In the past three years, the UEA has warned about the problems created by the structural changes in the furniture industry in the EU 15. The European Commission has officially recognized the fact that the sector is undergoing structural changes and has made it a priority sector for a number of actions. DG (Directorate General) Enterprise is undertaking a competitiveness study of the furniture industry; DG Trade has moved up the importance of the market access for the furniture in the WTO discussions; DG Research has made the furniture industry the pilot sector for its study to define the research needs for user centered innovation in manufacturing industry, centered around the product, not the material, DG Enlargement has put assistance for the compliance with the EU “acquis” in the furniture sector as a priority and now DG Employment has decided to co-fund a 1.6 million€ project of the UEA to study best practices and develop methodologies to help companies deal with the structural changes in the sector particularly by integrating co-operation in their operations.

Partners in the project called FIRST (Furniture Industry in Restructuring: Solutions & Tools) are MIP (Polytechnic University - Milan), Aidima, (Spanish Furniture Research Center), BFM (British Furniture Manufacturers Federation), Medifa (French Furniture Manufacturers Federation), EIAS (Furniture Co-operation Consultancy) and EFBWW (European Organization representing the Workers in the Furniture Industry).

Companies that have passed through restructuring using co-operation, subcontracting or outsourcing and that are willing to share their experience with other companies, and companies that are interested in the methodology that will be developed can contact their national furniture manufacturers’ organization or the UEA secretariat.

secretariat@uea.be

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‘PureAustrianDesign’ in London
The ‘PureAustrianDesign’ exhibition, which will be held on September 21-24 in London, is the latest in a series of state-of-the-art shows on Austrian design to have been staged by the JULAND BarcelonaVienna studio in association with the austrian furniture industry. Featuring over 100 examples of Austrian design, the exclusive exhibition can be seen at the “100% East” design fair. As a sister event to the contemporaneously hosted 100%Design (one of the world’s most important fairs for contemporary design), 100% East has managed to position itself as an effective, multidisciplinary show for design companies and young, up and coming talents in a surprisingly short time.

Given that the role of PureAustrianDesign® is to represent and project first class Austrian design onto an international stage, the company was asked by the organisers of the fair to showcase select design items from the austrian furniture industry and the up and coming generation of Austrian designers. The austrian furniture industry will once again be helping to organise the entire exhibition and is represented by such prestigious companies as Bene, Conform Badmöbel, ewe, Team 7, Viteo, Wiesner Hager and Wittmann.

 

By becoming involved in this project, the austrian furniture industry is following a two-fold aim. First, it intends to boost the awareness of the general public for design, and second, it hopes to highlight the commercial significance of design for companies. After all, design is becoming an increasingly important if not vital factor in helping companies to project a distinctive identity in their commercial activities and to secure long-term business success.

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An impressive amount of information was shared in the presentations and in the discussion groups. Starting with macro economic information that yes, on world level there are some good years ahead, the participants then obtained a good overview of the furniture industry in the world.

From sessions on production flexibility and branding, on logistics and business co-operation, on the state of the art in retailing, in product development and in information technologies, from presentations on corporate strategy, on the integration of disabled in furniture design, or on the strategic challenges of the industry in specific countries, even those that have been working in the furniture sector for many years could pick up many new ideas.

Two of most noticeable concepts that kept coming back almost everywhere were the need to place the consumer at the center and the need to co-operate among manufacturers, whether it be on the local level or internationally.

A separate session around the possibility to create international co-operation was attended by around 60 presidents and directors of furniture federations from all over the world and the participants created a workgroup of volunteers to summarize the various proposals on how a world furniture organizations should be created, what it statutes or bylaws should be and what its specific task will be. By the end of October 2006 a first version will be adopted that will be the basis for the formal creation of a World Furniture Organization during the next World Furniture Congress. As the congress was considered a huge success by all participants and by the organizers, the workgroup will also evaluate the various proposals that were made to organize the World Furniture Congress next year and choose a destination based on the quality of the offers. Already during the congress, China, Brasil, USA, and Egypt offered to host the next congress.

The UEA president Calixto Valenti thanked all participants, speakers, day chairman, sponsors and most specifically the various partner organizations of the UEA especially Aidima for having made this first congress the huge success it was.

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