PRESS RELEASES

INDIA INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR GAINS POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM TRADE AND INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

Unprecedented support from trade organisations and associations for India International Furniture Fair 2011

Since its launch, the inaugural India International Furniture Fair (IIFF) has gained enthusiastic response from the furniture industry. To be held in Mumbai from 16 to 18 November 2011 at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre, IIFF is positioned as a premier international furniture trade fair which will feature over 70 per cent of international exhibitor participation. IIFF 2011 is organised by MP International Pte Ltd and International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd.

A special industry briefing on IIFF was recently held in conjunction with the International Furniture Fair Singapore 2011 at Singapore Expo. Participants were briefed with impressive growth statistics on India’s booming economy and burgeoning furniture industry.
Ms Sylvia Phua, chief executive officer of MP International Pte Ltd expressed her confidence in IIFF as a dedicated premier platform for international furniture brands to penetrate into India’s massive market.

Ms Phua said, “Following the successful partnership between MP International Pte Ltd and IFFS Pte Ltd for our Singapore event, we are combining our resources and expertise to organise our first show launch in India. Thanks to our strong track record and experience, we have been able to garner support from trade associations and organisations.”

Regional trade associations such as the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Association of Furniture Manufacturers of India (AFMI) and Institute of Indian Interior Designers have affirmed their support for the trade fair.

Mr Anil Mathur, chairman of AFMI, welcomes the launch of IIFF and cites that there has been a lack of international platforms in India for leading international furniture brands to participate in and to showcase quality products to the local market.

Mr Mathur further explained, “The India International Furniture Fair will be beneficial, not only for India’s high-end furniture importers and retailers to network and source for exciting furniture brands, but also for our local architects, interior designers and real estate developers to be exposed to a diverse range of innovative furniture designs.”

According to the latest figures from World Furniture Review by CSIL Milano, India currently represents the world’s eighth largest furniture market and its real consumption of furniture will grow another 6 per cent in 2011.

India’s rapid urbanisation will spur strong demand for quality furniture in the coming years. Its urban population is likely to rise to 400 million by 2015, with Mumbai set to become the world’s biggest city with a population of 15.7 million, according to Euromonitor International.

According to McKinsey Global Institute’s research published last year, India’s fast-growing cities are estimated to drive a near four-fold increase in the country’s per capita income. There is also a rising prominence of the middle-class households with high purchasing power.

The organisers of IIFF foresee that the impressive growth prospects of India’s furniture industry will continue to attract more international furniture brands to seek new market opportunities though IIFF. India’s domestic demand is currently dominated by imports from Italy, Germany, Spain and Malaysia.

Attracted by the huge business potential India offers, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) is the latest organisation to confirm its support for IIFF.

Mr Nguyen Van Dzung, director of VCCI said, “We are constantly looking out for opportunities to penetrate and grow in new markets. India’s expanding furniture industry, driven by its buoyant economy and increasing construction development, is a very attractive market to the world now.”

“We are confident of Vietnam’s capability to produce premium furniture and furnishings and participating at the India International Furniture Fair makes perfect business sense since the show focuses on mid- to high-end furniture.”

A wide range of exhibits, ranging from residential to commercial furniture, occasional furniture and furnishings will be on display at the IIFF. The 10,000 square metre showcase is expected to draw some 5,000 visitors from all over India, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.

Besides extensive promotions in Indian subcontinent, attractive show highlights have also been planned. These include a new-to-market product showcase and industry seminars on design trends and new product innovations.

For more information on the event, please visit www.indiafurniturefair.com

A BRAND NEW COLLABORATION OF 5 AUTHORITATIVE ORGANIZATIONS HFD2011 OPENS A NEW ERA FOR HOME FASHION & DECOR INDUSTRY

2011 is a new start of China's Five-Year Plan (2011-2015). With a clearer direction of promoting "Green Economy" and "Low Carbon Society", environmental-friendly, trendy and green products are more welcomed by local consumers, especially those high-end users who pursue a better quality of life and lifestyle.

In order to have a sustainable growth of China's home fashion, furniture & decoration industry, to facilitate the communication between Northern and Southern Chinese enterprises, as well as to serve the markets surrounding Bohai Sea, China Building Decoration Association (CBDA), China Furniture & Decoration Chamber of Commerce (CFDCC), Dongguan Famous Furniture Association and Guangdong Furniture Chamber of Commerce (GDFCC), firstly join hands with Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. - the pioneer of international trade fairs organizer in China for over 30 years, to launch China (Beijing) International Exhibition on Furniture, Home Fashion & Decorations 2011 (HFD2011) on Jun 9 -12, 2011 at New China International Exhibition Centre (NCIEC).

Authoritative Guests Attend the Press Conference A press conference was held today (Dec 15) at Beijing Radisson Blu Hotel with theme "The Brand New Integrated Home Fashion Trading Platform in Bohai Area". Number of guests from renowned enterprises and associations attended. Ms. Zhang Zhongling, Secretary General of China Building Decoration Association Material Committee, welcomed all the guests attended on behalf of the organizers; Mr. Li Changli, Vice Chairman of China Building Decoration Association, Mr. Zhang Chuanxi, Executive Chairman and Secretary General of China Furniture & Decoration Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Fang Hui, Secretary General of Dongguan Famous Furniture Association, Mr. Jiang Dehui, Executive President and General Secretary of Guangdong Furniture Chamber of Commerce and Mr. Stanley Chu, Chairman of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. delivered their speeches on industrial development as well as show highlights respectively.

Mr. Li Changli of China Building Decoration Association explained, "Home fashion and building materials industry in China is at the key turning point in its history. It is a new era for innovation and quality-orientation. The production value of China's building and decoration industry exceeds RMB 2 trillion in 2010, more than 14 million people are working in this industry. We utilize our advantages to motivate 20,000 member companies to exhibit and visit HFD2011. Exhibitors can understand more about the needs of customers while visitors can grasp the latest market trend. We believe that the show will attract over 30,000 buyers to come and purchase." "Adsale persists in providing the most professional exhibitions to all industry players. Beijing - the capital of China, is a hub of both traditional culture and the latest fads. With Beijing's evolution towards a "World City" and its stepping up for a cosmopolitan image, its influence on the world's economy, politics and culture that the city imposed is indispensable. Beijing has also set the most fashionable trends for home product consumption in China", said Mr. Chu of Adsale.

Spectacular Scale of 600 Exhibitors and 60,000sqm Exhibiting Area HFD2011 is expected to accommodate 600 exhibitors and reach 60,000sqm exhibiting area. 5 theme zones will be set up, namely "Premium Furniture Zone", "Decorative Product Zone", "Kitchen & Bath Zone", "Decorative Material Zone" and "Home Design Zone", so as to facilitate different target visitors including property developers, building constructors, decoration & interior design companies, designers, building design companies, star hotels & restaurants, all design lovers, etc.

Organizers also announced that various attractive activities will be held concurrently with hot topics on Trend, Design, Home Fashion, etc. Among all, China Real Estate Association and China Building Materials Circulation Association will organize an activity named "China Home Interior Design Fair - Designers Homes Exhibition". Award-winning designers homes by 30 top Chinese real estate developers will be showcased and visitors can experience the explicitly creative interior design solutions.

Mr. Jiang Dehui, Executive President and General Secretary of GDFCC, revealed that the chamber will organize a Guangdong Pavilion at the fairground. This is the first time to gather excellent Guangdong's furniture enterprises altogether and to promote "Guangdong as a brand icon" outside Guangdong Province.

