Founded in 1989, Furniture Village is the UK’s largest privately owned furniture retailer, renowned for its unwavering commitment to quality, customer service, and rapid delivery. With over 58 stores nationwide, including recent expansion into Scotland, and a robust network of regional warehouses supported by a central National Distribution Centre (NDC) in Milton Keynes, Furniture Village continues to thrive in a highly competitive market. The company’s family-driven culture and strategic focus on stock availability, coupled with a seven-day delivery promise, ensure customers receive products quickly and reliably.
A decade-long partnership with Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks has been instrumental in supporting Furniture Village’s growth. Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks have consistently demonstrated a commitment to improving the profitability of Furniture Village’s materials handling operations, taking the time to understand the business’s unique goals and challenges.
Innovative Solutions for a GROWING bUSINESS
Faced with rapid business growth and space constraints, Furniture Village sought a solution to increase throughput, enhance warehouse efficiency, and equip their operations with the right tools for the job. The company made the strategic decision to build a new NDC adjacent to their original site. This state-of-the-art facility has doubled in size to 164,000 square feet, featuring 25 dock doors and 10,500 pallet locations.
Throughout the transition, Furniture Village relied on Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks for problem-solving and operational support. The flexibility of the team was apparent in their ability to provide short-term hire solutions and ensure the timely delivery of essential materials handling equipment, including Reach Trucks, Counterbalance Forklifts, Order Pickers, and Powered Pallet Trucks, often at short notice.
Josh Baxter, Territory Manager at Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor, added “Flexibility and fast response are central to our partnership. When Furniture Village required additional trucks at short notice, our team was able to react quickly, providing short term solutions that kept their warehouse running smoothly”.
Luke Dunworth, Operations Support Manager at Furniture Village explained, “The support and flexibility from Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks has been invaluable throughout this transition, helping us equip our operation and operators with the right trucks at the right time”.
dRIVING eFFICIENCY AND eNHANCING oPERATIONS
The expanded NDC has enabled greater stockholding, improved logistics, and significantly increased throughput. The warehouse team has welcomed the new fleet of Mitsubishi trucks introduced earlier in the year, noting their smoother operation and the distinctive blue Furniture Village branding.
Key equipment includes SENSiA EM reach trucks, capable of operating at heights of over 11 metres for high-bay racking operations; EDiA EM electric counterbalance trucks for yard work and recycling; PREMiA EM Powered Pallet Trucks; and VELiA EM Order Pickers for efficient picking and marshalling of goods. The recent addition of Scissor Lifts supports stock checking and building maintenance, reflecting Furniture Village’s ambition to continue expanding.
Battery changeover operations have also been relocated to the new Milton Keynes NDC, providing a safer and more efficient process that minimises disruption to their daily operations. The NDC site is supported by a full maintainance service contract, ensuring reliability and operational excellence. In addition to the new NDC, Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks provides materials handling equipment to support operations at every Furniture Village location nationwide, ensuring consistent collaboration, efficiency, and reliability across the entire network. “Our partnership with Furniture Village is built on flexibility and collaboration”, Josh reflected. “We’re committed to responding quickly, with larger retailers its an especially fast paced environment so we need to be on our toes to supply them what they need, when they need it. We always put our customers first, delivering reliable solutions, wherever they’re needed”.
pROVEN rESULTS IN A cOMPETITIVE mARKET
Amid fierce competition, the new NDC has empowered Furniture Village to hold more stock, streamline logistics, and boost throughput - ensuring customers receive their products quickly and reliably. These operational improvements have not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also improved the profitability of Furniture Village’s materials handling operations.
“In a competitive market our new National Distribution Centre has made a real difference, helping us hold more stock, streamline logistics, and deliver to our customers faster than ever. These improvements have not only boosted customer satisfaction but have also strengthened our business for the future,” Luke reflected. “The support and expertise of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks have been key in helping us achieve these improvements, boosting customer satisfaction and strengthening our business for the future”.
Find out more
To find out more about the award-winning Mitsubishi Forklift Truck range, call the Greenline on 0845 3713048, or visit www.mitsubishi-forklift.co.uk.
