Story: Industrial design

Hastings Boys' High School student Jay Barrett sits in a Bodyfurn chair, next to Hamish Whyte, owner of local furniture manufacturer Furnware. Furnware researched seating in schools. They discovered that uncomfortable chairs were affecting students' learning and commissioned industrial designer Murray Pilcher to find solutions to the problem. Extensive ergonomic analysis led to a new design that students found more comfortable, while teachers appreciated the increased attention span. As well as supplying New Zealand schools, the Hastings company also exports to Australia, Hong Kong, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, US and Canada.