Renowned Enterprises Join the Strategic Partnership Signing Ceremony Furthermore, BBMG Group Company Limited, Alliance of Beijing-style Furniture Brands, Beijing New Building Material (Group) Co., Ltd., Hunter Douglas, Guli Security Products Limited, Dongguan YiJia Sofa Co., Ltd., OuDe Furniture, Asia Pacific City of Furniture and Home Materials, etc, have attended the press conference and signed the partnership contract with HFD2011. As renowned enterprises in their own business sectors, they said that Northern China offers unparalleled business opportunities and they believe that the market will grow continuously in coming years. In the past few years, companies could not find one suitable exhibition in Beijing; HFD2011 is really a good platform for them to enlarge the market share in Bohai Area.

In the final part of the press conference, all guests held a ceremony to highlight the first cooperation between Northern and Southern Chinese associations. It is expected that HFD2011 will become a stunning show in furniture and decoration industry in China.

HFD2011 will be held on Jun 9 -12, 2011 at New China International Exhibition Centre (NCIEC), Beijing, PR China. Apart from 5 authoritative organizers, the show is also co-organized by China Building Decoration Association Material Committee, Beijing Yazhan Exhibition Services Ltd. and GD Modern Convention & Exhibition Management Co. Ltd.

CHINA (BEIJING) INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION ON FURNITURE, HOME FASHION & DECORATIONS TO BE HELD IN BEIJING IN JUNE 2011

China (Beijing) International Exhibition on Furniture, Home Fashion & Decorations (“HFD” thereafter) will be held in New China International Exhibition Centre (NCIEC) from June 9-12, 2011. The exhibition is jointly organized by Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., China Building Decoration Association, Dongguan Famous Furniture Association and co-organized by China Building Decoration Association Materials Committee, GD Modern Convention & Exhibition Management Co Ltd and Beijing Yazhan Exhibition Services Ltd.

With the rise of the nation’s economic power, Chinese people become wealthier. They no longer simply consider the practical aspect of home living, but look for a living environment that stresses on comfortable space and spiritual enjoyment. It enriches the furniture and home fashion products with more trendy and stylish elements.

HFD 2011 serves as a good channel for the trendy and innovative brands to expand into the capital-led Bohai market. The exhibition provides a perfect platform for quality home products suppliers to tap into both local and overseas markets. It also satisfies the demand of buyers in sourcing trendy and fashionable home products and materials in the high-end consumer market in Beijing. HFD 2011 follows the latest international trends and creates a modern home living with high-grade living environment.

Beijing, the capital of China, is a business city with both rich cultural heritage and latest trends and fads. Beijing is now transforming into a “World City” and a cosmopolitan image is gradually formed. It does not only exercise great influence on the world’s economic, political and cultural development, but also set the trends for the nation’s home furniture, fashion and decoration products.

The World Bank estimates that more than half of the world’s building construction projects will take place in China by 2015. And by 2020, the urban population in China will rise to 60% while residential area will reach a high level of 70 billion square meters. The Chinese people demand a higher home living standard, which means huge business opportunities to home furniture and decoration industry. HFD 2011 is built upon the themes of “home fashion”, ”environmental-friendly” and “low carbon”. Following the trends of “environmental protection”, “ecology”, “fashion & trends”, “health” and “comfort”, it places great focus on energy saving and low emission and aims to build a green and low carbon city. The exhibition showcases world famous brands, self-developed brands, original design brands and quality products to make itself a new and innovative home furniture and decoration industry event.

HFD 2011 keeps abreast of the industry trends. It provides one-stop comprehensive home furniture, design and decoration solutions based on the ideas of “low carbon”, “environmental friendly” and “green”. In this way, consumers are able to understand the concept of low carbon living and the put into effect the use of environmental-friendly, low carbon and green home furniture and products in thousands of households. Industry practitioners generally agree that “low carbon living” will be the new highlight in the industry of home furniture, fashion and decorations.

To make one-stop sourcing more convenient for buyers, 5 theme zones are set up, namely “Premium Furniture Zone”, “Decorative Product Zone”, “Kitchen & Bath Zone”, “Decorative Material Zone” and “Home Design Zone”. Famous brands in the category of premium furniture, decorative products, whole-set kitchens and related products, sanitary wares, decoration companies, interior design companies, energy-saving and environmental-friendly materials are also invited to make it an important industry function.

The exhibition aims at providing the industry practitioners in Beijing and the nearby regions with the latest home furniture products. It has built a new platform for both local and overseas enterprises to develop their import/export businesses. We cordially invite all home furniture experts to meet in Beijing.

WMF2010 & FAM2010 - CREATING A NEW MILESTONE FOR WOODWORKING INDUSTRY IN 2010

Being an excellent trading platform in woodworking industry, the biennial world-class event, The 13th International Exhibition on Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Manufacturing Equipment (WMF2010) and The 13th International Exhibition on Furniture Accessories, Materials and Wood Products (FAM2010), will be held on March 10 to 13, 2010 at the China International Exhibition Centre (CIEC) in Beijing, China.

Despite the global economic downturn, the furniture and woodworking industry in China gradually recovers and records an encouraging growth. China is undoubtedly a huge market; Domestic sales for furniture in the first half of 2009 have reached RMB 152.9 billion, with a 10.6% year-on-year growth. Furniture exports in the first half of 2009 remained high at USD 14.1 billion despite a drop of 9.45%. Among all, the decline in China’s wood products import and export trade were less than the national level, trading amount for China’s wood products reached USD 26 billion in the first half of 2009. Second quarter data even showed a more impressive increase rate at 15.05%, when compared to first quarter. Such recovery has reinforced the enterprises’ confidence for the WMF2010 & FAM2010, which in turn has resulted to an overwhelming response in both exhibitors recruitment as well as visitor promotion.

Asia’s Largest Woodworking Fair Hits Record Scale

Following the success in 2006 and 2008, WMF2010 and FAM2010 continue to be Asia’s Largest Fair for Woodworking Machinery, Furniture Accessories and Materials. WMF2010 & FAM2010 will occupy an exhibition area of 70,000sqm, accommodating 700 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions including Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, India, Italy, Malaysia, China, Taiwan Province and more. Over 2,000 machines will be presented at the exhibit.

The organizers have also expanded the venue from 10 halls to 12 halls to include theme zones on Woodworking Machinery, Panel Board Manufacturing Technology, Furniture Accessories, Materials and Wood Products (Overseas), Furniture Accessories, Materials and Wood Products (Local) and others. Meanwhile, the number of pavilions will be increased to 7 to include those from Germany and Italy, and from associations / regions like Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association (TWMA), Qingdao Woodworking Machinery, Shanghai Woodworking Machinery and Lunjiao Woodworking Machinery.

Numerous renowned woodworking, accessories and materials enterprises have already confirmed / reserved spaces for the event. Lunjiao Woodworking Machinery Pavilion will house Nan Xing, New Mas, Weideli, V-hold, Guangdong Firmy, Tongan, Ente, etc. Qingdao Woodworking Machinery Pavilion will include Friend, Yazhou Gongyou (Weihai), Shanxi Qiulin, Qingdao Yongqiang, Qingdao Haomailong, Qingdao Huashunchang, Qingdao Haozhonghao, Qingdao New-Motivity, Shangdong Dongwei, Laizhou Fulin, Qingdao Qianchuan, Qingdao Huachengtian, etc. Shanghai Woodworking Machinery Pavilion currently partners with Shanghai Yuetong and other renowned exhibitors. Exhibitors from Furniture Accessories, Materials & Wood Products will include Blum and more, while exhibitors from the Woodworking Machinery & Panel Board Manufacturing Technology are namely Guanglong, Jiangsu Jangja, Nantong Guoquan, Dalian Huizhong, Anderson, Beijing Lianzhonglian, Keenman, Sufoma and more.

