To further promote cross-regional collaborative innovation and high-quality development in the home furnishing industry, and to strengthen deep integration across furniture, home textiles, home appliances, and cross-border e-commerce, from December 24 to 26 a delegation from the Shandong Furniture Association, including Chairwoman Niu Guangxia, Executive Chairman Han Qingsheng, Executive Vice Chairman and Executive Chairman of the Design Committee Gao Wei, and Secretary-General Wang Teng, visited Ningbo for industry research and exchange activities. Mei Fa'ai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ningbo Home Furnishing Industry Association, accompanied the delegation. During the visit, the group successively visited the China Textile City Curtain and Fabric Association, the Cixi Home Appliance Pavilion, Ningbo Yimi E-commerce Co., Ltd., the Ningbo Home Furnishing Industry Association, and Ningbo Kaixiang Home Furnishing Co., Ltd., gaining in-depth understanding of Ningbo's advanced experience in home furnishing industry chain integration, digital transformation, and brand globalization.

China Textile City Curtain and Fabric Association

Exploring integrated soft furnishing development trends

First stop

The first stop of the research trip was the China Textile City Curtain and Fabric Association. Chairwoman Niu Guangxia and her delegation visited the association's office area and held in-depth exchanges with association president Zhao Junhui on topics such as customized soft furnishing trends, fabric innovation, and design empowerment for furniture products. Both sides agreed that the integration of furniture with fabric soft furnishings is becoming an important direction in consumption upgrading, and that future cooperation can be deepened in design collaboration, joint cross-industry platforms, and co-hosted exhibitions.

Cixi Home Appliance Pavilion

Gaining insight into new scenarios for the integration of the big home ecosystem

Second stop

At the Cixi Home Appliance Pavilion, the delegation systematically learned about Cixi's industrial layout as the Capital of Small Home Appliances in China and the platform-based operating model of its home appliance ecosystem. Niu Guangxia noted, "Future competition in the furniture industry will no longer be competition among single products, but competition among ecosystems. We must join hands with an open mindset and innovative mechanisms to create a new ecosystem and new benchmark for smart home living." The two sides discussed issues including new media operations, the building of small home appliance ecosystems, and cross-border e-commerce, providing new ideas for Shandong furniture enterprises transforming toward smart integrated home solutions.

Ningbo Yimi E-commerce Co., Ltd.

Empowering the digital globalization of traditional enterprises

Third stop

As a leading cross-border e-commerce enterprise that grew locally in Ningbo, Ningbo Yimi E-commerce Co., Ltd. shared its practical experience in taking products global through platforms such as Amazon, SHEIN, and TikTok. Niu Guangxia said, "Shandong's furniture industry has a strong foundation, but there is still room for improvement in branding and international operations. This research visit provides a replicable path reference for Shandong enterprises to go global through cross-border e-commerce channels."

Ningbo Home Furnishing Industry Association

Discussing regional collaboration together

Fourth stop

At the symposium with the Ningbo Home Furnishing Industry Association, both sides held dialogues around topics such as the development of the big home furnishing industry, supply chain collaboration, and policies to promote consumption. Niu Guangxia introduced that Shandong Province is accelerating the upgrading of the big home furnishing industry chain, hoping to learn from Ningbo's successful experience in integrating the big home furnishing industry chain to empower the development of Shandong's furniture industry, and also hoping to continue using Ningbo's cross-border exhibitions to help more Shandong enterprises expand new channels in cross-border e-commerce.

Ningbo Kaixiang Home Furnishing Co., Ltd.

Inspecting intelligent manufacturing and lean management practices

Fifth stop

The final stop of the research trip was Ningbo Kaixiang Home Furnishing Co., Ltd. Company head Zhang Gaoxiang gave a detailed introduction to its practical achievements in product and service innovation within the big home furnishing supply chain. The efficient coordination of automated production lines and digital dashboards in the workshop left a deep impression on the delegation. Niu Guangxia emphasized, "Intelligent manufacturing is not only an upgrade of equipment, but also an innovation in management concepts. Shandong furniture enterprises should accelerate the transformation from manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing."

This trip to Ningbo was a practical action to promote complementary industrial resources and shared advantages between Shandong and Ningbo. Taking this research visit as an opportunity, the association will promote the establishment of a cross-regional industrial collaboration platform and guide enterprises to move toward higher-end, smarter, greener, and more internationalized development. In the future, the Shandong Furniture Association will continue to carry out a series of research activities featuring going out and inviting in, focusing on the restructuring of industrial chains, supply chains, and value chains, and helping the Shandong furniture industry achieve high-quality development.

Source: Shandong Furniture Association