Each year the Furniture Makers’ Company runs a three-week intensive programme for tomorrow’s leaders that gives a small group of handpicked professionals a comprehensive overview of businesses representing all sectors of the wider industry. The Young Professional Industry Experience (YPIE) programme offers delegates a tour around the country visiting the sector’s “greats” to experience a unique insight into materials, designing, IP, manufacturing, pricing, marketing, sales, and customer service. The scheme is supported by leading UK furniture manufacturers and industry organisations, including Anti Copying in Design Ltd (ACID) who kick off the YPIE programme with a mini master class in IP Basics.

The IP Basics programme gives a brief introduction into the main IP rights: copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and trade secrets, and includes industry related case studies. It also covers brand and design protection, and an understanding of why IP is integral to a brand’s DNA, which are key elements of the session on IP. Supported by one of ACID’s legal affiliates, design law expert Gavin Llewellyn of Stone King, delegates were given a whistle stop introduction to understand why IP matters to today’s successful businesses whether micro or macro.

At the end of the session, the eight delegates from leading UK furniture brands were given the chance to enter a competition to produce essays on “why IP Matters to your brand”. The 2024 entries excelled and ACID decided to award a winner and runner-up prize. Presenting the Winner Certificates, free ACID membership for a year, and and bottle of champage were Dids Macdonald OBE., Past Master of the Furniture Maker’s Company & Chairman and Co-Founder of ACID and Laura Newbold Breen, ACID’s CEO.

Many congratulations to the 2024 YPIE ACID IP Master Class Winner Claire Anderson, Assistant Production Manager of George Smith and Runner Up Tabetha van der Lande of Sebastian Cox.

Claire Anderson said, “Brand is everything to a business, the value of which cannot be overstated. At the heart of a brand lies its intellectual property (IP); creations of the mind such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, and names, which are often intangible, but set a business apart from its competitors”.

Claire’s essay

Tab van der Lande said, “There were a few one liners that really resonated with me one being ‘protect it or forget it’ and ‘be proactive not reactive.’ But it was all so interesting and something I hadn’t really thought about previously as I am a maker for a company and do small commissions of bespoke pieces for my own clients. However it is definitely something I should be aware of, especially if I am looking to start my own business. You really emphasised how important it is, and that imitation is not flattery!”

Tab’s essay

Dids Macdonald said, “This year’s entries set a high bar. Winner Claire Anderson’s focus on the importance of protecting the unique elements of a brand such as innovation and creativity to build trust and loyalty won the day. Equally important was runner up, bespoke furniture designer maker Tab’s focus on the importance of design protection for her clients who would not wish the value of their precious bespoke works of artistic craftsmanship to be eroded or cheapened by mass copying”.

Laura Newbold Breen said, “Every single YPIE delegate did themselves and their companies proud. Their knowledge, confidence and eagerness to learn is infectious and I wish them all every success for their futures – they will surely do well. The Furniture Makers’ Company YPIE programme is an invaluable opportunity for personal and professional development and it would be wonderful to see more organisations opening their doors to young people to upskill and enthuse the future generations. There are so many roles and opportunities in the UK design and manufacturing spheres; let’s shout about them!

The 2024 YPIE IP winners’ essays will be published in the prestigious 2025 Austin Friar publication, the Furniture Makers Company flagship Annual Review.