Helping consumers exercise their preference for Australian furniture

Silver Lynx has been designing and producing quality Australian-made bedroom suites since 1962. The family-run Victorian business strongly promotes the fact that it is Australian owned and its products are made in Australia.

"We have been part of the Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign since 2005 and value the Campaign and its promotions highly. As an Australian furniture manufacturer we employ 35 local people. All the money generated when customers purchase our products is re-invested in Australian jobs, workers, their families and our local communities," explains Simon Bowler, Managing Director and the second generation of the Bowler family to be a part of Silver Lynx.
 
Simon Bowler uses the Australian Made swing tags on all his products to make them immediately identifiable in a market where around 60% of all furniture is imported.

“Most furniture is not clearly identified as local or imported. A lot of consumers might buy furniture made in Australian timbers such as blackwood and Australian ash thinking that they are buying Australian made only to find out that the product is actually made in China.”

“We believe customers prefer to buy 'Australian-Made' if they are given a choice, so it is important for Silver Lynx that customers are able to distinguish our genuine 'Australian-Made' furniture from inferior imported products,” says Simon Bowler.

His Silver Lynx business is among a growing number of Australian furniture manufacturers who believe manufacturing in Australia gives them a competitive advantage. Furniture retailers such as Bev Marks, Harvey Norman and Forty Winks have all joined the Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign as Campaign Partners and clearly identify all Australian made products in their stores.

A recent survey conducted by Roy Morgan shows that there is good reason to promote furniture as Australian made. While 49 percent of all Australian consumers consciously buy Australian Made whenever possible, 61 percent say that they prefer to buy Australian manufactured furniture over imports. 

“The Australian Made logo means you are dealing with a local company with local service and support in Australia. If a customer needs help, we are close by to assist them, and there is no need to wait for parts from an overseas supplier. I think consumers understand and value that.”

You can learn more about Silver Lynx and its products by visiting www.silverlynx.com.au or calling (03) 9359 4000.