Spring in their step
One of the keys to the success of Briody Bedding in Co Meath is the fact that it has control over its product through every stage of production and delivery
W hen Benny and Brid Briody started their bed company in Co Meath in 1974, they were producing about 15 beds a week. Little did they think that, a few decades on, that figure would be closer to 1,000 units in the same timeframe.
Now run by their three sons and daughter, Briody Beds operates out of Ballinrink, near Oldcastle, and employs 50 people – some of whom have been there since those fledgling days back in the 1970s.
The company is very much bucking the trend that has seen so much manufacturing disappear from Ireland – it makes everything on-site and distributes to all major furniture retail outlets across both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
According to director David Briody, the company’s strength lies in the fact that it has control over its product from start to finish.
“We make the spring unit, and everything else that goes into the beds, so we have control from raw material right up to delivery,” he says. “Our beds are 100% Irish made, and we can turn orders around in a few hours.”
There was a time when the company imported its spring units, but taking their manufacture in-house was the best decision the company ever made, says Briody. “If you’re depending on a third party for the main element of your product, you’re at their mercy,” he says.
The company also makes daily deliveries, meaning its customers don’t have to store stock but can order as and when they need to.
Of course, Briody Beds has had to compete against numerous cut-price bed importers over the years but it is also, to some extent, targeting a slightly different market. Its customers want the best value, as opposed to necessarily the lowest price. “To battle the imports, all you can do is adapt and offer something different to the customer,” says Briody.
And while the recession years were not easy – it was much more about the bottom line back then – now, people want quality and customisation at a fair price.
“There are so many different permutations: different mattresses, upholstery fillings, sizes. We can adapt and change to meet demand,” notes Briody. “People are more aware of Irish-made products today also; buyers are more conscious of that now than before.”
Briody says one of the biggest challenges is dealing with everincreasing insurance bills. “You have to sit down at the start of every year, set out your goals, and then watch every penny that’s spent.”
Always with an eye to the future, the company is constantly developing new products. “You have to change, and you have to offer the customer a story with every bed,” says Briody. “So we come out with new products every year and keep things fresh.”
“To battle the imports, all you can do is adapt and offer something different to the customer”