A One-stop Sourcing Platform for Machinery, Accessories and Materials

To enhance the brand image of the show, the organizer, Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. specially designs a new logo for FAM. Incorporating with the original logo of WMF, the show has manifested one-stop purchasing and trading concept of “Machinery + Materials + Accessories” to all visitors.

Since its inception in 1986, WMF & FAM have gained wide support from furniture and related industries. The trade fair, recognized as the most established woodworking fair in China, is now in its thirteenth set. As in the past, WMF & FAM is expected to demonstrate the latest woodworking machinery, accessories and tools to professional buyers. Exhibits on machinery and tools will include Wood Processing Machinery, Furniture Manufacturing Machinery, Panel Board Manufacturing Machinery, Knife and Blade, Machinery Accessories, Hand Tools, Grinder, Measuring Equipment, Materials Handling Equipment, etc. Exhibits on the materials will include Logs, Panel Board, Hardware, Semi-finished Wood Products, Chemicals, Decoration Materials and more. Building Construction Products and Interior Decorative Materials and Software will also be displayed in their specific theme zones.

Supported Exclusively by EUMABOIS

WMF & FAM have gained exclusive support from European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (EUMABOIS) for three consecutive years (2008, 2010, and 2012), which further consolidates the show’s international and local support.

With diversified and extensive promotion campaigns, organizers have collaborated with various local and overseas trade media, as well as furniture-related professional markets for visitor promotion. Several buyer delegations and associations from the Hebei Province and more have been invited. Over 30,000 visitors from all over China and the world are expected to visit the show.

The honorary organizers of WMF and FAM are the State Forestry Administration of P.R. China, China International Exhibition Centre Group Corporation and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The organizers include China National Forestry Machinery Association, Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., China Forestry Group Corporation and China Building Decoration Association.

INDEX, THE MIDDLE EAST’S MOST EXCLUSIVE INTERIOR DESIGN EVENT, IS SET TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC

INDEX, the leading trade interior design show in the Middle East, has announced an exclusive consumer evening on Monday 16 November, from 16.00 - 21.00. Consumers will have access to some of the most influential and cutting edge interior design brands from across the world all gathered in one place.

Showcasing everything from luxurious lighting to cutting edge textiles, unusual paints to outdoor furniture and tableware, INDEX is guaranteed to be the perfect place for design lovers to purchase sought after, individual pieces from leading interior brands from around the world including Villeroy & Boch, Alpha Crystal Lighting, Andrew Martin International, Bafco Karndean, Kartell, Flou, Zanotta and Swarovski.

align=right width="120" height="108">In addition to being able to snap up some fabulous and unique pieces for the home, consumers will also get an in-depth insight into all the latest interior trends, providing inspiration for them to create the perfect stylish home. Leading interior designers will also be on hand with style advice and providing top tips on interior design. World expert trend forecaster, Victoria Redshaw from Scarlet Opus will provide consumers with an overview of the Spring/Summer 2010 & Autumn/Winter 2010/11 trends, detailing the coming season’s colours, materials and surface patterns, ensuring that they are informed about the latest interior design concepts.

The show is also set to include other inspirational features, such as a competition to design the majlis of the future. The first competition of its kind, four leading interior design companies have been selected to design and build their vision of the contemporary majlis using only products available at the show. A symbol of traditional Arabic culture where family and friends gather, the challenge lies in fusing the old with the new. All four designs will be built and showcased at INDEX, with the best being selected and awarded by a panel of industry leaders.

Lu Buchanan, INDEX event director said, “We are looking forward to welcoming consumers to what is otherwise a trade dominated event. INDEX will provide a rare opportunity to purchase a vast array of high end products from the best designers in the world, including Italy and Spain. With the exhibition’s focus firmly on high-quality design, visitors are guaranteed an exclusive opportunity that anyone with an interest in interior design should not miss!”

Access to the consumer day will cost just 50 AED, with tickets available on the door of the World Trade Centre, for more information or to reserve your ticket visit www.indexexhibition.com.

THE OFFICE EXHIBITION 2010:  PROVIDING A GATEWAY FOR EUROPEAN
OFFICE SECTOR COMPANIES INTO THE MIDDLE EAST

With European markets depressed as a result of the economic crisis, The Office Exhibition 2010 is seeing increasing interest from European office sector companies wanting to capitalise on the huge opportunities that are available in the UAE.

The office sector in the UAE continues to grow, and the region is becoming an attractive location for companies to relocate to, with many leading international companies transferring their headquarters to the region as a result of its tax-free environment and advantageous free-zones.  The recent drop in high office rent, prompted by the current global economic situation, has also added to the attractiveness of the region, resulting in an increasing number of businesses relocating or opening offices within the GCC.  The UAE is predicted to have the highest growth in office space in the region, with a further 6.7 million m² of new office space planned in 2010 alone.

Despite the current global economic downturn, the MENA region is still growing, achieving real GDP growth of 2% for 2009.  In particular, the higher education, healthcare and public sectors are set to continue to experience extraordinary growth, with the UAE government committed to spending some US$56 billion on public development projects over the next three years.

The Office Exhibition, now in its 9^th year, is a premium showcase for the high-end products, technology and services that combine to create outstanding working environments.  The exhibition, which is the only event of its kind in the MENA region, will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 9-11 February 2010 and will feature over 350 companies, covering an area of approximately 25,000 m².  The event has evolved into a one-stop-shop for the office industry, and will include everything from the latest in office furniture design to cutting edge technology solutions.

Interest in the show from companies outside of the Middle East, in particular from Europe, has increased significantly.  In addition to National Pavilions from the UAE, Germany, Portugal, UK, Austria, Sweden, USA, Korea and Turkey, there will be a debut appearance of a Greek Pavilion, and Cyprus has doubled the size of theirs.  The Danish Export Association is also, for the first time, working on bringing a grouped participation of up to 12 companies.

Given the changing shape of the office, with technology becoming increasingly important, The Office Exhibition 2010 will have an increased focus on this sector, and will provide opportunities for IT companies from across the world to showcase their latest products.  The show will also include a visionary Future Office feature, where a number of manufacturers from both furniture and the technology companies will put together a mock-up of their predictions of what the working environment will look like in years to come, addressing also the ergonomic issues.   

Sinead Bridgett, The Office Exhibition event director, said, “As the European economy continues to suffer, we are seeing strong interest from European companies who are recognising the massive potential of the Middle East.  The office sector here remains a growth area, and The Office Exhibition provides an excellent opportunity for overseas businesses to showcase their products, and network with companies here.”

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POSITIVE BUSINESS NEWS FROM THE GCC REGION

Saudi companies optimistic on outlook

Saudi Arabia's small business sector is among the most optimistic of 12 key emerging markets studied in a new HSBC survey.

Small business sentiment across the kingdom was largely positive in their 12 month outlook regarding nvestment in their businesses, foreign trade and recruitment, the Emerging Markets Small Business Confidence Monitor added.

The survey showed that 39 percent of Saudi businesses with a turnover of less than $30m expected to increase capital expenditure while only 19 percent believed investment in their companies would slow.

The kingdom's entrepreneurs were even more optimistic about trade outlook. About 57 percent believed trade with the rest of the Middle East will expand by up to a fifth or more.

