The first thing that strikes any newcomer to Australia is the geographic size and space. To a visitor flying in from the north, the low, brown land stretching away almost featurelessly to the horizon can seem endless and indeed the distances involved are great. With an area of 7,682,300 square kilometres and a coastline 36,735 kilometres long, the country is nearly as large as the continental United States, excluding Alaska. Sydney on the east coast is further from Perth on the West than Madrid is from Moscow. This massive continent is divided into six States, each with its own elected government with wide responsibility for local affairs. The largest State is Western Australia - four times bigger than Texas and eleven times the size of Great Britain - followed by Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and the island of Tasmania. The Australian Capital Territory, a small area surrounding the Federal capital Canberra, is directly ruled by central government - as was the sparsely populated Northern Territory until 1978. Now the Northern Territory is a self - governing unit with powers similar to those of the States. In 1996, the total population of this vast landmass was 17 million, or on average just two people for every square kilometre.

South Australia is where IJF AUSTRALIA is headquartered. South Australia is more than as most people think a supplier of farming and mining products. It has a strong manufacturing and technology base. South Australia is the wine State representing some 50% of exports, it is also the defence capital with more than 40% of procurement, the medical technology State where brothers both, Lord Florey, father and son Bragg and Faulding are internationally well known. South Australia has a history of being at the forefront of technological and social development as well as being a leading inventive State. The world’s first surfboard was designed and manufactured in South Australia. The world’s first photocopier, liquid toner technology, metal door and window security and flyscreens were either invented or designed and manufactured in South Australia.

Advanced manufacturing, food processing, education and health services, export oriented water and environment industries are just some of the areas that are the forefront of South Australia’s strengths.

It is in this exciting environment that IJF AUSTRALIA operates and dictates from where the innovation and commitment to furniture manufacture excellence derives.