Special Supplement: Malaysian Furniture

Together with the Indonesian archipelago and the island of Borneo,

Malaysia is home to the world's third largest tropical rain forest behind the
Amazon and the African wild jungle. As such, Malaysia is blessed with a
plethora of natural resources, from minerals, tin, rubber and cocoa to
pineapple and palm oil. The furniture industry of Malaysia has become one
of the country's most vibrant sources of growth. From its humble
beginnings almost 15 years ago, this cottage industry evolved from a
timber and logs based sector to become a major exporter of plywood,
sawn timber, and wood panels. Today, furniture accounts for about 30 to
40% of the sector's earnings compared to just over 2% back in the 1980's,
making it the star performer of the timber-based product sector.

Having excelled in the processing of timber products, on the upstream

side first, Malaysia quickly became a large exporter to over 160 countries.
Of the furniture exporting countries, Malaysia is the 10th largest
worldwide. The overall volume of exports last year was valued at
approximately 1.5 billion dollars (US).

When the Malaysian government implemented its first Industrial Master

Plan (IMP) (1986 to 1995), the furniture industry was identified and
included as one of the top priority industries and a number of incentives
were designed to further enhance its growth and development. Now
working under its second IMP (1996 to 2005), Malaysia and the furniture
industry is growing extraordinarily fast.
Even during the 1997 Asian economic crisis followed by the 1999 global
economic downturn, it grew at the rate of 8 to 10% annually.
The Malaysian furniture industry has acquired tremendous experience and
is recognized for its consistency and punctuality as a supplier of quality
furniture. At the same time, the government has maintained its support
for the industry through the creation of different institutions such as the
Malaysian Furniture Industry Council and the Malaysian Furniture
Promotion Council.
Recent global furniture production has increased by less than 2% annually,
but the trading rate of furniture items is much higher, having increased by
more than 8%. Malaysian exports are worth USD 1.5 billion while the
total world trade figure in furniture is almost USD 60 billion. Malaysia is
only 2.5% of this figure, so there is still a lot room for growth, asserts Mr.
Tan Chin Huat, Executive Advisor of the Malaysian Furniture Industry
Council, who is also in charge of the annual organization of the Malaysian
International Furniture Fair (MIFF) that will take place in March 2005 in
Kuala Lumpur.
Several hundred buyers from the US are expected to attend this important
show.
The goal is now to increase the volume of manufacturing and exports. The
dependence on timber resources has lessened as the industry has
adopted advanced design and raw material utilization technologies. Back
in the very early days, the industry was 100% based on rubber wood.
Today, additional species and materials such as metal, plastic, aluminum
and rattan are used. The industry offers a wide range of items, from home
furniture to office furniture and upholstery.
Nevertheless, the Malaysian furniture industry must now enter a new
phase in its development. The need for Malaysia to create its own
furniture design culture and to protect intellectual property rights is a top
priority, while recreating the manufacturing world through the sourcing of
know-how, training methods and new materials. This is the only way the
industry will thrive, in a competitive environment that includes emerging
neighboring competitor nations such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the
Philippines and particularly China.
For many years, Malaysia mainly focused on producing as an OEM, and
the industry was perceived as a low-end market producer. The Malaysian
Promotion Council was established in order to promote the overall industry
internally and externally. Paul Wang, Chief Operating Officer of the council,
highlights that, it's not about coming up with a design that has elements
of the Malaysian culture that we hope to sell all over the world. It's about
being able to create different designs that will fit numerous markets
around the world. The key word as such, is not Malaysia's Design but
more appropriately it should be Malaysian Designed.
The next goal is to upgrade the entire industry into the medium and
higher-end market segments. With more energy allocated to design and
quality control procedures, the Malaysian furniture industry will succeed in
creating its own niche markets and be identified as an icon in the eyes of
worldwide furniture players. We need to get into the mind of retailers,
wholesalers, importers, manufacturers and also into the contract
manufacturing and furnishing sector first. It is only through these people
that we will be able to reach the rest of the market. The aim is to sell
tomorrow's furniture, at tomorrow's prices into tomorrow's markets.
Tomorrow's furniture means Malaysia's own design for which we can
dictate the price, and tomorrow's markets means we decide to whom we
are selling, explains Paul Wang.

