Singapore Furniture
Industries Council (SFIC) was established in 1981
as the official representative body of Singapore’s
furniture industry. It currently represents 95%
of furniture manufacturers in Singapore, 65% of
whom have subsidiary manufacturing plants in the
region, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam.
Its primary roles include promoting the interest
of its members and the Singapore furniture industry,
facilitating members’ exposure to the world
market, creating more entrepreneurs through human
resource development, developing local talents,
creating more leading-edge and awardwinning designs
by organising competitions such as the annual Furniture
Design Award, forging strategic partnerships with
government and trade-related agencies, harnessing
technology and knowledge for growth through the
use of information technology.
SFIC, the parent company of International Furniture
Fair Singapore Pte Ltd, is the organiser of the
annual International Furniture Fair Singapore and
ASEAN Furniture Show. SFIC also manages the International
Furniture Centre at Sungei Kadut and represents
Singapore in the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council
(AFIC).
For the past 29 years, SFIC has always been in the
forefront to pave the way for its members and help
them adapt to changes in the business environment.
Major initiatives introduced by SFIC include:
International
Trade Development Programmes
a. International Furniture
Fair Singapore / ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS)
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Organises
the annual IFFS/AFS, an international event
that is well regarded by industry experts
as Asia’s most prestigious trade show. |
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IFFS/AFS
provides an effective marketing platform
for SFIC members and global industry players
to find new markets and alliances. |
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It is
endorsed by the Singapore government as
an “Approved International Fair”
since 1992. |
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It is
also the first Asian-based international
furniture fair to be accepted as a member
of the elite "Union des Foires Internationales"
(UFI), a Paris-based international authority
on trade fairs, since 1998. |
b. Participation in Overseas
Programmes
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Helps
members develop and expand their export
business at international trade fairs. |
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Organises
business missions to established and emerging
markets in search of new market potentials
and to leverage business opportunities abroad. |
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Helps
members to look for overseas business partners
through inbound and outbound business-matching
activities. |
c. International Furniture
Centre (IFC)
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Manages
the IFC, a one-stop solution shop, catering
to the global furniture market and facilitating
businesses multilaterally. |
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IFC will
comprise of export showrooms, a design village,
training facilities, office space and warehousing
support for the furniture industry. |
Collective Initiatives
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Focuses
on three collective initiatives: the consumer,
raising standards of furniture retailing
and enhancing manufacturing quality. |
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Successful
collective initiatives include the management
of IFC, the administration of the Good Furniture
Retailers Scheme and the development of
overseas industry clusters such as the Singapore
Furniture Industry Park – Kunshan
in China. |
Talent Development
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Accords
top priority to human resource and talent
development to ensure the industry’s
long-term viability and sustainability.
Hence, the initiation of the Furniture Learning
Institute in 2004 to address the industry’s
needs in areas of design, professional and
skills development; and in the long term,
develop a knowledge-driven furniture industry
for Singapore. |
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Spearheads
design-led business paradigm with design
exchanges, work collaborations and learning
programmes between local/international design
institutions to nurture design talents.
Annual activities include the Furniture
Design Award, Furniture Design Forum as
well as the provision of facilities for
designers to gather and network with industry
players. |
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Actively
recruits second-generation leaders and young
furniture managerial talents into the Youth
Furniture Committee to groom new talents
for the industry and to facilitate a smoother
transition of business from the earlier
generation to the next. |
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Organises
regular CEO Learning Circles and industry
networking events to create added opportunities
for members and their business associates
to establish closer rapport and business
relations. |
Adopting E-commerce
as another channel to trade
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Actively
encourages industry players to harness infocomm
technologies, adapt and adopt a new economy
mindset and innovative business channels
to find new growth opportunities beyond
our geographical boundaries. |
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Formation of strategic
partnerships
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Assumes
a major role as providers of business information,
training and consultancy to benefit the
industry. |
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On the
national level, the SFIC has been an effective
bridge between the government, statutory
boards and trade bodies to ensure that the
industry’s views were heard when new
legislations were being formed. |
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SFIC is
represented in the Association of Small
and Medium Enterprises, Singapore Manufacturers’
Federation, Singapore Chinese Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Singapore Association
of Convention and Exhibition Organizers
and the Specialists Trade Alliance of Singapore.
On the regional level, SFIC continues to
represent Singapore in the ASEAN Furniture
Industries Council. |
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