A LEGACY BUILT TO LAST Registered nearly a century ago with the PO Box number 1 in Hastings, Furnware’s story began with manufacturing a bit of everything including wartime goods, gun stocks, police batons, and even Furnware-branded caravans. However, in 1993, the company found its modern-day purpose when it was purchased by the Whyte family. “At that time, it was really traditional furniture like flip-top desks and wooden benches. Nothing too innovative,” explains Director Matt Whyte. “But my dad commissioned some groundbreaking research that changed everything.” That research involved measuring 20,000 students across New Zealand, yielding data that exposed a fundamental flaw in school furniture: students of the same age vary dramatically in size and posture, yet they were being seated in uniform chairs and desks. The implications were profound. Poor posture, discomfort, and restricted blood flow caused by inappropriate seating weren’t just a physical nuisance, they were impeding students’ ability to focus and learn. ERGONOMICS THAT EMPOWER The solution came in the early 2000s, when Furnware launched its flagship product: the Bodyfurn® chair. Unlike traditional classroom chairs, Bodyfurn features dynamic movement. Its seat and back flex with the student, allowing natural shifts between leaning forward, sitting upright, or reclining. The results were immediate and measurable. In pilot studies, the Bodyfurn chair increased on-task behavior by an astonishing 10%, which when paired with a 19% decrease in disruptive behaviour, makes for a far calmer classroom. Students were more focused, more comfortable, and more engaged. This innovation propelled Furnware from a local furniture maker into a regional force, with teams now operating across New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore. “Bodyfurn really catapulted us,” says Whyte.“It proved that design can have a massive impact on learning and we’ve never looked back.” RESEARCH THAT REDEFINES THE CLASSROOM Furnware continues to invest heavily in R&D; more than most in their space. Their in-house design and research teams don’t just focus on aesthetics or durability. They dive into biomechanics, acoustics, behavior, and pedagogy. “We’re not just making chairs, we’re creating learning 93 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 08 FURNWARE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx