Whitemeadow is delighted to announce it's inclusion in the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2019. The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), with companies representing over 40 sectors and spanning every country and region across the UK.

To be selected for the list, businesses had to demonstrate not only positive revenue growth over the last three years but also outperform their sector peers. The result is a unique and varied list of the UK’s most dynamic companies. More details on the Companies to Inspire reports and methodology can be found online at www.1000companies.com.

Whitemeadow is the largest independently owned upholstery manufacturer in Britain today, producing a wide range of sofas and upholstered bed frames for many of the country’s blue-chip high-street brands and premium independent retailers. Situated in the heart of the upholstery manufacturing centre of the UK, Whitemeadow began in 1994, handcrafting products in our Nottinghamshire factory. Fast forward to today and we’re proud to maintain our commitment to craftmanship, now on a much larger scale. As a major employer in the local area, we currently employ over 500 colleagues over 6 sites, all within a 2-mile radius which totals over 200,000 ft2 of manufacturing space. Focussing on design leadership, an efficient production process and attention to quality, we have grown to become one of Britain’s leading upholstery manufacturers.

Whitemeadow Managing Director said: “We are delighted to have been included once again by the London Stock Exchange Group as one of the 1000 companies to inspire Britain.
Given the political confusion surrounding the UK, we are proud to be flying a small flag for British, and in particular Upholstery, manufacturing which in times of such uncertainty faces many challenges. Our fantastic team continue to navigate these difficulties with great skill, ability and enthusiasm and I am extremely proud of everyone for their contribution in helping the business achieve this accolade”.

David Schwimmer, CEO, London Stock Exchange Group:
“Congratulations to all the companies selected for inclusion in the sixth edition of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report, which identifies the UK’s most dynamic SMEs. SMEs drive growth, innovation and job creation and are the lifeblood of the British economy. We believe that supporting the growth of these businesses is critical to the UK economy and the creation of a society that works for everyone.”

A full searchable database of all of the companies along with a downloadable pdf of the publication can be found online at www.1000companies.com

2019 has got off to a big and busy start for Whitemeadow. We kicked off the year with our best-ever performance at the January Furniture Show, followed by a very successful return to the Long Eaton show circuit in April. Add to this a new collaboration with The Branded Furniture Company (Whitemeadow are the chosen manufacturer for the new Orla Kiely upholstery range) and increasing the Content by Terence Conran range, and it’s easy to see why we have high hopes for our return to the Manchester Furniture Show next month.

Once again, we’ll be showcasing a range of house upholstery, beds and occasional pieces, plus a selection of Content by Terence Conran models. As the chosen manufacturer of The Branded Furniture Company, we will also be presenting a range of new Orla Kiely Upholstery models.

The design and development team have been busy visiting shows throughout Europe to source new fabrics and incorporate the latest trends into their ranges, allowing us to offer our customers styles that are specifically suited to their market and budget.

“We’ve got a lot of new big projects we’re working on this year, which are all very exciting and challenging  at the same time”, says Sales Director Paul Wesson.

The branded furniture market is one area that Whitemeadow are looking to develop further this year. A new Content by Terence Conran Northern Showroom was opened in April at our Sutton In Ashfield site, and The Branded Furniture Company have chosen the Whitemeadow Orchard Way site as the home of the Orla Kiely Upholstery Showroom.

Head of Group Sales, Daniel Oscroft, commented “We love coming to the Manchester Furniture Show as it provides us with a vital mid-year touchpoint with our customers, and our offering just keeps getting bigger and better each year so it’s definitely a firm favourite on our calendar!”

Whitemeadow will be exhibiting in the Cobden Room in the foyer area of Manchester Central from the 14^th-16^th July.

Congratulations to Sir Terence Conran from all at Whitemeadow on being presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award this week.

Sir Terence Conran, one of the world’s best-known designers, retailers and restaurateurs, has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the design and furnishing sector.

Commenting on the award, Sir Terence said: “In my heart I have always considered myself a furniture maker, it has given me more pleasure than anything else during my rather long career. As a very young boy I vividly remember the absolute joy of finally finishing making my very own bookcase and it has been in my bloodstream ever since. So it was truly thrilling to be recognised by The Furniture Makers’ Company and to enjoy a very special evening with fellow craftspeople who share my love of making furniture. One of my big fears is that as a nation we often appear to have lost the joy of making things so it was uplifting to be surrounded by passionate furniture makers and see that the talent and passion in our industry burns as brightly as ever.”

For further information, please click here.

Whitemeadow have been the official manufacturer of the Content by Terence Conran Upholstery range since 2017 and will be showcasing new models from the collection at the Manchester Furniture Show in July. To register your place click here.

To find your nearest Content by Conran stockist please click here.