, usually a Starbucks closely follows after, which makes me ready to seize the day. I simply can’t describe a typical working day; every day is exciting and completely different. What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? The furniture industry is the first channel to get our message out but fundamentally we
mattress that would help everyone sleep better and in turn lead better lives, and so Mammoth was born.
“THE KEY IS HAVING THE AGILITY AND SPEED TO ADAPT TO CHANGING TRENDS.”
Can you share something that your coworkers may not know about you? The Mammoth culture is very open and honest. Prior to the business starting I was a musician and played keyboards and piano in bands. I’ve also spun the decks doing DJ sets in a number of venues in and around Newcastle.
are a health and technology service business. Keeping to the furniture element, my Eureka moment came when struggling to sleep during my recovery after a rugby injury. I asked myself, “Why should anyone wait until pain or poor health strikes to get maximum rest and recuperation from their mattress?” From then I set out to create the perfect
What are your future ambitions? How big is your imagination? We have exciting growth plans for the future, some of which we are already beginning to execute. We are on a mission to make our brand, technologies, expertise and know-how more easily attainable to more people, both at home and abroad. »
What are your favourite things in life? Firstly, it’s my three girls — Jennifer, my co-founder, and my two daughters. The former rugby player in me still loves a pint on a match day. Since my running and rugby career came to an end, I enjoy the challenge of trying to get my golf handicap to something acceptable. As an aside I love beautiful design in many aspects of life.
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BEDS FEATURE|PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS /MAMMOTH BEDS
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The growth of our expertise and health services in business is creating a platform to share knowledge, educate and enable healthier and more productive people. It’s also spreading the word about Mammoth and has presented a whole new sales channel for us.
What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? We need more genuine innovators, not in terms of rehashes but the development of technology down to a molecular level — and the same goes for services to the end consumer. The change in consumer buying behaviour needs to drive our industry. What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? We need to consider how people are buying and although online is a huge trend, we also need to develop a more cohesive in-store experience.
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And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Driven, driven and driven.
w www.mammothcomfort.com
Can you predict any future trends that may emerge? The key is having the agility and speed to adapt to changing trends. Because Mammoth is in a prominent position in this industry, we
If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, email editor Dan Squires at dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www.cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? And why? You will not be surprised to know it is my bed! It’s a hybrid, adjustable prototype
If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? My best subject at school was geography. I love the outdoors, I love people and I love the elements and would have been happy taking my former lifesaving qualifications to become a coastguard or mountain rescuer.
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Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? Being recognised and applauded in biomedicine and the NHS for the work that we have done surrounding making our technology and the health benefits available to the wider public.
Did you know that Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? We have dipped in and out of the publication since I started up 10 years ago. I like to keep my finger on the pulse of what is going on in the furniture world and keep updated on industry trends and news.
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Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair
What do you love about the furnishing industry? The people. As with Mammoth, many retailers and manufacturers are family-owned and family-run businesses and have people at the heart.
tend to be well placed to be one step ahead of the retailer economic landscape. With the uncertainty of Brexit these strengths stand us in good stead.
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Do you have any furnishing industry icons you admire? You know when you have created great design when it is replicated time and time again. I particularly admire Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair for the quality, understated style and simplicity. Simplicity and minimalism is extremely hard to achieve, not just in terms of design but actually in many elements of business and life.
that brings together some of the best technologies in our industry. It is a combination of some of the latest and best existing technology and fillings. At a retail price of £10,000 its not particularly commercial.
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There is a big appetite for what Mammoth does overseas. We have had early success in Asia and the United Arab Emirates, but we know we haven’t really scratched the surface yet. This year we will see an international strategy realised and next year we begin executing it.
FEATURE|PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS/FRANK OLSEN FURNITURE
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Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? Processing orders, booking transport — we use various couriers, depending on what the order is; we offer an assembly service for an additional cost, these products are then delivered by a dedicated two-man team.
communication amongst our team is key to deliver a great customer experience.
I also manage the sales email account, responding to any customer or retailer queries — this could be by phone or email.
Can you give a brief background on yourself? I have worked in customer service roles for more than 20 years now and over 10 of those were spent in the travel industry, both in a retail shop and in the sky!
I check deliveries have taken place on the required date, monitor stock levels and update our retailers accordingly. Good November 2019 | 44
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Julia Fulford, customer service manager at Frank Olsen Furniture, reveals how the concept of wireless charging furniture led to her diving into the furniture industry!
