Why choosing a British Furniture Manufacturer can benefit you
Here are just some of the questions you could ask when considering whether to source your hotel furniture from a UK manufacturer.
Is there a lower project risk?
Yes. There is less exposure to risk in a project where there is no potential for currency fluctuations, changes to import/export laws at home or abroad, or major world weather events affecting your shipment.
Is there higher accountability?
Working across borders leads to potential loopholes where there are differences in law from one country to another. With a UK furniture supplier, you abide by the same laws. Also, they are highly likely to value their reputation in the UK hospitality industry and do right by you.
What about factory visits?
We can’t deny that a factory visit to China on expenses sounds exotic and fun, if a little tiring. But if you can complete one more quickly, more cheaply and with no language barrier, you’ll be able to get your project started sooner, and know that you can more easily return to keep it on track if needed.
Will manufacture be faster if I choose a UK supplier?
Actually, that depends on your chosen manufacturer, what capabilities they have and whether you are high priority to them. The turnaround time for fast-tracking physical samples, however, includes delivery, therefore, a UK producer is likely to help you develop your furniture designs much faster.
Do we need the greater flexibility that a UK manufacturer can offer?
Faster reaction to changes on site can be beneficial, for example, in reducing or removing the need for storage costs if the site suffers delays. Meticulous planning can help alleviate this need, but in large, complex projects such as hotel builds, extensions or renovations, there are often significant unforeseeable hurdles. Take Covid-19, for example, and the huge impact this has had on the progress of many hospitality projects worldwide.
Is importing complicated?
That depends on which country you import from and to, and the agreements those countries have. There is a lot of support and information out there if you choose to go down this route, some free and some paid. But avoiding the need to investigate import tax and the associated paperwork is definitely more straightforward.
Can I support my ethical goals by buying British?
Giving a contract to another UK business is a great way to support our economy. It may also help you to demonstrate adherence to your other company social responsibility commitments, such as having a lower carbon footprint, using suppliers with regulated labour conditions, regulated waste management, and so on.
To conclude, we think there are a wealth of reasons why British is best for your UK hotel refurbishment or fitout. If you agree, you may like to read our article on how to select the best UK hotel furniture manufacturer for your project.
Talk to Curtis...
We believe that our combination of in-house capacity, capability and expertise is market-leading in the UK. But don't just take our word for it:
“Shipping supplies from outside the UK carries a risk to the quality of materials and timings of deliveries. To avoid these risks, we wanted to select a British Manufacturer, and Curtis are one of the few with the capacity to supply bespoke case goods for 1,000 rooms over a 12-month project.”
Ben Harvey, Category Buyer, glh Hotels - referring to our work at Hard Rock Hotel London
We have 60,000 sq ft of manufacturing space in our Leeds factory. We have the capacity to manage large projects alongside smaller ones, without disruption to either. This means that you, the client, get consistently high quality and short lead times. If you’d like to find out more, please get in touch.