80 percent predicted increased business with mainland China, with more than half of these anticipating growth of more than 20 percent.

Two thirds of respondents forecast a rise in trade with the rest of Asia.

Regarding recruitment, owners and top management of Saudi Arabia's small businesses have the most ambitious plans of any of the 12 emerging markets surveyed with 40 percent expecting to need to increase their workforces and with one in eight seeking to grow their staff by more than 20 percent.

"Overall, the leaders of Saudi Arabia's smaller business sector - the vital fuel of every country's economy - are more positive about the short term outlook than their counterparts in almost all other emerging markets surveyed," said, Adel Al-Nasser, deputy managing director of SABB.

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‘FMC 2009’ WHERE HIGH-END SUPPLIERS OF FURNITURE COMPONENTS AND
RAW MATERIALS MEET

Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China 2009 (FMC 2009) and FMC Premium will be held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre from September 9-12, 2009 alongsde Furniture China 2009, the 4th largest furniture exhibition in the world, which is expected to attract 2,300 exhibitors and more than 70,000 domestc and international trade visitors.

Strong support from our exhibitors ensure FMC 2009 was fully booked a month before its opening. FMC will host more than 600 exhibitors of woodworking machinery and furniture matereals over 36,000 sqm of exhibition space. The show is proud to attract a large numbe of famous machinery equipment brands, including HOMAG, BIESSE, WEINIG, YUETONG, NANXING, YUANTIAN, many other wel-known Chinese woodworking machinery manufacturers as well as a pavilion organized by the Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association (TWMA) with more than twenty Taiwanese companies. At the same time, more than 350 domestc furniture matereal suppliers will present a full variety of high-quality products and exhibits, together with well-known international brands like AHEC, JOWAT, ITC, CHENGUANG, FRENCHTIMBER, KINGDECOR etc. Firms like HUARUN coating and BASF will be participating in the show for the first time.

Located in hall E5, FMC PREMIUM 2009 will feature 150 selected exhibitors over 6,000 sqm of exhibition space. Exhibits will cover all necessities for furniture manufacturing rom raw materials to chemicals, fittings, semi-finished products and many more.

The Organiser is arranging a series of seminars and other activities during the show to foster cooperation between domestc and overseas companies. Organised in cooperation with "China Wood", the "Legal & Sustainable Furniture Raw Mateal Forum" will be held on September 10, 2009. WWF-CFTN, FSC\PEPC, AHEC, Canada Wood and French Timber will come together to discuss timber availability, classification and application in China, and about sustainable development of furniture matereal.

FMC 2009 will be a testimony to the rapid development of the country's furniture and interior design industry. This year the show will again bring the most updated products and designs and market deas.

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INDEX 2009 SET TO PARTNER WITH APID –
FIRST STEPS TOWARDS DUBAI FESTIVAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN

INDEX 2009, the leading trade interior design show in the Middle East, has signed an agreement with APID, the Association of Professional Interior Designers, making them the official partner for this year’s show.  It marks the first steps towards a combined goal of introducing the Dubai Festival of Interior Design, which would place the Emirate at the forefront of the international interior design calendar.

APID is hosting the 24th General Assembly of the IFI (International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers) and the World Interior Design Congress 2009.  These biennial events are being held in Dubai for the first time in their 46 year history, and take place from 6-11 November.

INDEX takes place the following week, from 14-17 November, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, and is introducing a number of features to help the interior design industry maximise opportunities in what is a difficult business environment.  The exhibition will showcase some of the industry’s leading products and designs from high profile companies including Longhi, Rexite, Porada, Andreu World and Colleccion Alexandra.  Pre visitor registration for INDEX is already at record levels, up by over 90% from this time last year.

In order to bridge the gap between the events, INDEX will be hosting cultural tours for IFI delegates on 12 and 13 November, as well as a reception at the show.  In addition, IFI delegates will be invited to join the INDEX VIP Business Match-Making programme, which will match top interior designers, specifiers and buyers with relevant exhibitors.

Hosting the Dubai Festival of Interior Design will be a fusion of the best of creative talents and business minds that will undoubtedly place Dubai on a level with other major international design show capitals.

The Emirate of Dubai will embrace interior design for the week, promoting interior design as a vital part of Dubai’s economy where significant projects are confirmed for the year 2009.  The Dubai Festival of Interior Design will elevate the profile and global understanding of professional interior design and consultancy to a new level, thereby providing significant benefits to both clients and the design profession world wide. 

APID and INDEX are collaborating closely to ensure that this event will be a landmark in the design calendar and an event at the forefront of “Design Worldwide”, for the future.

Lu Buchanan, INDEX event director said, “We have been working closely with the industry to ensure that INDEX 2009 is very design-focused, as we want to produce a show that rivals the other leading international interior design events.  Our longer term goal is to expand INDEX so that it becomes part of a brand new Dubai Festival of Interior Design.  Working with APID, and other interested parties, will ensure that this happens, and our formal relationship for INDEX 2009 is a great start to this process.

“We are looking forward to IFI Conference delegates joining us – I am confident that the special activities we have planned for them, in addition to the fact that they will be part of our VIP Business Match-Making programme, will make their time in Dubai worthwhile.”

Kenneth Laidler, APID President, added, “”APID was given the opportunity to host the IFI National Assembly and grasped the opportunity with both hands, similarly APID welcomes the opportunity to partner with INDEX and is confident the collaboration will produce a truly individual inspiring and memorable event.”

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 FURNITURE MANUFACTURING & SUPPLYCHINA2009
  Concurrently with Furniture China, FMC Premium
September 9-12, 2009, Shanghai New Int’l Expo Centre

Organizer:

China National Furniture Association
Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo Int’l Exhibition Co., Ltd.

 FMC 2009 – Fully Booked

Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China 2009 (FMC 2009) will be staged alongside FMC Premium at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from September 9-12, 2009. Being a part of Furniture China, FMC is one of the largest furniture equipment and material exhibitions in Asia. The show is proud to attract more than 650 famous machinery equipment exhibitors and furniture supply corporations.

FMC 2009 benefits from co-location with Furniture China 2009, the 4th largest furniture exhibition in the world, which is expected to attract more than 70,000 domestic and international trade visitors. FMC and FMC Premium will host about 650 companies with 36,000 sqm of exhibition area.

World famous brands re-join in spite of a weak economy

Despite a bleak economic climate, FMC 2009 has continued to keep its key figures at the record heights achieved in the previous edition. According to the statistics of the organizer, FMC 2009 is fully booked again. International and domestic woodworking manufacturers, such as HOMAG, BIESSE, WEINIG, SCM, NANXING, Shanghai YUETONG, V-HOLD confirmed their participation. Taiwan Woodworking Manufacturers Association (TWMA) will joint with more than 30 of their members. In addition, a large number of exhibitors have confirmed their attendance in the classified display sections, LEITZ, LEUCO and AKE in Saws Blades and Tools hall, JUNJIA, LIWANG in Fabric and Leather hall, HYDERON, BOKE in Furniture Hardware and Fittings hall, CHANGRUNFA PAINT, HUARUN PAINT in Furniture Coatings & Chemicals hall…Thus FMC will create an excellent opportunity for great business deals and provide international networking at the show.

FMC Premium continues to attract industry leaders

As a part of FMC, FMC Premium continues to provide an exclusive business platform where exhibitors can concentrate fully on business and products. Targeted at high leveled furniture raw material exhibitors, FMC Premium has been fully booked, among them international companies such as JOWAT, POLLMEIER, EXOR, TABU, AHEC, etc. FMC Premium witnesses the rapid development of the country’s furniture and interior design industry. The show will again bring us updated products and ideas of the market.