The US remains Malaysia's most important trading partner in furniture

with a total value of about 336 million USD in 2003. However while the US
has been the country's largest export market for the last decade, the total
figure has only increased by 2% over the last couple of years. The
government would like to further consolidate this position notably through
the encouragement of more strategic partnerships, not necessarily under
the form of investment or transfer of funds, but rather in terms of
exchange of know-how and expertise. The government and the private
sector should encourage more foreign investment and the creation of
more joint ventures, not confined to manufacturing only but also for
marketing, strategic or supply source oriented activities, insists Mr. Tan
Chin Huat of MFIC. US buyers have diversified their sourcing, visiting other
nations. The next step is now for Malaysian furniture makers to work
towards getting their products better marketed and distributed.
Quality and Design
Last December in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Furniture Promotion
Council (MFPC) and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) jointly
organized the second edition of the Malaysian National Furniture Seminar.
Its discussion point, the furniture design process and the importance of
idea and material diversification, was the latest signal of how design and
innovation are placed at the heart of the Malaysian furniture industry's
development strategy. The emphasis was on design as the catalyst to
position the nation as a world-class creator of original designs and as the
furniture hub of Asia. The seminar actually provided an extraordinary
window of opportunity for the local furniture players to keep abreast of
contemporary trends, updates of the world furniture arena and the
dynamics of the global furniture market. At this special event, the Minister
of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Mr Peter Chin Fah Kui, asserted,
it is time for Malaysia to shift its strength from competitive pricing to
attractive original design and the gear to this shift is the incorporation of
a designing culture within the Malaysian furniture manufacturing
industry.
One of the organizers, MFPC, was created in September 2003 and was
established by the government in recognition of the huge potential and
substantial contribution of the furniture industry to the economy's foreign
exchange earnings. The MFPC has a two-pronged strategy; namely, design
enhancement and market enhancement. This spring will see the
commencement of the furniture design services program - a pioneering
project that entails contracting a group of furniture designers, freshly
graduated and practicing, to work hand in hand with key Malaysian
furniture manufacturers. They will develop a Malaysian brand of
aesthetics, practicality and value. MFPC is carving out paths to tackle
various design and market related issues such as R&D, education and
training, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), branding, marketing strategies,
integrated marketing communications and image enhancement, says
MFPC Chief Operating Officer Mr. Paul Wang.
Traditionally, Malaysia has been a location of choice for furniture OEMs.
But the country is now moving towards original design manufacturing
(ODM). A few companies have taken the risk of adopting radical changes
in their business plans by upgrading their production to higher value-
added furniture incorporating indigenous design and better finishing. The
country is also showcasing home grown brands, some of which have
already chalked up export success, such as Kian Furniture. First
established in 1983 as a wholesaler of chairs and tables, it now exports
high quality tables and chairs to 89 countries. The company opened
Malaysia's first lifestyle furniture stores, Homelife, which now offer global
lifestyle furniture with Asian traditions in manufacturing tropical, ethnic,
contemporary oriental and colonial inspired furniture. With 5 factories
covering Malaysia, China, Indonesia and soon Vietnam, Kian's General
Manager, James Ng, aims to create a network of 50 outlets worldwide with
its branding and concept of Asian heritage.
Matching the right OEM with the right partner can create a very
profitable and healthy business relationship, explains Mr. Tan Chin Huat
of MFIC.

