PRESS RELEASES

ZOW Shanghai – Gateway to the Asian Market

From September 12-15, 2007, the third ZOW Suppliers' Show for the furniture and interior design industry takes place at the SNIEC Shanghai International Expo Center, running parallel to Furniture China. More than 170 exhibitors from 16 countries will be present in 2007 to show all the latest supplier innovations in surfaces and fittings, semi-finished products and elements and systems to the Chinese audience. Exhibitors are coming in from Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK and USA, as well as from China.

Organizer Survey will continue to pursue its successful "Creating Close Contacts" formula in Shanghai, which has become the trademark of ZOW events worldwide. Central to this unique show are the clarity of exhibitors' displays and the interaction between exhibitors and trade visitors facilitated by the designated open-plan communal space. Invitations go out to corporate decision-makers only, to enable discussions with customers to be effective. Ready-made all-in packages for exhibitors, an open and transparent stand design and extensive services for visitors, such as free admission, parking and catering, make ZOW particularly attractive for all show participants and

add a creative workshop quality to the venue.

The simultaneous staging of ZOW with Furniture China has proved to be extraordinarily fruitful. A great number of exhibitors and visitors at Furniture China take the opportunity to up-date themselves on the latest supplier innovations showing parallel to the nation's biggest furniture show. "Last year, more than 12,000 guests from the industry visited ZOW in Shanghai, and we expect some 15,000 trade visitors in 2007," declares Bernd Rademacher, Director of Survey Asia based in Kuala Lumpur.

China remains one of the sales markets with the greatest potential for furniture suppliers. The annual economic growth rate runs at more than 10 %. 1.3 billion people live in a country that has developed in recent years into the second biggest industrial nation in the world. The building boom is relentless with 80% of public funds alone flowing into the housing and apartment construction industry. According to the latest forecasts, income per head in China is due to double by 2010, with a new middle class on the rise that's keen to spend and consume.

By 2015, the number of people moving into new accommodation will be around 20 million - and that's just an annual figure! Hence the huge demand for furniture and interior fittings. In fact, the ideal condition for ZOW in Shanghai as it becomes more successful from year to year. The show is now considered to be an important platform for the Chinese and East Asian furniture industry.

FURNITURE MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY CHINA 2007

Concurrently with ‘FURNITURE CHINA 2007’, ‘ZOW CHINA 2007’

September 12-15, 2007, Shanghai

Woodworking Machinery, Furniture Raw Materials

A Leading Platform for Furniture Manufacturing Industry

90% growth in exhibiting space, still 200 companies waiting out of the door

With great supports of all exhibitors, FMC2007 (The 13^th Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China) has been fully booked out three months before the show opening. A lack of 15,000 sqm makes 200 companies fail to participate in the show this year. As forecasted by the organizer, Year 2007 witnesses another positive growth of FMC, with up to 90% growth in exhibiting space. Active reactions from manufacturers show the prosperity of furniture manufacturing industry in China.

Updated data from the organizer – Shanghai CMP Sinoexpo Int’l Exhibitions Co., Ltd. – reveal that FMC2007 will exceed 30,000 sqm in space and have up to 600 companies exhibiting, providing an all-round display of latest products and technology of woodworking machinery, furniture manufacturing raw materials and components. To build up a leading platform for furniture manufacturing industry home and abroad, the organizer spares no efforts to promote FMC through over 100 domestic and international media, and send invitations to 100,000 trade visitors in its huge database cumulated throughout past 15 years, thus better proving the tenet “Base in China, Face to the World” of FMC2007.

Concurrent event Furniture China, the stable backing of FMC

A total display area up to 220,000 sqm of ‘Furniture China’ currently held together with FMC2007 will have around 1,600 furniture manufacturers participating. Facing directly with these trade visitors around, the convenience of neighboring sourcing provides FMC a strong backing to be successful.

Being the largest international furniture show in Asia, Furniture China is a professional event with a variety of display sections, such as residential furniture, office furniture, cabinet furniture, and etc. Its concurrent summit forum – World Furniture Congress will also be on the stage for the first time in Shanghai. Furniture China has become the 4^th largest furniture show in the world, after the premier three in Germany, Italy, and the United States. With a 30% annually growth, Furniture China guarantees FMC a perfect exposure opportunities for woodworking machinery manufacturers and furniture material suppliers.

Year Round Online Display, new B2B concept of Trade Show

In order to easily touching exhibitors of FMC and Furniture China, an online B2B platform, www.furnitureinchina.com, is built up and warmly welcomed since its appearance. Being a new highlight of the expo industry, the website provides visitors convenient indexes of FMC exhibitor list, stand number, exhibiting products, and functions to arrange appointments onsite the show, etc. As a year-round show on website, the B2B platform provides 365 show days online for exhibitors and trade visitors.

