FIRA Technical Services

Dr. Asli Tamer VestlundResearch and Consultancy Manager

Our Experts

Dr. Peter Beele Tristine Hargreaves

Technical Development Manager Standards & Regulatory Manager

(Timber Technology) (Furniture Technology)

Dr. Asli Tamer Vestlund James Bell

Research & Consultancy Manager Environmental Consultant

(Sustainability) (Sustainability)

Bruce Lovell Sue Calver

Engineering Consultant Project Manager

(Business Improvement) (Expert Witness)

Levent Çaglar Sherree Felice

Senior Ergonomist Furniture Technologist

(Ergonomics) (Furniture Technology)

How can we help you?• Research

– Membership

– External

• Product Requirements – Flammability

– Expert Witness Work

• Sustainability Services• Business Process Improvement Services• Training• NFS and Specification Advice• Supply Chain Processes and Retail Advice• Ergonomics

Research

• Membership Projects• EU and Nationally Funded Research

Safe Seats of Learning

Benchmarking Carbon Footprints of Furniture Products

Annual Statistics Digest

Competitiveness of the UK Furniture Manufacturing

Industry

Research

Current:• FR Chemicals – alternatives to Deca-BDE

• FR Chemicals & End of Life (POPS)

• Flammability Chain of Custody

• UK Furniture Industry Training Needs (with WCFM)

Ongoing:

• National and European Standards development

• Involvement in public consultations

• Forums to discuss technical issues for FRQG / FIRA / BFM members

Flammability

• Domestic Furniture - UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations

• Contract Furniture more complex

• Pending amendments to regulations

- Flammability Guides- Flammability Testing- Flammability Training

Expert Witness

Expert witness skills and invaluable court experience:

•An excellent background in standards

•The ability to gather evidence with facilities for testing and investigation

•First class reporting with unrivalled knowledge of the subject and experience in court

Sustainability Services

• Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP)

• Club Green

• EU Timber Regulations• Chain of Custody (FSC/PEFC)• Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001)• FurnitureFootprinterTM

• REACH/Biocide Legislation

Business Process Improvement

• ISO 9001 Quality Management• Lean Manufacturing• Factory Layouts• Manufacturing Guild Mark Auditing• CE Marking Consultancy• Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control (DMAIC)

Improvement Project Management

(6 sigma methodology

Training• EU Timber Regulation Awareness• Flammability Course Upholstered Furniture• Chain of Custody (FSC/PEFC)• Environmental Management Systems• Bespoke Training

Specification Services

Tenders that specify misleading or inappropriate standards

and requirements cause problems.

• Loss of time • Higher costs• Wasted effort • Inferior quality• Non-conformance• Liability/Legal Challenge

Both for tendering authorities and suppliers, resulting in:

Specification Services

www.nfs.uk.com

The site has 2 main elements:

• A guide to Specifying and Tendering for Contract Furniture

•A tool to Create a Technical Specification

- Tender Evaluations

- Specification Development

Retail Advice• Expertise and advice regarding product development

throughout critical path and launch• Packaging requirements and import advice• Technical training of furniture components;

e.g. Leathers, woods, mattress fillings, fabrics.• ‘Managing Customer Expectations’ advice and care

information• Guidance regarding company delivery standards and

expectations• Due Diligence measures and guidance (GPSR)• Supplier and product review methods

Any questions?