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 through the incorporalization of SFIC Institute, developing local talents, creating more leading-edge and boast the overall design standards through the holistics design dna program which includes organising competitions such as the annual Furniture Design Award, overseas design missions and seminars etc. SFIC also forge 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, Deco Asia and Hospitality Asia. SFIC also manages the International Furniture Centre at Sungei Kadut and represents Singapore in the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC). SFIC is also represented in the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, DesignS, Enterprise Development Advisory Council, Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore Manufacturers' Federation Manufacturers' Federation as well as Specialist Trade Alliance of Singapore.
To establish Singapore as a premier furniture hub providing total solutions to the global market.
Proactively identify and acquire the key industry capabilities that strengthen Singapore’s position as Asia’s furniture hub
Aggressively drive a spectrum of broad-based and targeted initiatives to meet industry needs
Leverage on SFIC’s resources, networks and industry knowledge to be the Captain and Voice of the Industry
Integrity
Innovation
Customer-Focus
In The 1980's
| 1981 |
Formed SFIC on 10 July 1981 as the official representative body of furniture manufacturers and exporters in Singapore.
Also represented Singapore in the ASEAN Federation of Furniture Manufacturers Association (AFFMA), now known as ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC). |
| 1982 |
Debut of the 1st specialised furniture show - Singapore International Furniture Show ’82. |
| 1983 |
Organised the Singapore International Furniture Show ’83 in conjunction with the 2nd ASEAN Furniture Show (AFS). |
| Mid 80s |
Facilitated industry-wide regionalisation/internationalisation programmes to help industry players stay viable |
| 1988 |
Unanimous decision by AFFMA to appoint Singapore as the:
- permanent site for the ASEAN Furniture Show
- permanent Secretariat for AFIC |
| 1989 |
Debut of:
- the Singapore Furniture Export Show, in conjunction with AFS
- 1st Furniture Design Competition |
In The 1990's
| 1992 |
Rebranding of the Singapore Furniture Export Show to “International Furniture Fair Singapore” (IFFS).
Endorsement of IFFS as “Approved International Fair" by the Singapore government.
Launched:
- the Singapore Furniture Design Centre (SFDC) on 11 September 1992 (the first and largest permanent furniture design centre in the region)
- a 10-year SFIC Master Plan to guide the industry towards continuous growth and development, with support from EDB |
| 1993 |
Commissioned the Singapore Furniture Test Centre (SFTC) in March 1993 @ SISIR Building, with support from ASEAN Furniture Technology Centre/EC.
Launched:
- Furniture Manufacturing Information System (FMIS) - an industry-wide computerisation programme, with support from National Computer Board.
- Furniture Design Training Programme, together with EDB and TDB Design Centre
- Good Furniture Retailers Scheme (GFRS) on 14 May 1993 |
| 1994 |
Established a 350,000-sqm Singapore Furniture Industry Park - Kunshan, the first private sector-led specialised furniture industry park in China. |
| 1995 |
Commissioning of the Singapore Furniture Industry Park - Kunshan by Singapore Minister for Trade & Industry, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong on 9 October 1995
|
| 1996 |
Launched:
- Singapore Furniture Design Centre at IMM Shanghai
- SFIC Shanghai Branch Office |
| 1998 |
Acceptance of IFFS/AFS (the 1st international furniture fair in Asia) as a member of the prestigious Union des Foires Internationales (UFI), a Paris-based international body of trade fair organisers, in October 1998 |
| 1999 |
Launched the Youth Furniture Committee - focus group comprising the 2nd echelon generation of industry leaders |
In The 2000's
| 2000 |
Rebranding of the Singapore Furniture Design Centre (SFDC) as The Furniture Square on 27 October 2000 |
| 2001 |
Launched:
- asiafurniturehub.com, an e-portal for furniture industry players
- SFIC Member Assistance Scheme to help members during the economic downturn. |
| 2002 |
Launched OFFICE and KITCHEN at IFFS/AFS, with strategic partner, KolnMesse International |
| 2003 |
Launched:
- Furniture Industry Capability Upgrading Programme (Furniture ICAP), with support of SPRING Singapore
- 2nd Member Assistance Scheme to help members deal with the challenging economic times
- inaugural Singapore Furniture Industry Awards
- inaugural Furniture Design Forum |
| 2004 |
Rebranding of Furniture Design Competition as Furniture Design Award and expanded its profile to include international entries
Launched the Furniture Learning Institute on 29 January 2004 |
| 2005 |
Launched The International Furniture Centre (IFC)
Achieved record sales and participation for IFFS/AFS
- grew from 82 exhibitors from 4 ASEAN countries (8,000) in 1989 to 452 exhibitors from 33 countries (55,000 sqm) and over 17,000 buyers from more than 100 countries.
Corporatised the SFIC Fairs Division and started a new company called International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS Pte Ltd) to focus on organising furniture & furniture-related and events. The organising of SFIC's flagship furniture trade show - the International Furniture Fair Singapore (IFFS) - was transferred to the Company. |
| 2006 |
Launched a gamut of development programmes, partially funded under the government multi-agency local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) Program. With the S$16 million plan, implemented over the next 3 years will help the industry substain its strategic advantage and enhance its competitive edge in the international marketplace. The SFIC's 3 year growth plan will focus on three key areas - nurture a high value-added workforce, develop more design-centric companies, and create a synergised industry network to capture a bigger global market share.
