Corporate liveryman Spotlight: Mark Richardson

Our corporate members and corporate supporters represent some of the most significant companies from across all sectors within the UK furnishing industry.

Corporate membership provides opportunities for leading businesses from the trade to support our charitable activities, get involved with civic events and network with other members.  Each corporate gets to elect three representatives to be admitted as corporate liverymen and act as the main points of contact being the business and livery.

Blum UK, a leading company specialising in high-quality kitchen and furniture fittings, has been a corporate member since 2011.

In the first in a series of spotlight articles on our corporate members, Mark Richardson, who retired from his role as Blum’s UK managing director in June 2024 and now is supporting as leadership transition manager, talks about his involvement with us.

What initially attracted you to The Furniture Makers’ Company?

Initially we were attracted by several factors. These included the opportunity to take customers along for the Installation and Royal Charter Dinners, the opportunity to divert some of our existing charities budget directly towards our own industry but primarily the opportunity to give something back to an industry that has allowed our business to be successful for many decades.

My first introduction was through Past Master Ben Burbidge. He kindly invited me to a Big Shots event and introduced the idea of us becoming corporate members.

How does membership align with your company’s goals?

Both organisations are founded on a culture of personal contact (human to human). We both want to see our industry thriving – both in the present and for the future

What benefits or opportunities have you gained from being a member?

Being a member has given me a chance to meet some great people. Having now become involved with several committees, I feel I have also had the opportunity to start to make a difference. I’ve also greatly enjoyed the lunches, dinners and charity fund raising events (such as Big Shots).

What aspects of the Company’s work or initiatives – charitable or livery – do you find most valuable?

For me, it has to be the support we try to give to young people. Both those still in education but also the young professionals starting out in our industry. These people are our industry’s future and the more we can do to encourage and support them, the better.

How does the Company support your networking needs?

While this is not one of our priorities, the events, courses and meetings have all given me and our team many opportunities to meet others in our industry. The longer I have spent as a livery member, the more I have come to experience the close bonds that tie our community. Many of the other members have become friends as well as colleagues. I have built several significant relationships within the Company, and I look forward to building new ones in the future.

What role do you think the Company plays in the broader furnishing industry?

For me the two biggest roles for the Company are support and guidance for the “next generation” and for the amazing work performed by our industry charity.

How important is the charitable aspect of the Company to you?

Now that I have spent years really getting to know the Company, I personally feel that the charitable work we do really makes a difference. Therefore, for me, it is a vital aspect of the Company’s functions.

What activities/events/initiatives would you like to see the Furniture Makers doing in the future?

This is a difficult one because I feel that each member might have a different set of expectations or needs. For me, the best practice events have been well received and have proven to be of real value. If one of the Company’s main goals is to strengthen our industry than what better way is that we share those things that we do really well? My vote would be in support of doing more of these in the future.

Can you share a memorable experience or achievement since joining the Company?

Whilst it is not exactly a single experience and it’s certainly not an achievement, there is one over-riding memory. When we first became members, I must confess that our reasons were primarily selfish. What could we get out of membership? But in those first 12-18 months, I realised that there was far more meaning and far greater value to seeing that it is much more about what we can put in or contribute.

What advice would you give a company considering joining The Furniture Makers’ Company?

One piece of advice – don’t join unless you intend to participate/interact, and you intend to ‘stay joined’. Corporate membership has advantages for companies, but the real benefits come from the time you spend getting involved.

For more information about Blum, go to blum.com/gb/en/