THE Government calls for consumers to buy Australian made products.

Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, has called on furniture consumers to ask retailers for Australian made products, during a speech at Furnitex08 in Melbourne.

Furnitex, which is in its 20th year, is Australasia's largest furniture and furnishings trade fair and the largest showcase of Australian made furniture products in the world [Australian furniture manufacturer list is below].

"The lively and innovative Australian furniture industry is one that we can all be proud of, as is clearly evidenced by the strong turnout of Australian manufacturers and designers today," Senator Carr said.

"It directly employs 75,000, about seven per cent of manufacturing jobs, and many more indirectly. The industry's value added was $4.4 billion in 2005-06 and its output is growing at an annual rate of 4.1 per cent for the past five years.

"But like every other Australian manufacturing sector it faces challenges, including competition from the global trading environment.

"The industry is responding to these challenges by becoming much more innovative and cost competitive, with a major focus on quality and customisation.

"I think the industry has summed it up perfectly with its message – 'don't compromise, customise'.

According to Senator Carr, there is a tendency to underestimate the size and technical sophistication of the Australian furniture industry, but said consumers can rest assured that when they are buying Australian made furniture, they are buying a well designed quality product at a very competitive price.

"Consumers asking for Australian made furniture will find their task easier with many retailers rapidly increasing the number of Australian made products they stock," Senator Carr said.

Senator Carr's comments were made in a speech launching the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Wood Innovation's publication, Technology Transfer – outlining the CRC's achievements.

Technology Transfer describes how designers have contributed to the CRC's success by creating products that could be manufactured from the new materials and technologies the CRC was developing.