What New Design Group does

New Design Group is a UK-based, privately-held contract and office furniture manufacturer founded in 1959 and headquartered in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, with a London specification showroom at 32 Clerkenwell Close. The company designs, manufactures, and supplies furniture for commercial interiors — meeting tables, flexible/flip-top tables, collaboration tables, café tables, booths and banquettes, sofas and lounge seating, formal and informal meeting chairs, stacking chairs, stools, credenzas, and space dividers — organised around three flagship collections: THEO (designed by Simon Pengelly, 15 years in production), Venue (designed by Broome Jenkins), and Intuit by Softrend (exclusive UK distribution). Core production runs on-site at the Gainsborough factory with an on-site team handling the majority of manufacturing, supported by 70% of sub-supply chain within a 100-mile radius for environmental and cost efficiency; the product surface spans 90+ active SKUs with 5-6 week lead times, embodied-carbon disclosure per product, and a 10-year warranty. GTM is sales-led B2B targeting architects, interior designers, facilities managers, and direct corporate clients via account managers, the Clerkenwell showroom, a virtual showroom, case-study content, and industry events such as Clerkenwell Design Week and 3DaysofDesign Copenhagen. Revenue mechanics are quote-based project sales of contract furniture, supplemented by commercial reupholstery services through sister company Manthorpe Furniture Ltd and a box-reuse initiative; in 2024 the company added a new sub-brand, WhatYouSee, offering fixed automated pricing and standard commercial terms. Customer base spans enterprise (Tate Modern, ABRDN, Cognizant, World Duty Free), education (CISL, Ulster University), government (Crawley Town Council), hospitality (House of St John's Bath), and religious/civic (Norwich Cathedral) segments. ESG credentials (FSC, FISP, ISO 14001:2015, carbon-neutral via EMS partnership) are positioned as a procurement differentiator, especially for public-sector and ESG-mandated tenders.

Name

New Design Group

Legal name

New Design Group Ltd

Website

https://newdesigngroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Design Group is a UK-based contract and office furniture manufacturer (founded 1959) designing and producing tables, seating, booths, and lounges from its Gainsborough factory, with a London showroom and specification sales to enterprise, education, government, and hospitality clients across the UK and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Furniture Manufacturing

NAICS

Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing (3372), Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing (337211), Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (337127)

SIC

Office Furniture (2520), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Contract furniture manufacturing
• Office furniture design
• Commercial seating solutions
• Modular meeting tables
• Sustainable contract furniture

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Contract Furniture Sales: Direct sales of contract and office furniture to commercial clients including tables, seating, booths, storage, and space dividers. Products designed for human interaction and manufactured on-site.
2. Commercial Reupholstery Services: Sustainability-focused reupholstery service through sister company Manthorpe Furniture Ltd, restoring existing commercial furniture pieces.
3. Installation Services: Full project management including site surveys, delivery, and professional installation by trained fitting teams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New Design Group designs, manufactures and supplies contract and office furniture for commercial interiors. Its range spans meeting tables, flexible/flip-top tables, collaboration and training tables, coffee and café tables, booths and banquette seating, sofas and lounge seating, formal and informal meeting chairs, stacking chairs, stools, credenzas, consoles, and space dividers — organised around three flagship collections (THEO, Venue, Intuit by Softrend) and supported by installation, project management, and commercial reupholstery services.

Product overview

New Design Group is a UK contract and office furniture manufacturer based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products organized into three main collections: THEO (designed by Simon Pengelly, featuring stacking chairs, stools, benches, tables, shelving, and booths with signature leg detail), Venue (designed by Broome Jenkins, featuring versatile tables with minimal steel frames for training and education), and Intuit by Softrend (exclusive UK distribution of comfort-focused upholstered furniture). The product range spans meeting tables (Ria, Papillon, Alba, Stratus, Alto, Nimbus, Venue, Theo), flexible/flip-top tables, collaboration tables, cafe and coffee tables, booths and banquette seating, sofas and lounge seating, informal and formal meeting chairs, stools, credenzas, screens, and acoustic wall panels. New Design Group also offers services including commercial reupholstery and a box reuse initiative. The company is carbon neutral certified with FSC and ISO 14001:2015 certifications, offering 10-year warranties and 5-6 week lead times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WhatYouSee: A new brand from the New Design Group team offering furniture without complexity - featuring fixed automated pricing, 10 year warranty, and fixed delivery costs.

