Sareng Furniture grows defying pandemic

Unlike most other businesses, which have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Sareng Furniture of Jhalakathi has a different story to tell. 

Instead of going down, the demand for its furniture has increased during this adverse time.

Before the pandemic, the company used to supply 35-40 pieces of furniture to its showrooms per day. Now it has increased to 40-50 pieces per day.

The only impediment it faces is lack of skilled workers.

"We cannot make products as per the market demand of our furniture," said Shahe Alom, chairman of the furniture company. 

Before the pandemic, the company used to supply 35-40 pieces of furniture to its showrooms per day. Now it has increased to 40-50 pieces per day. Photo: TBS.

"If we had more skilled workers, we could have made more products," he added. 

The annual turnover of the furniture maker is around Tk100 crore. 

The factory, located in Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation's (BSCIC) industrial area of Jhalakathi, makes around 50 products of different categories per day on average. 

The private limited company has its showrooms – two in Barishal city, two in Jhalakathi, one in Khulna city and one Patuakhali.

Besides, it has dealers in every upazila of Barishal while in Khulna, it has 10-15 dealers.

Sareng makes all types of furniture for home and office.

It had corporate clients, said Alom. 

Shahida Akter, a school teacher in Jhalakathi town, said she bought furniture from Sareng as the prices were reasonable.

Mosiur, a banker in Barishal city, bought all furniture for his home from Sareng.

"All the products of Sareng have a 10-20-year warranty, which creates confidence among its customers," said Mosiur. 

"The designs of Sareng's furniture always attract me. I buy furniture of new designs from its showroom," said Roshni Akter, a regular customer of Sareng's Barishal showroom. 

Rise of Sareng

Shahe Alom was abroad for 20 years. Returning, he signed a dealership agreement with Otobi in 2000. 

He set up a showroom in Jhalakathi and continued it till 2005. 

In 2005, he stopped the business with Otobi and decided to create a new brand of his own, said Alom. 

In early 2006, he started his new brand, and was the designer for his company. 

The furniture factory started its journey in a small room in Krishnakathi area of Jhalakathi. 

In the beginning, it used to make furniture of few categories.

At first, there were five carpenters but now 100 carpenters work in the factory. 

Currently, around 200 people are working in the company, including in its transport department and showrooms.

Now Alom is expanding his company.

The construction of another factory in the BSCIC area is under process. 

He is working to develop the company as a national level brand within three years.