Coakley & Cox Ltd is the manufacturing division of SCP Ltd, responsible for the development and production of all SCP furniture

Coakley & Cox Ltd is the manufacturing division of SCP Ltd, responsible for the development and production of all SCP furniture. Here is a short history of how the company grew.

Coakley & Cox Ltd started life thirty-five years ago when founders John Young and Bruce Allen took residence in a chicken shed in Snetterton, Norfolk. From this unlikely location they began trading as Thetford Designs Ltd, a specialist in the design and development of modern upholstery. Early success led them to form a close relationship with The Conran Shop, for whom they became a key supplier of upholstery throughout the 1980’s.

In 1991, John and Bruce were employed by SCP Ltd to develop and produce the Balzac armchair by Matthew Hilton. The Balzac was SCP’s first foray into upholstery and the chair, a contemporary take on the classic “club” armchair, went on to become the biggest selling SCP piece of furniture of all time. The success of the Balzac led SCP to extend their range of upholstery throughout the 1990’s and continue to work closely with Thetford Designs on the production of their range.

From 2003 onwards, Thetford Designs became the sole provider of upholstery for SCP, they also began creating bespoke and production pieces for a host of notable clients including The Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, English Heritage, The Barbican Centre, Tate Modern, The Cowley Manor Hotel and the Yamamoto Paris showroom. The factory also continued to work with other established British brands on their upholstery pieces.

In 2009, the company was re-launched under the new brand name Coakley & Cox Ltd. This reflects the change in ownership, but also a new direction for the business. Coakley & Cox Ltd, with its fine history in the art of upholstery making, retains its core business profile, but now applies the rigour required in developing upholstery to the creation of new products such as china, textiles, lighting, tables, desks and storage.

To view the Coakley & Cox website please click here