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ord Name... Julia Fulf service manager Job role... Customer sen Furniture Company... Frank Ol lsenfurniture Email... sales@franko
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Meet Julia
How long have you been in your current role? Just over one year.
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Wireless charging furniture from Frank Olsen Furniture
“I WAS INTRIGUED BY WIRELESS
CHARGING FURNITURE . THE THOUGHT OF A TV UNIT CHARGING MY IPHONE WAS RIGHT UP MY STREET.”
I took some time out when I had my two children but, once they were both back at school, I knew it was time for me to get back out in the world of work. What is the best thing about your role? My colleagues are fantastic. We have a great work environment; it is never a chore to come in. I also love getting great feedback from our end consumers. What is the most challenging? Managing the various delivery channels to deliver to the consumer. Can you describe your typical working day? Downloading orders, sending acknowledgements and getting the orders to the warehouse team for picking. I then book all the necessary transport. Once orders have been sent over, I deal with any email queries or issues and answer the phone, and dispatch any mail, which could be
anything from a wireless charging card to a door hinge! I check in with our retailers on a regular basis to ensure they are aware if we are getting low on any products and check product pricings. What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? When I was looking for my new challenge, I was intrigued by the concept of wireless charging furniture. I’m very much into technology and the thought of a TV unit charging my iPhone was right up my street. Within a couple of weeks of working, I had ordered my very own unit and never looked back. We have a fantastic range of products
»
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FEATURE|PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS/FRANK OLSEN FURNITURE UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET
Julia Fulford is customer service manager at Frank Olsen Furniture
What do you love about the furnishing industry? The fact that retro and modern pieces can sit side by side and look great together.
Do you have any furnishing industry icons you admire? Made.com — As a retailer they have done an excellent job in embracing ecommerce.
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w www.frankolsenfurniture.co.uk If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, email editor Dan Squires at dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www.cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Conscientious, determined and ambitious.
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What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? My Frank Olsen lamp table of course! It fits in beautifully next to my sofa, offers great storage — and charges my phone.
If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? I’d love to further my diving qualifications. My ultimate dream would be to work as a diving instructor in the Maldives or Australia.
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What are your future ambitions? To continue to work with the rest of the team and help develop and grow the business. It has been fantastic to see the changes that have taken place already since the start of this year alone. In my personal life, I’d like to go back to Australia with my family.
What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? Customers want fast delivery of their product.
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What are your favourite things in life? My pet rabbits and my family. I also enjoy going to the gym and spending time outdoors.
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Can you share something that your co-workers may not know about you? I’m a qualified open water diver – PADI certified.
What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? Although I understand that it is a huge challenge, delivery is an area that has scope to change to meet the ever-changing demands of today’s customer.
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and we often receive great feedback from both consumers and retailers. Over the past 12 months I have become very passionate about the brand and product set up, much to the annoyance of my partner as I am ever critical about door alignment in our kitchen at home!
B E D S F E A T U R E |P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E P R O D U C T S / H A R R I S O N S P I N K S BEDS
Meet Richard Richard Essery, from Harrison Spinks, features in our People Behind The Products series and says recyclability is the future!
November 2019 | 68
also our external sales of springs and fillings. Can you give a brief background on yourself? I have a metallurgical background. Most of my career has been spent in wire production or related products of some kind. Before joining Simon at Harrison Spinks I was managing
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How long have you been in your current role? I’ve worked at Harrison Spinks for approximately six and a half years. The first six months of my employment I spent within the development team, working on micro coil developments. After a very short period of time I took the role of managing director of our components business — looking after everything that makes our luxury beds and
sery Name... Richard Es Director Job role... Managing Spinks Product Company... Harrison and Group Operations
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Can you describe your current role and responsibilities? I’m managing director of Harrison Spinks Products and Group Operations. So basically, I look after all component manufacture (from the farm to spring and machine manufacture) and also bed assembly operations. I also sit on the main board and, therefore, direct strategy.
director of Leggett and Platt UK. Whilst working at Leggett I built two large wire mills, one in Croatia and one in the UK. This stood me in good stead for my first big project for Harrison Spinks.
