Fira Studio is small family workshop based in Leicestershire, specialising in making custom gifts such as cake toppers and guestbooks, which have proved popular on online markets like Not on the High Street and Etsy.
They’ve been so successful that they were recently featured in Etsy’s own seller handbook, in the article Quit Your Day Job: Fira Studio, which tells their story of growing from a ‘back bedroom’ business to successful bespoke craft manufacturer and online seller.
Recently COBA Europe helped them identify a need for anti-fatigue mats in their workshop, where they stand in front of benches for many hours each day. We revisited them after the mats had been in place for a couple of weeks, to find out how they got on.
Read on to find out how having the right matting solution can not only bring comfort to workers that stand, but also contribute to well-being and productivity.
First and foremost, Fira Studio is a creative brand, making unique gifts where the personal touch is integral to the design. They are also craftspeople, taking great care in the pieces they produce for their customers.
However, they are also a small industrial facility, using high-tech equipment in their studio to laser cut and finish products in wood and other materials. This means that although small, they share a lot of similarities with manufacturing companies ten times their size.
Co-owner Dan revealed ‘Despite design and craft being at the core of what we do, there’s a good three hours of the day where we’re just sanding [laughs]. We work in shifts now, which means we can run the machines for 10-12 hours during a busy period and keep up with demand.’
Their list of machinery includes laser cutters, a heat press, vinyl cutters, as well as woodworking tools and a sander.
When COBA Europe was asked to visit their studio in order to find a solution, it became clear that the application of any anti-fatigue mat would help their situation, as they were standing on concrete. The effects of which, for hours each day and over a long period of time can lead to tiredness, aches and pains and even long term health issues.
When specifying a mat though you do need to consider things like ambient temperature, how frequently users move, and whether liquids or debris fall on to the mat. Fira Studio needed something that could handle users turning on the spot hundreds of times a day. However, as it is always a dry environment, it wouldn’t need to be resilient to harsh chemicals, which are present in some working industrial environments.
Orthomat® Premium as the name suggests is a high performance, dual layered mat from our foam anti-fatigue range. It features a more robust top layer in order to provide longer lifespan, whereas entry level mats consist of a single foam layer.
In the few weeks since the mats have been in place, the team have noticed a difference.
‘We felt the improvement almost straight away. Even from that first step onto the mat, after standing on the concrete floor, your feet and legs feel better. What’s also reassuring is the fact they don’t move about too much, and the ramped edges mean we’re unlikely to trip over them. We’re really pleased with the quality, it’s a good investment for our studio.”
To discuss your working environment, please contact our matting experts and find out what anti-fatigue mats can do for your productivity and wellbeing.
