West Midlands-based family run furniture manufacturer, Sofa Connections, opened the doors to their production facility as they prepare for a debut January Furniture Show.
It’s been a busy year for upholstery manufacturer Sofa Connections. The company, run by husband and wife team, Matt and Sarah Oakley, has attended several trade shows throughout 2024 as the brand continues to raise awareness and reinforce its heritage of furniture making, which spans some 35 years.
Situated in Brierley Hill, just outside Birmingham, the business invited Big Furniture Group for a tour, a catch up ahead of the January Furniture Show (JFS) and to meet the office dog. It was Mimi – the Pomeranian dog – that first greeted the BFG team, her playful nature setting the scene for a fun-filled day. Entering the office and showroom space, two striking Sofa Connection models made a comfy start alongside a warm coffee as Matt and Sarah downed tools to share the background of the business.
“We’re a family run company and have over 35 years’ experience designing and manufacturing high quality sofas, chairs and upholstery, supplying the retail and contract market,” Sarah says. Founded in 1995 by brothers Brian and Paul Oakley – after the company Brian worked for, Unimoble, folded – Sofa Connections has been making and designing high quality furniture ever since with products going to market via a well-known trading partner.
Brian’s son, Matt, recently took over the reins and with it a new direction, supported by Sarah in the office and the skilled team in the factory, which still includes Matt’s father, uncle and also his brother. Their aim: “To bring that more personalised touch to the upholstery market”, Matt said. “With a highly skilled work force who have over 50 years experience in the trade you can trust that the products we design and manufacture will last the test of time.”
Brian is Sofa Connections skilled cutter – there isn’t a fabric or leather he doesn’t know how to handle, while Paul, who started out as a frame maker but says he likes his fingers too much, switched to upholstery. As for Matt, he has been working with his dad and uncle since he was just 17 years old, shaping him into the craftsman he is now.
The team, on average, produce around 60-70 products a week in their busy facility where products are put through a streamlined system for efficiency and best production practice. As the company continues to establish itself in their own right, there is plenty of room to grow too. “We’re going through a phase of reminding the market and industry of who we are, how long we’ve been making great furniture and why our direction has changed,” Sarah said.
“It’s been a challenging year raising our profile but it’s also been successful where the industry is learning of who we are, our history and values. We’re now excited to expand on this further, with JFS a great starting point to kick off 2025.”
Remaining coy on what new products customers can expect to see, Sarah did say that they are developing a new scatter back for the show, alongside other product launches. JFS will also see the business take it’s largest ever stand space, situated in Hall 1, where it will be displaying popular products from recent shows including best sellers Blakedown and Belfry.
As mentioned, the production process is efficient. Quality checking throughout each stage is paramount too, while maintaining a circular flow helps maximise manufacture. The frames used are all locally supplied, while sewers provide such attention to detail to produce a seamless finish. Furthermore, and in keeping with attention to detail, on feather back sofas, the business incorporates a pillar behind the cushion to help maintain the plumbness of the feather filling. Having sat and experienced this first hand too, it really offers a great finishing touch.
For Mimi – they may be a few more dog mentions throughout – her role is to make sure everyone is on task. Her reward, a treat of course. Back in the office she often tries to get involved when the phone rings – she just loves the attention!
As the tour resumed, Sarah showcased their own range of house fabric swatches, plus a range of printed fabrics to accent, which make pricing simpler for those who want a standard product with a great selection of fabrics. “We’ve spent lots of time putting together a lovely mix of fabrics which we know our customers will love,” said Sarah.
It’s clear to see the love and attention to detail that goes into each product, which are all made-to-order. As the company gears up for JFS 2025, Sarah and Matt were proud to share a teaser into their rebrand, which looks extremely premium. Speaking about the rebrand, Sarah, who has spent many a month working hard on potential ideas and looks, said: “We felt that a rebrand of our logo was needed to give us a modern feel and design.
“At the last few shows, we also noticed that the SC on our initial logo can get a bit lost so we wanted to create an identity that is clear, simple and very easy on the eye. I think we have achieved this and we’re excited to unveil it soon.”
Alongside the new logo will come a tagline, endorsing the company’s key message, as well as pricing form change to simplify things for the retailer. It all falls under a natural progression since Matt and Sarah took control. “Our new pricing structure will make it simpler for our customers, while the rebrand and swatch development will also create a buzz as we enter our next phase of growth,” Matt said. “We want to keep telling our story, showcasing our heritage and maintaining our momentum so far.”
To further boost this momentum, Sofa Connections has recently appointed husband and wife team Dave and Debbie Jenkins as agents who are representing the company in East and West Midlands. Both Dave and Debbie have been a prominent team in the East and West Midlands for the past 20 years, yet their combined experience in the furniture trade stretches to over 60 years!
Commenting on joining the Sofa Connections team, Debbie shared: “It’s such a great team, and Dave and I have known Sarah and Matt for many years, so it’s great that we can work together with a true quality British manufacturer.”
Dave echoed the sentiment: “The whole industry is changing, and there is an ever-increasing demand from retailers to create their own brand, with exclusive designs, fabrics and marketing, something that Sofa Connections does better than most others. I’m delighted to represent this fast-growing business.
“It’s like ‘two for the price of one’ and can only be a good thing ensuring our manufacturers have outstanding representation and retail partners have a team that will make a positive difference to their business!”
The appointment is in addition to Jonathan Huntsman, who joined earlier this year as an agent for the North East. He added: “We had great fun at Manchester, both personally with the team and also for business too. Sofa Connections have been a hidden gem for 35 years and I’m so pleased to be part of the team to spread the word on this new opportunity for retailers to make margin. It’s a very exciting time.”
The team works closely with national agent Colin Boyce who has been representing Sofa Connections from the beginning when the business moved from supplying a third party to venturing into the world of supplying directly to the retail market.
“Our team has continued to grow this year and we’re delighted on the progress we’re making so far,” Sarah said. With the focus now turning to the January Furniture Show, which takes place from 19-22 January 2025 at Birmingham’s NEC, the team is busy preparing for the event, although Mimi is unlikely to feature on the stand – much to her disappointment!
“We look forward to JFS and showcasing our products once more,” Matt said. “Please make sure you stop by and see us; we can’t wait to see you.”
On behalf of the BFG team, editor Dan and Sales Manager Nick had a wonderful experience seeing first hand the craft behind Sofa Connections, as well as a first glimpse at an upcoming rebrand. More on this next month as the company kicks off the New Year with a new look.