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I would also say the variability of what I do. We are the most vertically integrated bed/ mattress manufacturer in the world, so I can go from farming to heavy industry in a single morning. What is the most challenging? Due to the extent of vertical integration at Harrison Spinks I must have a pretty good knowledge of all parts and processes in the business. I can honestly say I never thought I would be running a farm or weaving tick before joining the company. It’s been a pretty steep learning curve and we do things and make decisions at quite a pace. Most bed manufacturers are purely assembly plants, buying in components and assembling on a production line. We are very different — a comment we get back regularly after conducting tours is how complex our processes and logistics are; it’s like visiting several plants in one. Can you describe your typical working day? Obviously with my role I’m mainly focused on the direction and strategy we take. I also
spend a lot of my time on spring innovation and have my name on several patents. I get involved with customers and suppliers on a regular basis. Being a global supplier of springs and fillings can mean a fair bit of travel. I spend about half a day a week at our farm; growing hemp has become a bit of an obsession. We also have a wire plant on the British Steel site in Scunthorpe, which I visit several times a month. I’m not sure any of my days would be classed as “typical” really. What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? In my previous job I was a components supplier to the industry. It was probably more to do with meeting Simons Spinks that was the draw, not the industry itself. We both have a fascination with innovation, but also where we think the industry should be focused. Can you share something your coworkers may not know about you? Everyone knows I’m a very proud Welshman, but they might not know that my great grandfather was actually a Yorkshireman. Or that when I was a lot younger I was also a pretty good artist and won quite a few awards (a lot of my family are artistic too)! What are your favourite things in life? I love to cook and, living in North Yorkshire, cycling is something I really enjoy. Obviously also spending time with my son — and combining all three. »
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BEDS
“I’VE STILL GOT QUITE A FEW YEARS LEFT IN THE INDUSTRY BUT, BEFORE I FINALLY FINISH, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE THAT IMPROVES COMFORT/ HEALTH AND ISN’T A DRAIN ON OUR ENVIRONMENT.”
What is the best thing about your role? Several things, most importantly the people I work with. We have a great team at Harrison Spinks and are very close. Being a family business, the management style is quite different. I’m given a pretty free rein to run the business as I see fit, which is very different from a large corporation.
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Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? SPRING to mind! Well yes. As I stated earlier, November 2019 | 70
s testament to my team really, not just me.
What are your future ambitions? I’ve still got quite a few years left in the industry before I retire but, before I finally finish, I would like to leave something positive that improves comfort/health and isn’t a drain on our environment. Pocket Springs were invented a long time ago and still make the best mattress and comfort solution. Our intention is to reinvent the mattress/furniture comfort core with something completely recyclable. Do you have any furnishing industry icons you admire? If I just look at our industry, I would have to say Simon Spinks. Harrison Spinks’ products really do stand out in the industry and we are certainly leading the way in terms of recyclability. We’re also recognised globally for spring innovation; we are certainly world leaders. It’s really Simon’s obsession that’s led to this.
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since joining Harrison Spinks I/we have been very proactive and registered several patents for spring products and spring making equipment, which I’m very proud of. In previous roles I also built some pretty big wire installations. Looking back to when I started in the industry, I never thought I would lead such large technical projects with such large investments. To this day it still really amazes me that I’m trusted to spend such large amounts of money, but I think that’s
What is your favourite piece of furniture and why? I can’t really say that I have a favourite piece of furniture. I’m a bit of a neat freak, bordering on obsessive, so I like clean lines. I guess if I was pushed, I would probably say my kitchen, which I designed and fitted myself. What do you love about the furniture industry? It’s fantastic to work in an industry that makes such beautiful handmade products, especially as my background is really pretty heavy industry. It’s also rewarding to be giving the public a bit of luxury that has positive health benefits. The
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The same can be said of my current role — I’m not really a typical managing director, I really enjoy taking the lead on technical innovation rather than employing someone to do it.
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If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, email editor Dan Squires at dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www.cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
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There is also quite a push to reduce foam in beds and upholstery. We recently launched our Cortec™ spring product in our mattresses and, at some point, will sell to the market once we have capacity. It also makes a fantastic seat cushion, with no loss of loft,
If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? Being perfectly honest I have no clue; I fell into the wire industry at a very young age by pure accident. I’m really a bit of a techy so it suited me.
And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Driven, obsessive, optimistic.
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What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? And what future trends do you see coming? We are seeing more environmentally-friendly fire-retardant treatments. There are a few different options — we have our own version, which we launched a few years ago. This is very positive.
Did you know Cabinet Maker has been established since 1880? How long have you been reading the magazine? Yes, I did, I’ve probably been reading it for at least 15 years.
If I was not employed at Harrison Spinks now, I would probably go into property development or maybe become a cook!
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What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? Tighter control —- we don’t all work to the same standards. I also think we all need to be focused on end of life. We should all be doing our part to continually improve recycling and reduce packaging.
and is completely recyclable. Recyclability is the future.
