| Singapore’s first furniture
export centre, the International Furniture Centre (IFC),
a trade and export-orientated facility showcasing the
latest furniture collections from top local and international
export players was officially opened. Located at the
Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate, the IFC sits as the
epicentre of the largest concentration of furniture
manufacturing companies in Singapore.
The Centre, which costs a significant
initial investment of S$17 million, is the first step
in a series of initiatives to develop the precinct into
a buzzing international furniture hub. With the convenient
clustering of furniture manufacturers, traders, raw
material suppliers and related services within the area,
the hub will allow for better operational efficiencies
translating to cost savings for the industry players,
as well as act as a catalyst for innovation through
competition or collaboration.
The IFC is a timely venture by the
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), given
that the total exports of Singapore-owned factories,
both locally and overseas, has grown past the two-billion-dollar
mark in 2006. It aims to further consolidate Singapore’s
furniture and design hub status in Asia by encouraging
international buying houses to use the Centre as a conduit
to the regional and global markets. The ability to provide
total furniture solutions to the international furniture
market will see the convergence of many active, quality
buyers and sellers in Singapore.
The IFC is also a key component of
the Furniture Industry Capability Upgrading Programme
aimed at helping furniture players stay relevant in
the face of an increasingly competitive global economy.
Government endorsements for this project were received
in 2005 and SFIC worked closely with JTC Corporation
as well as partner agencies under the Local Enterprise
and Association Development (LEAD) programme –
International Enterprise Singapore and SPRING Singapore,
to ensure the success of the IFC.
The IFC provides a year-round trade
platform that complements the annual International Furniture
Fair Singapore held in conjunction with the ASEAN Furniture
Show in March each year for international buyers to
source for a wide range of quality, well-designed furniture
from Singapore and the region.
To be the premier hub for the furniture
trade, design, learning and innovation in Southeast
Asia.
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