Furnware Industries 

Furnware have been the leading suppliers of education furniture to New Zealand schools for 70 years, providing a range of chairs and desks, storage systems and other classroom furniture.

Sales of Furnware's own chairs, particularly in the secondary school market, were under string competition from imprted product.

The initial brief was for a chair to replace Furnware's existing 'P' series range, to create a chair that met the ergonomic needs of the pupils, and a chair that would more than meet the imported competition.

The intention was to produce the chairs in four sizes much like the existing chairs.

Innovations - The ergonomic evaluations showed that the standard single fixed position school chair did not cater for the two predominant postures used by students as the worked at their desks.

A simple, robust pivot system incorporated into the moulded seat and back shell parts was developed, this allows the seat surfaces to move as the students change posture. Skid-based frames for both the desk and the chair improve foot room and access and egress to the desk.

The product - A 'dynamic seating' system of six sizes of desk and chair, with injection-moulded plastic seat shells on tubular steel frames and a complete based system that allows the students to correctly select the size of their chairs and desk.

From classroom trials: the new chairs and desks created quieter more settled classrooms, a better learning environment, improved posture and comfort.

Launched in January 2005, sales to date have substantially exceeded the marketing expectation.

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