Aspire
Handcrafting Packaging Solutions for Handcrafted Furnishings
Aspire Furniture is a UK wholesaler and specialist manufacturer of a large range of high-quality headboards, beds, divan beds, and mattresses.
The furniture producer has gone from strength to strength since its establishment in 2013. They recently opened their very own manufacturing facility in Yorkshire, just down the road from Greyhound Box HQ.
Aspire shares our value of making manufacturing processes as effective as possible. They provide their customers with comprehensive solutions, from initial product design through to delivery of the handcrafted product.
Our working relationship with Aspire Furniture began in 2017, and our most recent packaging project involved a brand new product!
A Bespoke Brief
Dave Gaunt, Design Director at Aspire Furniture, asked us for a bespoke design packaging solution for a modular, wall-mounted system that can act as either a headboard or wall panel.
From velvets to linens, the panels are upholstered from a range of fabric options and are available in multiple dimensions. Handcrafted by Aspire’s expert manufacturing team, the panels demand packaging that is more intricate than the usual products we provide to the furniture wholesaler.
Packaging Requirements
Each box needed to package four wall panels and meet the following requirements:
- Product protection – the wall panels must be delivered to the customer in the same condition that they leave Aspire Furniture’s HQ
- Quick assembly – the box needed to be simple to put together during the product packing stage
- Easy to open – the packaging must be straight-forward to open, whilst retaining impressive presentation to enhance the entire unboxing experience
We chose to use Greyhound Box for this challenge due to our great ongoing relationship with them as a supplier!
Dave Gaunt, Design Director at Aspire
First-Hand Packaging Review
Once the particulars had been reviewed, Claire, our Sales Representative, visited Aspire alongside Kieran from our Design Team. They learnt about the panel product itself, from production to sales. Clare and Kieran also got a first-hand perspective of Aspire’s internal processes, enhancing the brief back to our design team.
Here, we saw the opportunity to eliminate any need for additional packaging materials, like foam inserts or honeycomb packaging. We believed we could produce a solution that fulfilled the brief – and more.
A Triple-Threat of Concepts
Our design team brainstormed potential ideas that would meet the requirements of Dave’s brief.
We ended up with three different bespoke die-cut concepts which we presented back to Aspire, talking through the various benefits of each design.
We selected the 0426 FEFCO style box for this Aspire product, thanks to its wide range of benefits. It ticked the safeguarding box, eliminated the need for additional protective materials, and also offered increased efficiency during assembly. This box is not only easy to put together, but can be pre-assembled before packing!
What’s more, this design style works to further prevent any potential damage thanks to a simple suggestion from our design team. We’d flip the orientation of the wall panels in the box, originally packed with the upholstered side facing outwards.
Changing this so the opposing wooden backside of each panel faced outwards means that the goods are more stable in transit. By default, they’re better protected without the need to increase the board grade.
We took the time to undertake a comprehensive packaging review of this Aspire product, and used our customer’s main pain point – packing efficiency – as our starting point and priority.”
Matthew Kay, Assistant Commercial Manager at Greyhound Box
Panels Fit for a King
540 boxes were delivered 3 weeks after the first order.
The order was then repeated and delivered three weeks after the initial order. Aspire was very happy with the whole design process and the final packaging solution for their unique wall panels. The bespoke nature of the box overcame the main pains they were trying to avoid, ones that are to be predicted of simpler ‘standard’ packaging solutions.
We are more than happy with the solution Greyhound Box provided! Our packaging department say it is the most efficient box to use, and the additional protection provided by the structure is great.
Dave Gaunt, Design Director at Aspire Furniture
A Successful Packaging Project
Eliminating the need for additional ancillary packaging meant that we also helped Aspire to save money and resources, too.
And we’re proud to say that the project’s success has led Aspire to explore the possibility of introducing the same style of box for other products in their portfolio, to reap the rewards of more efficient packing operations and reducing the need for additional packaging materials.
Find out how we can provide packaging that meets the requirements of your textiles and furnishings. Get in touch below!
Giving this detailed brief to our experienced design team gave us the edge in being able to offer a truly bespoke solution that not only met the customers’ expectations, but exceeded them.
Matthew Kay
Assistant Commercial Manager at Greyhound Box