The BFC lobbies on behalf of UK furniture and bed manufacturers, and comprises senior industry executives, trade associations and other representative bodies.
Its mission is to ensure the UK furniture industry has a strong and sustainable dialogue with Government in order to understand and influence changes in the market.
FIRA runs the secretariat for the BFC and conveys its initiatives and activities via the askFIRA web site.
The UK furniture and bed industry is deceptively large
It manufactures over £10 billion of furniture (factory gate prices).
7,300 enterprises employ 131,000 people.
The industry comprises both large, international organisations and SMEs spread throughout the UK.
Furniture manufacturers are creative, skilled, entrepreneurial and design led.
Furniture exports are valued at almost £1 billion but the industry is under increasing pressure from growth in imports.
What is the BFC's role?
To help secure the long term future and prosperity of the British furniture industry.
To raise the profile of the industry at a political level.
To formulate strategies for dealing with key industry issues.
To engage in dialogue and negotiate with Government on these issues.
To work with the All Party Parliamentary Furniture Group, chaired by Madeleine Moon MP, to promote cross party discussion and to meet with senior influencers within Government agencies.
To ensure that the industry gains the recognition and attention that its size deserves.
