Longtime U.K. Office Furniture Maker Streamlines Custom, Quality Product Development


CONCORD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gordon Russell, whose boardroom tables, executive desks, and system workstations grace the offices of companies like Deloitte, British Petroleum, and Fidelity, uses SolidWorks® 3D CAD software to design the custom furniture its high-profile customers demand. The 83-year-old U.K. company adopted SolidWorks to accelerate time to market for its specialty office furniture products.

Gordon Russell decks out high-profile boardrooms with furniture designed in SolidWorks (Photo: Business Wire).  View Multimedia Gallery
 
Headquartered in London, Gordon Russell has established a reputation for quality, not quantity. It prides itself on the handcrafted elegance for which its furniture is known. As customers increasingly demanded more specialization, working in 2D became cumbersome and sometimes resulted in errors that forced craftsmen to scrap the work they had been doing. That’s when the company chose to standardize on SolidWorks software.

“Ask any manufacturer in industries where craftsmanship is at a premium, and you’ll find there is a shortage of skilled craftsmen,” said Mike Rivers, managing director at Gordon Russell. “So you can’t afford any manufacturing downtime due to design errors. 2D CAD software made customization less precise, and sometimes yielded design errors. SolidWorks ensures we get the design right the first time so we can develop better products. It allows us to meet customer demands for style, durability and turnaround time and maximize our craftsmen’s time.”

Gordon Russell uses SolidWorks to modify different product lines to suit customers’ unique needs. The software’s associativity means engineers can simply adjust one component of the design, and SolidWorks will automatically adjust the rest of the design accordingly to eliminate errors. The company is developing a library of standard parts that it will be able to quickly add to custom designs to accelerate development.

“Fine office furniture makes a strong statement,” said SolidWorks’ Executive Vice President of Europe Michel Gros. “Gordon Russell has lasted for nearly a century because of quality handcrafted pieces that stand out. Working in 3D will help the company maintain its well-deserved reputation for meeting or exceeding customers’ expectations.”

Gordon Russell relies on authorized SolidWorks reseller Solid Solutions Management for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.

About Gordon Russell

Long associated with the Cotswold town of Broadway, Gordon Russell has developed award-winning furniture since its founding in 1923. Combining timeless design with enduring quality, it has established an industry reputation for producing fine office furniture, with pioneering ranges of executive desks, boardroom and meeting tables, workstations, workwall, and seating. Its products grace the offices of some of the world’s largest and most renowned corporations. For more information, visit the Web site (www.gordon-russell.com).

About Solid Solutions Management

Founded in 1998, Solid Solutions focuses on providing industry-leading software and services. This philosophy has helped Solid Solutions gain respect, recognition, and awards as an established and high-capability supplier of SolidWorks software. With main offices in Warwick and Fareham, and regional training facilities throughout the U.K., Solid Solutions supports thousands of customers encompassing all industry sectors and ranging in size from single-person operations to large multi-national organizations. For more information, visit the company’s Web site www.solidsolutions.co.uk.

About SolidWorks Corporation

SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systemes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company’s Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000).

SolidWorks is a registered trademark of SolidWorks Corporation. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (c) 2013 SolidWorks Corporation.
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