Furniture, woodwork, interior design and finishing industries are set to undergo a significant metamorphosis in line with fast-paced digital era following the launch of a show in Nairobi.
This marks a breakthrough for the furniture sector under the Fintex East Africa, officials said.
Speaking at the launch the Chief Interior Designer at the State Department of Public Works Christine Songole described the venture as an eye-opening opportunity to learn from Ethiopian transformation of their furniture industry.
The largest regionally endorsed furniture fair in Ethiopia will officially open on August 08, to 10, 2024 with three unique features of Cross Industry Networking, Business Matchmaking, Hosted Buyers, Summit and Exhibition gathering more than 500 local, regional and global brands.
“Globally, the furniture industry has undergone a lot of changes, including technological breakthroughs, industrialization, and shifting consumer preferences.”
“As a ministry, we realized that there was a major gap and that is why we have started developing a furniture policy,” said Songole.
The meeting will have speakers from United Kingdom, Malaysia, Ethiopia among other countries welcoming premium guests raising the bar of international fair focused on contributing to the true commercial and branding value of the entire Furniture, woodwork, interior design and finishing industries.
“Fintex is a trade fair that addresses the true needs of both exhibitors, buyers when pioneering a new approach that minimizes foreign entrepreneurs and maximizes Kenyan origin, while also presenting new profiles annually, said Aklile Belete, founder and Chief Executive Officer-African Trusted Partners.
During the launch, three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between four parties.
The first MOU was between African Trusted Partners (ATP) and Kenya National Chamber of Commerce whose partnership is for advocacy, sponsors, exhibitors to encourage, bolster and facilitate economic cooperation between the business communities across the East African region.
The second deal was between Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI) and Africa Trusted Partners (ATP) on how to strategize the furniture industry, improve the industrial wood supply and alternative wood raw materials for furniture industry.
Whereas the local timber industry encountered several problems ranging from environmental concerns, supply chain interruptions and increased competition created by imported fine products, speakers at the launch noted that for Kenya to compete globally, there is need for the local furniture sector to embrace sustainability and job creation.
To reduce environmental impacts, encourage social responsibility, and guarantee meaningful economic viability to the local JuaKali sector Dr. Charles Kalomba called upon the Kenyan government and the private sector to embrace the journey started by Fintex.
He said this will help create enormous new jobs for youth and women.
“Transformation of the furniture industry that can only be achieved through concerted efforts from industry players, relevant government bodies , policies, and cultural transformation to align with global best practices; furthermore, the industry must handle worker safety, supply chain management, and production quality concerns,” said Kalomba.
KEFRI says Kenya has a wood deficit of 16.6 million per annum which is projected to increase by 26.5 percent by 2032 thus affecting goods and services drawn from bio- resources.
National Forest Products Research Program Directorate at KEFRI Nellie Oduor said Kenya has depleted local natural resources from which the hard woods come and while the country went into the softwoods because they were fast growing, all roads now lead to DRC yet Kenya has the capacity to produce and even export more wood and furniture.
“Kenya is now 89 percent Semi-Arid and that is why we are looking at a fast-growing timber species similar to Mahogany and thank God we already have one in Melia Volkensii locally called Mukau growing in the dryland areas of Kenya,” said Oduor.
The last agreement was signed between ATP and the Association of Designers of Kenya (ADKE), a collaboration towards on organizing the summit addition to strengthening trade relations and fostering collaborative initiatives between the parties, the MoUs aim
On his part, Dr. Samuel Maina, the head of Products, Association of Designers of Kenya (ADKE) stressed that Fintex represents a significant addition to the ongoing series of events dedicated to the furniture and furnishings sector, all meticulously hosted and organized in Kenya.
A lecturer at the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Art and Design, Dr. Maina added that the university is keen to ensure the success of this event, aiming to provide an exceptional edition that grants both residents and visitors of Nairobi a unique opportunity to explore the latest offerings in furniture supplies and modern home products.
“At Africa Trusted Partners (ATP), we are ignite change and cultivate growth in the African business landscape; our primary aim is to facilitate businesses in connecting, collaborating and achieving meaningful conversions through our expertly tailored business development strategies and specially curated events,” explained Aklile.
Founded back in 2018 in Ethiopia, Fintex has been proven to be a preferred meeting place for prominent industry players from around the Globe operating in the sectors, to close potential business deals in the East and Central Africa’s largest market.
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