Office Loro and Lee & Plumpton have collaborated successfully on several projects together, from the odd item of bespoke furniture, to a complete office refit. Our partnership has been steadily moving forward over the years, which is why we all thought it would be beneficial if we at Office Loro took a trip to their furniture factory and head office. At the end of August, Rashmi and I embarked on the journey to Attleborough in Norfolk to meet the team. On arrival we received a warm welcome from their production manager, Wayne Thompson, who gave us an insight into the history of Lee & Plumpton.
L&P History
Unlike the large factory that we saw during our visit, the company came from humble beginnings. Established in 1974 by Arthur Lee and Vernon Plumpton a great partnership was formed producing real wood veneer products. By 1976 the pair moved to larger premises to concentrate on selling components to manufacturers for reproduction furniture along with processing solid timber for their own products. The move into selling office furniture came in 1985, manufacturing for stock at competitive prices. In the years that followed, the company went from strength to strength earning many awards and accreditations along the way. Today, L&P employs over 150 people at their 200,000 square foot factory, set in 20 acres of land. They have a vast range of new products and a great website to show case them all. Now, in 2015 Lee and Plumpton offer solutions and services, from their bespoke design service with initial consultations, to design of the furniture item and specific space planning using the latest in CAD technology, you can ensure that together, the L&P design and manufacturing teams will create the perfect furniture and layout for their clients office space.
Tour
Having learned a bit about the history of the company we were eager to take a tour and see it in action. Our first stop was the machine room, where the majority of the bespoke work is completed which accounts for 8% of their total turn out each year. It was clear that the array of specialist machines dotted around enabled them to cope with varying designs and specifications each bespoke job brings. We then went onto the assembly room where pedestals are fixed together, and all items are packaged ready for shipping. Personally I was amazed by the vacuum lifts the staff use, this handy tool ensures none of the staff have to move the products themselves, just two suction cups on the item and it is moved a
s easily as lifting a cup of tea! These lifts also minimise the risk of damage when moving the items around the factory, meaning that all of their products are always in immaculate condition. Following the assembly line we were then taken through the various machine shops, metal work, wood work etc. L&P have clearly invested a great deal in sourcing bits of monster machinery. At one stage all metal legs for the furniture were sent away to be painted, now L&P have their own massive paint plant so that outsourcing is now a thing of the past. Seeing the plant in action was inspiring, however, what struck me was the amount of quality assurance checks each individual component has to go through. If there is only one thing I take away from our visit it is that L&P do not scrimp on quality, their customers will certainly be receiving a superior quality product.
After the factory tour it was back to the conference room for a well earned cup of coffee and a meeting with the sales and marketing director Paul Guze, who was as enthusiastic about the products as the rest of the staff we had met. He talked us through their range, from their hugely successful ‘Galaxy’ range, to their best ‘door opener’ items, the Ascend desk and Aura Bench systems, which they are all immensely proud of. Having seen the products ourselves, it’s obvious why they are so passionate about them; coming in a variety of wood colours and finishes, with pedestals and screen dividers to match and compliment the range, they really are great pieces of furniture.
The Ascend is contemporary and stylish, built with a beautiful ‘A’ frame and pedestals made at the same angles to fit perfectly, individual styles and tastes are catered for. Fancy a walnut top with white pedestal – its yours! The variety of sizes available would also make this product great for any home office. And to top it all off, all Lee and Plumpton products, whether bespoke or stock items, come with a 10 year guarantee. L&P have definitely come a long way from where they started, they now design and produce office furniture, smart tops, screens, height adjustable desks, data management systems and much more, meaning there really is something for everyone at L&P!
Coming away from such an insightful visit, Rashmi and I are full of enthusiasm about our continuing partnership with Lee & Plumpton, a company that we feel shares our values of selling high quality British made products, and offering exceptional customer service. Office Loro will soon have a few of L&P’s items in our showroom to show perspective buyers, and working together with L&P as we have always done, we can now offer a fully bespoke service, including planning, design and installation.
Finally, I would like to thank all at L&P for their time during our visit, and for providing a lovely lunch! Here’s to a great partnership going forward!
Give Office Loro a call now to see how we can help with your office or home office furniture needs.
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