Vissam Furniture Dips its Toes in Elderly Care Industry

KI Medical-Nursing Furniture: Affina Glider

    Data shows that by the end of 2014, the population of 60-year-old plus in China has reached 212 million. That accounts for 15.5% of the total population, and expected to grow to 437 million which is 31% of the total population in 2050. China has entered the aging society. Together with smaller families, weakened family elderly care function and other factors, elderly care issue attracts increasing attention, and elderly care-related industries has emerged. However, there is a gap in the elderly care furniture market due to a lack of focus and concern.

    Chinese and western styles for elderly care

    Guo Xiaofei, general manager of Vissam Furniture Co., Ltd. (referred to as " Vissam Furniture ") has been busy. Guo’s 15 year old furniture company has mainly engaged the middle and high-end office furniture. In recent years, he has turned his focus towards the elderly care market and business transformation to establish a firm ground. Last year, by pure chance, Guo got to know the 75-year-old American furniture brand KI. When KI was created, the initial concept was recycling, using scrap metal to manufacture into folding chairs. Over time, KI gradually become the leader in the contract furniture industry by offering interior design solutions and customized furniture for corporate, education, health care and government market sector.

    Guo Xiaofei is optimistic about the domestic education and elderly care furniture markets along with leading core technology combined with strong design team from KI. He is confident the elderly care furniture with Chinese characteristics can be customized to meet Chinese people's body shape and needs. After several rounds of negotiations, Vissam Furniture and KI established a partnership in July. The two sides will be involved in education and health care contract furniture market. In addition, Vissam Furniture will set up Beijing Kang Ai Healthcare Furniture Co.,Ltd. (referred to as "Beijing Kang Ai"). KI is to offer technical expertise and Beijing Kang Ai is responsible for expanding the Chinese market. On September 8 to 12, KI planned their first landing in China on the 36th China International Furniture Fair in the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) to establish the brand and to tap into China’s corporate, education and health care furniture market.

    Establish elderly care consumer awareness

    In early 2014, the National Committee on Aging issued a "Home-based elderly care survey report based on ten thousands people in ten cities " (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). The Report shows that consumer awareness for home-based elderly care service is not common; home-based elderly care does not have effective demand. Compared with the current price of home care services, respondents generally expect lower prices, such as housekeeping services are currently the average price of 19.1 yuan / time, respondents expect an average price of 15.15 yuan / times; daycare center services are currently the average price of 49.88 yuan / day, the respondents expect the average price of 41.08 yuan / day. As a result any people never even considered elderly care furniture.

    Guo Xiaofei believes that China's elderly care furniture is now in a development vacuum and lack of attention and understanding. In some large elderly care institutions, the upholstered furniture is used very sparingly, while steel furniture specified as the majority. Currently, Beijing Kang Ai introduces KI series product for the elderly and staff, for example, the American " Pallas® Textiles" waterproof fabric. It has a variety of colors to select and its routine maintenance is convenient. This fabric can alter the monochromatic grey tones in hospitals and elderly care institution we are accustomed to and introduce warm colors to improve the atmosphere for the elderly and patients, and even the whole living environment.

    Promotion of the experience center

    In addition to building an online marketing system, Beijing Kang Ai will soon finish building its first 1,000 square meter experience center in Beijing Shang Ba International AD Park for the elderly. Guo Xiaofei plans to open 10-15 elderly experience center in fisrt and second-tier cities. The decor is of international standards, designed to showcase imported furniture goods for the elderly allowing visitors to experience first hand.

    In today's global economic downturn, is Guo Xiaofei’s building experience center as a risky business practice? He said, now product homogeneity is high, industry will phase out non-competitive enterprises as a result, and this is the perfect time for the industry leader with technology and highly professional companies, so Vissam Furniture has no fear of competition and challenges.

    Confronted with a large numbers of pre-promotion investment, Guo Xiaofei has been psychologically well-prepared. "Servercing education and elderly care has always been a public service for me. Profit is not the first thing here." Guo said, relying on a good concept of KI’s elderly care furniture, high-quality products and strong technical team, Vissam Furniture will have public lectures for hospitals, community, nursing homes and other places, and participate in the government's public welfare activities to introduce the heath care concept to public. "I am looking forward to the long-term development of the industry and confident that China's elderly care furniture market will certainly have a brand-new look." Guo Xiaofei said.