Training boosts shift from hammer and nails to modern power tools

As the furniture industry shifts from solid wood to other wood-based products, traditional carpentry hand tools are also being replaced by modern power tools.

PG Bison has, for instance, in recent years trained more than 600 artisans in the use of such tools for the assembly and installation of furniture.

The firm is one of the largest manufacturers of MDF and particleboard furniture components in Kenya.

PG Bison say when they first ventured into the market, they noticed that artisans’ lack of knowledge on wood-based panels was affecting the workmanship of their final products and negatively affecting their sales.

The firm decided to offer free training to carpenters who bought their furniture components produced from their fibreboards and particleboard.

PG Bison has a list of trained artisans who have gone through the structured training and PG Bison has inspected their work at various sites to ensure that they have met the required standards.

Wilson Andeche, a beneficiary of this training, says compared to wood, working with MDF and particleboard is cleaner, easier and faster: “The training has given me more confidence to talk to my customers. The finishing of the product is very good so my clients are pleased with my work and are happy to pay quickly.”

His carpentry business has grown into a Small Medium Enterprise that employs 10 workers permanently. In turn, he has trained some carpenters who he hires on contract when he is overwhelmed with work.