Exciting times, with so much going on, the dust has barely settled from Frank Hudson exhibiting at the Singapore furniture exhibition and preceding this with the interiors 2011 at the NEC.
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gain; as usual maintaining our high quality manufacturing standards and over seeing another large hotel project for the prestigious "Stafford hotel" situated in London. This is on behalf of our contracts division headed up by Keith Clarke. It was a very tight window but Keith had full confidence in all our abilities for completion, as it needed to be shipped ready to be installed before the marriage of William and Kate. But we grabbed the nettle and did it; in fact it's already sailing to the UK with a 2 day head start on me. /Exciting-times---/Tom-290311-(1).JPG.aspx?width=150&height=199)
We are also putting together a new Victorian dining range, giving a choice to the consumer of the popular mahogany or Mindy ash with is striking grain structure. As usual my suitcase is full of sample legs carefully shaped to experiment with different tones and finishes in our polishing facility in High Wycombe.
I also had the opportunity to visit a new factory facility whilst here; it was interesting to find that amongst local timbers being used, they were importing to recycle vintage pine floorboards from the original cotton mills in Lancashire, and using huge pine stretchers used for packing massive generator parts for the local power station under construction nearby. What with our new Vintage Pine bedroom range unveiled at the NEC it gives food for thought for our vintage dining collection currently being created (watch this space)!
We are coming o/Exciting-times---/Tom-290311b.JPG.aspx?width=150&height=200)
ut of monsoon season here so one minute it is crisp sunshine and the next you are unable to see across the street for rain. It's actually quite impressive how hard and fast it falls; you literally have to shout over the noise of it in conversation. This can make one quite uncomfortable though as the humidity increases hugely making you feel sticky and heady. (Nothing a local "bintang" beer and a swim in the evening can't put right)./Exciting-times---/Tom-290311a.JPG.aspx?width=150&height=200)
As with all these trips your body clock is all out of sync so it's not unusual to be up before sunrise. It does make for a very nice walk before a day in the factory though, taking in some tranquil views, some bizarre looking wildlife and a guy fishing in a balaclava? With the heat out here I only wonder how he would cope with one of our English summers!
Well in transit now (flying not sat in the back of a van) and hoping to make my connections without a problem, as I have 50 minutes between flights at Singapore and of course they are in different terminals!!
Should get home just in time to join Tim for a 75 mile cycle ride the next day; that's one way to stretch your legs after a long haul flight!
Well it's small cheese really, we take on the Alps again in June.
Tom Hudson 25/3/2011
It’s been a busy month for the Frank Hudson team! We’ve just got back from a great Interiors 2011 where the fabulous WI group The Harmonies performed on our stand – what a show stopper!
Now we’re starting on the preparations for our very first exhibition at the International Furniture Fair Singapore – we’re all excited but there’s lots to be getting on with. /A-little-R-and-R---/Alps1.JPG.aspx?width=300&height=225)
But we all deserve a bit of R&R, don’t we? In between shows James had the chance to afford some respite in the beautiful French Alps with his friends – oh, and a pretty Kiwi Ski Guide in yellow salopettes to look after them!
The group came across this silver Chesterfield at the top of Val d'Iserre Ski Pod – it’s always amazing where you can find furniture nowadays!
Back to the hard work now!
So off to Indonesia again, this time on my own. This always puts a different angle to travelling to far flung places and I find my senses are heightened. Just before Christmas as well, really don't want to go but the /So-off-to-Indonesia-again---/Blog-Image-081210-a-(2).bmp.aspx)
factories need my attention; prototypes to sign of prior to the forthcoming NEC Interiors Show and update meetings to be had - so off I go.
Arrive at Heathrow on a freezing morning; will there be a delay? Gatwick is closed and the snow is moving in!The big 380 takes off on time, hope the engine on this big bird is ok!
After three flights and twenty four hours of travel I arrive in central Java. It's rainy season; the skies are grey and not the bright blue clear skies I always look forward to seeing.
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My first night is spent in a faceless hotel with a dreary piano bar and a few lonely sad souls propping up the bar. I hate these places and look forward to the simple living on the sea shore in northern Java.
After a long following day in the first factory I arrive in my little sanctuary by the sea; will I be the only Westerner in town?
Thankfully not and I sigh with relief - when so far from home there is always some reassurance to have someone to talk to in the evenings with a common culture. I find I am sharing this little group of beach side rooms with an American, a Belgium and a very eccentric German working in the local power plant.
After another busy day I arrive to the beach house to find everyone is off to a party and I'm invited - it's Saturday night after all. I arrive at the party to find it full of the area's expats from all parts of Europe; it makes for a fun night! The party was put on to celebrate the German chap's birthday and he certainly made sure he enjoyed it./So-off-to-Indonesia-again---/Blog-Image-081210-c.bmp.aspx?width=170&height=226)
The following morning I was having breakfast outside with the American, when Henrick's doors fly open and he jumps out of the room in black speedos - his German beer tankard full of Bintang beer and traditional German music blasting out at full volume - it was hilarious !
