Bedroom dressers

	Qingdao Sinoah makes model AD01, an oak chest that features a distressed effect. It measures 990x430x1,070mm.

With wood costs surging, suppliers concentrate on models in a combination of materials such as MDF MDF MDF and lumber.

China suppliers of bedroom furniture are striving to remain buoyant amid sinking volumes. Export sales in 2008 were reported to have dropped by 10 to 30 percent compared with 2007 figures. This downward trend is forecast to carry on as the global financial crunch continues to hamper spending in key markets.

Compounding the situation is the rising cost of wood due to forest depletion. Efforts to protect the environment have urged international sources of lumber to impose higher duties.

Russia, for instance, is set to raise its log export tax on softwood to 80 percent in coming months. The current rate of 25 percent reflects a 5-point increase implemented in April 2008.

Given this, many manufacturers are shifting focus to the low end or midrange for better profitability. Several suppliers that offer upscale solid wood furniture, for example, are now yielding models made of a combination of lumber and MDF to meet demand for more-affordable designs. Mixing materials can reduce costs by as much as 40 percent.

Additionally, makers are improving product structures to stimulate buyer interest. Many are releasing beds in ergonomic designs. Compartmentalization in wardrobes is also optimized to save up to 90 percent of room space.

In a further effort to boost sales, companies are expanding their market reach. While North America and the EU continue to absorb the bulk of exports, some are eyeing Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America to lessen their dependence on traditional destinations.

Others are tapping the “green” market by using water-based finishes. Although 20 percent more expensive, the treatment smells better and emits less volatile organic compounds than solvent counterparts.

China is the world’s largest production base for the line. According to the China National Furniture Association, it is home to an estimated 50,000 furniture suppliers with up to 5 million workers. About 20 percent of these makers produce beds, wardrobes, dressers and nightstands.

There are a number of Taiwan- and Hong Kong-invested enterprises based in the area. Most of these suppliers are large and midsize. Locally owned private companies, however, dominate the industry.

Small and midsize makers, with 100 to 500 employees, generate $1 million to $10 million sales each year. Large players boast 600 to 1,200 workers and annual revenue of $11 million and above.

Typical small suppliers have semiautomated production capability. Wood cutting, drilling and painting are carried out in-house. Other processes are subcontracted.

Midsize companies are equipped with imported machines such as computer-controlled saws and motorized cutters. Nonetheless, production at most of these factories is not fully automated.

Large makers boast separate workshops for key processes and a sizeable skilled workforce for manual detailing. Additionally, they invest more in QC and production equipment upgrades. Typical suppliers have laboratories for material analysis, and tensile, shock, torque, strength, freeze and hardware tests. Some even have in-house capability to dry or season incoming timber.

Moreover, big companies have sophisticated central vacuum and air-filtration systems that allow a sawdust-free working environment. A number also have incinerators, fueled by wood wastage.

Guangdong province is China’s top sourcing hub for bedroom furniture. It is home to more than 25 percent of the country’s suppliers. Foshan, Dongguan and Shenzhen are key cities, with the first two also being major sourcing centers for related materials and components.

Shunde in Foshan has about 2,000 bedroom furniture makers. Many have direct export rights, while others ship their products through trading companies. The bulk of releases are low-end and midrange.

There are 2,300 furniture exporters in Dongguan. Most are Taiwan-invested and offer upscale designs.

Shenzhen has an estimated 1,800 suppliers, the majority of which specialize in board, wooden and steel models. About 100 board furniture makers are based in Longgang, a district outside the Shenzhen special economic zone, which offers low factory rental rates and an abundant supply of metal accessories.

Zhejiang province is the second-largest hub in the line. Home to an estimated 2,000 furniture companies, Wenzhou is its primary export driver. Products are targeted at the low-end and midrange markets.

China suppliers offer bedroom furniture in various constructions.

Particleboard with a density of 25 to 0.45g/cm3 or 0.4 to 0.8g/cm3 is the least-costly component used. While this has good machine-processing characteristics, its exposed sides can be unsightly. To cover them, manufacturers employ edge banding, which is available in a variety of wood designs.

MDF, with a density of 0.5 to 0.88g/cm3, is another building material adopted. This more-costly board allows special shape-processing and does not require edge banding.