Products and services

• THEO Collection Award-winning furniture family by Simon Pengelly (15 years in production) covering stacking chairs, stools, benches, tables, shelving, booths, worktables, meeting booths, height-adjustable booths, credenzas, high-back and lounge sofas, and freestanding media/space dividers with a signature leg detail. Built for longevity, material efficiency, and biophilic integration, and sold to corporate, education, hospitality and religious venues.
• Venue Collection Versatile furniture range designed by Broome Jenkins with a minimal steel tube frame, including Venue Tables, Training Tables, High Tables, Mobile Planters, Mobile Whiteboards and Mobile Media Screens. Aimed at training rooms, education, meeting and multi-use spaces, with vibrant leg colour options and full recyclability at end of life.
• Intuit by Softrend Collection Exclusive UK distribution of the Softrend collection, established since 1997. Comfort- and functionality-led upholstered furniture for productive contemporary workplaces, including August sofas, August Booth, August Nook and Meeter sofa/booth/modular products aimed at corporate offices and breakout spaces.
• Ria Office Meeting Table Elegant office meeting table with an ultra-thin tabletop edge for a minimalist aesthetic, available in multiple sizes and finishes; embodied carbon 41.86 kg CO2e.
• Papillon Office Meeting Table Meeting table with butterfly-inspired elegant leg design, light wooden tabletop on a black crossed-leg metal frame, generous legroom and clean contemporary look.
• Alba Round Meeting Table Solid wood meeting table with V-shaped legs and slim tabletop, available in round or rectangular tops; embodied carbon 49.05 kg CO2e.
• Nimbus XL Flip-Top Table Extra-large flip-top table for meetings, training and multi-use environments, 1200–1400mm wide and 1800–2400mm long, part of the Nimbus family of flexible tables.
• Theo Height Adjustable Table Sit-stand solution for the contract market with height range 740–1050mm, available up to 2400mm length and power/data compatible; embodied carbon 878.83 kg CO2e.
• Theo Workhub Semi-private hybrid working solution for open-plan offices, available as poseur or standard height and in circular or rectangular formats, with felt screens as standard.
• Meeter Sofa Contract sofa from the Intuit by Softrend collection with a 1280mm back height, available as chair, 2-seater or 3-seater, with optional compact writing tablet and base options in black metal hoop or solid oak legs.
• Ways Modular Banquette Seating Handmade modular banquette seating system for dining areas, cafés, waiting zones and breakout spaces, with low, medium or high back options and vertical or horizontal fluting; made and delivered in the UK in 8 weeks.
• Quill High Back Modular Seating High-back modular seating with 1300mm back height for acoustic dampening, ideal for focused touchdown points or breakout zones; components interlock for endless configurations; embodied carbon 55.58 kg CO2e.
• Cara Chair Comfortable chair by Richard Jones for dining areas, breakout spaces and relaxed meeting environments with a sculpted seat and back supporting a natural sitting position; available fully upholstered, unupholstered or mixed; embodied carbon 16.65 kg CO2e.
• Jura Informal Meeting Chair Contract informal meeting chair for workplaces, education and hospitality with a gently curved form and integrated arms, available in medium or high back, three base options and 10 finish colours; embodied carbon 52.36 kg CO2e.
• Case Chair Contract seating by Martin Ryan with unique stitch detail on the upholstery, available in a range of fabrics with contrasting stitching, 4-leg or 5-star swivel base with castors, with or without arms; embodied carbon 28.05 kg CO2e.
• Theo Shelving Screens and acoustic wall panels combining the THEO signature timber form with biophilic elements and shelving, available in 10 stains with optional planters.
• Theo Height Adjustable Booth Height-adjustable booth for individual or fixed-row use, with electronic height adjustment from 700mm to 1200mm and shelves above and below the desk surface, popular in schools and university libraries; embodied carbon 870.47 kg CO2e.
• August Nook Compact workplace booth for occasional use, usable separately or in clusters and rows, with optional power and USB charge point under the seat.
• August Booth Booth featuring two August sofas positioned opposite each other, available in 1-seat, 2-seat or 2.5-seat widths with three height options, overhead canopy, and options for charging points and monitor provisions.
• East Classic Sofa Timeless classic sofa by SmithMatthias with intricate stitching details and sleek cast aluminium legs, available in 1, 2 or 3-seater plus chaise, pairing with East Credenza and East Coffee Table; embodied carbon 170.37 kg CO2e.
• Quiver Modular Sofa Curved modular seating system by Ric Frampton for informal meetings and breakout spaces, with low or high back options, optional integrated charging ports and three matching coffee tables; embodied carbon 69.14 kg CO2e.
• Dika Lounge Chair Contemporary armchair by Mark Gabbertas with smooth contours of solid wood frame and comfy foam seat with purposeful flex; embodied carbon 57.4 kg CO2e.
• https://newdesigngroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/THEO-HIGH-CHAIR.png Wooden high chair for working at high tables for prolonged periods, with back support, stackable design, and optional upholstery and arms.
• https://newdesigngroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/NAUVIK-9.png Minimalist chair for café and dining areas with solid wood backrest and elegant frame, in oak, black oak or walnut backrest options, with a wide range of upholstery options; embodied carbon 15.86 kg CO2e.
• https://newdesigngroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/STRATUS-FLIP-TOP-1.png Flexible boardroom and conference table with concealed multi-directional castors, built-in cable tray and cable-managed legs; embodied carbon 300.30 kg CO2e.
• https://newdesigngroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Alto-Credenza-4-door-oak.png Sideboard with 'sandwich' detail by Bruce High (High Design Limited), available in lacquer, Fenix and veneer with 2, 3 or 4 doors and polished hoop base; embodied carbon 95.82 kg CO2e.
• August Sofa Contract sofa from the Intuit by Softrend collection, available in various configurations with leg options in black metal, white metal or solid oak.
