Knock on wood.

A multi-disciplinary coalition of academic resources at Mississippi State University is fitting state furniture manufacturers with the cushions necessary to spring ahead of global competitors.

Known as the Institute of Furniture Manufacturing and Management (IFMM), the alliance--which includes partners from the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Extension Service, and colleges of Business and Industry, Forest Resources, Engineering, and Architecture--works to advance the science of furniture production from design to delivery.

Established in 2001, the IFMM provides manufacturers with services such as evaluating the strength of sofa frames, customizing management software, and conducting consumer surveys. The institute communicates its findings to the furniture community while recruiting, educating, and training the industry's future professionals.

"The IFMM can bring experts with training in engineering, marketing, management, design, manufacturing, economics, and logistics to a furniture plant to troubleshoot and identify problem areas and offer solutions," says research associate Amy Garrard.

As one of the nation's few furniture research programs, the IFMM is addressing the influence of low-wage countries in today's marketplace and helping Mississippi industries become "lean manufacturing" producers that use less labor, less design time. less effort less manufacturing space, and less investment to make furniture more efficiently.

"We can compete with low-wage countries like China, Vietnam, and the Philippines by putting in strong, robust, and flexible manufacturing systems that can produce products on demand," says associate professor Steve Hunter.

Satisfying domestic demand is necessary to sustain Mississippi's $4.1 billion furniture industry, which employs about 50,000 workers and leads the nation in upholstered furniture production.

Students who wish to pursue careers in the industry can participate in cooperative education programs and internships. Undergraduate students take specialized furniture courses, while graduate students often work with furniture manufacturers or conduct specialized research.

IFMM director Liam Leightley says the future is bright both for Mississippi manufacturing and for the IFMM. "We will continue to put into action our mission statement and enable the Mississippi furniture industry ... to maintain a competitive edge in the global market," he says.

For more information, see www.ifmm.msstate.edu.