Exhibition space of FURNITURE CHINA including 10 indoor halls and 26 outdoor halls are fully booked and assure the high quality and quantity exhibitors and visitors of FMC. Thus the show will showcase the full spectrum of the industry. This September exhibitors from over 20 different countries gather in Shanghai, to show their latest products, discuss the latest industry technologies, prospects and innovations. In this special environment, FMC will still be the most important platform in China for visitors and the exhibitors to establish profitable relationships.

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NO.1 IN ASIA，LEADING THE WORLD “CIFF 2009”

CIFF 2009 March, short for 23rd China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou), lowered its curtain with gratifying results on March 30th at China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou. The 1st phase of the grand event specialized in CIFF-Home Furniture, staged from March 18th to 21st, concurrently with Outdoor & Leisure Guangzhou 2009, Homedecor & Housewares China 2009, CeramEx China 2009 and Intertextile Guangzhou-Hometextile China 2009, while the 2nd phase focused on CIFF-Office Furniture, along with China International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Raw Materials Fair (Guangzhou) / interzum guangzhou 2009 from March 27th to 30th.

In the face of the global economic crisis, the March show of CIFF 2009 along with seven vertical shows under one roof gained a great success. The total exhibition scale has enlarged to 500,000 SQM and hosted 2620 domestic and overseas exhibitors while gathering 136310 buyers, 32922 of which are overseas buyers from 160 countries and 103388 are domestic buyers, respectively. The overall attendance of buyers remains the same level as that of 2008, with 3.1% growth in domestic visitors and 11.8% decline in overseas counterparts.  According to the feedback of our satisfaction survey, exhibitors are fairly pleased with the results which are better than what they anticipate and they have basically achieved the targeted goals.

CIFF-HOME FURNITURE (18th -21, March, 2009)

ALL Star Cast

CIFF 2009 March - Home Furniture shows up with an all-star cast. The domestic leading brands like LANDBOND, HING LEE, KINWAI, ROYAL, KUKA, ZUOYOU, RED APPLE, OPAL, KANG SHENG, BEKING，CAMERICH, ZHI HAO, STEEL-LAND, YI FENG, BILTURE display their newest products in Modern Furniture region. FOUR SEAS, BO YUEN, YUE XING, WEN HUA SPIRIT, POSH, GOLD PHOENIX, GAINWELL, FU BANG, WSXINGLONG, MINGQING in Classical Furniture region exemplifies dazzling charm in showcase. Besides, overseas exhibitors including INDEX(Thailand), Colono(Spain), KODA(Singapore), Ashley(America), Jans2en(HK), HI TEAM(Taiwan), PT. BUANA INTER GLOBAL(Indonesia) bring in the furniture of fresh designs. Though the buyers from USA and Europe buy less due to weak markets, exhibitors gain increased trading volume in the domestic market and other rising markets like Middle East. The furniture wholesaling giants of Shunde Louvre and Redstar Macalline have their booth shown at CIFF as well.

Comments from Participants

President of China National Furntiure Association, Mr. Jia Qingwen, praises CIFF as “the barometer of Chinese furniture industry”. Chinese buyers are happy to see the enterprises pay more attention to the domestic market, while 89.2% overseas buyers are satisfied with the exhibition effect according to the on-site survey. The trading delegation from Japan is formed with five reprehensive enterprises like TAIYO Furniture, JEFSA Central Inc., GARANT MOBEL and so on. Particularly, the president over 80 years old of TAIYO Furniture, the biggest furniture department store in Japan, takes part in the shopping at CIFF for the first time. The speaker of the delegation says, “We will increase the shopping volume and select the suppliers and qualified products more carefully this year. This is our unique way to tackle the difficult time.” He also remarks, “On this tough occasion, it is impressive for CIFF to successfully keep the progress in scale and quality.”

Professional Activities & Service On-Site

The fashion concept of “LOHAS”, standing for the idea of healthy life and human friendliness, is expressed in the design of furniture found throughout the fair, which delivers the good experience to the visitors. They also appreciate the services and activities at the CIFF, like the “Service System for Frequent Buyers” first launched this year, the gallery of “Red-Stroke Design Exhibition” promoting cooperation between designers and manufactories, and the Digital Kitchen Zone highlighting the technology in lifestyle. The multifunction of trading and communication at CIFF gains the high intention for next session’s participation from both buyers and exhibitors.

Outdoor & Leisure Guangzhou 2009

Under “VIP Union System”, innovatively launched this year, 105 most influential brands like ALMA CONTRACT, KIAN, MANO LEISURE, GARDENART FURNITURE, ARTIE GARDEN, HUATONG GARDEN and LINYA CRAFTWORK have been attracted to the fair of Outdoor & Leisure Guangzhou 2009. The show establishes a high-end platform for commercial meeting, image presenting and fashion releasing through the full display of outdoor living.

Seminar on European Outdoor Furniture Design delivers a hint of making use of high-quality environment-friendly materials to enter the market. The gallery of “World Class Outdoor Design” combines together top-brand display and interactive communication to release the latest outdoor fashion and promote the concept of healthy living. Over 90% buyers are satisfied with the show and will come back next year in the survey.

Homedecor & Housewares China 2009

Homedecor & Housewares China 2009 covered an area of 35,000 SQM, 15,000 SQM larger than the previous session in March 2009. Around 200 domestic and overseas enterprises including famous brands like Sitong,Xiang You, Artage, Eternal, Yinbo, Zhongshun Wooden, Jin Da, Landbond, Ya Masun, Fuhua, Beixiong displayed their qualify products at the show.The diversity of product lines cover the products of Pottery & Glassware, Lighting, Picture & Frames displayed at the show which becomes richer than that of the last session. The inspired designers bring in concepts like “Continental Style”, “Miscellaneous Pieces” of Nature, Abstract Art, and Accessories for all to the exhibits.

There are 34,834 buyers visit the show, 8,322 of which are international buyers. 82% of them feel satisfied with the effect of participation and find the products meeting their needs.   

Ceramics China 2009

CeramEx China 2009, covering an area of 10,000 SQM, has engaged in household & art ceramics in spite of Hong Kong Pavilion and Chao Zhou Pavilion. Famous brands like Sanhuan, Red Star, Hualian, Liuhua, Shunxiang, and Yongfengyuan exhibit at the show with products from different regions. The stylish features insist on the concept of health, environmental friendliness and green techiques. Hunan Hualian China Industry Co.,LTD. showcases the estimated master piece of the Chairman Mao’s memoral, which is full of collection values and attracts a good flow of visitors at the show. 

Intertextile Guangzhou- Hometextile China 2009

China (Guangzhou) International Trade Fair for Home Textiles 2009(hereinafter refer to as Intertextile Guangzhou- Hometextile China 2009) featured by 151 exhibitors in an exhibition area of 20,000 SQM. It’s the first time that overseas group pavilions from Germany, Britain, Korea and Pakistan participated in the show, while the exhibitors from major domestic manufacturing clusters like Yuhang, Jiaxing, Shaoxing and Haining in Zhejiang province continually attend the show in regional pavilions. The products are much richer with sofa fabrics and leather accounting for 43.9%, upholstery fabrics 23%, curtain fabrics 15.5%, bed linen, blankets and bedding down products, carpets and rugs 17.6%.