Oak, pine, birch, walnut and cherry are the commonly used solid stock. Some models also come in beech, and rubber-, zebra- and rosewood.

Manufacturers employ either raw or semiprocessed lumber. The latter undergoes chemical treatment for protection against mold, fungi and termites.

Timber is also dried, reducing moisture content until 9 to 12 percent. This step preserves the furniture’s form by lessening changes related to climatic conditions.

Several suppliers interviewed for this report employ material that has been dried twice. The first seasoning lasts for 25 to 30 days and is done after cutting the log transversely into several pieces. The second succeeds further slicing of the wood, and takes 10 days.

A range of surface treatments are being used to improve product durability as well as aesthetics. Among these is veneer, which is available in oak, cherry, maple, pine and birch.

Paper versions featuring the grain of various wood species is a low-end alternative.

Models may also have a melamine finish, which costs 6 to 8 percent more than paper veneer. The coating boasts high temperature tolerance and is not easy to scar.

An increasing number of suppliers are using melamine-coated panels as these eliminate the need for painting, and avoid odor and pollution caused by liquid chemical treatments.

Oil and lacquer are among the inexpensive ways to emphasize the natural qualities of wood. Between the two, the second creates higher gloss.

PU or NC coating keeps the quality of solid stock stable. Dark and thick, the former covers the wood grain but produces a reflective surface. The latter, on the other hand, is clearer, displaying the inherent patterns of the material.

Metal fittings are generally sourced from Guangdong and Zhejiang. Solid wood is purchased in Northeast China.

Some makers also procure New Zealand, North America and Brazil stocks in Ningbo, Shanghai and Hong Kong ports. MDF comes from domestic suppliers.

Products can be offered as a set or individually. Of the former, beds, wardrobes, dressers and nightstands are the typical inclusions.

Prices for wooden beds measuring 1.2x1.9, 1.5x1.9 and 1.8x2m range from $120 to $600.

Low-end designs below $160 have a particleboard and E1 or E2 MDF panel construction. These are laminated in paper veneer with two coats of paint, or melamine. Versions quoted at $160 to $200 boast fir or birch frames.

Midrange models come with a birch or oak skeleton and E1 MDF platform. Most have a wood veneer exterior finished with oil or lacquer, or up to four coats of paint. Some feature manually incised details. Quotes reach $350.

Upscale releases are usually made of solid wood. Versions priced between $360 and $400 come in soft timber, including fir and birch, or less-costly hardwood such as rubberwood. These boast handcarved patterns in the headboard and are coated in PU or NC paint.

Designs ranging from $410 to $600 are made of ash, cherry, walnut or rosewood. These may have 1.5mm oak or cherry veneer with PU, NC or water-based paint. Complex patterns are manually carved in the headboard. Some models feature classical pillars on the four corners.

Moreover, higher-priced upscale products have greater color and wood grain quality.

Several China suppliers also export metal beds. Mainstream releases employ T3.5mm iron tubes for the frame and 26 pieces of bent wood strips for center support. Metal components are powder-coated or electroplated to increase durability and aesthetics.

Single- and double-size versions measure 1x2 and 1.5x2m, respectively. Prices range from $85 to $150.

Most wardrobes exported from China are made in the same wood and MDF used for beds. Depending on buyers’ requirements, products may have two to six doors.

The price for a 2.2x0.6x1.8m, four-door wardrobe starts at $150 and can exceed $500.

Low-end versions employ particleboard for the interior and MDF for the shelves and end panels. Priced below $200, these usually have a simple structure of two to four shelves and an inside cabinet without drawers. The surface is finished in paper veneer or melamine.

Midrange models come with a solid wood frame, MDF top, shelves and end panels, and a particleboard interior. Compared with low-end releases, these have more compartments, including two or three drawers and shelves.

Designs in the $210 to $400 price range have pine or Chinese birch veneer. Versions exceeding $400 have two or three cabinets with multiple drawers, and boast oak or cherry veneer with a PU paint underlay and an NC finish.

High-end wardrobes start at $500. Products usually have complicated designs and feature special antique effects such as handcarved details on the panel door. Products are in oak orcherry, and employ veneer of the same wood. The surface is treated with PU, NC or water-based paint.

Dressers and nightstands, which employ the same wood and surface treatments used in beds and wardrobes, are usually offered as parts of a set. Best-selling models range from $80 to $260.