Charles Vernon, former master of the Furniture Makers Company and group MD of Gloster Furniture, believes that education and training are key to the future of the furniture industry.
Charles expressed his views during a public lecture at Buckinghamshire New University entitled ‘The furniture industry - from the flames to the future’.
He also explored the constantly changing nature of High Wycombe’s traditional furniture industry, including the fire that destroyed Parker Knoll’s factory in 1970, and the continuing strength and development of great opportunities for the industry in the future.
Other key figures attending the talk included Dreams founder Mike Clare, furniture maker Stewart Linford, and Wycombe District Council Chairman, Councillor Roger Emmett.
Charles says: "The furniture industry does have a positive future but it is much more about branding and innovation rather than the traditional manufacturing, much of which has gone.
"The biggest asset for the furniture industry in the High Wycombe area is the University and the breadth of courses it offers. Long may this continue.
"The nature of the furniture industry is constantly changing and while 40 years ago much of the work taking place in the area revolved around production, today it is growing in others ways - but still presents a great opportunity.
"The UK as a whole has a huge advantage over much of the rest of the world in our training, design and marketing and we must capitalise on this, as well as factors including our place georgraphically in the world, meaning we are very accessible for foreign markets.
"To continue moving forward we must bring young people on. Education is important and we need to ensure that the furniture entrepreneurs of the future are as well-qualified as we were.
"It is amazing how by looking at history we can see opportunities for the future.
"Wycombe is still synonymous with furniture despite there being very little production in our town, but the opportunities for the students in our industry are as exciting as ever.”
Charles Vernon entered the furniture industry in 1977 when he joined the computer department at Parker Knoll. He moved from computing to production and then sales before being appointed managing director of Nathan Furniture and joining the board of Parker Knoll.
In 1993, he joined a friend who had acquired Gloster Furniture, and, with his colleague, helped Gloster Furniture expand from a small UK manufacturer of teak park benches into a leading global brand of high quality outdoor furniture.
Charles joined the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers in 1988 and has served on the Court since 1996. He became Master in 2012 and recently handed over the reins to new Master, Jonathan Hindle.
The public lecture coincided with the annual Bucks EYeS art and design show at the University, which featured an eye-catching range of work from a range of courses.
Pictured are Charles with Buckinghamshire New University's Lynn Jones (department manager - furniture) and Ian Plover (director of faculty - design,media and management).
