British sofa and chair manufacturer West Midlands Upholstery, run by husband-and-wife team, Steve & Alison Whitehouse, is set for a return to the Manchester Furniture Show and also reflects on a successful Spring Furniture & Bed Show in Telford.
“For The Manchester Furniture Show (MFS), we will be displaying an array of beautiful fabrics on existing models and two of our newer ranges – Palma and Buxton,” Alison said. “We’re looking forward to being back in the beautiful city of Manchester. The Central Convention Centre is a stunning building, filled with light and is overlooked by the magnificent Edwardian Midland Hotel, which makes for a great view!
“Preparing for a trade show is always a challenging period, but we somehow always manage to pull things together in time and once the show arrives, we approach it with enthusiasm and are ready to go.”
In addition to newer products, the popular Henley and Malvern models will also be on show. “The repeats on these have been very encouraging, and Henley is currently our best-selling model,” Alison revealed. “Henley shows its broad appeal through its timeless styling, comfort and versatility – a collection that genuinely seems to suit almost every age group. Due to demand, we now offer a petite version of this model, which sits 2” shorter (front to back) and 1” lower seat, all at no extra cost.
“As always, we will be showing our lovely Patchwork Chairs, which do seem to have gained something of a reputation.”
MFS comes off the back of the recent Spring Furniture & Bed Show at the Telford International Centre, which was an “enjoyable” event for the business. “With an encouraging atmosphere and a wide variety of exhibitors, it was a good couple of days,” Steve said. “It was good to see fellow exhibitors enjoying the show, which created an optimistic environment.
“Admittedly, of late, we hear retailers saying that trade is currently slow, with customers taking more time and care in choosing their product, often coming back to the shop a few times to be sure about their purchase. This is why having the right product on the floor is crucial and we understand that retailers need to be sure that the models they have in will sell. Anything that can add that certain something for a customer is vital.”
New visitors that see West Midlands Upholstery at trade events are often surprised to learn that the business, which are members of the British Furniture Association (BFA), offers bespoke manufacturing capabilities. “Every model can be custom sized to suit individual customer requirements, including adjustments to seat height, length, depth and back height,” Alison said.
“Coupled with our “any fabric on any model” policy, this gives customers the freedom to personalise their product and create something that is just for them. Being part of the BFA further reinforces our brand and is a benchmark of quality for British craftsmanship.
“We like the personal approach and we’re always on hand to offer advice to retailers to help in their decision for shop floor models or to create something that is just for them. We also don’t have a press 1 for this or 2 for that telephone system and you will always get straight through. In addition, we have several agents on board, who are long established. Any areas not covered by an agent are handled directly by us.
“We’re looking forward to presenting our products during MFS and excited to connect with our customers, both existing and new. Please come and see us on stand D70 for an informal chat and we can tell you what we are all about.”
West Midlands Upholstery Agents
Colin Brett – Essex and North London – 07769 152909
Alan Hignett – North Wales, Lancashire and Cumbria – 07860 805592
Maud Laine – Southwest and South Wales 07977 173991
Clive Schofield – East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire – 07853 375869
George & Cynthia Willson – Scotland – 07867 865463
