In the final part of our mini series looking at how Whitemeadow  supports its customers, we are looking to the future and the ways in which Whitemeadow are investing in the UK upholstery industry. Inspiring the next generation through engaging with school children, helping re-train the local community in key upholstery skills and investing heavily in new facilities are just a few of the ways we demonstrate our  dedication to ensuring Whitemeadow stays at the forefront of the industry way into the future.

In 2017, Whitemeadow Upholstery and The Furniture Makers’ Company were delighted to announce the launch of the first-ever Whitemeadow Upholstery Design Award. Whitemeadow Managing Director, Ian Oscroft commented at the time: “We know that to ensure Whitemeadow stays at the forefront of the industry, we need to continually bring fresh new designs to the market and to that end we encourage a working climate for inspiration”. The first placement was so successful that we have now welcomed our second student, Megan Glew, a Product Design student from Nottingham Trent University, into the Design department for a 1-year placement.

And we’re not stopping there, we’re going back to school! We're helping to inspire the next generation of designers and furniture makers by supporting a campaign organised by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishing industry’s charity. We are sponsoring eight schools within the Nottinghamshire area, where the company was founded and still based today.  Launched in 2014, the School Design Prize raises awareness of the furnishing industry among school children by rewarding them for their design & technology course work. Whitemeadow believe it is absolutely key for our industry that we focus on developing the next generation and we are keen therefore to support this initiative within our local area. Hopefully we will see some of these young faces working at Whitemeadow in the future!

Later this year we are due to launch our Sewing School for local people who would like to train as sewing machinists. The idea behind our sewing school is to encourage people to pursue a career in upholstery manufacturing and equip them with the technical skills and experience they need to make a go of it.

And finally, we are delighted to unveil our brand new, state of the art Design and Development Centre. We have invested more than £700,00 in the custom-built 13750 sq ft facility, which not only houses our full design and development team, but also a 4000 sq ft customer showroom!

We are confident that the investment Whitemeadow have made in their workforce and facilities at the front end of the business will stand us in good stead for the future and help strengthen our position as one of the most creative and innovative furniture manufacturers in the UK.

Continuing with our series on how Whitemeadow supports its customers, this week we are taking a closer look at the expertise and experience that Whitemeadow is home to.

Situated in the heart of the upholstery manufacturing centre of the UK, Whitemeadow was established in 1994, handcrafting products in our Nottinghamshire factory.

Fast-forward to today and we’re proud to maintain our commitment to craftsmanship, but now on a much larger scale. Expansion has allowed us to produce more but has never extinguished our commitment to keeping all our products hand-crafted in our Nottinghamshire factories.

And we wouldn’t be where we are today without the exceptional skills of our experienced and dedicated workforce. Team members at Whitemeadow hold a wide set of skills which enables us to be agile in our creative and manufacturing processes, and we are proud to have a workforce that has built up many years of experience with the company- our Frames team have a combined experience of 118 years!

Experienced Design and Development department

Beginning with just one designer 20 years ago, our innovative and passionate design team is the foundation of our business. The team is now over 20 strong and embodies a mix of creative energy and industry experience. The whole team shares the same drive and desire to create inspirational, innovative designs in the latest fabrics and get them to market before our competition. Our Design Director, Paul Ainley, who has been with the business for over 20 years, commented “Our team here are always working on something new, it’s exciting to take new designs to our customers and see them get really enthusiastic about our products, it’s what we’re here for”.

Fully trained Customer Support teams

We have specific teams to support our customers and continually invest in ongoing training to assist you with all your pre-delivery and post-delivery queries. Whether you wish to amend an order or simply track the progress of your order, we have over 107 years of experience at Whitemeadow within our Customer Support teams, so you can be sure that the person dealing with your request is an expert in their field.

Whitemeadow are committed to focussing on design leadership, efficient production processes and attention to quality to ensure that we support you, our customers, in making your business a success.

To find out more about how we can support your business please contact your Whitemeadow Sales Manager or email enquiries@whitemeadow.com

At Whitemeadow, the largest independently owned upholstery manufacturer in the UK, our approach to furniture making is simple. Skilled craftsmen taking pride in building tailored products with high quality finishes following exacting UK standards to support the brands of our loyal customer base.

This simple approach has led us to become one of the most trusted and well-respected upholstery manufacturers in Britain.

What’s our secret?

Well, all our furniture is made here in the UK to meticulous standards, by highly-skilled craftsmen using only the best materials.

So, why does ‘Made in Britain’ mean you’re getting a quality product?

The best quality fabrics

Our team of designers works with expert worldwide suppliers to develop our fabrics and have long established relationships with some of the finest mills in the world.

Most importantly, we buy only from suppliers who we know meet the quality standards you would expect from our products.

From contemporary plains, decadent velvets and custom collections bespoke to Whitemeadow, we leave no stone unturned in sourcing the very best fabric ranges to complement our designs.

The best quality interiors

To ensure the comfort of our furniture matches its good looks, we put the same amount of effort into sourcing our ample range of fillings options, as we do our fabrics and frame components.

All our interiors are supplied to us by long established experts.

We ensure all interiors we use undertake a series of industry standard tests to evaluate performance, flammability and overall suitability for use.

The best quality ethos

We have a great awareness of sustainability, durability and responsible consumerism. We pride ourselves on making our own furniture by hand, from start to finish, in our own Nottinghamshire workshops, creating high-quality products here in Britain while providing skills and employment in the process.

The best quality standards

Our component selection process means that it is not just about presenting a product that looks good, it also means presenting a finished product that really works, whilst always complying with the exacting current British standards.

Fully certified performance and suitability reports, from an independent UKAS accredited laboratory, are always sought and verified before we present a new product to our customers. We are also proud members of The British Furniture Manufactures' Association, a trade body that represents the interests of the the furniture industry in this country. To find out more please visit www.bfm.org.uk

The best quality care

We understand that paying attention to the finer details is key. Ensuring our furniture is made here in the UK means we have 100% control over every step in the production process, creating a quality product that we can be proud of.

At Whitemeadow, we have a simple approach that involves utilising the best of British. Making the most of the finest technology and employing passionate individuals to create truly inspiring British made upholstery.

For any enquiries  please contact us at enquiries@whitemeadow.com