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benefits of a good night’s sleep have been very well publicised of late. I’m lucky enough to get development beds on a regular basis — and I still get excited. But that can be said for any quality piece of furniture. They tend to be fairly big-ticket items and a long-term investment you get attached to.
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F E A T U R E |PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS / VINTERIOR
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Can you describe your current job role and responsibilities? I am the chief executive of Vinterior and I take responsibility for facilitating the vision and strategy of the business. Hiring the best people into our team is also a key focus, along with building the culture and implementing our values as the team grows. I look after fundraising too. How long have you been in your current role? Since Vinterior was founded three years ago. December 2019 | 54
Can you give a brief background on yourself? I was born in China and raised in France after my parents emigrated there. After graduating from business school, I moved to London for my first job in finance. Later, I quit my finance job to learn to code with the goal of building the first version of Vinterior. What is the best thing about your role? The learning! I am constantly challenged to grow and I am lucky to be surrounded by dedicated and brilliant people.
Vintage mid-century bamboo magazine rack
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Sandrine Zhang Ferron, chief executive of Vinterior, features in our People Behind The Products series, and reveals how she discovered her love for design after moving to Paris and then London.
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ang Ferron Name... Sandrine Zh ecutive Job role... Chief ex r Company... Vinterio rior.co te Email... info@vin
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Meet Sandrine
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Sandrine Zhang Ferron is chief executive of Vinterior
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What would you say pulled you into wanting a career in the furnishing industry? I didn’t grow up surrounded by fine furniture and decor. My parents went through the Chinese Cultural Revolution and, therefore, took a practical, utilitarian approach to our living environment. This is because the Communist party frowned upon home decor as being bourgeois and something to be eradicated.
Can you share something that your coworkers may not know about you? I used to work for Russian oligarch.
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Can you describe your typical working day? There is no typical day. Every week, I meet with my team leads for a report on key areas of the business. Outside of this, it always looks different.
importance I attach to the objects that fill the spaces in which I live and work.
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What is the most challenging thing about your role? It is a challenge to navigate the right balance between being crystal clear about my expectations and giving the team space to figure out the solution independently. This includes learning to delegate and accepting that not everything will be as I’d like it. In order to scale and allow innovation and initiative, I must let the team experiment and learn through making mistakes. My high expectations can make this hard at times!
It was not until moving to Paris — and then London — as a young adult that I was really exposed to design. I became aware of the impact of beautiful design within an environment. Becoming a homeowner also increased the
What are your favourite things in life? I love cooking for friends, eating, reading, hiking, practising yoga and enjoying beautiful design. What are your future ambitions? We are excited to continue expanding the collection of extraordinary vintage design into 2020. Do you have any furnishing industry icons you admire? Florence Knoll and Charlotte Perriand are two women who overcame adversity to leave a strong mark on the history of furniture design. Do you have any career highlights that spring to mind? Raising our first angel and VC investment round was a challenging and rewarding process. »
LEFT: Aztec patterned geometric wool Kilim rug, from Turkey ABOVE: Vintage mid-century easy chair
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F E A T U R E |PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTS / VINTERIOR
What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? And why? My yellow Poul Volther mid-century easy chair. It was my first vintage purchase and what triggered my idea for Vinterior. What do you love about the furnishing industry? There is huge scope for creativity and mixing eclectic design genres, old with new. I Mere teak sideboard - Danish G Plan
Bespoke double sink bathroom vanity cabinet am drawn to furniture that brings together qualities of function and beauty. What could be improved to make the industry better in your opinion? A better online presence and transparency around best trade practices. What industry trends are you seeing at the moment? People are going online to browse and buy, it’s more convenient. We also care more about sustainability and practising responsible consumerism.
Can you predict any future trends that may emerge? New technologies will become more mainstream (3D, AR, VR) and there will be more on-demand customisation of homeware. If you weren’t working in the industry, what would you be doing? I’m quite interested in Biotech — understanding the genome and aging — and cosmology. I enjoy reading around these areas, so perhaps they would be a learning focus. And finally, if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Driven, curious, and demanding.
w www.vinterior.co If you would like to feature your staff members in our People Behind The Products features, please email our editor Dan Squires — dan@ cabinet-maker.co.uk or go to www.cabinet-maker.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page to fill in our questionnaire form.
December 2019 | 56
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“IT WAS NOT UNTIL MOVING TO PARIS — AND THEN LONDON — AS A YOUNG ADULT THAT I WAS REALLY EXPOSED TO DESIGN”