Exhibitor Q&A: Stuart Taylor, Director at Ena Shaw Contract

Ena Shaw Contract will be exhibiting on stand 12 at the Manchester Open and showcasing some of their latest and best contract curtains.

Director Stuart Taylor, was kind enough to answer a few of our questions in the running to the second exhibition in Manchester in the BCFA Open series. He talks about how Millennials are going to change the way in design and what Ena Shaw hope to achieve at this years event…

What are your predictions for the future of design within contract environments?

Consumers are more demanding than ever and expect higher standards for lower prices. As a result I think we will continue to see increased demand for 3* hotels and independent boutiques offering enhanced facilities and competing with traditional four and five star hotels in design appeal. Full scale refurbishments that then remain unchanged for years will probably decline, with smaller phased upgrades that keep up with the latest design trends becoming more common. These more demanding consumers will equally expect more from their workplace and rented accommodation as well.

The whole industry has to react to these fast changing market conditions. Designers must also attract the next generation; buildings have to be designed with “Millennials” in mind. Not only should developments be bright, welcoming and inexpensive, they should also be technology –friendly. Younger millennials are ‘Digital Natives’ who have grown up with technology being a part of their everyday lives; it is important to build developments with them in mind as they will be the most demanding generation of consumers that the industry has ever had to satisfy.

What is exciting you about design in the north at the moment?

There is an encouraging amount of money being invested into the region. Hopefully this will begin to redress the economic imbalance between North and South. The level of new construction seems to be increasing rapidly. Major companies are moving out of London and relocating further North; The BBC’s decision to move to MediaCity UK in Salford Quays, Manchester is a good example and with ever greater margin pressure on businesses we can expect more companies to relocate.

In addition, the race to manufacture offshore, almost regardless of real advantage is well and truly over and although a large amount of goods will always be made overseas, we are seeing a significant number of manufacturing businesses relocating to the UK. Although they still have a long way to go, the rail links in the North are improving, which makes Northern cities and towns more accessible not only from the South but to each other. There is increasing levels of support from key city authorities and it is promising to see that councils, Mayors and MEP’s in the North are working together more than they ever have before.

What do you love most about your industry?

 I would have to say, the thing I love most about this industry are the people. Having worked in other industries, I can appreciate how friendly and welcoming our industry really is.

 What are you most looking forward to showcasing at the Manchester Open?

Ena Shaw Contract are investing heavily to raise the profile of the company this year. Despite being the UK’s largest contract curtain manufacturer, we are still relatively unknown as we traditionally traded in the high street under different brands.

Unlike other companies, we are not selling or launching a new product as we make anything our clients specify. Our attendance at exhibitions and events is purely to provide a platform to meet potential new clients and introduce our people and services. For us, the Manchester open and future exhibitions are all about consolidating our position in the industry and developing relationships with new and existing clients. We have designed a new exhibition stand that we will be using from October which focuses on providing a welcoming environment with ample seating for people to rest, charge their phones, enjoy a drink and chat about any opportunities.

For your chance to meet with the Ena Shaw team, register for your ticket here and meet them at stand 12