A number of UK universities are shunning overseas exports supporting the economy by buying British for their student unions. Loughborough, Bournemouth, Keele and Liverpool John Moores universities have all recently bought furniture for their union buildings from Midlands based company Trent Furniture.
The contracts represent a departure for the Trent Furniture who traditionally supply furniture to the hotel and pub trades. However, their range of chrome and leather furniture range has proven popular in the student market. Loughborough University, which has one of the only unions in the country to be owned and managed by the students themselves, has updated areas of its students’ union building with a cross section of stock from the collection.
“Our furniture has a well earned reputation amongst the hospitality industry for being high quality and hard wearing and expanding into the university sector seemed like a logical move,” explains Rob Price, Managing Director of Trent Furniture. “Students are famous for knowing how to have a good time, so any furniture that is used in student unions and university bars needs to be robust and cost effective.”
Universities have also been attracted by the company’s environmental credentials: all the wood used in its products come from sustainable and properly manages sources whilst all waste materials are recycled where possible. In addition, the company will donate old furniture in a suitable condition to the homeless charity Shelter.
Trent Furniture has been supplying furniture to the catering and hospitality industry since 1960. The company manufactures and supplies a wide selection of ranges including sofas, bistro furniture, coffee tables, bar stools and fabrics for upholstery.
“Our large amounts of stock, competitive prices and nationwide delivery service all seem to be going down well with universities, and we look forward to extending our client base in the higher education sector in the future,” adds Rob.