Andrew Hamilton

Student Andrew Hamilton tells us about his time on the Student Industry Tour

Andrew Hamilton, a student from The Manchester School of Art, was one of around 40 students who attended The Furniture Makers’ Company’s Student Industry Tour in 2018.

The Student Industrial Tour is a three-day programme hosted in the north west that helps students get an insight into how businesses operate and what makes them a success in the furniture industry.

In 2018, the students visited CDUK, Festool, Furniture Village, Harrison Spinks and Vitafoam.

At Vitafoam, Andrew got an understanding of the unique qualities of foam. Meanwhile at Harrison Spinks, Andrew was impressed by the sheer scale and quality of production, plus the integration of modern technology with time-honoured craftsmanship.

When visiting Knightsbridge Furniture, the students were lucky enough to see the whole manufacturing process from start to finish.

Finally at Festool and Furniture Village, the group got to see a wide range of the tools used in manufacturing and understand the inner workings of a national retailer, respectively.

Andrew added: “I left with career long connections and a sense of excitement of what is to come as we move into the world of furniture design for manufacture. The support from the Young Furniture Makers was encouraging and genuine.”

“A big thank you to The Furniture Makers’ Company, staff at the companies and the rest of the students for an inspiring week.”

If you’re interested in taking part in the Student Industry Tour, please email hello@furnituremakers.org.uk