With the business "forecast to grow significantly this year", upholstery supplier Hydeline has appointed Mark Jeffery (pictured) as its head of operations.
With over 30 years experience in manufacturing and operations. Mark will focus on the delivery of the company’s ambitious plans for the coming year and beyond.
He says: “I am very excited to have joined the Hydeline team, due in the main because of their At the Helm brand and the more traditional furniture style which took me back to my days as an apprentice where I first fell in love with furniture. Along with this product styling, it was clear that the quality of the furniture was what you would expect from a top brand which aligned with my own quality expectations and standards.”
Having started his career at the age of 16 as an upholstery apprentice, Mark quickly climbed the ladder over the years, eventually moving to other companies including DFS and Furniture Village. After nearly 10 years at the latter in various roles, Mark made the decision to take on a new challenge as head of quality control at Studio Moderna (which went into administration earlier this year), where he oversaw six production facilities and the implemented many production lines and quality processes. After five years in that role, he was promoted to head of international operations, and was responsible for everything from PO placement to the final delivery of goods from six production facilities.
Mark continues: “The year ahead will be tough across the furniture industry. With the cost of living crisis showing no signs of abating, luxury purchases like furniture will not be on the top of everyone’s shopping list. So, to encourage the luxury spend you will need to be a stand-out brand coupled with class-defining quality. Hydeline has both elements, and I know we will have a successful, albeit tough, year.”
To further support the company’s growth, Hydeline has also enhanced its regional sales, customer hub and finance departments with the respective additions of Glynn Wareham, Phoebe Jones and Kristina Simkova to the team.
Hydeline’s MD, Jonathan Burrage, states: “Ee have several exciting plans in the pipeline for 2023/24. As well as growing the experience of our existing team through training and personal development, the addition of Mark, Glynn, Phoebe and Kristina will serve the business and our valued customers well for the future. We are excited to have them join the team and we look forward to sharing more news in the coming months.”
