Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Durham Celebrates Canada Day, Company’s 118-Year History
June 30,
2017 by Larry Thomas in Business Strategy, Industry, Special Events 
Durham Furniture, a Canadian manufacturer of solid wood bedroom and occasional furniture, is celebrating its 118-year history this week in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of Canada Day, which is July 1.
Canada’s rich history of furniture manufacturing dates to the early 1800s, and since its founding, Durham Furniture has remained a stronghold among the country’s shrinking manufacturing landscape, company officials said.
“We’re excited to celebrate Canada Day along with our employees who have helped keep Durham relevant in today’s home furnishings marketplace throughout North America,” said Luke Simpson, president and CEO. “We’re proud to be among Canada’s resilient home furnishings companies, and we envision many more years of growth right here where we began.”
To mark the occasion, Durham gathered its 180 employees for a group photo at the factory in Durham, Ontario.
During the 2008 recession, the Canadian dollar strengthened against the U.S. dollar, causing many Canadian manufacturers’ product lines to be more expensive for the U.S. market. Durham’s ability to overcome these challenges, coupled with its expanding product line and customization options for its retailers and growing customer base of interior designers, makes its continued success all the more impressive today, Simpson pointed out.
“This is a big deal for us because of how rare Canadian furniture companies have become,” Simpson said. “Despite many hardships that have caused other manufacturers to close their doors, we are still going strong and the future looks bright.”
An annual celebration on July 1, Canada Day commemorates the anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution Act in 1867 that united the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.