Damietta city is considered the furniture industry hub in Egypt as it contains 36% of Egyptian furniture establishments and 38% of highly skilled and relatively cheap furniture labor in addition to low shipping costs to foreign market, especially Europe, given the privileged geographical location of Damietta Seaport which is close to import markets of industry inputs and export markets. All of these privileges add value to the Damietta-manufactured products in foreign markets. However, furniture quality, suitability for intended uses and meeting customers' expectations are the main requirements of these markets.
The furniture industry in Damietta is facing many quality problems; some foreign customers complain about non-compliance with the required specifications and rapid deterioration of the products believing that they were deliberately sold defective products. These quality problems cause damage to the reputation of the Egyptian furniture industry in global markets and subsequently a decline in exports.
Here lies the main problem of this research, which is the lack of a study that identifies obstacles to quality in Damietta-manufactured furniture in order to realize all pillars of the export equation. Is the concept of furniture quality clear for all furniture labor? Is there a failure in training and raising the awareness of the workers about the culture and concept on total quality in the furniture industry? And what are the obstacles to furniture quality in the Governorate of Damietta? Could there be cooperation between the institutions and bodies concerned with the quality of inputs and outputs of the furniture industry in order to ensure full compliance by Egyptian furniture manufacturers with local and international furniture quality standards?
The furniture industry in Damietta is in need of governmental support, directions from control bodies, and greater cooperation between stakeholders in the public and private sectors to overcome current hurdles to growth.
Therefore, this study aims to identify and determine impediments to the realization of furniture quality through all production stages from designing to packaging and shipping in order to identify and address areas of deficiency through surveys, data and field visits to a number of furniture factories and workshops in the Governorate of Damietta.