• https://newdesigngroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MI-BLACK-4-STAR-3.png Formal meeting chair by Bruce High (High Design Limited) for boardrooms and executive spaces.
• Oasis Acoustic Room Divider Six-piece planter unit functioning as a room divider and biophilic addition for commercial spaces.
• Commercial Reupholstery Service Sustainability-focused reupholstery service delivered via sister company Manthorpe Furniture Ltd, restoring and rebranding existing commercial furniture pieces, extending product life, reducing waste to landfill, and calculating embodied carbon saved.
• Box Reuse Initiative Program to reduce the carbon footprint of furniture delivery by reusing delivery boxes; customers can return boxes for up to £5 per box in support of a circular packaging approach.
• Virtual Showroom Online virtual showroom tour enabling remote browsing of the furniture collection without visiting the physical London showroom at 32 Clerkenwell Close.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products warranted against defective materials, workmanship and performance for 10 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• EMS Environmental Monitoring Systems LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental specialist partnership to calculate and offset CO2 emissions. Completed feasibility study resulting in carbon neutral status through UK tree planting and renewable energy projects.
• Manthorpe Furniture LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company providing commercial reupholstery services, restoring existing furniture pieces for rebranding and refurbishment projects.
• Simon PengellyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning British designer who created THEO collection (15 years). Design began as wooden stacking chair for churches and grew into comprehensive furniture family.
• Broome Jenkins (Barry Jenkins)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign consultancy that created Venue collection. Range features minimal steel tube frame design built for longevity and full recyclability.
• Softrend (Intuit by Softrend)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive UK distributor for Intuit by Softrend collection. Softrend established since 1997, designing innovative products for contemporary office environments.
• Bruce High (High Design Limited)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner behind Alto and Nimbus table ranges and Mi chair. Ethos based on simple, intuitive, functional concepts with deep understanding of materials.
• MailChimp (The Rocket Science Group LLC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmail marketing platform for newsletter communications to subscribers with product updates and design inspiration.
• Richard JonesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner of Cara Chair. Adopts hands-on approach, creating pared back, understated products with emotional connection between object and user.
• Martin Ryan (Ryan Furniture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner of Case Chair. Combines visual economy with ease of manufacturing. Deep knowledge of production and feel for structure.
• AssemblyRoom (Peter and Cathy Wall)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon-based design practice with collaborative and human-centred approach to commercial interiors and furniture design.
• Mark GabbertasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading UK design studio creating character through simplicity with elegant, lasting aesthetic.
• SmithMatthiasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign studio responsible for East sofa collection featuring intricate stitching details and sleek cast aluminium legs.
• Ric FramptonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner of Quiver modular sofa - curved modular seating system for informal meetings and collaborative breakout spaces.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Connection: UK manufacturer specializing in office seating and contract chairs with a strong designer-attribution model. Comparable product range and sales motion to New Design Group's chair-led collections such as Theo, Cara, and Case.
• Boss Design: UK-based contract furniture manufacturer producing seating, tables, and soft seating for offices, hospitality, and education. Direct competitor to New Design Group across the same B2B specification channels and showroom-led sales motion.
• Orangebox: UK manufacturer of office furniture and acoustic solutions including booths, soft seating, and task chairs. Closely comparable in product mix (acoustic pods, contract seating) and target customers (architects and corporate specifiers).
• Modus Furniture: UK contract furniture maker offering tables, seating, and storage for commercial interiors. Comparable target segments (corporate, education, hospitality) and similar sustainability-led positioning.
• Allermuir: British contract furniture brand designing and manufacturing tables, seating, and lounge furniture for workplace, hospitality, and education. Competes directly with New Design Group across designer-led B2B contract sales.

Broad incumbents

• Steelcase: World's largest office furniture manufacturer with deep product breadth, global dealer network, and research-driven offerings. Represents the upper-end incumbent New Design Group competes with for multinational corporate specifications.
• Haworth: Global office furniture manufacturer with workspaces, seating, and architectural interiors portfolios. Competitor in mid-to-large enterprise contract furniture deals with broader international footprint than New Design Group.
• KI (Krueger International): Global contract furniture manufacturer serving education, government, healthcare, and corporate markets. Comparable in targeting institutional and contract segments, but with broader product breadth and international scale.
• Knoll: Designer-led office and contract furniture brand with a heritage of architect collaborations. Comparable design attribution strategy to New Design Group's designer partnerships, but with much larger scale and US distribution.
• Senator International: Global contract furniture manufacturer with a broad seating, tables, and storage portfolio. Larger and broader-incumbent competitor with international scale that New Design Group competes against on enterprise accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_newdesigngroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-design-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/_newdesigngroup_

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Design Group