As there was no sun shinning I decided on a traditional Javenesse massage to pass the time. This was carried out by an old lady of about 80, with fingers like iron! She certainly sorted the aches - to be replaced by her own induced pain! The afternoon was spent with my camera walking on the beach taking in the traditional buildings and the rough sea.
Back to work on Monday; exciting new bed design to sign off. This is the best part of my job; putting great designs together as a team then seeing the concept turn into reality.
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Tuesday is the start of the long journey back after a morning meeting with our Indonesian manager and our technician who had arrived from the uk the night before.
After handing over the batton and discussing the project he was arriving to carry out, I leave Indonesia once again to fly back to the ice covered UK and prepare for fast approaching Christmas.
After all, there are a lot of customers looking forward to Christmas dinner on their new Frank Hudson table and sleeping in their new Frank Hudson bed.
Let's hope the snow stops falling!
Written by James Hudson
Again Indonesia calls.
James and Tom this time, to check over the vast production for one of our customers and look at some exciting new samples and developments we have been working on.
48 hours before departure, James and I clamoring at the laptop trying to secure our favorite seats on the “big bird” A380; only to find that due to the current situation of elections and volcanoes that we had pick of the plane (only 150 seats taken from a 400 seat plane). WONDERFUL a four seat 1st class bed in economy!
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All was well until James had decided to book the next two flights with ‘Lion Air’ I think he must have been thinking of his “Lion House” when he booked them. They are by no means “king of the skies” and make ‘Easy Jet’ look like ‘Qatar Airlines’ in comparison!
The flight and terminal were completely packed to the point that you could not walk in any direction, and I was expecting when boarding to be sat next to a bloke holding a chicken one side of me and a guy with a goat on his lap on the other!
But the landing was the cream of the cake as we came in so fast and steep that the plane actually bounced back into the air upon landing.
Finally, after our normal 27 hour door to door journey, we got to our accommodation where the normal jockeying for the room with the view happens; James immediately pulling rank due to age, (well they do say age before beauty). Just as well, as that night flames started licking out from the kitchenette extractor, only James' army training and quick thinking was he able to combat the flames with a damp sock. Next morning he was immediately upgraded and being brave I moved in, not needing a kitchen, but got my view.
We worked in the factories for a few days; normal stuff, deflated one minute finding specification changes and mix-ups in production and putting them right, and pure enlightenment the next when seeing finished prototypes and new exciting products for our retailers.
Saturday and another long day, but time to relax and spend the evening with friends at a local bar and onward to their house for a night cap (or two). It was after this that I decided to lean against a tree outside my apartment to discuss Sunday’s plans with James little knowing it was the M25 of giant ant world and munched upon accordingly.
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Ah Sunday, a lie-in till 8.30, and after attending to last nights wounds met our friend Martin, a local furniture maker and owner of a wonderful wet bike, who took us around the coast and to “bird island”(feathered variety) then around the bay for lunch. On the way back, within minutees the weather changed, the skies turned black, and a tropical storm charged through; thunderous rain and gales whipping the sea into a frenzy. Now that's what you need to have real fun on a wet bike!
Later, we went for coffee, but the storm had stirred up the mozzies more than ever. Only the English could get away with standing neck deep in a swimming pool in the pouring rain drinking coffee...
That evening James came down heavily with a fever, and was checked out at the local hospital. It seems the mozzie attack could have been worse than first thought, but in true bulldog spirit was not going to stop him continuing on with our purpose here, albeit now equipped with a full Indonesian medical kit.
This did nothing to tame his sense of humour and in Semarang airport café asked if I was enjoying my coffee; “why yes” I replied “unusual taste though”. It was only then that he pointed to a poster of a monkey “and” I said, James replied “read closely”, oh nice one bruv, turns out it is made from the droppings of the Lewark monkey; always time to have one over your little brother even when he's feeling ill.
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Our second flight was delayed, this was a big worry as we had only one hour between landing and our flight home on the “big bird” taking off for London; this was not helped by the fact we were seated the furthest back on the plane as possible. The other passengers were really understanding and parted in the tight walkway to let us pass to the front of the plane. Our hearts pounding at the thought of missing our connecting flight, only to be met by two charming girls holding a poster with our names on and an airport lounge car, “get on quick Mr James and Mr Tom”.
What a highlight flying through Singapore airport like something from Starsky and Hutch, blue light flashing and two girls shouting “out of the way” to pedestrians.
Full credit to Singapore airlines for making sure I was officially the last passenger to board the largest passenger plane in the world. Great big bonus, being the last passenger; I was able to walk straight to the only row of four seats unoccupied knowing full well that they had my name all over it, a few funny green eyed looks at the guy last to board, with the bed home.
Well another whirlwind trip to Asia wrapped up, good work done, sense of achievement at what we have managed to do in the factories in such a short space of time, and the longing to get back to wives and family and my two very young daughters.
Until the next time…
But first we have the Minerva show starting tomorrow and our new head office and showroom launch in the next few days.
You don't stand still for a second in the furniture business......