Everyone talks about quality – who is acting on it?
Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control is Furn-tech’s first and most important additional choice and the original foundation for the association’s creation.
The majority, but not all, of Furn-tech’s members are part of the additional choice.
There are strict requirements when joining this optional choice and these requirements are defined in the regulations’ § 7.1.b. Click here to see the association’s rules.
Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control’s purpose is to work with enhancing the production of quality furniture in Denmark.
Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control is the world’s oldest voluntary control system for furniture. It was established in 1959 by request from American furniture dealers who wanted to ensure against the problems that follow with bad quality.
The problems with furniture actually haven’t changed much since 1959, but two circumstances have changed considerably:
- Internationalization has caused a number of problems because the use of suppliers has been spread all over the world. This results in a more complex quality control and the solutions of possible problems have shifted and the suppliers handle them now.
- It has become more difficult for companies to recruit skilled labour.
Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control works with specialists who are used to collaborate with both the management and the production team in solving problems, development of products and setting up requirement specifications.
Complaint prevention
The prevention of complaints is handled by a systematic work approach by controlling the quality of materials, production processes, product quality and product informations.
Product security and product responsibility
Product safety has become a main topic especially within the EU and USA, where the authorities are systematically registering accidents which has led to the passing of the EF-Directive concerning Product Safety and the EF-Directive on Product Responsibility.
The authorities of the member countries are issuing an increasing number of sales bans and/or requirements of withdrawal of products on the market.
National legislations are also getting passed that have a big impact on the construction of furniture, for example upholstered furniture’s inflammability.
Testing specifications and requirement specifications
Companies often have a hard time ensuring that they choose the right standards and requirement levels when they are carrying out testings.
We have specialists with the knowledge on testing, equipment and requirements.
Factory visits
An important part of the association’s efforts towards members are the factory visits that are carried out 2 times a year.
During these visits there will be an examination of the materials, products and production, and the member companies also have the opportunity to discuss problems and solutions.
Labelling systems
On the danish furniture industry’s markets there are a vast number of labelling systems, not least in Germany that have more than 12 labelling systems.
It can be hard to see through which ones are required by law and which ones are at all relevant for companies. The association’s consultants can be invaluable, because we work hard to stay updated in this area and through our work we are familiar with the necessary international contacts.
CE-labelling is a regulatory requirement for electrically adjustable furniture (for example desks, recliners and handicap furniture).
GS-labelling is not a regulatory requirement, but a voluntary labelling system for “safe products” under the german Produktsicherheitsgesetz.
Hvide Svane is a Scandinavian environment labelling system that has requirement specifications for furniture and inventory.
Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control has the expertise
- Requirement specifications
- Furniture materials
- Furniture and environment
- Outsourcing
- Production methods
- Production development and production optimization
- Produkt safety and product responsibility
- Product development
- Specifications for testing
- Standards and legislation
- World-wide network
Members of Furn-tech:
- have joined the association’s collective Professional risk indemnity insurance and Product liability insurance
- will receive newsletters on relevant topics
- has access to the association’s service network for members
Members of Furn-tech have the option to:
- join one or more of Furn-tech’s optional offers, currently “Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control” and “Standardization”
- get technical counselling at a fair price (for subjects such as wood, metal, plastic, furniture, legislation in Denmark and in export markets)
- get aid from consultants when establishing environmental management systems
- benefit from the association’s discount deals
- get a discount on testings performed by Teknologisk Institut (Technology Institute, DK) and CATAS (IT)
Members of Furn-tech that have opted-in for “Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control”:
- get 2 annual factory visits with a review of their production and products
- can use Danish Furniture Makers’ Control’s trademark on products, documents, packaging etc.
- has access to the association’s service network – special area with all the relevant documents for “Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control”
