BENCHMARKING THE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FURNITURE AND ARTIFACTS MADE FROM AMAZONIAN WOOD SPECIES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to screen and investigate the furniture and artifact products available on the market in Manaus, with the aim of evaluating their dimensions and indicators for application in Benchmarking. The production of high value-added furniture and wood artifacts represents one of the economic activities with great potential for the sustainable use of wood from forest management in the region. However, this industry still has a small share of the local GDP, facing industrialization challenges and limited access to markets. These challenges have been associated with the lack of a more attractive design. In order to help solve this problem, this study seeks to identify and classify the successful attributes and characteristics present in products made from Amazonian wood species, sold in ten specialized establishments in Manaus. The aim is to highlight the technical requirements and specifications and common attributes that make them attractive to consumers, as well as prioritizing these characteristics by means of a Pareto diagram and for application in product performance benchmarking. Data was collected from a representative sample of establishments selling furniture and artifacts in the city of Manaus, Amazonas, using questionnaires to analyze product specifications and associate them with the properties of the wood used to make the products.