By the end of May, over 1,500 exhibitors of Furniture China and FMC2007 have registered and submitted their information.

INTERZUM 2007 - INTERZUM IMPRESSES AS THE LEADING

INTERNATIONAL FAIR

Enthusiastic exhibitors and visitors, good business deals and transactions along with innumerable innovations characterized the scene at this year's interzum and ensured a very good mood in the exhibition halls on each day of the fair. "interzum has strengthened and consolidated its position as the leading fair", said Wolfgang Kranz, Executive Director Koelnmesse, in summing up the event.

"It is impressive confirmation of the fact that sectors, which act in a uniform and specific approach and help to shape their leading fair with commitment, can also increase their own corporate and entrepreneurial success", the Executive Director went on to say. This was also confirmed by Hubert Schwarz, Chairman of the interzum Advisory Board and Executive Director of Julius Blum GmbH Deutschland: "The great expectations, which we have placed in this interzum, have been completely fulfilled - not only due to the high internationality of the event, but also particularly in relation to the number of German visitors. Overall this interzum has been fantastic."

For the first time interzum was held in Koelnmesse's Northern Halls. "Because the new halls, flooded with light and inviting despite their dimensions, along with the Trade Fair Boulevard as the central feeder element between the halls, lend the event a brand new flair", was how one exhibitor praised the ambience and atmosphere at interzum. As far as the visitors were concerned, the new, compact structuring of the fair in particular was very well received. "The routes and distances have become much shorter, ensuring an even more efficient visit to the fair" was the comment from one foreign trade visitor.

The shortening to 4 fair days and the event's changed sequence from Wednesday to Saturday were also welcomed.

In rented hall space, which has increased by 10%, 1,361 participating companies (rise of 5 percent) from 61 countries presented their innovations in the areas of fittings, surfaces, timber-derived products, natural materials, upholstery materials and machines. Around 75 percent of the exhibitors came from other European countries and overseas. With over 50,000 guests from 137 countries the fair had an extremely international flavour once again in terms of visitors. For the first time there was also a renewed increase in the number of German visitors.

"The German furniture industry has made use of its home advantage in order to comprehensively inform itself about the international trends. We see this as confirmation of the leading trade fair concept", said Udo Traeger, Vice-President Furniture, Interior Design & Textiles at Koelnmesse.

The numerous trade visitors from Germany and abroad expressed their great satisfaction with the innovativeness shown by the furniture industry's supplying sectors and also their delight at the many intelligent and smart new solutions presented by the manufacturers. "We had an impressive stay at interzum: fantastic flair, attractive and very individual presentations by the exhibitors along with very interesting ideas and proposals for our own ideas pool", said the Marketing Manager of a major German kitchen furniture manufacturer.

An exciting contrast to the exhibitors' innovations was provided by the trend shows and lecture forums at the centre of the halls. There experts from the most diverse fields of competence and expertise held discussions on current questions and issues in the sector. The supporting events at interzum also attracted great interest. With the "Tappi Symposium", VHI Innovation Congress and the 11th European Veneer Day, a total of three premieres were held. The fact that interzum is becoming increasingly interesting and attractive for architects was confirmed by the great response to the Interior Architects' Day organized by the North-Rhine Westphalia Chamber of Architects on the 4th day of the fair.

Future-orientated innovations recognized by the interzum award
Once again this year outstanding innovations in the sector characterized the "interzum award: material innovations and design", organized for the fourth time by Koelnmesse in cooperation with red dot. A total of 51 products were selected as award-winners by the top-ranking members of the jury and presented in a separate special show during interzum.

The trends at interzum :

Design is becoming increasingly important in the furniture industry's supplying sectors and goes hand-in-hand with technical innovation and optimum functionality.

Greater comfort, convenience and user-friendliness is the main motivating factor in the area of increasingly stylish, chic fittings.

Perfected and refined drawer systems optimize storage space and promote tidiness and order down to the last niche, nook and cranny.

The soft-operating opening/closing mechanism has become a standard feature. Draws close as if by magic, and even top cupboard units' folding doors feature compressed air systems facilitating opening and closing.

Decors impress through their sheer diversity. The trend-setters are decors with a texture-like surface, floral patterns and imaginative motifs.

The diversity in the area of veneers is increasing. Even previously neglected or somewhat forgotten types of wood are being increasingly used for the furniture industry - fully in keeping with the trend towards a growing individualism.

Light is increasingly becoming a component of good design. In particular the LED light source (Light Emitting Diode) is generating many new impulses in the furniture-making sector and an emotionally appealing room design.

