The huge demand for interior design, home and garden products and customisation, as well as a further shift to online shopping, driven by lockdown-induced focus on home upgrades in 2021, looks set to continue, presenting a significant opportunity to manufacturers. The ongoing renovation boom means the UK furniture and furnishings market is worth an estimated £14 billion in 2022.

Almost 140 SMEs are working with Made Smarter’s Adoption Programme in the North West England to navigate the multitude of challenges and capitalise on changing trends. By tapping into impartial expert technology and skills advice, and digital transformation workshops, many of them, supported by matched funding, are investing in new digital technology to become more efficient, build resilience, increase productivity and sustainable growth, and create new high-value jobs.

Made Smarter, which has supported hundreds of businesses to deliver an additional £176 million in gross value added, is now keen to reach more SMEs across the furniture and home goods supply chain. They have produced a downloadable guide to showcase the benefits of digital technology, how to get started and the top technology trends across the sector. Businesses supported by Made Smarter, including Pearsons Glass (Liverpool), BBS Window Solutions (Salford) and Winged Heart Stained Glass (Cumbria).

Donna Edwards, Programme Director for Made Smarter’s Adoption Programme in the North West, said: "While UK manufacturing is facing a challenging time, it also presents an opportunity to innovate and transform. Businesses working with Made Smarter over the last three years have shown that investing in technology and digital skills can build resilience and enable them to keep up with the fast moving industry. Digital tools can help manufacturers make marginal savings, set themselves apart from competitors in a volatile time, make products quicker, affordable and more efficiently.”

www.madesmarter.uk

Image: Donna Edwards, Programme Director for Made Smarter