News: 27 September 07
Formway Going Green

Wellington company Formway Furniture, already an industry leader in furniture design, is pioneering another innovation by transforming itself into an environmentally friendly green business.

Formway is implementing a company wide programme that will embed sustainability and environmental awareness into all aspects of its business with initiatives ranging from cutting emissions and reducing waste through to researching new, sustainable materials for its commercial furniture.

Formway, which is internationally known for its award winning Life chair, which responds and adjusts to the weight of a person without the need for levers, knobs or buttons, has manufacturing operations in New Zealand and Australia, and its designs are made under license in the United States and Asia.

With investment support from the Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology, Formway employed Jake McLaren, a former ecodesign specialist from the United Kingdom, to implement an environmental strategy and move the company towards creating ‘greener furniture’.

"The Life chair was the first major project to ensure environmental considerations were a key part of product development. We are now applying that thinking to every part of our operation. This is not about marketing or simply making improvements, but really walking the talk and bringing about a culture change throughout the organisation," says Mr McLaren, now Formway’s Environmental Manager.

Macro changes made as a result of the programme include adopting a new core material - the medium density fibre board that Formway uses widely in its workstations for the Australian market - that has lower levels of formaldehyde and is sourced from certified sustainable forests in the state of Victoria. Formway is also focused on ensuring both the design of its furniture and the materials used achieve the best available environmental product performance and the company is investigating a ‘takeback’ and recycling system for its products.

At the micro level, on the office and factory floor, says Mr McLaren, measures adopted include using energy efficient light bulbs, putting recycling bins close to work stations and making environmental considerations a factor when purchasing everything from paper to factory equipment.

Formway has joined the Landcare Research EnviroSmart scheme and is close to achieving certification for its environmental management systems. In addition, it has run environmental presentations for clients at its showrooms in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne and taken part in events like the Australian Green Building Councils ‘Green Cities’ conference earlier this year.

Mr McLaren says a culture change in the company is being achieved through a bottom-up approach.

"We’ve sat down with people working in management through to those on the shop floor and got huge buy in for what Formway is doing – they are coming to us with suggestions about how to further improve. It’s very exciting to see the change in mind set."

The company is also working with its suppliers to source environmentally friendly products that meet its standards.

"We do have to balance cost with sustainability. What we are constantly looking for is opportunities that add value to the company while simultaneously benefiting the environment."

Mr McLaren says the move towards greener buildings with greener furniture inside them is a global phenomenon that Formway can’t ignore.

"The idea of greener buildings has really swept through the property market in Australia and it’s coming in New Zealand, particularly with the government’s new green procurement policies that focus on the purchase of eco-friendly goods and services.

"It’s also a natural fit for Formway. Our brand is about much more than selling product – our strength is in developing innovative, high quality solutions with both our furniture products and throughout the organisation as a whole."

Mr McLaren expects the Formway sustainability initiative to gather speed in the next few years as more environmentally friendly materials come on the market.

"The development of biopolymers, for example, which are getting close to the stage of replacing petrochemical polymers in high performance applications, will deliver many new options for using sustainable materials in our furniture.

"New Zealand is in an interesting space with some interesting scientific research taking place into new materials and growing demand from companies like ours to use them. What we need now is investment in commercialising the research."

Investment from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology has been through its Technology Expert? programme which is designed to help companies access world class expertise that will assist in converting their research and development into export-focused products and services. Mr McLaren joined the staff of Formway after his initial consultation period.

Foundation Senior Business Manager Lins Kerr says Formway has already proven itself a leader in the field of design and is now taking a leadership role in an area that will be crucial to success for New Zealand businesses in the future.

Jake McLaren began his career in furniture and industrial design in the United Kingdom before becoming an environmental specialist for electronics companies such as Nokia, a business which he says is recognised as a worldwide leader in social and environmental responsibility.

"Formway can achieve the same kind of reputation in New Zealand. A company the size of Formway (250 employees in New Zealand and Australia) doesn’t have the inertia of a much bigger operation and it’s already known for being responsive to its customers and the marketplace and for taking a holistic approach to its business."