Furniture industry

Companies and activities involved in the design, manufacture, distribution and sale of functional and decorative objects of household equipment.

furniture trade
furniture corporation
furniture industries
furniture business
furniture manufacture

knowledge

sector-specific

Furniture industry is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Furniture cleaner: Furniture cleaners maintain furniture items by removing dust, applying furniture polish, cleaning stains and maintaining colouring.
Furniture shop manager: Furniture shop managers assume responsibility for activities and staff in specialised shops.
Furniture upholsterer: Furniture upholsterers provide furniture with padding, springs, webbing and covers. Sometimes they have to remove old padding, filling and broken strings before to replace them using tools such as a tack puller, chisel or mallet. The aim is to provide comfort and beauty to seats as backs of the furniture.

Furniture industry is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Production supervisor: Production supervisors coordinate, plan and direct manufacturing and production processes. They are responsible for reviewing production schedules or orders as well as dealing with staff in these production areas.
Antique furniture reproducer: Antique furniture reproducers duplicate and recreate antique furniture. They prepare drawings and templates of the article, create, fit and assemble parts and finish the article after original specifications.
Furniture restorer: Furniture restorers analyse materials and techniques in order to assess the state of an old piece of furniture and to identify and classify it according to art and cultural history. They use old or modern tools and techniques to restore the piece and give advice to customers as to the restoration, conservation and maintenance of such objects.
Consumer goods inspector: Consumer goods inspectors evaluate assembled parts of consumer goods and products for compliance with specifications and defects in-line with clients’ requirements and organisational policies. Consumer goods inspectors provide results and findings for reports. Inspected defects can be identified as being cracks, scratches, errors in sanding, and defects of moving parts.
Product assembly inspector: Product assembly inspectors evaluate products for compliance with specifications and defects in-line with clients’ requirements and organisational policies. They use measuring and testing equipment to ensure conformity to engineering and manufacturing specifications, quality, and safety standards and regulations. They also provide detailed inspection documentation and recommend action where problems are discovered.
Wooden furniture machine operator: Wooden furniture machine operators run machines that manufacture wooden furniture parts, according to the established operating procedure. They ensure the machine works smoothly and repair parts if necessary.
Mattress maker: Mattress makers form mattresses by creating pads and coverings. They tuft mattresses by hand and cut, spread and attach the padding and cover material over the innerspring assemblies.
Wicker furniture maker: Wicker furniture makers choose and prepare materials such as softened rattan or willow branches in order to produce wicker furniture such as chairs, tables and couches. They use hand, power or machine tools to cut, bend and weave materials to create the desired objects. Finally, they treat the surface to ensure a finished look and protect it from corrosion and fire using waxes, lacquers and other coatings.
Upholsterer: Upholsterers provide objects such as furniture, panels, orthopaedic devices, fixtures or vehicle parts with padding or soft covering. They can install, repair or replace the upholstery of objects with materials such as fabrics, leather, suede or cotton. Upholsterers install the webbings and springs necessary to cover the material.
Mattress making machine operator: Mattress making machine operators utilise machines to form mattresses. They create pads and coverings and cut, spread and attach the padding and cover material over the innerspring assemblies.
Furniture assembler: Furniture assemblers place together all parts of furniture and auxiliary items such as furniture legs and cushions. They may also fit springs or special mechanisms. Furniture assemblers follow instructions or blueprints to assemble the furniture, and use hand tools and power tools.
Cabinet maker: Cabinet makers build cabinets or other pieces of furniture by cutting, shaping and fitting pieces of wood. They use different kind of power and hand tools, such as lathes, planers and saws.
Furniture finisher: Furniture finishers treat the surface of wood furniture using hand and power tools to sand, clean and polish. They apply wood coatings onto wooden surfaces by using different techniques such as brushing or using a spray gun. They choose and apply the right coatings with protective and/or decorative purposes.

References

1. Furniture industry – ESCO