Following the remarkable momentum built in Thailand, Coohom and HOMAG brought their collaborative seminar, “AI Design Meets Smart Manufacturing,” to Penang, Malaysia, on August 6, 2025. This landmark event at Courtyard Penang welcomed custom furniture professionals from across the region to discover how digital innovation is redefining the art—and business—of bespoke interiors.
Uniting Design and Manufacturing: Breaking Down Old Barriers
The Penang seminar tackled a core challenge facing Malaysia’s custom furniture businesses: the disconnect between the creative design process and manufacturing execution. Industry stakeholders explored real-world solutions enabled by the Coohom SmartLink Suite and HOMAG eLink, spotlighting how AI-powered design, cloud-based catalogs, and seamless Design-to-Production integration are driving a new era of speed, accuracy, and profitability.
Seminar Highlights: Innovation on Display
Participants were immersed in technology demonstrations that showcased the possibilities of an end-to-end digital workflow:
- Live demonstrations illustrated how furniture can be customized, visualized, and specified in the cloud, with production-ready data flowing effortlessly to the factory floor.
- Flexible Parametric Model Editing: Designers can precisely tailor furniture concepts for each client’s needs, speeding up revisions and approvals.
- Enterprise Cloud Catalog: Centralized management of products and design assets eliminates data silos and keeps teams up-to-date.
- Seamless CAD/CAM Integration: Direct data transfer from design to production lines drastically reduces rework and human error.
- AI Assistant Design Tools: AI-driven capabilities fast-track creative iterations, allowing designers to render ideas with photorealistic quality for quicker client buy-in.
The seminar was enlivened by opening speeches from Coohom and HOMAG key persons and delivering an excellent demonstration of the integrated Coohom SmartLink Suite and HOMAG eLink workflow. Special recognition goes to Peter Sim, who served as an outstanding host—engaging participants, sparking valuable discussions, and bringing his deep expertise as a highly regarded HOMAG sales representative known across many furniture factories in Malaysia.
Real-World Experiences & Key Participants
A heartfelt thank you goes to Nest Butler and Simfur for sharing their valuable experiences during the seminar:
- Nest Butler is actively leveraging Coohom and HOMAG ix for their operations, providing insightful perspectives on integrating advanced digital tools into custom furniture workflows.
- Simfur shared their thoughtful contributions and enriched the depth and diversity of the conversations.
We greatly appreciate both companies for openly sharing their ideas and experiences, helping elevate the level of discussion and collaboration at the event.
Building Malaysia’s Furniture Future—Together
Throughout the day, discussions highlighted the profound potential for Malaysia’s furniture sector—especially agile small and medium-sized businesses—to leap ahead by embracing integrated digital tools. Industry leaders and innovators underscored that a seamless design-to-production workflow will be essential for businesses aiming to thrive in a competitive regional and global marketplace.
Continuing the Journey
The energy and enthusiasm at “AI Design Meets Smart Manufacturing” in Penang make it clear: the future of custom furniture lies in collaboration, connectivity, and cutting-edge technology. Coohom reaffirmed commitment to supporting Malaysia’s manufacturers—not just with advanced software that seamlessly connects with machinery but by actively fostering an ecosystem where craftsmanship meets digital innovation.
Thank you to all who joined us in Penang! Together, we’re charting a smarter, faster, and more creative future for Malaysian furniture—combining the nation’s renowned artistry with global best-in-class digital solutions.
