Perfected Over Time

We’ve always believed that true quality can’t, won’t and shouldn’t be rushed. That belief owes much to our raw materials. An ash tree, for example, typically yields timber suitable for furniture-making when it measures 30-45cm (12-18 inches) in girth at 1.3 meters (about four feet) from the ground. This usually takes 25–40 years of healthy growth: beech requires 40-60 years, and an oak tree at least 50-80 years to attain the same state of maturity; but some timber may be many decades, even centuries, older than that.

Working with such valued materials gives us a particular perspective on and respect for time in all aspects of our business. In a world that prizes ever-accelerating change, novelty and finding the quickest, easiest means to do things, we understand and accept that in some areas, we have to be patient and play the long game to achieve the results we want, and our customers expect.

Nowhere is this more true than in regard to our people. It takes years to perfect the skills that make our products unique, and our craftspeople the best in the business. That’s time we’re more than happy to commit. Almost every company will tell you that ‘our people are our greatest asset’. At ercol, we’ve always understood that for it to be meaningful, you have to give people not just the right training, support and encouragement, but also the time they need to practice, gain confidence with their materials, tools and methods, try new things  – and, yes, make mistakes and learn from them. 

That’s especially important in a company like ours, where we’re making high-quality products using valuable, albeit sustainable, materials. We’ve evolved our own systems and ways of working; some innovative and thoroughly contemporary, others virtually unaltered since the middle of the last century. To fully understand them and become an expert in them takes years, and we’re proud that our team include so many long-serving people, some of whom, have been with us their entire working lives. They’re a unique repository of experience, expertise and wisdom, and make us who we are. In periods of change and uncertainty, they provide stability, continuity and deep reserves of past knowledge we can draw on to meet present-day challenges. 

They’re also of incalculable value as teachers and mentors to our apprentices – another industry tradition we’re resolutely maintaining and championing. Every year we welcome a new cohort of talented young people eager to work with their hands and acquire the skills to create useful products with timeless beauty that last for generations. It’s gratifying to know that in this fast-moving age, there are still those prepared to devote time to learning and perfecting a craft. We’re with them all the way.