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    As we contemplate our responsibility to help transform the outdoors, we are fully aware that the way we make things is more important than what it is we make.
    For most manufacturers, the production journey involves a complex web of suppliers, each handling different stages with varying standards and timelines. Yes, there’s power in having individual experts own each leg of the journey. But over seven decades in the outdoor furniture business have taught us that end-to-end oversight helps us see our product — and its impact — far more clearly.

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    The beauty of bringing it all home

    Control of our supply chain and manufacturing processes means we can develop new products that can be manufactured efficiently, cleverly and with minimal waste. This process isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about the quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly how your bench was made, by whom, and with what care.

    When we control quality and lead times, we’re keeping logistics on the straight and narrow while ensuring that the person who sits on their new favorite bench gets exactly what they deserve: furniture built to last. Research shows that vertically integrated manufacturers can deliver reduced costs, single-source expertise, quality consistency, and efficient logistics through streamlined processes that create more cohesive and efficient operations.

    Moreover, we’re constantly sharpening our craft when everything happens under one roof. Each monthly design, engineering, and production workshop becomes an opportunity to refine not just what we’re building, but how we’re building it. With our UNIUN range, we engineered 16 individual brackets down to two universal brackets: a small change that makes stocking parts easier and manufacturing more elegant.

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    The powder coating revolution

    Perhaps nowhere is our integrated approach more evident than in our partnership with Custom Wytelyne for powder coating. This is about applying both a beautiful finish and one that creates a protective barrier that allows our furniture to withstand everything from UV rays to British weather for decades.

    We developed the Triple Process powder coating protocol in partnership with Custom Wytelyne and had it independently tested to 1,000 hours in a lab in Germany. Powder coating offers several advantages over traditional paint, creating uniform coverage that’s resistant to weather elements, UV rays, scratches, chips, and fading, making it ideal for outdoor furniture.

    We trusted our vertically integrated production partners with our precious products because we’ve learned the hard way that many powder coaters claim to follow a triple process but skip crucial steps like shot blasting or primer application. We are not selling someone else’s product, and the buck stops with us. Trusting our supplier means ensuring they’re aligned with our values.

     

    High-performance exterior durability powder coatings can withstand up to five years of exposure in demanding conditions before showing visible degradation, but our goal extends well beyond industry standards. We want our furniture to become part of the urban landscape’s story, not a chapter that needs rewriting every few seasons.

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    Colour as a catalyst

    In 2024, we launched the Furnitubes Colour Palette — a curated selection of 15 standard colours born from our vision to bring more joy to urban outdoor environments. Working closely with Custom Wytelyne, we selected colours that truly work on our furniture, transforming outdoor urban spaces into realms of wellbeing.

     

    This kind of thoughtful colour development only becomes possible when you control the entire process. Each shade is tested not just for durability, but for its ability to enhance the spaces where people gather, rest, and connect.

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    The ripple effects of integration

    Vertical integration allows improved coordination between production and distribution, decreases costs of exchanging goods between firms, and can close information gaps along supply chains, minimising wasteful practices. But the benefits extend far beyond operational efficiency.

    By manufacturing to forecast, we reduce the burden on just-in-time manufacturing by 30%, managing stock levels to smooth out demand. This means when a landscape architect needs our Railroad or AKRI Snap products for a community project, we’re ready. No delays, no compromises on quality. Just thoughtful furniture delivered when and where it’s needed.

    Our group-level Quality Team also works across all companies, meaning three people focus solely on measuring and improving quality daily. Having a more diverse selection of views and experiences in a manufacturing, design, and sales organisation means our sales and marketing team truly understands what it takes to make a bench or assemble AKRI Snap. This insight flows through every conversation with clients, every product recommendation, and every solution we propose.

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    An ethical imperative

    Perhaps most importantly, I know that our products have been made ethically and that everyone involved in manufacturing our products loves what they do and has been paid fairly. Vertical integration minimises reliance on external companies and offers flexibility to respond faster to customer demands while maintaining quality standards.

     

    Further, we are keeping skills, jobs, and revenue in the UK. In an industry where outsourcing often means losing touch with the human hands that craft your products, we’ve chosen a different path. Our team isn’t just closer to the product… they’re closer to the purpose.

    A model for lasting change

    Companies achieve vertical integration through ownership of various supply chain stages, leading to increased profit margins, improved coordination, and decreased costs. But for us, the real value lies in what this approach enables: furniture that doesn’t just withstand the elements, but enhances the spaces where communities come together.

    Every bench that emerges from our integrated process carries with it the care of craftspeople who understand both the technical requirements and the human need for beautiful, functional spaces. It’s furniture that reflects our values, not just in its design, but in every stage of its creation.

    The magic happens when your products become an extension of your principles. When vertical integration serves not just efficiency, but the deeper purpose of transforming outdoor urban spaces into realms of wellbeing, one thoughtfully made piece at a time.

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    Catherine Barratt is Managing Director of Furnitubes International Ltd. With decades of experience in outdoor furniture design and manufacturing, she champions sustainable, people-centred approaches to urban space design.