THE ORIGIN

THE ORIGIN OF FURNITURE FROM SMALL-SCALE TO LARGE-SCALE PRODUCTION

The Muar furniture industry had humble beginnings in the form of cottage industries, with master carpenters setting up tents or makeshift workshops in the open spaces or backyards near their homes. Equipped with a few large tables and essential tools, they embarked on their woodworking endeavours. Life and work were intertwined in an environment filled with swirling wood shavings, and their living conditions were far from luxurious.

As orders gradually increased, the carpenters sought out suitable locations to establish their own factories. Small-scale furniture factories became a common sight, and the presence of carpenters crafting furniture could be seen throughout Parit Bakar. Just like many other young people at that time, Chua Lee Seng, who had completed his secondary education, became a furniture apprentice due to the limited job opportunities in Muar.

Chua Lee Seng claim that Jorak was previously an agricultural area, but later the government converted it into an industrial zone. After several years as an apprentice, Chua Lee Seng started operating a small factory in the backyard of his residence located in the district of Johor. As the number of orders continued to grow, the factory expanded in size. When faced with the challenge of limited space, Chua Lee Seng seized the opportunity presented by the government’s policy of converting the agricultural area of Johor into an industrial zone. He decided to relocate to the industrial zone, becoming one of the pioneers to establish a furniture factory in the early days of the Jorak Industrial Zone. Subsequently, Jorak Industrial Zone attracted numerous furniture industry players to set up their operations.An industrial zone that brings together furniture industry professionals not only creates synergy within the industry but also has a ripple effect on upstream, midstream, and downstream industries, even spurring the growth of related sectors such as transportation and food services. As the furniture production process evolved from a sequential “A to Z” approach to one that involves outsourcing specific components to specialized contract manufacturers, numerous furniture OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) factories emerged as well.

风雨四十载 领航创新章