Pohmay, Malaysia's largest rattan furniture manufacturer based its

strategy on three elements: specialization into rattan and hardwood
products, constant investment in production capacity and high dedication
to R&D. The company has successfully penetrated the American market,
being the exclusive supplier of home furnishing accessories 100% made in
rattan to Pier 1 Import. Pohmay also produces casual living, transitional
and contemporary furniture geared to middle class suburban young
executives.
Delivering high quality furniture by combining the finest traditions of
craftsmanship with modern technologies is the corporate philosophy at
Hume Furniture Industries. The company produces dining tables and
dining chairs in pinewood, oak wood and cherry timber. 100% of its
production is exported, of which over 60% goes to the American market
where it has formed strategic partnerships with Pottery Barn and the
Bombay Collection. What has surely made Hume unique and successful is
its ability to make OEM furniture of high standards, stresses Hume
Furniture Industries General Manager Mr. Law.
Best Store first opened in 1999 as a tube and steel bed manufacturer. In
2000, production shifted to sofa beds using tubes, and in 2001 to leather
and composite sofas. With 25 staff currently dedicated to design, R&D and
sample making, Best Store offers a combination of Italian design and
Japanese technology with the competitiveness of being made in Malaysia.
All these companies have different approaches with respect to design.
Some have in-house designers and others outsource designs from
overseas, but they all travel and study market trends and emphasize
design and creativity in their development plans.
Setting up your own brand name is not an easy task, admits Mr. Tan
Chin Huat of MFIC. The brand name is one target; its long process of
gaining recognition is another, going Own Design Made or Own Brand
Made is more difficult and the returns are uncertain, he added. This will
inevitably be a long process, but surely Malaysian furniture makers have
clearly understood the necessity to adapt themselves to the constant
variations and changes of market and consumer trends. Today Malaysian
furniture makers have embarked on exploring opportunities in developing
special furniture projects on the base of customized furniture while slowly
implementing their specific design culture. Most manufacturing plants are
certified to ISO9002 standards, ensuring the worldwide acceptability of
local wood products. The industry is also moving to adopt ISO14000
standards.
Joint ventures with China
Over the last few years, China has enjoyed one of the world's fastest rates
of GDP growth, reaching an average 8 to 9% annually. When China
became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December
2002, the overall Asian economic landscape changed. Apart from the
other Asian giant, India, what country in the world can ultimately compete
with the synergies and trade generated by over 1 billion inhabitants? With
sales of over USD 5 billion, China is the second largest furniture exporting
country in the world behind Italy.
In comparison, how can a small nation like Malaysia still compete with
China, where the cost of land is low and labor is cheap for such a labor
intensive industry like furniture?
Mr. Tan Chin Huat of MFIC sees China in the context of healthy
competition; I personally don't see China as a threat, but rather as a
challenge, you can turn it into a complimentary relationship. Actually
today China is complimentary to us, he says.
Taiwanese furniture businessmen made the first move and have invested
heavily in China and many newly established furniture factories are joint
ventures with foreigners. For sourcing, international buyers from the US,
Germany, UK or France generally follow trends, so many factories have
chosen to relocate operations in China.
Rubelli is the best illustration of how joint ventures in China can open up
new horizons. First established in Malaysia in 1995 as a recliner armchair
producer that slowly evolved into upholstery and sofa making, today the
company exports 100% of its sofas to Western Europe, Australia and North
America. With 5 plants running at full capacity in Malaysia, the company
has invested in a brand-new plant near Shanghai. Looking at expanding
our production capacity will contribute to bring our overall operating costs
down further and therefore increase our competitiveness. And this will
undoubtedly be a very good platform to penetrate the US market, said
Rubelli's Executive Director, Stephen Wong.
Another company, Versalink, adopted its own approach and strategy to
China. The company established a joint venture there in 2002. A new
brand name was created for the occasion Frezen, whose production is
solely made to cater to the needs of the mainland Chinese market,
explains Versalink Executive Director, Miss Arica Low. She assessed that
Malaysia is facing tough competition from China, so in order to expand
business, she says, we also focus on our management and production
process, trying to find ways to bring cost down and make our production
line more efficient by minimizing waste and maximizing resources. For
reaching the US market where she would like to develop licensed
manufacturing, she places more hope in the new factory Versalink will
open this year in Malaysia.

