THE AWISA MAGAZINE quality
by Jim Bowden
sustainability and ‘piece of mind’
When you’re on a good thing... stick to it! Furniture manufacturers and cabinet makers have warmed to a wood industry consumer awareness campaign warning of the dangers of using non-compliant imported products. The initiative undertaken by the Engineered Woods Products Association of Australasia across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region, targets increasing imports from Asia of flat pack shelving and other furniture components that are consistently failing standards for formaldehyde emissions.
The cornerstone of the campaign is the distribution of more than 150,000 adhesive labels that carry a ‘piece-of-mind’ assurance that panel products have been independently tested and certified for low emission by the EWPAA. The association operates National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) laboratories in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. Tests on unlabelled random samples of Chinese flat pack furniture components have revealed formaldehyde emissions up to10 times higher than the Australian-made equivalent. The labels have been widely distributed to members of the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia and chief executive Martin Lewis says the message is hitting the target – importers, manufacturers, joinery shops, renovators and the consumer. “This is a worthy and valuable campaign for the Australian industry,” says Greg Miles, general manager of Marquis Building Products, an FIAA member producing bathroom furniture that won this year’s World Environment Day Silver Sustainability Award.
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“Every consignment of our cupboards and vanity units prominently displays the EWPAA green label – on top of the wrapping and attached to the product – announcing to the builder, plumber, carpenter and consumer that this is the good gear,” Mr Miles said.
to inspect major manufacturing plants and research technology which is at the cutting edge of efficiency and innovation. Application of this technology has reduced waste, production costs and manufacturing time.
“We are attaching between 250 and 300 labels to our products every week and this is linked to a huge renovation market, so the general consumer gets the message as well. If we get an order from, say, Harvey Norman Commercial for delivery of 150 cabinets, then each cabinet carries a sticker which means they are spread right across the building site or the house.”
FIAA’s Martin Lewis said the furniture industry was gaining new strength from the partnership with EWPAA. “The furniture industry is promoting the security, quality, design, style, environmental and sustainability and health benefits of its Australian products,” he said. “This is also aimed at the increasing ‘green’ side of consumers with information on environmental practice and social and workplace issues. Australian-made furniture can only succeed by educating the consumer on real, rather than perceived value. Our products are built with high quality sustainable timber, designed to get better with age.” ■
Mr Miles said shoddy bathroom components were mostly imported from China. “It’s time governments legislated against this dangerous junk,” he said. Marquis Building Products, based at Taylors Beach, 53 km north-east of Newcastle in the Hunter region, distributes products throughout New South Wales and southeast Queensland. Marquis, where possible, sources all raw products from Australian manufacturers and all aspects of production comply with stringent Australian standards. “As a manufacturer of processed timber furniture, we are presented with certain environmental challenges,” Mr Miles said. “We have adopted an environmental management program as a framework to achieve our goals for sustainable production.” The company regularly travels to Europe
Below left: The EWPAA ‘green label’ on bathroom furniture produced by Marquis Building Products delivers a ‘peace-of-mind’ message for consumers.
Below: Marquis principals with their Silver Sustainability Award . Paul Grey, managing director, Jennifer Grey, director, and Phillip Grey, sustainability manager.