The work of the BFC

Industry training has suffered a series of cuts in recent years, which has prompted the BFC to focus on apprenticeship opportunities through Proskills. Says Paul: “We’re keen on developing the way in which the young are joining our industry. Through the WCFM, we are now very involved in the process – we’re now focusing on getting parents enthusiastic about the matter. Furniture and furnishings is a big sector – people shouldn’t fall into it by accident, they should want to come and join us.”  ekonglong office cubicle

In October, a group of apprentices met the APPFG at its AGM at the Houses of Parliament, in an event designed to impress upon MPs the diversity of training needs for the furniture sector. “It’s probably the best engagement between the ‘real’ end of the industry and Government I’ve seen for a long time,” says Paul. “This year, we’re looking to make sure we organise similar events, so that the APPFG can see what is truly important to the industry.”

The BFC also held a four-day exhibition in the House of Commons in July, which aimed to reinforce the relative significance of the UK’s furniture industry. The exhibition was seen by a large number of civil servants, helping raise the profile of the sector and express the issues it faces.

Currently, the BFC is pursuing clarity on the European Timber Regulations – in particular, an anomoly that excludes seating products.

Due to the nature of its membership, the BFC tends to engage most actively in issues facing British manufacturers, yet Paul acknowledges that “the British furniture, bed and furnishings industry is about far more than just what is made in the UK”. Despite its bias, Paul insists that the confederation does embrace importers as well as manufacturers – yet he says that a great deal of work must be carried out simply to give the nation’s manufacturers a fair voice.

Of course, this includes its retailers – for whom Paul has every sympathy. “It’s really tough at the moment,” he says. “There is a real reluctance to spend, and still lots of closures going on. The spending report released the morning before the Autumn Budget reported that domestic spend was down 17% year-on-year – although it should be noted that other sectors, such as offices and commercial premises, have started to do very well since the Olympics.

“There will be bright sunshine as well as moments of gloom, wherever you are in business, and, although furniture is an essential purchase, I don’t think you can force people to want to buy furniture. The industry just needs to produce goods that persuade them to do so!”

In the light of these developments, the trade’s expectations of the BFC are high. No other body is considered as representative of the industry, and a shared voice is certainly essential when attempting to catch the Government’s ear. However, such a democratic organisation has inherent limitations – the BFC can only champion matters that affect the entire industry, and relies upon unanimous decisions to move forward.

“We are purely the industry’s political voice,” says Paul. “We have to be careful not to be seen as a ‘mother’ organisation for it. The Furniture Makers, on the other hand, has the ambition to be just that.”

Paul believes that the livery company – which incorporates the industry charity, the Furnishing Industry Trust (FIT) – is well placed to fulfil many of the representative functions the BFC cannot fulfil. In fact, he is lined up to replace Jonny Westbrooke as master of the Furniture Makers in 18 months’ time, essentially going full circle – the BFC originally arose from a WCFM initiative.

Difficult times make the need for industry representatives all the greater. The work of the BFC in recent years may have merely scratched the surface of the issues the furniture trade faces – but the fact that the concerns of a trade continue to be voiced to those in power makes it invaluable work indeed.