Malaysia truly retains many competitive advantages over China even

though labor shortages have become a crucial issue and the country
needs to bring in large numbers of Indonesian workers. The country offers
state-of-the-art transport infrastructure and a relatively low cost of
logistics at the heart of one of the world's fastest growing regions, South
East Asia. Malaysia has the advantage of the availability of natural
resources and raw materials and the majority of the business community
is English literate.
The future of Malaysia versus China is probably linked to its ability to
move furniture production up into higher-end market segments and
incorporate cutting edge design. In the past, Malaysia managed to
compete with nations like Japan and Taiwan by taking away their low-end
market positioning. China is now doing the same towards Malaysia. Efforts
at upgrading Malaysian industry are helping the country to tackle new
markets.
China has turned out to be extremely competitive in the production of
metal furniture and this has affected Malaysian metal furniture factories. A
perfect example that shows how superior design and R&D can overcome
fierce competition is Tube Home, whose founder and Chairman Mr. Y.C. Tan
affirmed that one should not be impressed with China's intrusion in the
market. First established in 1976 and still run like a typical Italian family
business, Tube Home has become the leading metal furniture
manufacturer in Malaysia exporting a wide range of home furniture to 135
countries around the world. Tube Home first started producing timber and
metal furniture. The management gradually implemented a strategy of
diversifying its product range with new materials such as plastic and
aluminum. What makes Tube Home still able to maintain its positioning is
surely its capacity to make furniture combining all these different
materials highlights Mr. Y.C Tan.

