Ministry of Furniture, the company which emerged from Remploy Furniture, has unveiled exciting growth plans for 2022, which include a significant investment in systems, a planned move to larger premises and the launch of a new product line.
The business will also streamline and simplify its offering in line with its core skillset – the design, manufacture (and remanufacture), and installation of furniture. As such, it has completed the divestment of Ministry Graphics, its division offering graphics and signage, which has been sold to its original shareholder.
Ministry of Furniture first invested in Ministry Graphics, originally called Sign and Print Systems, in 2019. Having grown the business substantially, the company has been sold back to Matthew Anderson, the original owner and MD of that business. He will continue to develop the business, to be renamed Sign Inc.
The move will allow Ministry to focus on offering exceptional customer service around its core furniture and interiors offering. This approach will also allow it to expand that offering by launching a fitted furniture range in 2022, complementing the strong links it has developed with the commercial, construction and education sectors.
The company’s growth trajectory has also prompted it to seek bigger premises. In an exciting move for the company, it has signed heads of terms to move into part of the Metal Box Factory in Neath.
Ministry of Furniture plans to take a substantial chunk of the iconic 250,000 sq ft site, which once housed one of the biggest workforces in the area, has been regenerated in recent years by Neath Port Talbot Council and the J.G. Hale Group.
In line with these plans, the company will also make a six-figure investment in a bespoke set of communications and workflow system designed to streamline the company’s working practices and enhance its customer service.
Ministry of Furniture has enjoyed a period of sustained growth since it was founded from the UK governments closure of Remploy Furniture in 2013. Now, it is eyeing growth and diversification in line with its values and aims as a company in 2021 – and is investing in the people, systems and skills to allow it to leverage that. This also includes anticipated growth in the commercial, construction and education sectors over the next 12 months.
Having realigned the company’s working practices and offering in the past 12 months, it now offers clients a seamless journey over the timeline of a big project – from concept to completion. In Wales, as a framework supplier for The National Procurement Service (NPS) for Wales, it can offer its suite of services to all public sector bodies.
Graham Hirst, Ministry Group CEO, said:
“We are delighted to outline this set of exciting plans for the company as we commit to an ambitious vision designed to facilitate continued profitable growth for the business while also putting our customers first and committing to our core values as a company. While the plans will allow us to increase capacity and the scale of our offering, they also mean we remain focused on our core offering – doing what we do best for our clients.
“The move to new premises represents a very exciting new chapter for the business, as does the investment that will go hand-in-hand with that and our launch of a fitted furniture range. In terms of our divestment of Ministry Graphics, we feel that is the right move at the right time for both businesses.
“We’re delighted to have contributed to the growth of the graphics and signage business over the past two years and to be able to pass the business in great shape back to Matthew. Matthew is a good friend to the Ministry Group and takes the business with our very best wishes and encouragement for the future.”
