An armchair ride in the office

"For us the global financial crisis only lasted several months. Several months later our business gradually recovered."

Europe has not been a big market for Hong Qiao, Zuo says, because Europeans have tended to prefer local products, "but when the European economy went bad, people there switched to Chinese products because our quality is fine and prices are much lower".

Even if the European business struggles, "we still have other markets, so generally our export is growing steadily year by year", Zuo says.

An armchair designed and produced by Foshan Hong Qiao Furniture. Photos Provided to China Daily

But that does not mean the Zuos are happy with their lot. Where some people would be content with the rainbow in front of them, the two brothers only see another horizon, the aim being to make the company world famous.

Asked just how famous they want to be, Zuo smiles and talks about Herman Miller, the US furniture company famous for its Action

 Office system. The Furniture Industry Research Association has acclaimed the company's Aeron office chair for its ergonomics, and it is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

No doubt with the aspirations of such acclaim in mind, Hong Qiao Furniture has drawn on the services of top-flight designers from Germany and Italy, and last year called in a highly regarded Japanese designer, Toshiyuki Kita, to design its new office system.

"We invested 2 million yuan in designing this," Zuo says, pointing to a chair that looks like it would be at home on a sci-fi movie set. "There's not a single nail, and each part can move in line with different people's needs."

The 8,000-sq meter exhibition hall in which the chair sits has 70 sample rooms, covering areas ranging from 11 sq m to more than 100.

"In those rooms we want our customers to experience what kind of office atmosphere they want," Zuo says.

The company, which employs 400 people, is also working on automation.

"We have more than 200 patents registered and we have put two newly developed machines into service. There will be more soon. Before, our workers could cut metal pipes only one at a time, but the new machine can cut six at a time, greatly reducing labor costs."

The company wants to develop a new series of chairs that targets the highest-end market, he says. Other matters are afoot, too. The company says it is negotiating with several overseas companies looking for a partner in China.

"They want to sell products in China but they have no channels or do not understand the market enough, so they want to work with us," Zuo says, saying he cannot reveal who they are because the matter is not finalized.

With an eye on quality, the company says it has spent 3 million yuan building a testing room.

"If a customer finds any quality problem with our products within five years of buying them, we will replace them with brand new ones," Zuo says.

Globally, Hong Qiao has more than 300 franchised stores and 1,500 dealers.

"We have a lot of loyal customers, some of whom have been with us for many years," Zuo says.

"So I don't feel under pressure. I think the prospects for the market are very bright. And this year will be better than last year because we have more product categories."

Outside Hong Qiao's factory, Shunde was doing its best to be seen from under a blanket of thick winter fog.

yangyangs@chinadaily.com.cn

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