Office Furniture
Malaysia has witnessed the formation of a large number of factories
specializing in office furniture. The majority of them, those with the
highest production capacities that cater to the needs of importers like Wal-
Mart and Kmart, are based in the Johor Province next to Singapore. The
more specialized product-making platforms where office furniture factories
like Eurochairs, Versalink and Bristol are located, are in the Kuala Lumpur
area.
Office furniture is a much more specific product, it is about providing
solutions and services rather than just a product, explains Eurochairs
Executive Director, Mr. Garry Teh, the design is crucial in the process of
creating and adding constant value.
Eurochairs aims to become Malaysia's market leader in providing office
furniture solutions and it is in the midst of going public this month.
Quality comes from several factors; management, human resources as
well as technology. You need to combine all these elements to reach high
standards in quality. We believe we have the right management as well as
human resources.
Technology is where we need to increase our engagement. Going public
will help us raise more capital to invest in upgrading our technologies,
increasing our value and therefore reaching our goal of becoming a
market leader in this part of the world, adds Garry Teh. Eurochairs has
identified the geographical proximity of Malaysia with other Asean
countries as a great opportunity. Its products, designs and branding have
been well accepted all over the region.
Bristol is another company that felt it couldn't neglect the development
prospects the region offers. The company has become one of Malaysia's
leading office furniture manufacturers in providing total office furniture
solutions as a one-stop service place. Its products are synonymous with
quality and innovative design. Bristol has successfully supplied office
solutions for large-scale projects and internationally recognized brands
offices such as British Airways, Motorola, Hewlett Packard & HSBC.
Versalink has a strong market position in the production of paneled
furniture made of veneer, melamine particleboard, high-pressure
laminates, membrane press, etc. The company has developed an
impressive client base nationwide and worldwide, from banks, tertiary
institutions, universities, logistic & transportation companies to projects
for private limited companies. The company exports to Africa, Northern
Europe, Russia, the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent and the Pacific
region. It is now focusing on expanding its market presence in both the
USA and South America with panel furniture such as case goods,
workstations and cabinets, said Versalink Executive Director Ms Arica
Low.
Malaysia has acquired significant experience and a long tradition as a
manufacturing centre; branding and marketing remain the country's
weaknesses. With time, things will change, believes Garry Teh. Branding
is an objective for many companies. The Malaysian furniture industry
players still need to learn and Americans are the gurus of marketing, they
can surely contribute to help us in creating our own concepts, admits
Garry Teh.
Upholstery
Price competition is the strategy currently in place in most specialized
Malaysian upholstered furniture factories. Companies have to distinguish
themselves from what is being made elsewhere. This is precisely the path
Best Store has embarked on since its establishment in 1999. Since 2000,
the company has introduced new items every year, over 100 different
models in total, said Best Store Managing Director, Mr. Stephen Teh, who
further explained that the company decided to give their sofas several
functions. Using a metal frame for a sofa rather than a wooden frame
allows the company to make moveable sofas that can recline, with
adjustable arms and pull-out leg supports. This is not a conventional sofa
maker. With regard to accessing the US market, Best Store plans to work
with agents, which will be faster and easier given the size of this market.
On the other hand, Rubelli, founded in 1995, has a different marketing
policy. It finds it more effective to visit one hundred retail outlets than to
just visit a trade show. You cannot get all the ideas from just attending a
trade fair. It's not necessarily representative of the entire industry. What
you see at a show is not always what sells. Whereas what you see in a
retail outlet normally sells, said Rubelli Executive Director Stephen Wong.
The company presently sells to importers and distributors in the US, but
aims to go directly to the largest retailers.
Rubelli provides eclectic design, and this has significantly contributed to
its successful positioning in countries like the UK, Australia and New
Zealand. They are looking at forms, ideas and models all over the world.
Rubelli comes up with their own designs that are in line with the
requirements of the markets they target, taking inspiration from what is
trendy.
Bedding
Retailers looking to offer their customers a solution that prevents
mattresses from slipping around on the bed frames should seriously
consider visiting expressAsia's webpage and have a look at one of their
latest innovations: unique wooden slats with non-slip rubberized printed
surface. This product is already successfully distributed in Europe with
Silentnight Beds, UK's largest manufacturer of branded beds for the home.
No doubt this new concept will bring new commercial successes and
happily complement expressAsia's existing range of innovations that
already includes the Universal Bed Frame, a unique bed support system
that is adjustable to fit all sizes and types of beds. This solution enables
the retailer to carry much less inventory and yet be able to cater to all the
different sizes, explains Kenneth Kolb, expressAsia's Chief Executive
Officer.
Innovation is at the heart of his strategy to remain competitive, I am a
strong believer in innovation, he adds, in Malaysia, raw material is
cheap, so the difference comes from better efficiency, he says, and
concludes, we cannot compete head-to-head in terms of price with
Vietnam for example, so we need to compete by using our heads.
He mentions the new compressing processes developed by expressAsia
which allows up to four times the number of pieces of innerspring or latex
mattresses to be shipped in a container, and points to WEBS, a business-
to-business e-commerce platform developed by expressAsia, that provides
a turn-key international supply chain management solution.
Kolb has ambitions to take expressAsia on the Kuala Lumpur Stock
Exchange: we are getting ready to go public and are explaining our
philosophy to the stock exchange, he says and adds this will allow us to
raise money and invest into upgrading ourselves.
Tsunami Tragedy : Furniture Industry of Malaysia Unscathed
In light of the recent tsunami tragedy that has befallen a number of
countries in South Asia, it is noted that the furniture industry of Malaysia
escaped unscathed. So far, damages to the country have been confined to
coastal areas of the island state of Penang, Kedah and Perlis that are
closer to the Phuket Island of Thailand and the northern tip of Sumatra.
There are no reports of any furniture manufacturing factories and related
concerns being affected by the incident as there are no set-ups in the
areas hit by the tidal waves. As Malaysia is out of the natural catastrophes
zone, the recent tragedy affecting a small part of the coastal areas in the
northern states is a consequence of spill-over effects.
We would like to thank the whole world for their concern over the
unfortunate incident.
MARCH FURNITURE FAIR
The Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) 2005 scheduled on March
1-5, 2005 will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur. The
fair has been expanded in size again this year, and all available exhibition
space will be leased by 400 exhibitors from 13 countries worldwide. The
number of re-registered visitors is up this year and show management
expects that MIFF 2005 will be an excellent show.

