Share This Article
An international exhibition can open the door to a new market, but it takes research, testing and careful planning to turn that introduction into sustainable export business.
For South African furniture manufacturers, exporting offers an opportunity to reach a far larger customer base than the domestic market alone can provide. New markets can create additional revenue streams, reduce dependence on local economic conditions and enable manufacturers to increase production volumes. This, in turn, can improve economies of scale, support investment in equipment and skills and create employment throughout the local supply chain.
Exporting can also allow locally made furniture to compete on qualities other than price. South African manufacturers can offer distinctive design, craftsmanship, responsibly sourced materials, shorter production runs and the flexibility to customise products for specific buyers or projects.
The South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI) regularly helps its members explore these opportunities through international exhibitions, trade missions, buyer introductions and business-to-business programmes. Its latest initiative will see SAFI attend HIVE 2026, taking place at Expo Centre Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates from 26 to 28 November. The furniture and home-trade exhibition connects suppliers with buyers from the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.
However, successful exporting requires far more than booking an exhibition stand, shipping a few products and waiting for orders, says Tracy Symons, Marketing and Relationship Manager at SAFI: “An international exhibition provides access to a market, but access is only the beginning. Manufacturers must arrive knowing who they want to meet, what those buyers require and whether they can deliver the right product at a competitive landed price.”
SAFI recently participated in the Western Cape Export Industry Dialogue’s industry survey and subsequently received the reports and findings from the initiative. The research reinforced the importance of combining market-access opportunities with practical export readiness. For manufacturers, the message was clear: exporting can offer significant rewards, but success depends on careful market research, realistic costing and thorough preparation.
Research the market before entering it
A product that sells well in South Africa may not automatically succeed elsewhere.
Manufacturers need to understand local design preferences, price points, product dimensions, climates, buying cycles and routes to market. They should establish whether customers buy through retailers, distributors, agents, designers, hospitality procurement specialists or directly from manufacturers.
Competitor research is equally important. Who already supplies the market? Where are those products manufactured? What do they cost and what makes them attractive to buyers?
“Manufacturers should not begin by asking where they can exhibit,” Symons explains. “They should begin by asking where there is credible demand for their particular product and whether they can serve that demand profitably.”
The need for proper market research was reinforced at the Western Cape Export Industry Dialogue explains Symons: “Of the organisations surveyed, 89% identified high market-entry costs as a critical or significant challenge, while the same proportion highlighted tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Manufacturers must therefore investigate not only whether demand exists, but also what it will cost to reach the market, comply with its rules and compete once the product arrives.”
Calculate the full landed cost
The factory price is only one component of an export quotation.
Furniture manufacturers must account for packaging, freight, insurance, tariffs, customs charges, warehousing, agent commissions and final delivery. Exchange-rate fluctuations and the cost of replacing damaged goods should also be considered.
Freight costs were identified as a critical or significant concern by 82% of Dialogue respondents, while 71% highlighted port efficiency and shipping reliability. Half of the respondents reported port delays of eight days or longer.
These risks are particularly relevant to furniture because products are frequently bulky relative to their value. Manufacturers may need to consider modular construction, flat-pack formats, regional assembly or more efficient container loading.
“An order is not profitable simply because the selling price is higher than the manufacturing cost,” says Symons. “Businesses need to know exactly what it will cost to put that product into the customer’s hands.”
Test the product and its packaging
Export products may be stacked, moved repeatedly and exposed to vibration, impact, compression, moisture and temperature changes.
If joints fail, finishes react badly or packaging collapses, the cost extends beyond replacing the product. Businesses can face repeat freight charges, delayed installations, rejected consignments and reputational damage with a new customer.
Products should therefore be tested for strength, stability, durability and consistency. Packaging must provide adequate impact and moisture protection while using container space efficiently.
China’s export strength is often attributed to scale and price, but its manufacturers also place considerable emphasis on testing, standardisation, automation and repeatable quality control.
“Testing must be an ongoing process, not a once-off exercise undertaken only after an order has been secured,” says Symons. “It should begin during product development and export preparation and continue throughout production. Raw materials and outsourced components must be tested regularly, while repeat orders should undergo sample-based testing to ensure consistent quality.”
Understand compliance before committing
Each destination has its own product standards, certification requirements, tariffs, rules of origin, customs procedures and, in some cases, additional non-tariff barriers.
At the Export Industry Dialogue, 82% of respondents identified destination-market rules as a serious concern. Compliance costs were highlighted by 76%, while 65% cited standards and certification.
Says Symons: “Furniture exporters may need to investigate timber declarations, chemical restrictions, fire-retardancy requirements, labelling and material traceability, depending on the destination and product. These requirements should be confirmed before quoting a buyer or manufacturing stock.”
Use export support wisely
Government export support can help qualifying businesses undertake market research, attend exhibitions, meet buyers and address certain registration or certification costs.
The dtic’s Export Marketing and Investment Assistance programme supports approved export-development activities, while the Sector Specific Assistance Scheme (SSAS) can support qualifying sector-wide projects coordinated by organisations such as SAFI.
Funding is subject to eligibility and approval. Applications may need to be submitted three to six months before an event, and businesses should not commit expenditure until approval and cost limits have been confirmed.
SAFI helps members identify appropriate opportunities, understand application requirements and participate through a coordinated industry platform.
“Exporting is not a once-off trip,” Symons concludes. “It is a process of researching, preparing, testing, building relationships and proving that you can deliver consistently. SAFI’s role is to help manufacturers approach that process with better information, stronger connections and a clearer route to market.”
An exhibition may create the introduction. Preparation determines whether it becomes an order.