Total production floor space is more than 550,000 sq ft, with a management team and trained work force of more than 750 staff, coupled with computerized facilities. As such, Hup Chong Furniture is capable of expanding its market worldwide ensuring quality products with ‘Just-In-Time’ delivery and prompt service. With these current facilities, the company strives to be a ‘Furniture One Stop Centre’, to cater to the ever-growing demand of customers to develop a furniture collection. The company also provides warehousing and ‘direct or mixed container’ services. With the company’s manufacturing expertise and facilities, it is well positioned to develop products that meet customers’ requirements and tastes in different markets.

About 70% of Hup Chong’s raw material is Rubberwood-based with the remaining being American Tulipwood (Yellow Poplar), European Beech, Pine and other wood-based materials. Rubberwood is finger jointed and edge-glued, an efficient way to maximize yield. Several years ago, the company also began importing American Tulipwood and European Beech as alternative hardwoods to improve their product range.Today, Hup Chong imports about 10 containers a month, of which Tulipwood is growing and Beech reducing.

“We found that Tulipwood stains well according to our requirements and we like its grain,” says Alison Too, Senior Marketing Executive. The use of imported timbers provides Hup Chong with a diversified material supply and its customers with a choice that extends their range of furniture. Tulipwood is mainly used as ‘show wood’ for bed headboards and fronts as well as for chests.

As an entity, the company is an integral part of a community and the environment within which it operates. With regard to corporate integrity and responsibility, the company takes a holistic approach toward the marketplace, workforce, community and environment.   The success of Hup Chong in the marketplace hinges on how its activities are carried out at each level of the value-add chain. In the procurement of business, the company interacts with both prospective and actual customers and end-users, a majority of whom require assurance that it operates in an ethical and environmentally sustainable manner. These requirements encompass the sustainable use of environmentally friendly raw materials, safe and conducive working environment and product safety.

As a major wood-based furniture manufacturer, Hup Chong believes in the sustainable use of environmentally friendly materials. The company complies with Chain of Custody (CoC) requirements and a majority of its products are certified as CoC compliant. CoC is regarded as an information trail about the path taken by products from forest or, in the case of recycled materials reclamation site, to the consumer including each stage of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution with a view of providing a credible guarantee to the consumer that the products originated from well-managed, sustainable forests or controlled sources.

Hup Chong’s management says: “We are also working to further reduce the impact of our operations on the environment and to contribute to the realization of a recycling-based society by achieving the targets set by world environment panels and organizations such as California Air Resources Board (CARB).”

The Company also feels a fundamental responsibility and commitment to ensure that all employees work in a safe and healthy environment. A Safety, Health and Environment Committee has been set up to lead the activities in accordance with the company-wide Safety, Health, Accident Prevention and Environmental Action Policy. This emphasizes development of technical competency and enforcement of safe work practices for its workers in the production areas. Production layout and workflow are organized in an orderly manner to ensure optimum workers’ movement, safety and a sustainable work rate. Production debris and hazardous materials are handled and disposed of in accordance with safety requirements and regulations to ensure a safe workplace and minimum harm to environment. In compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, First Aid training sessions are organized to help staff and workers understand their role as Emergency First Responders.

Hup Chong recognizes the importance of product safety and quality assurance as a competitive edge in the marketplace. In this regard, it continuously emphasizes the “Quality” and “Customer-focus” watchwords that reflect its quality commitment, using guidelines:

• • No compromise on the quality on incoming raw materials

• • Total involvement at all company levels to commitment in quality awareness

• • Total customer satisfaction as the main priority, by striving to make products more reliable and functional through continuous improvement

Quality assurance of its furniture products are performed at specific check-points by incoming material inspections, process QC and pre-shipment inspection.

Hup Chong is a regular exhibitor at Export Furniture Exhibition (EFE) held annually in March in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Through its participation in EFE, Hup Chong has established a wide distribution network via importers, wholesalers and retailers, many of whom are dealing with well-known brands such as Room To Go, Harvey Norman and John Lewis. For EFE 2015, Hup Chong will be launching at least eight new designs of bedroom sets. International buyers are invited to visit their booth at Hall 4-B01, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.