Developing new and improved furniture products such as domestic and office furniture.
Occupational Profile
This occupation is found in the Furniture, Furnishings and Interiors manufacturing industry. The UK furniture, bed and furnishings manufacturing is substantial with over 8,000 companies contributing over £11 billion to the country’s GDP. Over a quarter of a million jobs are dependent on the success of the industry, with 118,000 in manufacturing alone.
The broad purpose of the occupation is developing new and improved furniture products such as domestic and office furniture. New Furniture Product Developers develop new products or improve existing products so that the company can meet customers’ needs more effectively. They create design briefs using their knowledge of industry specific legislation and understanding of products and materials. They manage the furniture product development and improvement process from conception through to completion.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of people including production/manufacturing managers, quality technicians, product developers, engineers, purchasers, customers and suppliers. They understand design, testing, materials and manufacturing processes.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working as part of a team, collaborating with marketing, technical, suppliers and manufacturing specialists throughout the product-development/improvement process. They will report to a senior member of staff such as the Design Director. A New Product Developer combines design, business and engineering skills to create products that meet both market and production requirements. They also test products both internally and externally.
New Furniture Product Developers can work in a range of environments from small workshops to large factories.
Summary of Standard
Full Standard
