Success Story
Cheshire-based Frank Olsen Furniture, a designer and manufacturer of smart technology-integrated furniture, secured £80k from NPIF II – GC Business Finance & River Capital Smaller Loans, which is managed by the consortium as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
| Region/Nation | North West |
|---|---|
| Sector | Manufacturing |
| Programme | Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II |
| Partner |
Frank Olsen Furniture was founded by Charlie Graybrook in 2016. Inspired to create designs that go beyond the norm, he set out to merge traditional furniture with technology to create unique pieces.
He used a Start Up Loan from GC Business Finance (GCBF) in 2017 to get up and running, with the funding providing essential support to invest in initial stock. This support played a crucial role in transitioning from building prototypes in his garden workshop to manufacturing large-scale, high-quality products.
Since then, the business has launched several collections and introduced new integrated SMART technology features, including an app-controlled system that enhances user experience. Its SMART CLIC assembly features also enable its products to be assembled up to ten times faster than traditional self-assembly furniture.
After achieving success as a startup, and to take the business to its next stage of growth, Charlie secured a £25k loan from the first NPIF to support Frank Olsen’s working capital needs. This allowed the business to grow without worrying about cash flow, which supported its expansion into more national retailers, such as Next, Dunelm and Argos.
The latest NPIF II funding has allowed Charlie to further invest in product development and focus on new markets, with the business recently signing distribution agreements in Canada and Australia.
Charlie remains committed to delivering further growth, and Frank Olsen Furniture’s recent move to its new headquarters has helped streamline its processes, with both stock and production facilities now occupying the same site. The business is also contributing to job creation in the North West by outsourcing contracts to other local businesses.
Charlie Graybrook, founder of Frank Olsen Furniture, said:
What started as an idea and a dream has now grown into a great business with our collections sold in some of the UK’s biggest retailers. With GCBF’s continuous support, we have recently signed agreements with distributors to launch the Frank Olsen brand in Canada and Australia. GCBF’s funding has significantly bolstered our operations, helping us develop new, innovative products and expand into new markets, and we’re really excited to see how we can grow even more over the next couple of years.
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