Furniture Quality Management

Use the most comprehensive network in the trade

Ever since the company’s foundation in 1994, furniture inspection and quality control has been part of API’s DNA. When it was first established the company was the quality control arm in Asia for the Parisot group-a leading French company in furniture manufacturing sector. Since then our product expertise in this sector has been in continuous development and we are now proud to operate the strongest network in Asia for furniture quality control. With five laboratories operating in the core locations of the furniture production, API can seamlessly serve you wherever your factories are located.

Why entrust API with the Management of your Furniture Quality?

Because we have strong capacities: In 2010 the performance of furniture lab testing accounted for more than 50% of API’s turnover. Moreover, every day, API publishes 25 furniture product inspection reports.
Because we are endorsed by the key market players: World leaders in DIY distribution rely on API for their furniture quality control and lab testing across Asia.
Because we are constantly building our capabilities to meet all market needs: In 2011, we invested in new testing capacities for furniture in our recently acquired lab in France. Our lab is Ningbo is also under process to being accredited for furniture testing.

Our Certified Solutions:

Today API can provide you with:

HOKLAS endorsed furniture lab testing based on the EN 581 parts 1, 2 and 3 standards. HKIAS endorsed for third-party inspection based on in-house procedures.

Although more and more furniture is built of metals, plastic or resins; living products such as wood and cane require special expertise to evaluate product quality. Our inspectors are trained by experienced products specialists to evaluate quality based on specific guidelines. A technical team is also in charge of discussing issues when they arise and spreading the knowledge regarding non conformities detection.

Our Expertise

API is a member of the Bureau National du Bois et de l’Ameublement (BNBA) the French standardization committee for furniture.

This standardization body cooperates with national, European and global normalization entities to develop and integrate new standards in the sector. For more information please contact the Centre Technique du Bois et de l’Ameublement (CTBA website).

API can also advise your company regarding the latest regulatory developments.

Audit: Evaluating the Factory from which you are sourcing furniture

Thanks to its strong expertise in furniture quality control and its team of technical auditors, API can provide your company with an assessment of your supplier’s capacities. By evaluating a supplier’s internal quality control capabilities, its overall raw materials traceability or its production equipment, it is possible to pre-select reliable sources with which to to build a good supplier relationship for the long term.

API has also developed a series of audit grids and has provided support for leading brands in their evaluation of their suppliers in China and Vietnam.

Example of product specific check points

Humidity Check Up

0.1 to 2.9 % above customer requirement is considered “MINOR”.
More than 3% over customer requirement is considered “MAJOR”.
If there is no customer requirement provided, the general acceptance rate should be 15%.The usual rate for different types of furniture is as follows:
- For plain solid wood (no laminated joints), the rate of humidity shall be within 10 to 12% with a maximum of 14%.
- For solid wood (with laminated joints), the rate of humidity must be within 10 to 12%.
- For particle boards, MDF and plywood, the rate of humidity must be within 8 to 10%.

Steel Furniture Appearance Check

No scratches, flashes, sharp edged, splinters.
No deformation or surface cracks.
No colour fades or mismatches.
No rust on metallic items.
A Major Defect is a contrasted defect of more than 1mm. In addition to this defect, it shall be visible at a distance of 1m, otherwise, it should be considered as minor defect.
A Minor Defect is a contrasted defect of less than 1mm. In addition to this defect, it shall only be visible at a distance of 30cm, otherwise, it should not be considered as a defect

French Standard for Children’s Furniture

February 2008, the French Normalization body has issued a specific standard applicable for its national market regarding children furniture safety the NF D 60-300-2.
This standard integrates elements from the toys safety testing such like search for chewable parts, paint testing, etc…
API in its HK laboratory has developed all the necessary expertise to evaluate the safety of your children furniture.

FACTORY AUDIT

LABORATORY EXPERTISE

QUALITY CONTROL

ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

TECHNICAL ADVISORY

Furniture Quality Management

Furniture Quality Management

Use the most comprehensive network in the trade

Why entrust API with the Management of your Furniture Quality?

Our Certified Solutions:

Our Expertise

Audit: Evaluating the Factory from which you are sourcing furniture

Example of product specific check points

Humidity Check Up

Steel Furniture Appearance Check

French Standard for Children’s Furniture

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