Manila Manufacturer Caters To Infants By Lucas Ngu
Oak and Walnut comprise the majority of the imported woods purchased by CLC Group in the Phillipines.
Philippines, Manila—If there is one thing that sets CLC Group apart from other furniture manufacturers in the Philippines, it’s the furniture for infants that the company has to offer. Apart from the range of modern household and office furniture that it produces, the company also manufactures playpens, cribs, baby beds, walkers, strollers and high chairs that are marked under the Giant Carrier brand name.
The CLC Group of Companies, which has its roots in the capital city of Manila, operates two furniture plants – one in the capital city of Manila where the company was established 22 years ago and another in Cebu City in the southern part of the country.
Indeed, the company is possibly the only factory in the country that is engaged in the production of infant furniture. At the larger plant in Manila, the product composition is 50:50 for metal and wooden furniture. Aside from the infant range, the products carry the brand names of Home Suite, Executive Suite and Anthro Office Systems.
According to a company spokesperson, imported American wood species like Oak and Walnut are used for the production of wooden furniture. The raw material includes Gmelina, which is sourced locally, according to a company spokesperson.
While the range of home furniture comes with such items as beds, dining sets, racks and sidetables, office furniture comprises the Executive Suites and the Anthro Office Systems, specially “tailored” to the corporate sector.
The CLC Group also raised eyebrows among the local fraternity of furniture manufacturers when it became the fir
The production of infant furniture is CLC’s specialty.
st to venture into the export market, particularly for its range of infant furniture. Initially, the company shipped these items to Japan. Today, the range of infant furniture produced by the company has also found its way to distant markets like Europe, the U.S., Africa, Australia and Taiwan.
While having established itself as one of the leading furniture manufacturers in the Philippines, the CLC Group is also an importer of quality furniture from such countries as Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, China and Italy.
For the domestic market, its product distribution network involves the setting up of a sales office in Cagayan De Oro and Davao as well as more than 500 dealers throughout the country. Its clientele includes prestigious names like Abenson’s, Crossing Department Store, Isetan, Robinsons Department Stores, Rustans and St. Lucia Department Store. For the corporate sector, the range of Anthro Office Systems has made its way to banks, hospitals, the University of Asia and the Pacific, Samsung Electronics, ABM Computech and others.
Meanwhile, sales outlets have also been established at duty-free outlets at Clark International Airport with more distribution channels being planned.
Being environmentally friendly conscious, the firm’s mill uses only powder coating, not liquid paint for coating of furniture parts.
The company’s forte lies in its ability to create unique designs of furniture. After the exquisitely crafted items are taken off the production line, they are delivered to restaurants, hotels and offices while the rest end up as exhibits in furniture or department stores.
Powder coating, not liquid paint, is used at the finishing station at CLC.
At the Manila plant which is three times the size of the company’s Cebu factory, where metal furniture is produced, the raw material comprises a 50:50 ratio of wood and metal with Oak and Walnut being imported from the United States. According to the company spokesman, the choice of raw material is customer-dictated. Meanwhile, the trend is moving towards greater use of U.S. wood for furniture production.
Through the years, the CLC Group has taken challenges in its stride. It is therefore not surprising that it has carved a niche for itself in the ever-competitive world of furniture. All this is made possible with its dynamic outlook as outlined in the company’s motto - to be recognized as a leader in the manufacturing and marketing of superior furniture products; also to fully serve and satisfy the needs of customers.
Currently, the CLC Group is a member of Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc.
