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Noel Lister and Donald Sister
founded Mullard Furniture Industries, the first store
was based in Edgware, North London.
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They began by specialising in flat pack furniture
selling by mail order, by the late 1960’s the
company had a number of stores in secondary high
street positions selling the same goods by mail
order.
MFI was listed on the Stock Exchange in 1971, under
the chairman of Arthur Southon.
MFI bought Status Discount in 1980, a flatpack
furniture retailer specialising in kitchens and
bedrooms. |
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In 1982 MFI acquired the Hygena brand name and allowed
Humber Kitchens to adopt Hygena as its own trading name.
By 1984 MFI was the established leader in self assembly
furniture in the UK. The company moved from their
Wembley head office to new premises in Colindale, North
West London.
It was during 1985 the opportunity arose to form a major
retailing group and MFI joined forces with ASDA. The
ASDA-MFI Group became one of the largest retailers in
the country.
As the industry for furniture was increasing the need
for services was also increasing, and so the company set
up an experimental installing service throughout South
East London, this was later issued throughout the UK.
The Partnership with ASDA lasted only two years, during
this time MFI also bought their main supplier Hygena
which had also begun to retail in France.
In 1992 MFI successfully floated on the Stock Exchange
Market, despite the ongoing economic recession.
In 1994 two new stores opened in Yeovil, Somerset and
Cardiff, South Wales trading under the name of
Homeworks. Homeworks aimed to combine MFI business with
new ideas and new products. Homeworks proved to be a
success, and was therefore initiated throughout all MFI
stores, by 1997 about half had been converted.
In 1995, Howdens, a trade venture focusing on kitchens
and joinery products, was launched.
By 1997, Hygena had become the largest manufacturer by
volume in Europe. A new retail format was explored in 19
stores, at the end of 1997, this new format focused on
the core products of kitchens and bathrooms. As a result
of this store warehouses were removed, Direct Delivery
was became a key strength.
John Hancock was appointed Chief Executive in February
1999, he had joined MFI in December the previous year as
a non –executive director. It was his review that led to
focusing on maximising the strength of the Group's
integrated manufacturing and supply chains, whilst
focussing on cash flow and strengthening the management
team.
In 2001 a new store format was issued which was being
implemented throughout France and the UK over the next
three years. Bathroom and sofa products were also being
introduced in stores.
By early 2004 a major SAP implementation project for new
systems throughout the Group was concluded. This
reinforces better management information and consistent
integrated systems throughout the Group and will provide
a range of significant benefits including lower stock
levels, fewer failed deliveries, improved levels of
customer service, support for the development of the
business in new countries and markets and increased
levels of efficiency and profitability.
It was in 2005 that MFI announced jointly with Currys
the closure of the Hygena concessions within Currys.
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