Courting local wood furniture makers

In any home, elegant wood furniture is functional and makes it inviting.

Jamaicans, known for their hospitality the world over, as well as their creativity, have expressed these two traits through their craftsanship for the home. For centuries, Jamaican artisans have excelled at providing items that are creative, distinctive, unique, and durable.

To this day, these artisans are described by manufacturers and retailers alike as naturally gifted craftsmen.

Courts Jamaica Limited Managing Director Hayden Singh recalls that decades ago, Jamaican mahogany furniture - the Heritage range - could be found in leading retailers in the United Kingdom such as John Lewis and Debenhams.

Today, signature distinctive Jamaican pieces are found in local homes, antique stores, from individual furniture makers, and from Courts, the largest retailer of locally made furniture nationwide.

Catering to the typical Jamaican consumer, Courts provides a full range of furniture options for the home. Wherever they operate, it is Courts' policy to buy from local suppliers to stimulate economic activity.

In Jamaica, the dynamics of the local furniture industry have made Courts far more than just a retailer.

The company starts very early in the value chain supporting training and apprenticeship programmes and providing scholarships for artisans to get the best training.

These are, for example, the Manufacturers Apprentice Devel-opment Programme and Junior Management Programme.

bulk buying

To assist with procurement of materials, Courts undertakes bulk buying and sells to manufacturers at cost.

Working closely with manufacturers, Courts has brought Canadian Executive Services Overseas to Jamaica for knowledge sharing on finishing techniques, effective use of materials, and operational efficiency.

Courts' buyers visit factories and work with the 30-plus individual manufacturers to ensure they meet quality standards with respect to raw materials used and the method of construction. Quality-control measures are undertaken upon receipt as Courts may randomly strip down furniture as well.

When it comes time for payment, Courts pays within days of being invoiced, rather than the customary 30- 60- or 90-day window.

With the current offerings, for its 29 locations nationwide, Courts provides direct employment for 1,000 persons and another 2,500 contracted persons.

Throughout the recession, Courts has had no redundancies, and in fact, Courts has hired additional staff beyond filling positions left vacant through attrition.

improved experience

The stores have been recently redesigned to improve the retailing experience for customers, and expansion is under way for the Bogue store in Montego Bay, as well as the Savanna-la-Mar and Falmouth locations.

Overseas, the company has successfully opened the first location in New York for Jamaicans to buy furniture for family and friends here. Expansion will be determined by diaspora demand.

But with all this support to manufacturing and retail expansion, Singh notes that sales of locally made items have declined from 80 per cent of total sales to about 60-65 per cent.

Why? Because with globalisation, it is challenging for local products to compete effectively on price, and moreover, globalisation has brought a change in consumer taste preferences.

Which leads us to the next logical question: Can the Jamaican furniture industry meet the challenges of globalisation? Singh will tell you yes.

Having made a US$200-million investment, the El Salvadorean parent, known for buying local whenever invested, is here for long term.

The manufacturers will also tell

you yes. In fact, Singh believes export potential is possible, and he should know, with Courts' reach with 400 stores in Central America and the Caribbean.

How can Jamaica capitalise on opportunities to truly develop a viable furniture industry to continuously supply a global retailer like Courts? Industry experts suggest a public-private partnership could be created to enable the private sector to invest in the sector, with necessary equipment to enable economies of scale.

Sharing of equipment maximises utilisation and allows for recouping the investment for that equipment.

eliminate problems

Currently unutilised empty government-owned factories could be converted to incubators providing the infrastructure to house various manufacturers who could share the equipment required to make commercial quantities and items that can be flat-packed for export.

With a public-private partnership, demand could guide production, and so the retailers who are closest to the market could better identify what the consumer wants and would pay for.

With greater assurance of markets and pooled resources, there can be better scheduling to eliminate the problem of missed deadlines - a perennial problem in a fragmented industry long on talent but short on resources.

As for changing consumer preferences, there are a few Jamaican contract manufacturers who do produce to meet these tastes. Different wood types - teak, cedar, wild tamarind, jatoba, and more modern designs can be found in leading hotels in Jamaica and exported to the Caribbean.

Customised and unique. For indoor and outdoor. And all could easily stand tall in the finest international periodicals of home design and decor.

Jamaica's competitive advantage in creativity is evident in the work of our gifted craftsmen. With a partnership, this advantage could result in steady employment and increased growth potential for Jamaica.

Deika Morrison is managing director of Mdk Advisory & Consulting Limited. She is compiling a catalogue of Jamaican-made products and support services. www.jamaicacatalogue.com