IFFS Pte Ltd registered the highest exhibitor and visitor count in its 23 years history with 505 exhibitors from 29 countries and 17,838 trade participants from 12 countries. The year 2006 show occupied 6 halls of the Singapore Expo and boasted an increase of 8% in size as compared to year 2005. |
| 2007 |
Launched of PLATFORM, a new initiative that will be held annually in conjunction with IFFS/AFS.
IFFS/AFS 2007 achieved an attendance of 17,322 trade visitors from 117 countries at the recent five-day event. Amongst the visitors, there were 66 buying delegations from 17 countries. In terms of the scale of the fair, IFFS/AFS 2007 was the largest in its 24-year history, providing a useful platform for the forging of an unprecedented number of potential global trade partnerships. It hosted a record 510 exhibitors from 28 countries of which, many had increased their exhibition space. This resulted in the show being 10.7 percent bigger than 2006 with 60,000 square metres in gross space (or 39,270 square metres in nett space) spread across all six halls at the Singapore Expo. |
| 2008 |
Launched the Singapore Mozaic, an industry programme by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and is supported by SPRING Singapore as well as International Enterprise (IE) Singapore. |
| 2009 |
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and the FederlegnoArredo (FLA), the Italian Federation of Wood, Cork, Furniture and Furnishing Industries, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU will promote better understanding, encourage knowledge-sharing and create further partnership opportunities between Singapore and Italian furniture players and designers.
Launched the Design DNA Programme at the official opening of IFFS/AFS 2009, a new initiative by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council that aims to boost overall design standards and capabilities of local furniture companies and designers. Supported by SPRING Singapore, the programme will be implemented over the next three years to assist the furniture industry in fully leveraging design as a key competitive advantage and driver for future growth.
Launched the Members Assistance Scheme (MAS), a financial package to assist its members weather the current economic uncertainties, for the third time. Under the MAS, up to S$1 million was handed out to eligible members to help lower business costs, strengthen business capabilities and explore new business opportunities to ensure sustainability, and facilitate their market diversification efforts. |
| 2010 |
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) embarked on Green Initatives programs to raise awareness of the substainability issue and compliance issues, to assist companies in adopting good practices and to improve public health and quality of life.
Corporatised the SFIC Training Division and started a new company called SFIC Institute on 28 October to focus on organising training programmes and seminars. |
| 2011 |
Launched Hospitality Asia and Deco Asia to co-locate with the annual IFFS/AFS.
IFFS/AFS, Deco Asia and Hospitality Asia 2011 exceeded expectations with record visitors and sales. The trilogy of shows welcomed 536 exhibitors from 24 countries and 20,873 visitors from 112 countries as well as garnered US$289 million spot orders and US$3.02 billion follow-on sales.
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and Federmobili, the National Association of Furniture and Furniture Shops in Italy, signed a MOU on 14 April 2011. The MOU will promote better understanding, encourage knowledge-sharing and create further partnership opportunities between Singapore and Italian furniture players.
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and China National Furniture Association (CNFA) based in Beijing, signed a MOU on 06 July 2011. The signing of the MOU will ink the commitment between both countries to collaborate on programmes and improve industry practices in three major aspects: Information Exchange and Bilateral Business Collaboration, Design Development and Professional Training.
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President
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Mr James Goh, Executive Chairman, Lorenzo International Limited |
Vice President
|
Mr Neo Sia Meng, Executive Director of Four Star Industries Pte Ltd |
Mr Ernie Koh, Executive Director of Richin Furniture Décor Pte Ltd |
Mr Kenny Koh, Managing Director of Star Furniture Pte Ltd |
Honorary Secretary |
Mr Steven Chew, Deputy CEO of Sitra Holdings (International) Limited |
Assistant Honorary Secretary |
Mr Mark Yong, Marketing Director of Ewins Pte Ltd |
| Honorary Treasurer |
Mr Tony Pang, General Manager of V-Mark Woodcraft (S) Pte Ltd
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| Assistant Honorary Treasurer |
Mr Phua Boon Huat, Manager, Merchandising & Direct Sales of HTL International Holdings Ltd |
Ms Alison Kwok, Managing Director of Cathay Interiors Pte Ltd |
Mr Andrew Ng, Managing Director of Kiat Lee Industries Pte Ltd
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| Mr Andrew Pang, Creative Director of Lavaworks |
| Mr Choo Yong Fee, Deputy Managing Director of Cheng Meng Furniture Co Pte Ltd |
Mr Jake Tan, Executive Director of Admira Pte Ltd
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| Mr James Koh, Deputy Chairman & Managing Director of Koda Ltd |
Mr Jeffrey Yong, Vice President of Eurosa Furniture Co (Pte) Ltd
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| Mr Jerry Tan, Managing Director of Jaco Singapore Pte Ltd |
Mr Jimmy Tan, Director of Cellini Design Center Pte Ltd
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Mr Quah Soon Chow, Deputy Chairman of Getz Bros & Co (S) Pte Ltd
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| Mr Sim Kah Choon, Managing Director of Abitex Designs (S) Pte Ltd |
| Mr Simon Ong, Group Managing Director of Kingsmen Projects Pte Ltd |
| Mr Tony Lin, President of Eurosa Furniture Co (Pte) Ltd |
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