Seminar-“The trends of 2010 for the interior products market based on observation of developments in Europe” was performed by Kevin Lewis - a famous designer from Britain during the show. The Gallery of “Outstanding Works in Home Textiles 2008” displays the awarded products in last session show. Visitors are crowding into the gallery and appreciating them as pieces of art. Buyers throughout the world pay high involvement to the show and about 80% of whom remarked that they will be back at the next session according to the research.

CIFF-OFFICE FURNITURE (27-30, March, 2009)

All Star Cast

CIFF 2009 March - Office Furniture is the largest office furniture event in Asia with features of new concepts, new designs and new stature. Nearly all top furniture enterprises like MATSU, SAOSWN, OU LIN, YOUZHAN、SUNON, OFISWORLD have participate the show and divided by specified product categories in order under the deeper professional organization. Many famous manufacturers at the fair demonstrate their latest creations and advancements to show their improvement in technological innovation. SUNON firstly releases their latest R&D technique of “U + Coating Technology” during the show, which reveals the new progress in the environmental friendly skill in domestic furniture manufacturing industry. Seminar hosted by SAOSEN Furniture introduces the future development of “medium density fiberboard powder coating technique” to furniture manufacturing.

Multiple Industrial Activities On-Site

The office furniture show this year adopts the creative multiple formats in activity organization. The theme gallery of “Finland Modern Furniture Design and Office Space-Works of Yrjo Kukkapuro and His Students” is one of the unique activities consisting of three parts: the design works show, the academic forum and the cocktail banquet. Many domestic furniture companies appreciate the works created by the renowned design master and his students and acquire advanced design concepts from Europe through the event. It also functions as a channel for communication in the furniture industry. Besides, the Annual Meeting of China National Furniture Association Office Furniture Profession is held during the show. The 3rd Annual Meeting of Government Furniture Procurement kicks off with officials from over 30 procurement centers of municipal governments and furniture company representatives. The 23rd CIFF-Office Furniture is more than a mere “one-stop” trading platform, but a must attended event of Chinese office furniture industry.

Comments from Participants

Though the industry is in a tough time resulting from the global economic crisis, the industry practitioners still remain confident about the future by the positive responses from the market at CIFF. Zhu Changling, vice president of China National Furniture Association, foresees an increase of exports in the office furniture industry; his foresight is not only justified by investigation done by the organizer of CIFF which indicates that there is a change in sales strategy, but not in volume, but also proved by the marketing director with HONGKAI who also says that there is an increase in the number of buyers both at home and from abroad at this fair indicating a promising future.

Renames in 2010

As Asia’s mature trading platform of office furniture, CIFF Office Furniture Show is growing to be the best place to showcase office integrated environment, office space design and systematic planning. From March 2010, the show will be renamed as CIFF Office Show, so as to further reflect the positioning of Whole-office presentation. Getting more elements from office perspective, the show will provide all-in-one solutions in the fields of modern office space layout, environment design and supported facilities. (无须突出该部分)

China International Woodworking Machinery & Raw Materials Fair (Guangzhou)/ INTERZUM GUANGZHOU 2009

China International Woodworking Machinery & Raw Materials Fair (Guangzhou)/interzum guangzhou 2009, holding the strategic position as a gateway for international companies to sell to the China market as well as a springboard for China companies to sell to Asia, attracts many repeated as well as first time exhibitors. The fair is further enlarged in size to 80,000sqm, 33% over that of last year, providing more opportunities for participating companies and buyers. In total, 761 exhibitors attend the show, 10.6% more than that of last year, with 209 international exhibitors.

Industry players remain optimistic about the future. About 39,222 buyers visit the show, 9,057 of which are overseas buyers, slightly over the situation in last year. Li Qiang from Chengdu, China, says the increasing number of buyers at the fair shows the sign of an optimistic attitude toward the future market. The frequent buyer, Karl R. Kehrer from Australia, is glad to see the great progress in scale and upgraded products and service. Jan Rudzki, the purchasing agent from Sweden, says with excitement and eagerness that products exhibited are great in quantity.

“Actually, the situation is better than what we expected. Chinese customers are more optimistic and they hold a very good view for the future.” commented Mr. Marco Rampichini, General Manager, SCM Group. Mr. Aduen Wang, the Marketing Manager for A&D JASMINE INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD said “This is the second time that we exhibit and we feel that it is an excellent platform to showcase our products, as we received many enquiries from buyers in China and the Asia Pacific region.”

Preview of CIFF 2009 September

In the next session, the 24th CIFF will keep the exhibition marketing principle of “Export Orientation” along with the “Domestic Market Expansion”. There are three highlights of CIFF 2009 September you can not afford to miss as follows:

A Right Comprehensive “Whole-Home-Decor” showcase with accessories and textiles.

Core themes of Modern Furniture and Classical Furniture in CIFF 2009 Sept. along with Homedecor + Hometextile China (Guangzhou) 2009 will be held concurrently. Outdoor & Leisure products theme will be shown in the special zone at the show. The exhibits from interior furnishing to outdoor lifestyle will form the “Whole-Home-Decor” platform continually.

September Fair Attracts Growing Attention of the world

CIFF 2009 September’s exhibition venue is located closely by the largest furniture manufactory base of China and Southern Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The marketing channel throughout the world and the thousands of esteemed customers of CIFF will make CIFF 2009 September the Asia’s furnishing sourcing center in fall season.

Professional Service Valuates your Participation.

The floor plan arrangement will be divided more scientifically; high technology in fair networking will be adopted to upgrade the service systems for buyers, exhibitors and media; more added value activities and seminars will be organized to motivate the long-term development of the furniture industry. More spectacular business of world furniture industry awaits your participation in CIFF 2009 September. See you right in Guangzhou, September 6th-9th, 2009.

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SENIOR MINISTER GOH APPLAUDS SINGAPORE MOZAIC SHOWING AT SALONE
INTERNATIONALE DEL MOBILE 2009 IN ITALY

Singapore’s Senior Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong visited the prestigious Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2009 in Milan, Italy on Wedneday. He visited the show to lend support for the Singapore contingent representing the country’s furniture industry at the event under the collective brand, Singapore Mozaic.

SM Goh was received by Mr Andrew Ng, President of the Singapore Furniture Industries Council and accompanied by representatives from Singapore government agencies. Together, they toured the Singapore pavilion and viewed the quality displays by the six local companies that are holding Singapore’s name up high under the Singapore Mozaic umbrella – they are brand ambassadors Air

Division Pte Ltd, Getz Bros & Co (S) Pte Ltd, Koda Ltd, Office Planner Pte Ltd and Star Furniture Industries Pte Ltd as well as Exit Design.

An initiative by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), Singapore Mozaic is a B2B industry furniture brand supported by International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) and SPRING Singapore. It aims to showcase Singapore furniture’s finest and to enhance global recognition of the quality, design, reliability and value offered by Singapore’s furniture companies so as to gain greater market share worldwide.

SM Goh also had a series of lively discussions with the representatives of the six Singapore exhibitors at the fair whose participation is supported by the International Marketing Activities Programme (IMAP) from International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore). He was also given a quick overview of the works by six of Singapore’s rising design companies - 1degOFF design playgroup, d.lab™, Jarrod Lim Design, Air Design Group, Outofstock and Studio JUJU. These companies are exhibiting at Salone Satellite, an annual showcase for new designs and ideas by young architects and students of industrial design with the support of the Overseas Promotion Partnership Programme (OPPP) by DesignSingapore Council. Mr Andrew Ng said: “I am glad that Singapore furniture companies and our young designers are leveraging on important international platforms such as Salone Internazionale del Mobile to reach out to a bigger, global audience and thus, increase Singapore’s profile as reputable furniture player in the international market”.

