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From a standing start to one of Britain’ s leading sofa manufacturers, Ashwood Designs( Ashwood) has spent more than 20 years building a reputation for quality, innovation, and flexibility. Founded in 2005 by industry veterans Richard Smart and Stuart Youngs following the closure of the Christie Tyler Group, Ashwood’ s early success supplying DFS laid the foundations for rapid growth. Today, the South Wales-based manufacturer produces around 1500 pieces of upholstered furniture every week, supplying almost 400 independent retailers across the UK and Ireland, alongside major multiples, national retailers, and recognized brands.
Now a part of DMIG, the UK’ s largest upholstery manufacturing group, Ashwood continues to evolve. From its marketleading approach to motion furniture and an unrivalled choice of fabrics to its return to upholstered bed production, the business is combining British manufacturing know-how with the flexibility that today’ s retailers demand.
Will Cawson, Ashwood’ s Design Director, began his journey in UK upholstery in 2004, fresh out of university with a BA in furniture and product design. After working with several big-name brands, Will joined the company in 2025 and, with the business under new ownership and exciting plans ahead, jumped straight into action. Now, a year and a half later, he joins Manufacturing Today to divulge in some of Ashwood’ s most recent developments.
Perhaps one of the company’ s most exciting changes is its recent acquisition of Buoyant Upholstery, a leading furniture manufacturer based in Nelson, Lancashire.“ Our owners are looking to grow the leading UK furniture manufacturing group, and bringing Buoyant into the frame is a real statement in our industry,” Will begins.“ Whilst there is naturally a lot of similarity, we are also quite different businesses, so there’ s a focus
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