Malaysian international furniture

Malaysian project : Rattan

Philip Yap : Malaysian

Furniture Designer Making
His Mark in China
Is there hope for nurturing design in the Malaysian furniture industry? Is
the industry too trapped in the OEM game? What does it take to raise the
standard of furniture design in Malaysia? TIMBER MALAYSIA explores the
answers to these questions and more, with Philip Yap, a Malaysian
furniture designer who has been operating successfully in China for
almost 10 years.
TM: When did you start operating in China and why?
PY: I have been in China since 2004. Ive worked with three Chinese
clients on total transformation programmes as the work involved product
design, sales materials, brand repositioning and sales training. Why
China? The reason is simple: as the worlds largest furniture producing
country, China has the market size and provides plenty of opportunities. I
believe that China will still be the number one furniture producer 20 years
from today. There are two main furniture promotion seasons in China,
which are in March in the Guangdong area and September at the
Shanghai Fair. If I have clients who are active in the Western China market,
then we include Chengdu in July. With three promotion seasons, we could
be busy the whole year round.
TM: In your opinion, what is the role of design in furniture-
making?
PY: Having run and managed an advertising firm for over 10 years, I am
psyched to look beyond design alone. Design is just a starting point for
every factory, not the answer to sustain long term growth. It must be
combined with the right strategy and marketing direction. A strategy
based on design alone is a weak strategy, especially in todays fast
moving and highly wired market, where designs, without other disciplines
like targeted market positioning and consistency of execution, could be
drowned or hidden in the multiplicity of offerings that compete for
consumers attention 24/7. My objective is to provide services that help to
reinvent or improve a companys business structure, where design
becomes the driving force to propel more effective production, inspire
management with fresh ideas, expand market share and enhance a
companys brand substance.
TM: As a Malaysian furniture designer operating in China, what
are the challenges that youve had to face?
PY: It has been full of ups and downs. The positive part was the fact that
what I went through and experienced in Malaysia had not yet been fully
encountered by the Chinese when I first established myself there. The
Malaysian furniture industry has been through a few economic cycles, and
I had learnt a lot from those cycles of ups and downs. The Chinese
furniture industry is probably currently facing its first downward cycle after
many years of rapid growth, and having experienced similar downward
cycles in Malaysia, albeit on a smaller scale, has helped me in advising
clients on the best way forward. Industry size and cultural aspects aside,
the industry owners profile of both countries share many common
qualities, which make it easier for me to anticipate certain behaviours,
consult and advise my clients in China.
One of the biggest challenges was to adjust to the business culture, build
trust based on track records, and collaborate effectively with clients as
well as their technical personnel. Other challenges include conveying
innovation ideals effectively and cost-efficient project management; the
Chinese are practical business people, they evaluate innovations
differently from Western-educated businessmen. Another challenge is
managing those with deep pockets but without much patience. They are
often excited and eager to invest in new ideas, but sometimes they lack
consistency and would swing from one idea to another in a short period of
time when instant results are not achieved.

TM: Where do you see Malaysian furniture going in terms of

design?
PY: For Malaysia, the OEM model which helped grow its furniture industry
is both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing at the beginning because
it provided a good platform for our industry members to sell the products
globally. But this easy marketing process has placed many Malaysian
furniture manufacturers in a comfort zone, which is not conducive for
nurturing creativity. Design must be the cornerstone of the industrys next
level of success. Without design, most Malaysian-made furniture will
continue to be perceived as a base for low-end, promotional furniture and
we will forever compete on price, against the likes of Vietnam and
Indonesia. Now, Myanmar has begun to open up and its hunger for
investments, jobs and economic progress will ensure a steady pace of
catching up with its more progressive ASEAN neighbours. It takes only a
few years to train workers in a case goods furniture factory.

Sadly, due to the nature of OEM which entails mass production for
overseas buyers, design has never been the key agenda for most export-
oriented Malaysian companies. And it wont be easy to integrate this
design culture into existing mindsets. Also, operations-wise, factories built
for mass production are not able to provide design varieties.

TM: What other factors dampen the nurturing of a design-led

culture in the Malaysian industry?
PY: A small internal market is another reason that discourages design
from flourishing in the Malaysian market. Additionally, many owners have
little understanding of the design process; many still think that designers
are the ones that only provide CAD drawings. Marketing that is not based
on the concept of lifestyle also dampens the effort for design and brand
creation. We live in an environment that is exposed to international
styles, and local factories are competing with imported brands that are
rich in all aspects of brand substance, so they face tougher challenges in
both design and brand development. On the other hand, as the gaps of
design preference are narrowing and forming a no-boundary global trend,
we could start to provide our own creations to international buyers,
instead of continuing with the OEM business model.
TM: You were one of the judges for the MIFF Furniture Design
Competition 2013. Is there hope for the future of a design-based
Malaysian furniture industry through such competitions?
PY: This was my first year being involved in the MIFF Furniture Design
Competition. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Malaysian young
talents are more open minded compared to my Chinese students, thanks
to the diverse culture and international lifestyle we have.
It is good to have such competitions, but there must be follow-through
from the industry side.

