AFTER a business downturn due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the furniture industry is seeing a huge demand following floods in several states last month. And with the Chinese New Year around the corner, this is further boosted by home makeovers among those celebrating.

However, while high demand means good business, furniture retailers fear they may not be able to deliver orders in time as labour shortages among manufacturers have not been resolved.

The best-selling items currently are mattresses, wardrobes, pillows and sofas – items that were soaked through and unsalvageable in the floods that struck following continuous rain on December 18 and 19.

Eric Lee Kong Sim, who runs his own furniture store in the Klang Valley, said many of his orders are from flood-affected areas.

Items in demand are those in the middle and lower price range.

“Items at this price range are more popular among flood victims who have suffered huge losses,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Sofas are in short supply and may only be delivered to buyers after the Chinese New Year celebrations, he said.

“There is a temporary shortage of sofas because of the sharp increase in demand and some manufacturers are also facing a labour shortage,” said Lee.

Supply should even out with demand by mid-February, he said.

Demand for other items such as mattresses, meanwhile, has come in strongly from charity groups, civil society organisations and other enterprises, which are buying them in large quantities to be distributed to flood victims.

Lee, who is former president of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Furniture Association, said the group’s members have also held their own donation drive to provide free furniture to flood victims.

He said any price increase in furniture should not be seen as profiteering from the floods but would more likely be due to an increase in the prices of raw materials, which is also affecting many other sectors.

“The costs of raw materials are skyrocketing. We don’t take advantage of the floods to raise prices,” he said.

Another furniture store owner, Karen Wong, said this month’s orders are full. Delivery will also be delayed.

“Due to insufficient supply, the products that can usually be delivered within a week will be delayed,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

“We do explain the situation clearly to our customers before they place their orders.”

She said she was receiving orders from customers who wanted to redecorate their homes for the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 1.

Malaysian Furniture Council president Khoo Yeow Chong said supply issues will ease within a month as manufacturers ramp up production.

Floods struck several states in the central peninsula following continuous rain on December 18 and 19.

Many people were caught unprepared as the fast-rising water submerged their homes and vehicles.

Thousands were left on rooftops overnight as they waited for rescuers. Fifty-four people were killed in the floods and more than 70,000 were displaced at the peak.

Clean-up operations are still going on in several areas. – January 9, 2022.