The Australian Cabinet and Furniture Association commemorates a significant milestone with over 75 years as an industry-serving association and take immense pride in our accomplishments. Our enduring dedication as an industry-specific association, offering personalised services over this extended period, is a milestone we wholeheartedly celebrate. This achievement stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of ACFA Board Members, Staff and Members.
Some early versions of NSW Furniture Guild and FIAA Logos
Past Presidents of the FIAA include Jack Parker, Doug Jackson, John Chiswell, Ern McCain, Peter J Van Treight, David Hoare and more recently Ron Scott and Fred White. True icons of the industry.
In the 60’s and 70’s FIAA notably accomplished:
Through the end of the century, into the new millennium and beyond:
The 70th Anniversary of FIAA in 2018 also saw the merger with the Cabinet Makers and Designers Association (CMDA), with the launch of ACFA.
Through funding granted by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, FIAA across 2018 and 2019 successfully ran a mentoring program for 1st and 2nd Year Apprentices. Titled Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprentices (ISMAA), this mentoring saw an increase in apprentices completing their training and helped them get a solid foundation towards a long-term career in our industry.
A recent achievement the ACFA Team looks back upon is their COVID Response across 2020 and 2021. ACFA spent countless hours confirming details of restrictions and making enquiries with the government for each state. ACFA provided the support businesses needed to continue to operate in the correct manner. A record number of phone calls with the Workplace Advice Team and email communications sent highlights the dedication the association has to the industry.
Dean Brakell, CEO of ACFA, marked the occasion by reflecting on the work undertaken to represent and advocate for the industry. “Over the years ACFA has been privileged to be recognised at higher levels of Government with our work with SafeWork, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Home Builders Insurance. Our sector of manufacturing in Australia needed an association that represented the unique aspects of our industry, and that is what ACFA has done.”