After more than three years under the management of Global Home Group, one of Britain’s leading cabinet furniture brands is looking thoroughly rejuvenated. Following a rationalisation of its production processes and investments totalling £4m, Corndell Quality Furniture is in good health as it prepares to wow visitors to the January Furniture Show (stand 4E50) with new ranges and an improved customisation model. Paul Farley visited Corndell’s factory and new showrooms in Witney, Oxfordshire, to meet the principals in charge of reviving this revered brand …
Although an industry newcomer, Corndell’s director Maarten van Eden quietly exudes confidence. A banker by trade, he sat on the supervisory board of Global Home Group for three years before being appointed “to help the company out”.
Two industry veterans – directors Melanie Mills and Simon Richards, who take charge of design and customer development, and factory operations, respectively – flank him.
“After spending my younger years in the Dutch navy and government, I did a lot of investment banking business in London, mostly working for JP Morgan,” says Maarten. “More recently, I have worked in restructuring, both financial and corporate – which is pretty much what I’ve been doing at Corndell.”
Turnaround
Despite his composure, it’s clear that Maarten’s task has not been completely straightforward. The efficient division of production between Vietnam and Witney took time, as did the rationalisation of the way the company does its business, and reversing the losses that were built in.
“Restructuring always takes time, and it could not have been executed successfully without the full support of the Global Home Group,” says Maarten. “However, at the same time, Corndell has invested significantly in the design and production of five new ranges.
Maarten admits that the biggest challenge was organising the production process. Today, under the close supervision of the group’s quality control personnel, the company’s carcasses are built and primed in Vietnam, before being shipped to the Witney factory for painting, finishing and completion.
This step-by-step approach allows Corndell to minimise costs and maximise workforce efficiency, but it demands careful co-ordination and communication. Says Maarten: “We spent much of 2016 trying to achieve a seamless supply chain, and to this day our process remains a dynamic one – for instance, we run an ‘exchange programme’ in which we swap staff between the Vietnamese and UK factories so they can share their knowledge, and ensure uniformity in the manufacturing.
“On the finance side, the key is to minimise working capital, and this means strict control of our inventory and receivables. After making the company lean and mean, the growth of turnover by bringing attractive new products to market is paramount, and this is happening through Melanie’s efforts.”
Offer
Corndell’s most enduring collections are the well established Nimbus and Annecy. Nimbus, a modern combination of solid oak and oak-veneered pieces, is being given “a new lease of life” through the careful application of a coat of paint which leaves the grain of the wood showing through.
Meanwhile, Annecy, one of the UK’s most popular painted ranges, has grown in strength as the many colour and handle options are communicated in ever-greater clarity through new PoS materials. There’s also Fairford, a contemporary dining range that comes in a light oil finish.
Corndell’s flexible manufacturing and finishing procedure has proved popular with independents and multiples alike (the latter often specifying white-label variants). For example, Annecy bedroom offers 25 pieces, seven colours and three handles, plus various tops – and that’s before Corndell’s bigger customers add their own unique touches.
“Every customer is welcome in my inn,” laughs Maarten. “Product offer or customer, I think you need diversity in everything.”
As well as these favourites, the past year has seen the official launch of several new collections, amongst them: Oak Mill, a waxed or white-oiled dining room range with ‘live-edge’ rustic, industrial elements; Blenheim, a light, modern collection; and Corndell’s “hot range for 2018”, Cheltenham, a delicate French-flavoured offer.
On show
Having stabilised the business, Corndell is putting forward its most diverse offer yet at this month’s show – including a number of additional ranges – and Maarten is looking forward to seeing the trade’s reaction.
“Our designs are elegant, have a very British feel to them, and are, given their quality, happily affordable,” says Maarten, who credits design director Melanie for being instrumental in their success.
He is hopeful that one or more of the new 2018 introductions will eventually prove as popular as Annecy. “Last January, we sold five months’ worth of Annecy in just one month,” he says, highlighting the enduring popularity of the range – yet also acknowledging one of the rare occasions Corndell has been caught off guard by demand.
In a bid to remain responsive and cost effective, the company manufactures to order on a four-week lead time on average, and keeps no more than two months’ reserve of stock. At any one time, Corndell has one batch in basic production, one on the water, and one in stock – and to ensure those levels are suitable, Maarten monitors buyer behaviour extremely closely, and keeps stockists abreast of the latest lead times and availability through weekly email updates.
For any retailers interested in finding out, the show offers an opportunity to see Corndell’s offer in the flesh. Maarten believes that honesty is the bedrock of any successful business relationship, and is keen to convey the truth of each collection to visitors.
“Good quality product photography matters,” says Maarten, “and that’s one of the reasons we’ve set up our own photography studio in our factory, so we can provide our bigger customers with exclusive imagery for their websites. But when it comes to agreeing a deal with a new stockist, you need to have a very honest and open conversation so they really understand the type of product you are offering. If they don’t, you will have a disconnect, and that can lead to unhappy customers and higher levels of returns.
“Take, for example, the oak furniture we’re selling – it’s a unique, natural product, so it’s never going to be 100% consistent in colour or grain pattern. We need buyers – and, in turn, their customers – to acknowledge that natural products are individual, so they shouldn’t be put off by the knots and hues they encounter in the finished pieces.”
As well as the new ranges, the company will present its latest marketing and PoS materials, which boil down the myriad options available on each range so that retailers can communicate their bespoke nature more effectively. This delivery will be bolstered by a new sales staff training programme.
“Our stockists need to be confident we can consistently deliver high-quality product, again and again,” concludes Maarten. “The rationalisation process has taken longer than we expected to realise, but Corndell is now in a place to truly live up to – and exceed – its reputation.
“And if you don’t believe me, come and see for yourself.”
The January Furniture Show 2018 will take place at the Birmingham NEC from 21st-24th this month.
