Unum Aircraft Seating, a UK-based manufacturer of business-class seats, has raised £3.5m with participation from the ACF Investors venture capital fund. The funding will be used to support research and development, and to expand Unum’s sales pipeline within the airline industry.
Unum Aircraft Seating was founded in 2020 by a team with decades of experience in cabin product and seat development (founder and CEO Chris Brady also co-founded Acro Aircraft Seating – find out more HERE). The company recently received regulatory approval from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and moved its operations to a new factory at London Gatwick. The funding will enable Unum to accommodate business growth, expand its team, and invest in the research and development of new manufacturing processes.
A growing sector
Business-class seating is a rapidly growing segment of the aircraft interiors market, with Unum forecasting a CAGR of 25%. Unum Aircraft Seating is working to provide increased capacity for the business-class sector, with designs that combine lie-flat seating without sacrificing cabin density. The company has established integrated design and in-house manufacturing capabilities, intended to enable it to supply seats in a short time to market, enabling it to meet growing demand.
Sustainability is another key consideration when selecting cabin interiors products. Airline seats can constitute 10% of an aircraft’s operating weight, and optimising in-flight cabin weight can generate fuel savings of 0.65-0.85%. Unum says that its seats weigh 79kg compared to the industry average of 110kg. Unum is also the first airline seating company to commit to the Green Cabin Alliance, a cross-industry group advocating for the decarbonisation of the aircraft interior supply chain.
Chris Brady, CEO of Unum Aircraft Seating, said of the investment: “We set up Unum to provide much-needed capacity to the business-class seating sector. We want to be the most trusted aircraft seating supplier in the world and to set a new standard for passenger-focused and responsibly made seats. This investment is a vote of confidence in our commitment to enhancing the passenger experience for business-class travellers.”
Tim Mills, managing partner at ACF Investors, added: “Chris is a proven leader in the airline interiors industry and his track record in founding and scaling aircraft seating businesses is second to none. We’re excited to back a true industry innovator – one that prioritises sustainability and customer comfort and is delivering such an exceptional product.”
