Sitting pretty: furniture gets a more productive rethink
The issue
Bradford-based Knightsbridge Furniture has been supplying the leisure, hospitality and public sectors with high-quality contract furniture since 1939. The company had won a reputation for designing and making excellent products, but its turnover of £8m was static and competition was becoming fierce.
The company’s main problem was turning good designs into finished products quickly without compromising on quality. “Keeping up with several major markets was quite a challenge,” says chair Margaret Miller. “The risk was that by the time a product hit the market, the market had moved on.”
Knightsbridge turned to the Design Council’s Designing Demand programme and joined the Immerse service for mature businesses looking for strategic change or aiming to boost sales and profits. Miller wanted to conduct a design review to define a new direction for the company.
The solution
Design associate Phil Taylor identified a lack of design direction and marketing focus. The business, which supplies hotels and ‘own brands’ as well as hospitals and care homes, had over-diversified. “The brand was confused,” he says, “with several logos and no articulation of its competitive advantage, which meant the business was struggling to communicate effectively.”
Two key changes were needed for Knightsbridge to regain momentum. Product development processes needed to be streamlined and the company’s identity freshened up.
Taylor suggested the company needed to change its methods: use fewer parts and alternative materials, outsource more and reduce the number of prototype stages.
Leeds-based brand agency Lowd+Klea was chosen to shake up Knightsbridge’s image. A red interpretation of the letter ‘K’ on a white background was chosen, as “it really stood out, and worked well not just on stationery but across our large transport fleet,” says Miller.
A customer contact and feedback system was set up to ensure user interaction with a smaller product range, and to identify customers’ needs. The company also decided to expand into the south of England.
The outcome
Within Knightsbridge, design is now used more strategically, and the company is more open to using external designers for selected tasks. A marketing and design committee directs product development, obtains external advice and implements a design strategy.
The committee also identifies gaps in the market that can be filled by new products, such as Knightsbridge’s anti-MRSA lacquer for healthcare furniture.
Using fewer components and more outsourcing has sped up production and has already saved £25,000 a year. And the business’s increased presence in the south contributed to a £3m increase in turnover after four years.
Knightsbridge’s fresh corporate identity has both improved the company’s image and cemented its reputation. In particular, the company’s leaders now understand the importance of strong branding and design standardisation.
“The strongest result has been our improved brand image,” says Miller. “It has gone from strength to strength and really kept us at the forefront of the market.”
For more on Designing Demand, visit www.designingdemand.org.uk.
Article first published in Design Council Magazine, Issue 7, Winter 2009
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