Laois Chamber Alliance CEO, Caroline Hofman, caught up with Ciaran Finane, Sales Director at Finline Furniture, with showrooms in Emo, Dublin, Galway and Cork.
Tell us a bit about Finline Furniture and the products and services you offer?
We make handcrafted sofas, chairs and upholstered products from our factory in Emo.
These products are sold through several channels, including through our own showrooms in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Emo.
We also have a growing business fitting our high end residential projects and 4 and 5 star hotels.
We also wholesale our products to customers in the UK, Dubai and as far away as China. This is done mainly using the Heritage House brand name we use for export purposes.
We employ over 75 people and are very proud that the vast majority of our staff have been with us for many years. Three of our staff have been with us over 40 years!
When was Finline Furniture established, and how have you grown since then?
We are a second generation family owned business now owned by myself and my brother Kilian. Our parents Kieran and Bridget started the business in 1979.
My father had been working in the foam business with a company called Vita Cortex selling foam to furniture manufacturers in Navan and Monaghan.
He reckoned there was a niche in the market to make a more upmarket higher quality product than what was available on the market at that time.
Initially the business was wholesale only and supplying high end retailers such as Arnotts, Brown Thomas, and Caseys in Cork and Limerick.
The process we use to make our products is very skilled and labour intensive.
This has not changed much over the years, but we are constantly updating our designs and fabric offering to ensure we are up to date with the latest trends in the marketplace.
We attend trade exhibitions regularly and have excellent relationships built up with suppliers over many years
Can you highlight some of the key achievements at Finline Furniture?
Our biggest achievement has been in hiring and keeping some amazing people over the last 43 years. We are very lucky to have the people we have in our business, especially in key positions.
We supplied the furniture to the G8 summit of international leaders which took place in Lough Erne in 2013.
We have exported to over 50 countries, and in 2014 we were the first Irish company to exhibit at the prestigious Shanghai International Furniture Exhibition.
In 2021 and 2022 we partnered with USA-based Hines Real Estate to fitout over 750 apartments in Rathgar and Cherrywood in Dublin.
As well as sofas and chairs, we supplied all interior items such as dining, lighting, bedding etc. It was a big logistical challenge especially during Covid when the world nearly stopped for a few months!
Finline were also delighted to be the title sponsor of Shine in Emo in 2022.
It was a brilliant event run by Laois Chamber and Emo GAA in Emo Court and we look forward to sponsoring it again in 2023.
Any other news or expansion plans you can share with us?
We recently purchased a 35,000sq foot premises on the Long Mile Road in Dublin. We are currently operating from a far smaller retail unit in Dublin so we will be making the move to this premises once it is refurbished later in 2023.
Recently we have been concentrating on sustainability and working with Enterprise Ireland on this area. We are hoping to give a lifetime guarantee on our frames so they never have to end up in landfill.
We are putting solar panels on our factory roof this year and we are introducing a new fabric range that is made entirely using recycled plastic bottles.
We have completed some nice hotel projects recently in The Heritage, Lough Rynn, Kilronan Castle, and Moyvalley, and we want to grow this area of the business in 2023.
At the moment we are having our annual sale at our factory premises in Emo.
We have only one sale per year and we are grateful that we receive great support from Laois people every year who want to support local manufacturing.
What are some of the biggest challenges your business has faced, and how have you overcome these?
When the recession of 2008 hit we were very badly affected. Our retail partners sought to source cheaper alternatives from the Far East and we had to take the very tough decision to let people go and downsize our production and staffing levels.
In 2011, we decided to pivot to a vertical model and start both making and selling our products directly to the public. It was a big change but one we haven’t regretted so far!
Brexit had a very negative effect on our sales to our biggest export market. To offset that we have had to look at other potential markets with the help of Enterprise Ireland.
In recent times our input costs are increasing at unprecedented levels. Hardly a day goes by without a supplier contacting us with a price increase!
For any business considering locating in Laois, what would you say are the best things about being located here?
My father is from Rathdowney and a very proud Laois man. However, he choose Laois as a location to open a factory because it made business sense.
Our products are big and bulky and being based in the most central place in Ireland is vital for logistics and distribution.
We have an amazing and highly skilled workforce. Almost all of our staff are from Laois or surrounding counties.
We can get our products to homes throughout Ireland or for export to shipping ports very efficiently. There isn’t a nicer place to live and have a family in Ireland than Laois.
Everything is on our doorstep (except the sea!). Having been involved in Laois Chamber and Invest In Laois, it is very clear that there are a lot of people in Laois working very hard to encourage investment into the county.
Laois is in a very good position especially in a post-covid world to attract people out of the bigger urban cities to enjoy a better standard of living.
Visit www.finlinefurniture.ie to find out more and check out their annual sale.
What’s Coming Up?
Laois Jobs Fair
The Laois Jobs Fair 2023 is taking place on Monday, February 20, from 12pm to 7pm in the Midlands Park Hotel Portlaoise.
Bookings are now being taken for businesses with job vacancies looking to attract local talent on the day.
Contact caroline@laoischamber.ie for more information.
Are you a graduate, jobseeker, or looking to upskill or reskill? Visit www.laoisjobsfair.ie to register for your free ticket for the event.
Photo Competition
Laois Tourism and Laois Chamber Alliance are delighted to launch a photo competition open to everyone, whether you’re an expert photographer or just snap-happy. Enter here.
LOETB courses
Check out the excellent range of courses with Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board commencing soon!
Choose from a range of courses on offer.
Laois Chamber Networking event
Join Laois Chamber Alliance for our first networking event of 2023!
- Date: Thursday, January 26
- Time: 8.30am to 9.30am
- Venue: Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise.
We will be joined by Mark Clancy, Business Adviser Local Enterprise Office Laois, with information on business grants and supports available for businesses.
Business News
Over the pub – Portlaoise publican PJ Kavanagh on what it’s like living in the centre of a busy town with a young family.
Bord Bia Podcasts – Bord Bia Brand Forum has released a series of podcasts to inform and inspire those in the world of food and drink. Listen here.
Portarlington funding – Portarlington community project to receive €500,000 funding from Town and Village Renewal Scheme
National Broadband Update – The Department of Environment, Climate and Communication has published their National Broadband Plan Update for December 2022. This document can be found here.
Just Transition Fund – Fáilte Ireland last month welcomed confirmation of the Just Transition Fund tourism allocation, which will transform tourism across eight counties in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East through a regenerative tourism scheme.
Laois, Westmeath, Offaly, Longford, Roscommon, Galway, Tipperary and Kildare are to benefit from this funding.
Business Supports
Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme
The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) remains open for registration.
The €1.25 billion scheme will provide businesses with up to 40% of the increase in electricity or gas bills up to €10,000 per month.
If you haven’t already registered, click here: Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) (revenue.ie)
Skills for Better Business
Government recently launched Skills for Better Business, a 2-part initiative to assist SME owners and managers across Ireland.
This online tool gives you direct insights into how to improve your skills and capabilities as an owner-manager of an SME.
EXEED Grant Scheme
The EXEED grant scheme from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland is designed for organisations who are planning an energy investment project.
Grant support of up to €1,000,000 per project is available. Find out more here: EXEED Grant Scheme | Business Grants | SEAI
Local Enterprise Office Laois
Local Enterprise Office Laois provides a range of financial supports to qualifying Laois businesses based in the county.
Each support carries its own eligibility criteria, with 12 different financial supports to consider! Find out more here.
SEE ALSO – Check out some of our previous Business Briefings here
