One of the world’s leading furniture technology centres will provide an insight into the wide variety of services and experts available to aid your business when it holds an open day at its Hertfordshire headquarters in October.

FIRA, with over 60 years of furniture industry knowledge, will hold the open day on Thursday 10th October at its headquarters in Stevenage. Visitors can tour the renowned test facilities and listen first hand to FIRA’s extensive service solutions, which covers from design and testing, to after-sales services and all points in between. There will be opportunities to ask questions throughout the visit.

Phil Reynolds, FIRA COO, says: “Whilst everyone in the furniture trade may know of FIRA, not everyone understands the full extent of the organisation’s activities and how we help furniture retailers and manufacturers meet their business needs. Our open day is an ideal opportunity to speak to an expert and see how we can help you, whatever your needs.”

The day will include a tour of the FIRA testing facilities and a number of informative presentations from FIRA experts, including:

·         Furniture Industry Research Association membership – a guide to the benefits of being an association member
·         An Insight into Ergonomics – FIRA’s ergonomists explain the importance of ergonomic design
·         Sustainability Services – this includes information about the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme, the new EU Timber Regulation and carbon footprinting
·         FIRA Certification Schemes – to help understand the wide range of certification schemes and how they can benefit business
·         FIRA Specifier Services – drawing on FIRA’s experience of writing and interpreting British and European Standards
·         FIRA Service Technicians – how FIRA’s after-sales complaint validation, care and repair service could deliver customer satisfaction and substantial cost savings to business
·         The Furniture Ombudsman – sharing FIRA’s headquarters, this independent alternative dispute resolution service inspires consumer confidence across the industry

The open day will begin at 9.45am, with coffee and registration, and concludes at around 2.30pm. Lunch is provided and there will be opportunities to meet with experts to discuss specific enquiries, as well as other staff who can support your business, such as a marketing service for members.