Personally, I also feel that the industry needs good guidance on

assembling an effective marketing and designing team, to facilitate a
clear direction on design management.

There are also too few successful local designers. These students, industry
members and furniture manufacturers need good role models that they
can perhaps benchmark against their design ability or design team
capabilities. Manufacturers, for example, need design-focused operation
models to manage their internal design team.

Malaysias edge is its multi-racial society that also has a global

perspective in many areas, making its people generally talented and
creative. I believe the reason that we havent capitalized on our design
talents for the furniture industry is because we do not have a workable
cross platform dedicated for design-focused talent to perform.
 There are plenty of Malaysian colleges and universities offering excellent
design-based courses, but not enough of such efforts are channelled
directly to the furniture industry, and little focus is placed for the
integration of talents from different design disciplines to collaborate
through this platform. At the end of the day, what makes a design
successful may be due to a cross-fertilisation of ideas from different
disciplines: design, engineering, material technology etc. A well-designed
furniture is sometimes more than just designed furniture.

TM: Who is your role model in design?

PY: I dont have any particular designer in mind, but I simply like good
designs and learn from every designers success journeys.
TM: What is your forte in design? (i.e., is there a particular piece of
furniture that youd prefer to design sofa, desks etc or does your talent
run across all types of furniture?)
PY: Once an Italian designer asked me: whats your style? My answer to
that was My style is to challenge every style! Coming from an
advertising and fine art background, I take design as a process in creating
something new and interesting to meet each target market. This actually
goes beyond creativity alone. It requires intelligent planning, and the
concept of how to balance the right dosage of design, production and
efficient costing to eventually come up with products that meet the
consumers needs.
I have designed many case goods using MDF and veneer to meet clients
production and market requirements. We will soon be designing a few
series of solid wood furniture based on modern-traditional Chinese style.
The timber used will mostly be Ebony, Rosewood or Teak.
- See more at: http://mtc.com.my/interviews/philip-yap-malaysian-furniture-designer-
making-his-mark-in-china/#sthash.qunimSIp.dpuf

Quality Malaysian
Timber Products
Timber Associations
Enquiry Forms
 Welcome to the exciting world of made-in-Malaysian timber products, whether
made predominantly using Malaysian timbers, or in combination with other
timber species from around the world.
From the humblest of beginnings during the last century when logs from the forests were
pit-sawn manually to produce planks and boards, the Malaysian timber industry has
undergone tremendous development and evolution to become a vibrant multi-billion
dollar industry and a well-known global leader in the production and trading of timber
products.

The very diverse range of products now offered to the marketplace includes logs,
sawntimber, mouldings, veneer, plywood, particleboard, medium density fibreboard,
builders carpentry and joinery items, wooden and rattan furniture as well as niche
market products like picture frames, pre-finished parquetry, glued laminated timber and
laminated veneer lumber. This section provides background information on several of
these products.

Malaysian commercial hardwoods range from heavy and medium weight construction
timbers to fine furniture woods which are appreciated for a variety of uses and
performance. They are available in a range of export grade lumber, according to the
Malaysian Grading Rules, or as laminated scantlings, mouldings, builders carpentry and
joinery products, veneer, plywood and other panel products. Twenty of the more popular
Malaysian species are:

Balau (Shorea spp.)

