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Joe & James meet at school
Joe and James meet each other at secondary school, age 11. They grow a love for design over the following 7 years thanks to their inspirational design teacher, David Pennington.
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James & Joe go to university
James goes on to study automotive and product design at Coventry University while Joe goes on to study furniture design at Nottingham Trent University, but they still stay in contact socially, via a friendship group of designers that is still together today thanks to their time at Secondary School.
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Following graduation, they work as design consultants
James and Joe go on to graduate from their respective universities into a financial crisis but still have a dream of starting their own projects and work on these separately for the following year, working as design consultants, working on projects from hydrogen fuel cell cars to furniture.
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The concept for JDD is born
During a Christmas catch up and over one or two (or more) drinks, they commit to joining efforts and the concept for Joint Design Direction is born.
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JDD Furniture is registered as a Ltd company
Confronted with the reality of their agreement in the cold light of day, neither James or Joe lost their passion for the idea and after lots of research and work behind the scenes, JDD Furniture is registered as a limited company on 27th July 2010.
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Exhibit at the 100% Design exhibition
After a few month designing, developing and refining their first collections, James and Joe pool together their money to get a stand at 100% Design, where they meet one of the teams of Architects working on Google EMEA HQ Dublin, Ireland – Laszlo Fecske andTim Sparks of Camenzind
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Designed and created roofed dens for Google!
Working from a rented flat in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, the founders go on to design furniture collections exclusively for Google’s new EMEA HQ in Dublin, Ireland, bringing concepts to the market that weren’t widely available in the contract furniture world, from roofed dens/pods, high back seating, collaborative enclosures and 2-tone upholstery.
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JDD gets its first showroom in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
JDD Furniture sign a lease on their first dedicated office/showroom in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham.
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After years of exhibiting, JDD gets a dedicated showroom in Clerkenwell
After years showing furniture in Clerkenwell via hotel lobbies and spaces above cafes, JDD finally get their first dedicated showroom space on St John Street, London
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JDD hire Abbie & Bridie
While still leasing a corner of a key supplier’s factory to base production from, James and Joe hire Abbie Jones and Bridie Scott, the oracles of knowledge when it comes to projects at JDD.
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First dedicated assembly factory on Enterprise trading estate
James and Joe take on their first dedicated factory unit in Dudley, the home of many well know furniture manufacturers. An area with an incredible talent pool and heritage in the furniture trade.
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Triggered by growth, JDD move to a custom built 25,000sq ft facility
Triggered by growth and a need for expansion in capacity and capability, JDD move factory again. Still in the great industrial heartland of Dudley, to a 25,000sq ft custom built production facility.
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As part of a sustainability plan, solar panels are installed
As part of their genuine drive to sustainability and efficiency, JDD install an extensive Solar panel array at the Dudley site to power their production using the sun.
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JDD expand production and office space by 20%
Funded by a successful 2023, JDD take the chance to expand the main production site by around 20% as well as doubling the HQ office to accommodate the growing team.
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New Showrooms in Clerkenwell & Glasgow
6 years after establishing a permanent space in Clerkenwell, JDD look to move to a larger space and jump at the opportunity to take up the lease of 75A Turnmill Street. Proceeding to heavily invest in a full refurbishment of the space. With a growing and highly valued market in Scotland, JDD invests in a showroom space in the heart of Glasgow.
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Driven by their desire to succeed, James and Joe graduated from university deep into the 2008 recession but managed to complete various commissioned projects which is only a testament to their dedication and skill. Even when times were hard for existing established companies, they were able to forge their path and make waves in the furniture industry.
During Christmas 09, over drinks with old friends and a long overdue catch-up, James and Joe decided to combine their talents and start a joint venture into the furniture industry. That night, the concept of Joint Design Direction was born, and six months later, in the warm Summer months, JDD Furniture officially came into existence.
"To transform the way people view the workplace and inject an element of excitement and design into a once mundane workplace furniture market. To achieve this we have combined British craftsmanship with design and functionality whilst offering an honest price for an honest days work."
-- Joe Duffell & James Mercy --
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Workplace Environment
At JDD we believe that a comfortable workforce is a productive workforce. While bonuses and benefits are important, respect, understanding, and encouragement are even more powerful. We support our team members both inside and outside the workplace, addressing their professional and personal needs. Our goal is for our staff to genuinely enjoy their work, and we believe this passion is reflected in the exceptional quality of our products.
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Design & Manufacturing
Here at JDD, we take pride in our in-house design and manufacturing process. We don't rely on generic designs from overseas or outsource our production. Having complete control from start to finish allows us to continuously evolve and fine-tune our offerings, ensuring we provide the very best.
Our skilled R&D team can turn any idea into a reality with detailed 3D models and visuals, collaborating closely with the production team to meet even the most demanding requirements.
Speaking of our production team, we are fortunate to have some of the most talented craftsmen, from carpenters to upholsterers, machinery operators to onsite fitters, all united by their passion for what we do. No project is too big or small for us, and you won't find a more personalised approach than at JDD.
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Our Products
Just like the closeness of our teams, we try to reflect this with the materials we use. You'll find no cold steel frames here but instead hand crafted wooden structures which provide a soft, warm and welcoming feel to all our products. Every detail is meticulously executed, even down to the handstitched finishes that make us stand out from the crowd and add an element of comfort otherwise missing from similar products out there.
Workspaces need to be versatile, mobile and flexible. We make designs that deliver separation. Where people can come together to collaborate as well as for private contemplation, enhancing the open plan office.
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Bespoke Service
We design, hand make, and install all of our products out of our factory in Birmingham, UK. So it’s no problem if you want something a little bit, or even a lot, different from our standard specification. Just give us a call. You’ll find our service agile, personal and truly bespoke.
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Our Responsibility
We have a responsibility to our community and environment. We offer student placements and mentoring sessions to local schools and universities, allowing the next generation of designers and skilled craftsmen opportunities to gain experience and knowledge.
Environmental preservation is at the core of everything we do, from concept to creation. We source our materials locally and sustainably, and we recycle as much as possible. Offcut wood finds new life in smaller projects or is responsibly recycled through local partnerships. Scrap materials are reused where feasible or donated to support educational initiatives.
In 2023, we took another step towards sustainability by installing solar panels on our HQ roof, reducing our carbon footprint and utilizing renewable energy. As timber is a primary component of our products, we are FSC® certified (FSC-C109654) which ensures our timber comes from fully audited sustainable forests.
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Customer Relations
Over the years, we've built strong relationships with our customers, earning a reputation for top-notch products, exceptional customer service, and transparency. Our goal is to provide clients with the best products made from premium materials, manufactured to the highest standards, and delivered with utmost professionalism. With our in-house design and manufacturing capabilities, we can quickly develop custom products tailored to meet your exact needs.
At JDD, we're not a big corporate powerhouse; we are passionate designers with a love for furniture. We're enjoying this journey, and we warmly invite you to join us on this exciting adventure.
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Fabrics & Finishes
With thousands of fabric colours and styles to choose from, you are spoilt for choice! We work with some of the biggest fabric manufacturers to give you quality and quantity. Too much choice? Don't worry. Our expert team are here to help should you need assistance.
We also offer a range of wood and metal finishes.
Any questions or queries?
At JDD Furniture, we pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our existing and new customers. If you have any questions, ideas or you want a quote on a custom job then just drop us a message using the link below.