Franz Design

4 . Waste Not , Want Not

At the time of the QVC shows The Manor Collection’s core business was the manufacture of wooden furniture. However, the very nature of this production process, using natural Irish beech, resulted in an inefficient waste factor of approximately 60%. The company realised that these off-cuts should be re-used for creating smaller giftware items. Learning from their previous mistakes, The Manor Collection decided to undertake thorough market research and analysis this time, rather than charging straight into full production. They needed to discover which products would sell; who and what was already profitable in the market; and if there was, in fact, a sizeable niche waiting to be filled.

For the next two years the company carried out extensive market research. Starting with outlets in the retail sector, a study was commissioned looking at all the types of giftware on offer. Using the results, The Manor Collection created a selection of prototypes and persuaded their small network of existing retailers to display them. Feedback was sought for each product and any required modifications were made before the revised product was sent back to the retailer. This process continued until each piece was perfected. In conjunction with this refinement of design; presentation, packaging and brand image were also fully scrutinised.

Upon completion of these exercises the company decided it needed a new image to compliment the new direction and new products. It was felt that the brand The Manor Collection had been pushed to its limit by becoming a respected name in design and production of furniture. It had amassed a decent reputation as a company that

supplied traditionally handcrafted, good quality, wooden furniture. Based on the research, Franz Caffrey believed he needed to bring a far more contemporary design element into the new work. The Manor Collection was well known but the man behind the company was not. He decided to use his own name and attempted to get brand recognition for the name Franz. Work commenced on pushing this forward when, in November 1999, he launched the Franz range, consisting of 17 individual products. Tested on the market for the previous two years and stocked at eight separate retail outlets, all goods sold through. This pleasing performance indicated that the product was indeed sellable and had gained a good level of acceptance among the general public. This initial success prompted the new company to look for a suitable venue for an official launch. Exhibiting at Showcase 2000 at the RDS in Dublin, the reaction to the new products surpassed all expectations. Over the period of the exhibition the company had secured 27 retail clients - all committing to stock the products immediately. This extraordinary success continued with new client accounts continually being secured. “Our research and diligence had paid off,” remarked Franz Caffrey, “We pitched our product well and found a real niche in the market – demonstrated not just by praise but a stream of orders.”

Attention to detail, unique contemporary designs and thorough research of the market had served the company well. Its individuality was, in main, due to Franz Caffrey’s flare for design and the unusual look and feel of the wood itself. Promoted as the Fine Art of Nature range, each piece was handcrafted from native Irish beech wood, engrained with individual patterns and textures – no two pieces were exactly the same. The lengthy production process starts during the winter months when Ireland’s infamously gusty weather frequently blows down beech trees. To some this is a grave inconvenience, to Franz Caffrey a rich source of raw material. “We get calls from farmers throughout the winter and drive up to collect the fallen trees. Once we bring them back to the factory we split the trees into differing thicknesses dependent on what is required. We then put the boards back together just like a jigsaw forming their original rounded trunk,” explained Caffrey. “We leave them lying in silo where both insect and microscopic life forms emerge from the ground and, as the trees are already split, it is relatively easy for these life forms to get right in between the planks. Waste left behind from the bugs leaves a pigment and creates a texture in the wood.” This process takes up to a year resulting in a supply of beautiful and unusual raw material. “Hence the name Fine Art of Nature” says Caffrey, “We leave the process up to the fine artist that is nature”. The company’s storage facility, located in Athy, maintains an ample supply of wood. Stock levels are sufficient for the next 4 or 5 years even at the current high levels of demand. Along with storing raw materials, all finished products are stored and distributed from the Athy site. Design, logistics and manufacture takes place at the company’s headquarters in Clonminam Industrial Park, Port Laois.

During Showcase 2000, the innovative product range caught the eye of a buyer for Beamish & Cawford. Their buying committee was trying to source a corporate gift to present to its valued customers at its annual ball. Out of twenty different options which were presented to the committee, Franz’s teardrop clock won them over and Franz was awarded the contract to make 250 items.

In order to grow the company’s brand image and increase the range of products offered, in 2000, Franz partnered with John Forkin Limited, a renowned manufacturer of wrought iron products. Combining their talents, the two companies designed a small range of occasional furniture – a union of Caffrey’s timber and Forkin’s wrought iron skills. With their first piece they secured an account with the buyers of the large and influential Smurfit company. They were commissioned to produce 300 chairs for distribution amongst Smurfit’s corporate clients. This response gave an early indication that the partnership would prove fruitful and that future demand for their products may be strong. John Forkin dealt exclusively with all aspects of sales and distribution to allow Franz to remain focused on his individual initiatives. The partnership remains strong to this day, demonstrated by the recent success in securing another large commission from Smurfit this year.

By the end of August 2000 Franz had secured 48 clients with retail outlets located in every county within Ireland.