Wood with Bisley

BCFA member Bisley known world wide for their metal storage, have taken the opportunity to tell us more about their timber collections. As Europe’s leading manufacturer of steel storage, Bisley know how to get the best out of this great material, but less well known is their design capabilities with wood and that they even have in-house wood production facilities.

“Using wood isn’t actually that new to Bisley, but as fashions have changed and the demand from our customers grew for more homely, natural looking furniture, we made the strategic decision in 2015 to enhance our capabilities through investment and acquisition.   We now have the skills to combine the strength and durability of steel with the pleasing aesthetic qualities of wood to provide a unique choice of solutions for an extensive range of markets, all from our Newport factory.” – John Atkin, MD, Bisley.

Ever since launching the iconic MultiDrawer in 1958, Bisley has pioneered innovative storage that meets the challenges of the time and stays relevant, decade after decade.  And it’s their mission to keep creating products as attractive as they are useful.

As workplace and residential design increasingly blurs, designers are looking towards furniture that blends commercial and residential aesthetics – a softer look that still has the durability for a high traffic environment. Creating unique-looking products that are tactile, attractive and practical by combining steel and wood is something Bisley is excelling at. However, their capabilities don’t end there.

• Finishing touches
  Adding wood elements to steel furniture gives it a visual softness and a more natural feel, which is popular with designers and businesses alike. Lockers, caddies, credenzas and the more traditional storage units and cupboards can all be clad or topped with wood to create warmth or to match with existing design schemes.  Lockers with wooden doors are proving particularly popular and clad lockers can elegantly divide workspaces and support branding.  Creating extra work spaces is another benefit of combining materials.  Thick veneer wraps can be combined with tractional storage to create striking, almost industrial pieces that provide vital agile spaces to stand, sit, work or chat.

• Wooden products
  Bisley has recently supplied a large hospital in Abu Dhabi with bespoke staff lockers, made from Compact Pressure Laminate (CPL); a material which is strong, as well as cost effective. It is resistant to impact, abrasion, moisture, scratching and heat, so perfect for hospital environments where hygiene and durability are of paramount importance.

• Fitted furniture
  From classrooms to cafeterias, laboratories to accommodation blocks, Bisley works with designers, architects and contractors to design, manufacture and install fitted furniture that meets unique requirements. At Cathedral Primary School in Bristol, Bisley created bespoke joinery for every room in the school, including colourful storage walls for the classrooms built into the alcoves. Bisley is also working with the country’s leading design and build contractors to provide fitted furniture for student accommodation and luxury apartments.

Bisley products enhance spaces by providing intelligent, useful and often bespoke storage solutions which create organised environments. Their unusually broad range of materials and knowledge of how to use and combine them means whether customers want a custom-made timber-based unit with a specialist veneer, or wood cladding on steel furniture, they have the skills and the know-how to ensure great end results.

Bisley have recently shown Design Insider readers new stylish working in their Bisley Bray showroom – why not read more? They also launched a new stylish Caddy suitable for multiple work styles.

Contact Bisley