Bintangor (Calophyllum spp.)
Chengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii)
Dark Red Meranti (Shorea spp.)
Gerutu (Parashorea spp.)
Kasai (Pometia spp.)
Kelat (Syzygium spp.)
Keledang (Artocarpus spp.)
Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.)
Mengkulang (Heritiera spp.)
 Merbau (Intsia spp.)
Nyatoh (Spp. of Sapotaceae)
Kembang Semangkok (Scaphium spp.)
Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis)
Red Balau (Shorea spp.)
Yellow Meranti (Shorea spp.)
Sepetir (Sindora spp.)
Mersawa (Anisoptera spp.)
Merpauh (Swintonia spp.)
Heveawood (Hevea brasiliensis)

The comprehensive technical properties of these timber species and more are
detailed here.
For samples of exciting projects using Malaysian timbers, please check out
our Projects section.
- See more at: http://mtc.com.my/timber-products/#sthash.JhMlH8F8.dpuf

Government Supports

Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities

nd programmers of the Ministry among others, are to foster the orderly development of the plantation and commodity sector through the dev
dded activities via downstream processing and the marketing of commodities, particularly semi-processed and processed. Its functions includ
ment of the furniture industry covering research and development (R&D), production, processing and marketing.

to create a conductive business environment for furniture manufacturers and to enable the industry to continue to chart phenomenal growth, M
m the Ministry in its deliberations, contributed to important data and industry survey by the Ministry and participated in meetings, prog
organized by the Ministry, such as, meeting on implementation of MYLAS, meeting on Australian illegal Logging Prohibition Act, meeting w
dity industry Consultation 2013.

p://www.kppk.gov.my/
 Malaysia Timber Industry Board (MTIB)

ody accredited by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodity, MTIB has been accorded as the lead agency to enhance the sustaintab
a timber industry. Through its technical, marketing and their forms of assistance, MTIB collaborates with MFC on all matters pertaining to
ontinued growth of the timber-based industry.

resented in "Lembaga MTIB", "Jawatankuasa Kerja Kemudahan Pembiayaan Industri Perkayuan Malaysia", "Jawatankuasa Perdagan
a Teknikal Project Kajian Persijilan Kayu Secara Berkumpulan bagi Pekebun Kecil".

the year, MFC attended and participated in a number of meetings, discussions, workshops, seminars and briefing organized by MTIB such as,
e Certification of Rubberwood under MTCS", "Mesyuarat Jawantankuasa Kerja Kemudahan Pembiayaan Kewangan & Insurans Industr
MTIB Taklimar Pembangunan Francais untuk Industri Kayu and MTIB Sesi Konsultasi Malaysia's Country Specific Guidelines (MCSG) Aus
hibition Act.

p://www.mtib.gov.my/

Malaysia Furniture Promotion Council

a Furniture Promotion Council is a specialized promotional body that promotes and develops the Malaysian furniture industry to establish M
ognized source of world-class furniture.

sponsibility of MFPC is to promote and develop the Malaysian furniture industry in order to sustain the industry's export as a substantial forei
the national economy.

es out programmes which include the promotion and development of new markets, enhancement of design capabilities and capacities, co
n of market information and trade statistics to the industry.

ussion sessions, seminars were held and MFIC actively participated and contributed to MFPC Strategic Planning for Furniture and Meeting to
ade Mission.
 Malaysian Timber Council (MTC)

ssion to ensure the sustainability of the Malaysian timber industry by improving its competitiveness, enhancing market access and cr
s, the Malaysian Timber Council continues to promote the development and marketing of timber-based products and industry in Malaysia.

organized by MTC are well participated by MIFC members, namely Import Assistance Programme and Global WoodMart which are aimed
industries in sourcing raw material overseas and to enhance market access while creating trade opportunities.

p://mtc.com.my/

MATRADE

s mission to promote Malaysia's export has enabled many local companies to carve new frontiers in global markets. MATRADE is represente
ons in major commercial cities. In Malaysia, MATRADE has five local branches in Penang, Terengganu, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

has initiated several programmes to assist Malaysian companies to equip themselves with knowledge and skills to meet the challenges in the
e training programmes, Export Excellence Awards and client services.

assist Malaysian companies to establish their presence overseas and raise their profiles in foreign markets through different promotional driv
in trade missions, specialised marketing missions and international trade fairs.

also organises business matching programmes for Malaysian companies and foreign importers. Being the national agency for trade
is often the first reference point for enquiries and visits by foreign importers. The agency's role is to match them with compatible local partn
ducts and services they seek.

p://www.matrade.gov.my/