Furniture & Timber Industry Consultancy

A Vibrant but Fragmented Sector

Kenya has a very vibrant furniture sector. The Kenyan Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives has identified it as among the most important sectors to spur growth in the Kenyan economy — the furniture market in Kenya stood at US$496 million in sales in 2013, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% over the preceding five years.

Yet the industry itself is fragmented, split between a formal sector made up mainly of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and an informal sector represented by a large number of "Jua Kali" workshops, mostly run by sole proprietors — many operating from roadside kiosks or single rooms in custom-built trading blocks.

In both sectors, the technology in use is largely outdated and labour skills are limited. Companies looking to invest in new, innovative machinery and technology are held back by a shortage of skilled labour, at both artisan and technical level. With a generally vibrant building sector, demand for high-quality furniture and interior development is on the rise — and so are imports, which grew at a 24% CAGR between 2009 and 2013.

Our Expertise, Your Chance

Through our sister companies, Wizzard Timber Products and Services Ltd and Wizzard Design Ltd, we offer a range of services to the timber industry. With over three decades of experience managing furniture manufacturers in Kenya — including Diani Furniture Ltd and White Elephant Ltd — alongside technology transfer and training, we have a decisive grasp of the realities within the Kenyan furniture market. In particular, we offer:

• Technical audits and production process analysis
• Training needs assessment
• Environmental and sustainability audits
• In-service training
• Implementation of CAD/CAM systems, CNC-driven production solutions, and fully IT-integrated production systems

Our Background Matters

Wizzard Design Ltd has been deeply involved in support programmes for the Republic of Ireland. Under contract to the Irish Development Board, Wizzard Design took part in leading the Irish furniture industry into the 21st century, providing support programmes, technology transfer, and technical training, including:

• Monaghan Feasibility Study — scoping the requirement for support programmes within the furniture sector in the cross-border region between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• FurnitureCert — in-service training certification to upgrade skills levels within the furniture industry.
• Furniture Technology Centre — establishing a high-tech training and production centre for technology transfer and technical training, fully CAD/CAM integrated.
• Industry Support Programme — technical audit grants.
• Technology Implementation Programme — planning and implementation of major high-technology upgrades across various companies in Ireland and Northern Ireland, with investment volumes per company between €25,000 and €2.4 million, including fully computerised production lines with modern environmental systems and waste management.

Supporting Kenya's Furniture Industry

The Kenyan furniture industry needs support. We are presenting a Terms of Reference (TOR) / road map to the Government of Kenya to spur the overdue transition of the Kenyan furniture industry into an internationally competitive environment, helping it regain lost ground in the value-adding chain.

Source: Furniture Industry in Kenya, Situational Analysis and Strategy, Ministry of Industrialisation and Development, 2015.