Ministry of Furniture has officially moved into a new, much larger, headquarters as the business seeks more space and room for further expansion, including the creation of new jobs, as it reaps the rewards of the investments it has made in the business in recent years.
The company has moved into new premises in Milland Road Industrial Estate, Neath, known locally as the Metal Box Factory, an iconic and historic building. It has taken almost 8,000 sq ft of space over two floors initially, on long-term lease from Neath Port Talbot Council, which will be used for offices and a showroom. It has plans to take a further 40,000 sq ft of manufacturing space in the future, supporting further expansion and as many as 100 new jobs in the next three years.
The move does not impact its manufacturing factory, based in Ystalyfera in the Swansea Valley, but it does mean that it can integrate a number of showrooms featuring its best work and designs into the larger space it will now operate from.
Some 30 of its office-based staff including its teams of designers and fitters have moved from its existing headquarters in Ministry House, Baglan. Mirroring what the business has helped many of its clients achieve since the pandemic, it is embracing a hybrid, flexible working model whereby its people will have a choice of desks or a range of different working environments to choose from.
The company has complemented the move by also investing in a new state-of-the-art communications VOIP-based system, a new customer relationship management (CRM) system, being built to the company’s bespoke specifications, and a new range of furniture and fittings.
The move also allows the company the room for future growth. During the pandemic, it expanded and changed its offering while also investing in training its staff in the way they use technology and embrace the principles of the circular economy.
This includes the use of remanufactured furniture and upcycled materials, techniques popular as companies are increasingly assessing and monitoring their carbon footprint and want a full understanding of where materials are sourced and the nature of supply chains.
Graham Hirst, Managing Director, Ministry of Furniture, said:
“This move to what is an iconic building in the area represents a pivotal moment in the company’s history as we eye a bright future based around further developing the business and expanding our offering around some of the remarkably talented people we have. Our new headquarters represents the perfect space for a company like ours, allowing us the room and flexibility to create and showcase our work in many forms. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the new premises and literally showing them what we can offer.”
