Benchmark is a design led manufacturer of bespoke furniture and specialist woodworking and metalwork. The company was set up in 1984 by Terence Conran and Sean Sutcliffe at a time when the design scene looked very different.
The modern furniture scene was dominated by small designer makers who worked on high value commissions or pieces for galleries. Retail environments didn’t really exist other than Heal’s and the first Conran Shop. With an ambition to make affordable, modern furniture the company began by making small batches of furniture for The Conran Shop and Heal’s with just three skilled workers. One of the company’s first evolutions was the opportunity to move into making furniture for the restaurant sector, starting with Bibendum. This has led on to furnishing hundreds of restaurants, cafes and hotels.
The launch of Benchmark’s own domestic furniture range in 2004 was its next evolutionary step as Benchmark recognized that the internet could enable it to sell to customers direct from the maker, thus offering better value.
Today, Benchmark works out of 35000 square feet of workshops with woodworking, metalworking and upholstery capabilities and a full service design studio and pride themselves on providing the service and attention to detail that they have nurtured since that first small workshop. They employ 45 designers and craftsmen and design, manufacture and install furniture for offices, public institutions, hotels, bars, restaurants and private homes as well as complex architectural joinery. Their most recent ventures include The London Library, the Angel Building, the Woodland Trust Headquarters and the launch of a Street and Park Furniture collection for landscape, corporate and leisure clients.
Managing Director Sean Sutcliffe said “The heart of our business is craftsmanship and our best tools are our hands but we wouldn’t still be in business if we hadn’t embraced technology. Using new technology, whether it is in terms of materials or processes, has allowed us to stay competitive. Equally important has been the major step forward we took when we established our own Apprenticeship scheme which enabled us to train our own workers and instil our own beliefs.”
Sustainability is central to Benchmark’s business. They were one of the first furniture makers to be awarded FSC and PEFC certification as well as the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
Although Benchmark are most renowned for their work with wood, they’ve also embraced other materials Their work in zinc stemmed from the late 80’s when they were trying to emulate the zinc bars of the West Bank in Paris. The popularity of zinc then led them to experiment with other non-ferrous materials and as a result they have significant expertise of working with zinc, pewter, copper, bronze. This combination of woodworking and metalworking makes Benchmark unique in the market place.
For further information please telephone 01488 658184 or visit www.benchmarkfurniture.com
