Focus on High-Quality Growth: Yihang's First Formaldehyde-Free Office Forum Held in Fuzhou

Against the backdrop of the pandemic and a complex economic situation, the office furniture industry faces new opportunities and challenges. Many companies are treading on thin ice, while others have seized the trend of consumption upgrading, investing in green intelligent manufacturing to build new competitive advantages. Among them, Yihang Technology, a leading domestic commercial office furniture brand, is playing its role as an exemplary industry leader—not only taking the initiative to propose the "formaldehyde-free office" concept together with Wanhua Chemical and others, but also holding industry-themed seminars to vigorously promote healthy work.

Notably, the first "Formaldehyde-Free Office" seminar was successfully held recently in Fuzhou, a city with a long history and rich culture. The meeting was hosted by the Fujian Furniture Industry Association and co-organized by Yihang Technology Co., Ltd. Attendees included Shen Jiemei, President of the Fujian Furniture Industry Association, and Yan Dong, Secretary-General; Yihang Technology Marketing Director Liu Jianlin, Yihang Research Institute R&D Center Director Mao Li, Brand Center Marketing Director Lai Yuxian, and relevant industry experts. On site, guests held in-depth discussions on how "formaldehyde-free offices" can drive industry upgrading and high-quality development.

Standards First: Driving the Industry's Environmental Upgrade

As everyone knows, formaldehyde is the leading factor in indoor air pollution. In offices, furniture made from low-quality wood-based panels has long been a major cause of excessive indoor formaldehyde and has drawn widespread criticism. The publication of the new national standard for panels sets higher requirements for the environmental performance of office furniture, guiding and urging the entire industry toward high-standard eco-friendliness while safeguarding healthy work and life for all.

According to reports, the release of GB/T39600-2021, "Grading of Formaldehyde Emissions from Wood-Based Panels and Finished Products," on October 1, 2021, made the new national ENF grade the world's most stringent environmental standard. The arrival of ENF has also given the "formaldehyde-free" concept a concrete basis (NF stands for "No Formaldehyde"). Strictly speaking, "formaldehyde-free" means "no added formaldehyde": using boards produced with formaldehyde-free adhesives (polyurethane adhesives) to make furniture eliminates, at the source, the long-term threat of formaldehyde release.

Both the new national standard and rising market demand are pushing the office furniture industry toward an environmental upgrade. Under the new standard, future government and enterprise procurement projects will pay increasing attention to the environmental performance of office furniture. President Shen Jiemei commented: although the ENF grade (no added formaldehyde) has been in effect for only a short time, with the advocacy and leadership of leading companies, these requirements may well be written into bidding parameters, driving full standardization of furniture procurement.

As vice-chairman unit of the National Furniture Standardization Technical Committee, Yihang Technology has led the drafting or revision of 9 national or industry standards and participated in 37 international, national, and industry standards, while actively joining the drafting of 7 group standards such as "Zhejiang Manufacturing" and "Shenzhen Standard." It is foreseeable that, under the influence of leading office furniture brands like Yihang Technology, the entire industry will be driven toward standardization and high-quality development.

Consumption Upgrading: "Formaldehyde-Free Offices" Are the Trend

With China's rapid economic development, office conditions at banks, securities firms, schools, hospitals, and enterprises continue to improve, and demand for healthy, comfortable office furniture keeps rising—setting the direction for high-quality growth in the office furniture industry. For furniture buyers, the publication of the new panel standard removes their environmental concerns about panel-based products, and demand will be released further.

"Upholding the mission of 'everything for healthy work,' Yihang Technology has always taken zero formaldehyde and intelligence as a key focus of its technical research, and is accelerating the iteration and upgrading of its products," said Mao Li. From insisting on healthy base materials, continuously upgrading processes and standards, and pushing the industry's environmental upgrade, to now joining with Wanhua Chemical and others to champion "Healthy Work, Formaldehyde-Free Offices"—calling on society to take office formaldehyde seriously and urging the supply chain to work together to build healthy spaces—Yihang Technology is committed to creating green, healthy office environments.

The experts present agreed that the "formaldehyde-free office" championed by Yihang Technology will deliver real benefits to consumers and represents an important trend toward high-quality development in the industry.

"Formaldehyde-free offices" meet the demands of consumption upgrading, and no-added-formaldehyde is destined to become the standard baseline for future eco-friendly panel products. Lin Ping, a representative of Fujian's furniture industry, said candidly: "Against the backdrop of the pandemic, a complex economy, and rising raw material, labor, and logistics costs, Fujian's furniture industry faces new challenges. We hope brands like Yihang Technology will hold more seminars like this one, so everyone can pool ideas and work together to explore trends, seek paths to high-quality development, and drive rapid progress across the industry."

"Healthy work, formaldehyde-free offices" is the aspiration of every working professional. With the wisdom of industry experts gathered, and the advocacy and practice of Yihang Technology, Wanhua Chemical, and others, the pace of the industry's green transformation will surely accelerate, advancing technological progress and high-quality industrial development.