Eleven Cumbrian furniture and homeware firms are among 140 in the North West working to improve their technology and digital skills.
As the furniture industry faces a challenging time following coronavirus, Brexit and rising inflation, a Government scheme is urging companies to take advantage of tools that will help futureproof their business.
Working with Made Smarter in Cumbria, firms which have benefited from the programme include Hout Design in Holme, Cumbria Crystal in Ulverston, Winged Heart Stained Glass in Brampton, Thwaite Holme Kitchens & Bedrooms in Dalston, Coniston Stonecraft, Bluestone Worktops in Kendal, Lakeland Lights Company in Cleator Moor, James Tanner Joinery in Kendal and Carlisle’s David Holliday Kitchens, Creative Joinery + Design and Stead McAlpin.
The ongoing renovation boom means the UK furniture and furnishings market, worth an estimated £14 billion and the second largest in Europe, is estimated to grow by around three per cent in 2022.
Stead McAlpin is a manufacturer of luxury furnishing fabrics. Ben Soper, managing director, said: “Made Smarter’s digital transformation workshop helped us focus our ideas to identify some solutions, then we secured grant funding to aid with the integration of new digital technology.
“As a traditional analogue printer, it is a new way of working which will enable us to become much more agile and responsive to customer requests and open up new markets.”
James Tanner Joinery, a manufacturer of bespoke sash windows, doors and staircases, adopted an Industry 4.0-ready CNC machine and software.
James Tanner, managing director, said: “The investment was game-changing for us. Now we have taken this first step, I can see the possibilities. And that is very exciting.”
Donna Edwards, programme director for Made Smarter, said: “While UK manufacturing is facing a challenging time, it also presents an opportunity to innovate and transform.
“Businesses working with Made Smarter over the last three years have shown that investing in technology and digital skills can build resilience and enable them to keep up with the fast-moving industry.”