SM Goh’s visit is a strong testimony for the local furniture industry and an endorsement of its efforts to expand internationally. The positive encouragement he has given to the Singapore Mozaic ambassadors and furniture designers while on his visit to Salone Internazionale del Mobile has given the industry a positive fillip.

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PANELEXPO 2009 – A SUCCESSFUL ENDING OF AN EFFICIENT FAIR

The fourth edition of Panelexpo concluded on a successful note here at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Despite economic slowdown, turnout of visitors was good and their response encouraging. Many of the participants reported having received good number of serious trade enquiries. A number of participants reported having received substantial amount of spot orders too. Over 85 percent of the participants indicated their interest to participate in the next edition of Panelexpo in 2011. A large number of participants indicated their interest to participate in a similar event in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai.

The fair was organized from 2 – 5 April 2009 jointly by the Federation of Plywood and Panel Industry (FIPPI) and Fair Design India Pvt. Ltd. (FDI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the Planning Commission, Government of India. It was held in Hall No 10 and 11 of Pragati Maidan covering an area of about 7,800 sq. mtr.

The fair was supported by most of the prestigious national and international organizations in the field including ITTO, INBAR, CNFMA, CBTC, NMBA, IPIRTI and AMCHAM. Other supporters included BIS, CAPEXIL, AIVMA, NIPMA, SIPMA, GPVMA, ICFRE, CNFMA, JHEA, FORHEX & Wood Technologist Association.

Media partners to the fair included FDM Asia, Panel & Furniture Asia, WFD, Ply Reporter, Asian Timber, India Wood & Allied Panels, Ply Digest, B2B Purchase & Hardware Sanitary Construction World, web media partners included Indiaplywood, Indiamart, Tradeindia.com, Tender Tiger, Timber hunt.com were the official e-media partner, Wood & Panel World were the official e-publication and Orbitz the official travel agent.

Exhibit profile of the fair included Plywood, Bamboo, Panels including Wooden / Aluminium / Honey Comb & Glass / Allied Panel Products, Veneers / Laminates, Particle Board / MDF, Moulded Plywood, Bamboo / Wood working machinery, Furniture making machinery, Sawing Machines, Logging Tools & Machines, Hand Tools, Adhesives, Chemicals, Resins & Glues, Coatings, Funiture & Fittings, Work Stations, Modular Kitchen, Doors & Windows, Floor Tiles, Hardware & Accessories.

There were a total of 99 participants from 9 countries. Overseas participation came from countries like China, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Taiwan and UK. China was the Partner country and Chinese companies focused mainly on machinery. Bangladeshi companies displayed exclusively wooden furniture while Malaysian companies displayed a variety of wooden products including furniture, laminated panels, sawn timber, board and laminated scantlings. Italian and German companies also focused on machinery while veneers, veneer edging were the major attraction from UK.

Some of the leading Indian companies at the fair were Biesse, FlexiCam, Sandeep Machines, Wood Master, Woodtech Consultants, Kalyan Industries, Guru Amar Industries and Jamuna Engineering in the machinery segment, Century Plyboards, Sarda Plywood, Greenply Industries, Bajaj Eco-Tec, Balaji Action Buildwell, Alstrong, Alstone, Durian, Unique Ply in the plywood and panel segment, and Indian Crafts, Golden Furnitures and Litmus Design in the furniture segment. Bamboo products were displayed prominently by companies like Arunachal Plywood and Loga Shree under the NMBA banner. Bamboo Hut was a major attraction for the visitors.

The fair was inaugurated by Shri Sajjan Bhajanka, President, Federation of Indian Plywood and Panel Industry, in the presence of eminent personalities from the trade and industry. It attracted over 3000 quality trade visitors during the four day period. These included prominent builders, architects, interior decorators, hoteliers besides wholesalers, distributors and other trade channels. Visitors came from across the country including far off places like Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Lucknow, Jaipur, Assam, Ahmedabad, Yamunanagar, Jalandhar, etc. Visitors were largely decision makers comprising top and senior officials from the companies.

A concurrent technical seminar was organized under the theme World class latest technology for process and products ‘Wood, Bamboo and Beyond!’ A number of papers on current subjects concerning the industry were presented by eminent speakers from India and abroad. These included:

•       Forest Certification for Wood Products by Prof. Maharaj Muthoo, President, Roman Forum, Italy

•     Agoforestry – The Raw Material Supply: Sustaintainability and Future Prospects by Dr. Sudhanshu Gupta, IFS, Asst. Director General (RP), ICFRE, Dehra Dun

•       Photocuring of Biofibre Composites by Dr. R. N. Kumar, Course Director, Dept. of Wood Science & Technology, Kannur University, Kannur, Kerala and Consultant in M/s. Western India Plywoods Limited, Kannur

•       Role of Wood based Industries in Climate Change Mitigation by Mr. Jaydeep Chitlangia, Secretary General, FIPPI

•       Bamboo – A Resource for Wood Substitution by Mr. Ajay Kumar, NMBA, New Delhi

•      

Conversion of Plywood, Veneering Units, Saw Mills in the North Eastern Region Value Addition and Ancillary Unit with Assured Market: A First-Hand Experience by Mr. M. M. Jalan, Chairman, Arunachal Plywood Industries Limited

•       Wood Substitution – Recent Development by Dr. S. K. Nath, Jt. Director, IPIRTI, Bangalore

•       Bamboo: Trade Opportunities for Livelihood Development in South and Southeast Asia by Mr. T. P. Subramony, Regional Coordinator (South Asia), INBAR

•       A review of Standardization in the field of Wood, Bamboo & Panel Products by Mr. J. Roy Chowdhury, Scientist-E, BIS, New Delhi

•     Export Scenario and Potential for Indian Plywood & Panel Industry by Mr. B. H. Patel, Chairman, CAPEXIL

•       Particle Board & MDF Scenario in India by Mr. J. Bhattacharyya, and

•       Economic Slow Down and Stimulus-Clean Technology and Wood Based Panel Product Industry by Mr. Anand Amrik Singh, Amman Consultants.        

Awards were presented for excellence in display and innovative products in different categories. Following companies were selected for the awards:

Category – Plywood and Panels

 1^st Prize: Greenply Industries Limited

 2^nd Prize: Century Plyboards (I) Ltd.

 3^rd Prize: Sarda Plwood Industries Limited

 Special Prize: Unique Plywood (P) Ltd.

 Category – Machinery

 1^st Prize: Sandeep Machines Private Limited

 2^nd Prize: Biesse Manufacturing Co. Pvt. Ltd.

 Category – Innovative Products

 Special Prize: Alstrong International

 Special Prize: Arunachal Plywood Industries Limited

 Special Prize: National Mission on Bamboo Applications

 Category – Overseas Participants

 1^st Prize: Bangladesh Furniture

 2^nd Prize: China Foma Group Co., Ltd.

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ZOW ITALY 2009: DESIGN, INNOVATION, AND TECHNOLOGY PLAYERS IN VERONA

From 21 to 24 October 2009, Veronafiere will host the 9th edition of ZOW Italy – International Exhibition of Components and Accessories for Furniture Industry and Interior Decoration, organized by Survey Marketing + Consulting srl. For four days the exhibition will offer the most comprehensive overview of components and accessories of the furniture industry: more than 270 companies (the number will be growing in the coming months), have already chosen ZOW Verona to present their new products and concept solutions for 2009, on a surface area of 40 000m²

Furthermore, a full program of exhibitions and special events will bring under the spotlight Design, Materials, Technology and Innovation: The events will focus on architecture and design, offering its visitors exciting special shows on the industry’s very latest topics.