The lightweight construction panel - with an interior mostly in cardboard-based honeycomb form - is ready for its market launch. It is extremely stable and light, thus ensuring new furniture formats coupled with the simultaneous responsible and economic use of the resource wood.

As far as mattress covers are concerned, breathable, but also dirt-repellent fibres are making increasing inroads. Most mattress covers can be removed and washed.

Energy and material-saving machines are increasingly becoming a standard feature for the furniture industry's international supplying sectors

EFE 2007 – THE PREMIER AND MOST EFFECTIVE FURNITURE FAIR DRAWS A SUCCESSFUL END

The Export Furniture Exhibition or EFE was successfully held on 4^th – 8^th March 2007 at the new venue - Stadium Putra, Kompleks Sukan Negara, (National Sports Complex), Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

EFE opened its third annual exhibition in this new venue with the Minister of Plantation Industry and Commodities, Malaysia Yang Berhormat Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui as guest-of-honour turning the EFE’s Cube as a gesture of his Ministry efforts in guiding the furniture industry to greater heights.

EFE as the stage for a dynamic convergence of industry players and industrious entrepreneurs from the global furniture industry, this year, EFE have recorded a total of 197 booths with 167 exhibitors from Malaysia and 25 foreign exhibitors from foreign countries, namely China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and etc. And in the five days exhibition, the exhibition had attracted more than 10,000 visitors from 151 countries worldwide.

EFE 2007 exhibitors have taken their initiative to decorate their booths. This has created an attractive and very impressive surrounding giving an atmosphere of a truly international fair. The panel of judges comprising of consultant from government agencies and head of school from design colleges moved off to judge the 58 entries in the three categories – Best Booth, Best Product and Innovative Product competition of the EFE 2007. The judges were happy to comment that there were improvements in the overall standard of design in the competition. On product identity, they believe that development really takes a long time and that we must be very committed .

Again in EFE 2007, students from colleges are invited to be abreast of the latest furniture design, material, branding and etc. The organizer hopes that the new generation of Malaysia has more and earlier chances to contact with the furniture industry and rise out their interests on the furniture design and manufacturing.

EFE, promising to be a thriving hub of trading opportunity activities, this is the time to take advantage of the event from forging strategic business partnerships and chart your route to the global furniture market.

The global furniture market awaits you at EFE 2008, the premier and most effective furniture fair in the region today. We look forward to welcoming you again in 2008.

RED OAK: THE NEWEST ANSWER TO FURNITURE MAKING

Internationally renowned Italian furniture maker Maurizio Riva launched a new collection of American red oak furniture, designed by Terry Dwan, at the Cologne Furniture Show in January. Speaking at the show, Riva said that he now appreciates that, as one of the most sustainable hardwoods, red oak is able to take the pressure off other hardwood forest resources. Riva is no stranger to American hardwoods having pioneered some of the most exclusive and contemporary European designs in black cherry during the 1990s. Today the company, which has 500 distributors around the world, uses mainly American black walnut and white oak.

Maurizio Riva is highly sensitive to environmental issues, working with some of the world’s top designers and architects including Renzo Piano from Genoa. As with many leading Italian furniture makers, all their emphasis is on temperate hardwoods and red oak now gives them another option, particularly as supplies of cherry and walnut are not endless. Riva regards red oak as the “brother of European and American white oak with a colour that is warm and beautiful” which he hopes will be appreciated by the company’s many customers

Terry Dwan, a well known American designer working with Riva has created the STRONG BOX collection of solid hardwood furniture for Riva under the banner RIVA 1920. The LUDO console and the FALO’ stool were the two pieces selected to be presented in red oak at Cologne.

Most popular now in Italy is American black walnut which is also experiencing huge demand from other countries, especially China. Fifty percent of Riva’s tables are walnut, but given historical experience - Italian walnut supplies were not sustainable in the long term – no modern furniture maker can normally rely on availability of any one species. Red oak might just be an exception, given the enormous natural oak resources in the USA. Oaks represent 40% of its total standing hardwood forest; which has a long record of sustainability by natural regeneration supported by a framework of protective legislation.

Asked how Riva found red oak as a material for furniture making, the answer came back that just as with white oak, they had no particular problem in working it. However, they did find some darker veins inside the wood which were mainly cut out before use - although some can still be seen in one of the stools. Cologne is regarded as an essential platform from which to launch new furniture collections into the top end of the central European market and Riva’s stand this year had much to offer. Business was brisk, but with environmental issues increasingly strong in the minds of trade buyers, the promotion of red oak by such leading makers as Riva provides new options for the industry to develop a new fashion in hardwood that consumers can feel comfortable with.

Source: American Hardwood Export Council

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