‘Victim of own success’ - Whanganui’s Willgraeme furniture manufacturer

Some of the team at furniture maker Willgraeme in Whanganui, clockwise from back left, Shane Williams, Mark Davy, Michele Davy and John Davy.

Furniture manufacturer Willgraeme, based in Whanganui, has found itself in a situation where its products almost last too long.

Some chairs made by Willgraeme are being reupholstered after 30 years and put back into use because they are so well built. Its products have been sold to organisations across New Zealand such as universities, hospitals, restaurants and Work and Income.

Some of the many designs of furniture Willgraeme has made over the years.

Registered in 1948, in London St, Whanganui, the company manufactured domestic and commercial seats, as well as Formica tables, which are still available.

A bariatric chair rated at a 350kg load. Willgraeme can supply these between 670mm and 825mm wide.

“We have a reputation for the longevity of our products,” said Willgraeme sales manager Mark Davy. “They are environmentally friendly, mostly made of steel, which is recyclable.

“All our foam can be recycled into an underlay. The wood is biodegradable and our Formica lasts – you do not have to take it to the tip after five years.

Freshly painted and reupholstered chairs ready to be returned to their owner.

“We get chairs that come back 30 years later to get refurbished, put new covers on them, repaint them, and out they go again,” he said.

Mark’s brother, John (production manager), said imported furniture shouldn’t be allowed into the country unless it has a 10-year warranty, as Willgraeme does, on all frames, foam and workmanship.

Willgraeme's building on London St, near the corner of Bell St.

“We sell quality, not made to fall to bits. Our furniture is made to last. Because of the enduring quality, customers do not need to replace their chairs and the business is a victim of its success. People have returned 20-year-old chairs they have broken and we fix them without charge,” he said.

It is thought the company has produced more than 1 million chairs and tables and at one stage it employed 33 people.

The Willgraeme site in London St circa 1920, with St John's railway station in the foreground.

“We would like to keep our brand name going,” said Mark. “We are at a pivot point, having to put our furniture into a designer market, whereas we have relied until now on word of mouth and returning customers.

“We keep our products simple, basic, strong and durable. Our range includes chairs, tables, desks, trolleys, gates, fences, and custom-made brackets and we do powder coating.

“Also we reupholster chairs, put new tops on tables, manufacture motorbike four-wheeler carriers and recover motorbike seats. A speciality is the manufacture of bariatric chairs, designed for large people. These can be made between 675mm to 825mm in width and have been tested up to a 350kg loading.”

History

Stanley Graham had a job at New Zealand Motor Bodies bending steel for bus seats in Lower Hutt in the early 1940s. He started making furniture in an old building at Salisbury’s Poultry Farm in Upper Hutt and was joined by his brother-in-law Jack Willis.

Stanley Graham, founder of Willgraeme.

He was told, “You’ll never make any money unless you own your own business”.

The first dining suite they sold went to Strouds’ Furniture in Upper Hutt; they were related to the Strouds in Whanganui. Stanley’s older brother was then sent to manage John Grant, an underfelt company in Whanganui, and noticed a building for sale at 129 London St. It was an old dairy factory building that had become derelict.

The business carried on from there and in 1948 it became Willgraeme, a combination of the Willis and Graham names, although the latter was changed to Graeme. Stanley’s son Bob started in 1961 as the office boy, gaining overall experience doing upholstery, welding and going on the road selling.

Barbara and Bob Graham, former owners of Willgraeme in Whanganui.

Bob took over the business from Stanley circa 1980, was joined later by his wife Barbara and still remembers his father coming in every day wearing a suit. Bob and Barbara retired in 2020.

“The ‘good old days’ were when you needed to get a licence to import furniture, so we had a good market because furniture was very hard to import,” said Bob. “Local manufacturers were protected.

From the days when every family in New Zealand seemed to have a Formica table.

“We used to get upholsterers from England coming out on immigration to a job. We got quite a few bringing their skills, one always wore a tie to work and wore an apron.

“We had a contract with Winz for many years and this has been ongoing to the present day, with it having to be tendered for.

“Our chrome chairs last indefinitely, they were plated in Whanganui by Wanganui Electroplating Co in Wilson St,” he said.

■ Anyone interested in the company’s products can contact Willgraeme by email: sales@willgraeme.co.nz