Over 100 exhibitors are preparing to present their latest products and services to visiting buyers at this year’s Manchester Furniture Show, the UK’s second-largest domestic interiors event. Delivering big-name brands, the debut of MidPoint at Manchester and a convivial setting in which to do business and catch up with trade colleagues, the exhibition promises to be an unmissable mid-season purchasing opportunity …
There really is nothing quite like the Manchester Furniture Show. At once sizeable and intimate, the annual gathering is an essential trade touchpoint, taking place halfway through the year and complementing stablemate the January Furniture Show.
Top exhibitors
As always, the star of the show is the exhibitor roster. This year’s includes numerous premium British and international brands, such as: Ashley Manor, set to reveal a new upholstery collection; Vogue Beds, promising nine new models; new exhibitor Chelsom, launching new occasional models; Venjakob, bringing three new living and dining collections; new fabric and leather upholstery from Gala Collezione; and this month’s cover star Westbridge, which is set to launch three new models from the company’s in-house design team.
With over 100 companies presenting the latest in upholstery, cabinet furniture, beds and decorative accessories, Manchester’s line-up promises to be enough to spark the interest of any retail or contract buyer.
Enter MidPoint
This year’s show will incorporate the MidPoint Furniture Show (which previously took place in Solihull each June), to present a selection of new exhibitors in Manchester Central’s Charter Hall.
New names in this section include Italia Living, Kesterport, Spink & Edgar, MWA Aktuell and Sits, alongside returning exhibitors Baker Furniture and Richard Stamp Agencies.
“MidPoint’s decision to be part of the Manchester event underlines the trend that has been happening at Manchester for some time, reflecting the furniture trade itself – a movement towards a better quality middle-, and now top-end, buying experience,” says the show’s organiser, Clarion Events Group.
Fresh talent
Students from Burnley College will return to show the breadth of their newly-learned skills. Running several courses in furniture design and production, Burnley College offers an HND in furniture design, diplomas in furnituremaking and apprenticeships in upholstery and furniture production.
The college’s stand will feature examples of students’ work including desks, chairs, occasional pieces, screens and dining tables.
The students come from wide-ranging backgrounds, and the ingenuity of their work proved popular with visitors to last year’s show – visitors to stand A78 can expect to find more mixed materials, funky fabrics and clever techniques.
Better together
Key associations will be present at the event, including anti-copying organisation ACID (stand C90), and, for the first time, the Minerva buying group (stand A68).
“We had a marketing stand at the January Furniture Show this year, which proved to be incredibly successful,” says Minerva’s group business manager, Roy Beagent. “We have a great supplier base, but you can’t afford to stand still in this industry, so we’re constantly looking at new products and suppliers to give our members even more choice.”
“Following on from the success in January, we decided to have a stand at the Manchester Furniture Show as well. It will give us another great platform to meet potential new members and suppliers.”
Also present will be representatives from the British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM, stand C92), which aims to convey the wide range of services it offers. MD Jackie Bazeley says: “The BFM has represented the interests of the furniture industry for more than 65 years, so the exhibition is a great platform and opportunity for us to showcase the many benefits that we offer to potential and existing members. We’ll also be announcing an exciting new opportunity.”
Time and place
Manchester Furniture Show’s location is an important part of what makes it so popular with the trade, year after year. The show takes place at Manchester Central, a modern exhibition space in the heart of this vibrant city – visit the show website to learn about special rates at nearby hotels.
The fair runs from 15-17th July. The opening times are: 9.30am-5pm, Sunday 15th July; 9am-5pm, Monday 16th July; and 9am-4.30pm, Tuesday 17th July.
While there, don’t forget to visit stand A16 to meet the Furniture News team, take out a subscription, and discover our multimedia trade directory, Connect.
Read the July issue of Furniture News magazine to discover more about the product launches taking place at the show.
