A Review of the History of Office Furniture Manufacturing

Furniture is the product of human life practice. Before the 18th century, furniture was entirely handmade by craftsmen. The Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century and early 19th century created conditions for the mechanized mass production of furniture, leading to the formation and development of the modern furniture industry worldwide. As shown in Table 1, from 1800 to the present, the modern furniture industry has gone through four major development periods. It can be seen from the table that technological progress and information technology have had a profound impact on the development of the modern furniture industry.

Significant Events in History by Decade:

1808: Daunhauser's furniture factory in Vienna employed 130 workers. 

1822: George Zonigler in Venice obtained the first patent for using springs as seat cushions. 

1830: Michael Thonet from Germany invented bentwood technology and established the world's first modern industrial furniture factory in Vienna around 1850. 

Mid-19th century: Steam-powered mechanical saws were widely used for furniture production. 

1849: The first patent for a metal bed was issued. 

Late 19th century to early 20th century: The Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau Movement. Formation and development of the Bauhaus theory and industrial design. 

1925: The first tubular steel chair was introduced in Brno and mass-produced. 

Late 1920s: Hot-melt adhesive was developed. 

1930s: The world's first fiberboard was created in a German laboratory. Application of synthetic resin adhesives and bonding technology. 

1950s: The invention of particleboard. 

1950s: The concept of the "32m" modern panel furniture manufacturing system was proposed. 

1956: The concept of Ready-to-Assemble (RTA) furniture began to take shape in IKEA. 

1963: The first Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association (WMMA) exhibition was held in North Carolina, USA. Development of container shipping technology stimulated global trade in furniture products. 

1970s: The application of coatings in furniture production. 

1979: Computer-controlled manufacturing equipment accounted for 10% of the US furniture manufacturing industry. 

1980s: Expert systems began to be applied in the forest products industry. 

1990s: Flexible processing technology began to be applied in furniture production.

This article is excerpted from "Informationization and Competitiveness Enhancement of China's Furniture Manufacturing Industry."