31 — Manufacture of Furniture

This division includes the manufacture of furniture and parts thereof, except of sheets and slabs of glass, stone, concrete or similar material as parts of furniture. The processes used in the manufacture of furniture are standard methods of forming materials and assembling components, including cutting, moulding and laminating. The design of the article, for both aesthetic and functional qualities, is an important aspect of the production process. Some of the processes used in furniture manufacturing are similar to processes that are used in other segments of manufacturing (for example, cutting and assembly occurs in the production of wood trusses that are classified in division 16). However, the multiple processes distinguish wood furniture manufacturing from wood product manufacturing. Similarly, metal furniture manufacturing uses techniques that are also employed in the manufacture of roll-formed products classified in division 25. The moulding process for plastic furniture is similar to the moulding of other plastic products. However, the manufacture of plastic furniture tends to be a specialised activity.