SAFI demonstrates the benefits of collaboration for SA industry players

The South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI), in collaboration with furniture industry stakeholders, recently held the fourth annual Furniture Sector Forum in Sandton, highlighting the vision for the sector.

According to SAFI Chairperson, Penwell Lunga, it is SAFI’s objective to build a globally competitive and transformed furniture industry that shapes lives in every home, school, and workplace. This objective cannot be achieved alone. “We believe that by taking the theme of the Furniture Sector Forum, namely, Cohesion: Together is Better on board, we can launch into the future as a team.”

“To have South African designed and manufactured furniture in every home and workplace in Africa and beyond, is a key aspiration for the South African Furniture Initiative.”

Penwell highlighted four strategic priorities SAFI is pursuing to take the institutional knowledge and industry know-how of stakeholders and combine it with SAFI’s access to policymakers and markets to grow and nurture the furniture sector.

Furniture Industry Master Plan

Penwell believes the key to success is aligning market access, trade interventions and remedies, market intelligence, and skills development with the Furniture Industry Master Plan (FIMP).

“We want to be leaders in creating market development opportunities, including local raw material supply, as well as driving an increase in public and government procurement of locally manufactured school and office furniture,” he told attendees. “Furthermore, we must stop the illegal import of products and build much-needed skills development in the furniture industry.”

SAFI plays the role of a connector in an industry made up of many small and medium-sized enterprises who do not have access to policymakers, local and international markets, and manufacturers. The organisation believes that quality standards are instrumental in ensuring differentiation in the industry’s local sector product offering, compared to the many imported products entering the South African markets.

“We, as an industry, have to make sure that we are providing a quality product, exceeding that of our international competitors, backed by a guarantee,” Penwell emphasised.

SAFI is poised to work together with industry stakeholders to create market access opportunities to grow the industry, align relevant policies, drive competitive manufacturing, and support sustainable raw material supply.

“We need everyone to get involved, to be part of a growing industry on the cusp of becoming globally competitive, I believe we can all achieve our common goal through cohesion, where together is better,” Penwell concluded.

SAFI’s newly elected BoD for 2022/23

The new Board of Directors was elected at SAFI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) last month. The board will bring a blend of operational experience and expertise to ensure the sector’s growth, focusing on placing locally manufactured furniture into homes, schools, and workplaces.

The 2022/23 members of the board are: Bernadette Isaacs (Managing Director of SAFI), Educated Nkosi, Greg Boulle, Johann Claassen, Jonathan Van Rooyen, Justin Berry, Michael Borcherds, Mohammed Hansa, Morne Smith, Nico Badenhorst, Penwell Lunga, Peter Grey, Shumaiz Acharath-Parakatt Mahal, Stephan Nieuwoudt, Stephanie Forbes, Victor Abrahams and Walter Dyers.

About the Furniture Industry Master Plan

The FIMP was first announced in 2019 at the Furniture Sector Forum. SAFI and its partners have been working on various initiatives, including creating a South African Furniture Directory targeted at registered manufacturers, designers, public procurement officers, and corporate procurement professionals.

The FIMP was established with the intention of creating a document that outlines the industry’s future in the short, medium, and long term. Additionally, it serves as the “go-to” resource for the public and private sector, as well as local and foreign investors.

The furniture sector plays a key role in the South African economy and creates employment opportunities through its value chain, given its labour-intensive nature.