NEWS

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.

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

Independent British furniture maker Whitemeadow has been voted Best UK Furniture Manufacturer of the Year by readers of trade magazine Interiors Monthly.

The Nottinghamshire-based firm topped the poll by a considerable margin after being shortlisted for the vote by the publication, which aims to keep furniture retailers up-to-date with the latest design and business trends in the industry. Its readers were asked to vote for their favourite brands and products in 51 individual categories this year.

Founded in 1994, Whitemeadow employs around 550 people across six sites within a two-mile radius of Huthwaite. It has more than 170,000 sq ft of manufacturing space.

It is one of the few remaining independently-owned British upholstery manufacturers and has become one of the most trusted and well-respected companies in the industry. It is a key supplier to the UK’s largest blue chip and independent furniture retailers.

Ian Oscroft, the firm’s Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to have scooped this prestigious honour. Whitemeadow has won several awards over the years, but this one is extra special for two reasons. One, because it is from such a highly-regarded and well-respected publication which has a great deal of credibility in the industry for setting the agenda. And two, because it was voted for by readers of the magazine, who are our customers, which shows that we are continuing to do the right things by innovating, being brave with our design ideas and giving the industry the service and product quality that it needs. This is a huge honour and is testament to the hard work and dedication of the whole team here at Whitemeadow, who take such pride in producing great British furniture which continues to push the boundaries of design and drive industry trends.”