We have many sturdy products, but some truly fragile ones too! How do you handle such a variety of items?

Most products are packed into boxes when they come off the assembly line, so we never see them. All we need to do with our lights for example, is pop a bulb into the box. Of the smaller items we pack, the heavier ironmongery like window stays or curtain pole accessories are the best as they are hardwearing, so you don’t worry about them being damaged in transit.

The trickiest things to pack are shades because they are so fragile. They dent very easily in transit, so you must take a lot of care to get the packing right – just enough room to allow for a little movement – but not so much that they bang around inside the box.

We are all very aware of the need to be as ecological as possible when it comes to reducing waste and using sustainable products, how has this affected packing?

As a company we are constantly reviewing the way we work and the materials we use to see if there is a ‘greener’ way of doing it. In our department, we always reuse any packaging that it sent back to us via our Returns Department, or from our suppliers. And now, even better, we’ve completely done away with plastic, so all our packaging is made from recycled paper and is reusable.

We have a Tiger Roll machine that produces beehive-style packing paper that wraps tightly around an object, so we use it around all our glass. We no longer use plastic air pillows or bubble wrap to cushion products, instead we use Geami Wrap, a machine that ‘scrunches’ up brown paper to fill out the space in boxes, and we’ve swapped plastic bags for vintage-style paper envelopes to send out small items like curtain rings, screws or fasteners.



What is the best part of working with Jim Lawrence?

I love everything about my job. We’ve got a great team, they’re hard working and fun. We have a laugh. They’re all quite young, so are full of energy, although I do feel like their mum from time to time! I enjoy being on my feet, moving around all day, it keeps me fit and the day goes so fast.

It’s quite a skill to be able to judge the right size box needed for packing up an order, especially when it comes to international orders because you have to calculate the cost of shipping depending on the quantity, size and weight of the boxes. You get a real sense of satisfaction when they’re done, seeing them loaded into the van and travelling to their new homes.