| The unique manufacturing of Asian furniture | | | | furniture exports is expected to be like, |
| has always brought a lot to the market, and | | | | Asia overall has experienced an incredible |
| in fact, the seven countries in South East | | | | surge for its manufactured goods from some of |
| Asia: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, | | | | the world's largest markets namely the United |
| Singapore, Thailand, Korea and Taiwan, | | | | States, and this fad is only presumed to |
| combined have a furniture production of about | | | | continue for many years to come. Breaking |
| $12,137 USD. In particular Korea and Taiwan | | | | down this trend by nation, "China and the |
| are the largest and most successful furniture | | | | Association of South East Nations, "ASEAN", |
| markets and although Asian furniture is | | | | (of which Indonesia, Malaysia, the |
| incredibly popular in the East it is also | | | | Philippines are major members) were |
| widely developed in the Western world as | | | | responsible for most gains, while demand held |
| well. The market for Asian furniture has | | | | steady for imports from Korea and Japan, and |
| really been on the rise since the late 1990s, | | | | Taiwan actually experiencing a decline in |
| when "Furniture production fuelled by export | | | | demand for its Asian furniture exports. It is |
| demands reached an estimated USD $1,828 | | | | here that we can clearly begin to see the |
| million in 2000. Leading overseas importers | | | | reasons for this disparity" (Furniture-Asian, |
| are the United States, Germany, France, the | | | | 2000). There are problems with this |
| United Kingdom, Japan and Canada" | | | | assumption of a gain in popularity in the |
| (Furniture-Asian, 2000). Malaysia is | | | | future however, namely that there would be |
| especially popular in terms of Asian | | | | risks to Chinese and ASEAN dominance as the |
| furniture manufacturing, and many of the | | | | demand for Asian furniture will increase |
| other high in demand areas around the world | | | | around the world and therefore cause the |
| turn to them for their stocks of this | | | | actual production of Asian furniture |
| furniture because of its multitude, quality | | | | manufacturing to rise in the United States as |
| and affordable price. | | | | well. This would cause worry that the markets |
| | | | in the East would no longer be so essential, |
| Any detailed analysis of the Asian market | | | | and because of the United States' dominance |
| would reveal the fact that "the growth is | | | | in the world in terms of economy, China and |
| skewed towards China and Vietnam and the rest | | | | area would most certainly have reason to |
| of the Asian furniture 'giants' such as | | | | worry. There is not, however, anything that |
| Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are | | | | would necessary indicate that this would pose |
| witnessing moderate growth. China compensates | | | | any long term challenges to the Asian |
| for the moderate growth in these countries | | | | manufacturers, for one because "as the data |
| and boots the overall growth of the Asian | | | | would indicate that even in this climate |
| market" (Frost & Sullivan, 2007). There has | | | | Asian manufacturers have experienced a steady |
| always been a sort of internal rivalry held | | | | increase in demand for their goods. In the |
| amongst the Asian furniture manufacturers, of | | | | example of the textile industry for instance, |
| which has led to some seriously intense | | | | even after thirty years of special |
| competition within these countries. Overall | | | | protections in the US textile industry has |
| out of this Vietnam has worked to | | | | yet to pose a challenge to Chinese |
| successfully gain customers from other South | | | | manufacturers even with the exclusive status |
| East Asian countries, and as well Malaysia's | | | | it enjoys with CITA and the Commerce |
| wood furniture industry in particular has | | | | Department" (Furniture-Asian, 2000). |
| come into rather sudden focus. | | | | |
| | | | Overall then as a result of this, although |
| There are many reasons and points of | | | | only time will tell as to what will take |
| interests which are involved with the high | | | | place years from now, we can only assume that |
| market demand for Asian furniture, namely in | | | | the manufacturing of Asian furniture in the |
| regards to market drivers and challenges. | | | | United States will become more dominant, and |
| After all, the furniture industry in Malaysia | | | | although Asian manufacturers may actually |
| is still outperforming the economy and growth | | | | tend to see a dip in their market, it will |
| in furniture exports in general is expected | | | | most certainly not be lost and they truly do |
| to only drive the market further in the | | | | not have to worry in this case. The ideal |
| future. "Although the USA accounted for | | | | agreement would be that the two locales would |
| almost 34 percent of the furniture imports | | | | work together in the market of Asian |
| from Malaysia in 2005, there are other | | | | furniture but either way it is unreasonable |
| countries such as Australia and Netherlands | | | | to believe that any other industry would fare |
| that have gained considerable share in the | | | | any better than the actual, original Asian |
| recent years. Reliance on one single export | | | | manufacturers. More and more companies are |
| destination made the Malaysian furniture | | | | getting into the Asian furniture |
| industry vulnerable to external economic | | | | manufacturing business and wisely, because |
| fluctuations, as evident from the 2001 | | | | there does not seem to be any concern that |
| setback when exports from Malaysia plummeted. | | | | the Asian furniture market, anywhere in the |
| The diversification of the export base will | | | | world, is going to drop anytime soon. The |
| definitely reduce the impact of external | | | | beauty, quality and value of this furniture |
| economic factors and ensure stable demand for | | | | is what keeps it in such high demand in the |
| wood coatings" (Frost & Sullivan, 2007). | | | | market all around the world, and any decline |
| | | | in this market would certainly come as quite |
| In terms of what the future of Asian | | | | a surprise. |