In this year event – more than for past years - ZOW Verona will stake on quality, with the goal to confirm the high standards characterizing the event.

MaterialZ

This innovative exhibition shows visitors from design and architecture, retail design and commercial construction, the furniture industry and interior design the huge diversity of creative material ideas for the product solutions of today and tomorrow. The material innovations will be set in free-standing containers, featuring effective integrated lighting to show off the very best of the exhibits in terms of colour and design.

Mediapoint: How furniture makes life more entertaining

The show is a display of specific interior settings which demonstrate how living rooms and workspaces, kitchens and bathrooms can be designed and fitted out right now to support media access – and networked with each other.

Lightweight construction: Lightness leads to innovative furniture ideas

The lightweight construction network provides impressive evidence of the diverse development potential for the interiors industry and furniture design. Both young and renowned companies in the international supplier industry are presenting their latest solutions from lightweight construction, which will revolutionise the furniture and fittings world in the coming years.

“A-lounge”

The show will serve as the central meeting place for all ZOW visitors interested in architecture and feature product highlights for the special topics on show. Catering and relaxing is also provided for.

RFID Factory: Logistics for the furniture industry

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, an identification technology based on electronic data exchange. With this technology you can quickly pinpoint the location of a product anywhere in your company without having to handle each item individually. After all, time is money!

So many appointments scheduled in ZOW Verona – the only event in Italy truly representative of the area of subcontracting for the furniture industry and interior design.

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TULIPWOOD IS THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S AHEC PAVILION AT INTERZUM

Two years ago, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), had a big impact at Interzum with its red oak pavilion raising awareness for the species and creating a focal point for the US hardwood industry to network with hardwood buyers from around the world.

This year it is American tulipwood that will feature strongly in both, the display and information graphics, as well as the structure itself. “Over the past year, AHEC have been raising the profile for this very sustainable and versatile species and challenging the market to look at it differently. I mean this literally as one of our aims has been to show everyone how exciting it looks and that it doesn’t always have to painted and stained”, says David Venables, AHEC’s European Director.

The “tulipwood challenge” as AHEC calls it, gained extra momentum last autumn when top architect David Adjaye used it for his “Sclera” pavilion for the London Design Festival. The challenge of treating the tulipwood for external use has led to an ongoing cooperation between AHEC and wood treatment specialists Osmose. The latest research results and samples of treated and exposed tulipwood will be displayed on stand.

The AHEC stand will again feature interactive grading areas with industry experts on hand to carryout demonstrations and answer questions on how American hardwood lumber and veneer are graded for export.

The final element will be an internet café area where visitors can come and try the new user friendly AHEC website to learn more about the potential of US hardwoods, order free publications, enjoy a cup of coffee and talk to the experts. If you trade in US hardwoods or want to know how to develop these species as part of your business make sure to visit the AHEC pavilion, Hall 5.1, C-010, D-011.

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ASEAN FURNITURE INDUSTRIES COUNCIL PUSHES AHEAD TO CONSOLIDATE
ASEAN TRADE SHOW CIRCUIT

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FMC 2009 - LARGER SCALE & MORE CLASSIFIED

Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China 2009 (FMC 2009) will be staged alongside FMC Premium at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from September 9-12, 2009. Under the umbrella of the Furniture China Exhibitions, the two shows will provide outstanding business opportunities to companies supplying raw materials, components and woodworking machinery to furniture manufacturers. While FMC PREMIUM is a show specially designed for high-end manufacturers of furniture raw materials & components. The shows benefit from co-location with Furniture China 2009, the 4th largest furniture exhibition, which is expected to attract 70,000 domestic and international trade visitors. FMC and FMC Premium will host about 600 companies with 36,000 sqm of exhibition area.


FMC 2009 will be allocated totally 2 indoor halls and 12 outdoor halls. FMC2009 will upgrade its classification of display areas for easy visiting. The following is the layout plan.

FMC 2009 - A Pleasant Prospect

A financial crisis spread all over the world at the end of 2008, bringing inevitable effects to all industries in 2009. But according to the statistic of organizer, FMC2009 is still fully booked. International and domestic woodworking manufacturers, such as HOMAG, BIESSE, WEINIG, SCM, NANXING, Shanghai YUETONG, V-HOLD have confirmed their participation. Taiwan Woodworking Manufacturers Association (TWMA) will come with over 30 of their members. In addition, a large number of exhibitors have confirmed their attendance in the classified display sections, LEITZ, LEUCO and AKE in Saws Blades and Tools hall, JUNJIA, LIWANG in Fabric and Leather hall, HYDERON, BOKE in Furniture Hardware and Fittings hall whereas JOWAT, EXOR, AHEC, POLLMEIER, FRENCH TIMBER, KINGSLIDE, TABU, etc in FMC PREMIUM. Thus FMC is a most important platform in China for visitors and the exhibitors to establish profitable relationships as well as creating an excellent opportunity for great business deals and furthermore to create an international networking structure.


FMC Premium-A Show for High-end Suppliers of Furniture Components and Raw Materials

FMC Premium set an exclusive business platform for domestic and international quality suppliers of furniture components and material. Designed to provide an open and harmonious atmosphere with uniform, high-quality exhibition stands, FMC Premium continues to provide a forum where exhibitors can concentrate fully on business and products. Catering and selective visitor access will make attendance efficient and effective for both visitors and exhibitors. Until now FMC Premium has received the booth booking from over 80% of 2008 exhibitors, among them international companies such as JOWAT, POLLMEIER, EXOR, TABU, AHEC, etc.

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NEW SMARTSHOP TO SHOWCASE AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT
FOR THE SMALL CABINET SHOP AT AWFS^® FAIR

The 2009 AWFS® Fair will feature a new area called the smartSHOP, a fully operational cabinet shop, this summer to show attendees how automated woodworking equipment can increase shop efficiency.  The machinery that will be demonstrated in the special small shop booth will include nesting machines, multi-head horizontal boring machines, edgebanders, motorized case clamps and hinge insertion machines, all working in tandem.

Gero Sassenberg, a woodworking expert and furniture consultant specializing in management and engineering consulting to the cabinet and furniture industries, will be operating the smartSHOP and will use equipment from participating exhibitors to demonstrate how all the processes of cabinet construction, from data input software to cabinet assembly can be automated, saving time and money. He’ll also be available to answer attendee questions.

“This very hands-on demonstration will provide a great learning opportunity for attendees, answer their questions, and allow anyone that attends to get one-on-one advice for their own shop,” Sassenberg says. 

Sassenberg will also be teaching an efficiency seminar in the smartSHOP space, “Simplicity in Automation for the Small Shop,” as part of AWFS’s Special Machinery and Relevant Technology (SMART) educational sessions. SMART sessions are designed to give attendees an in-depth look at new technologies and machine processes. Sassenberg’s session will take the mystery out of designing and building Euro-cabinets using CAD/CAM.  He will take observers through software selection and application, nesting, machine layout, material handling and the machining of parts and assembly.

During regular show hours, Sassenberg and other woodworking professionals will interact with attendees while demonstrating the automation process — start to finish. smartSHOP workers will use the automated machinery to produce cabinets and drawers for a local Las Vegas charity. Free “mini-smart demos” will also be sprinkled throughout the day for attendees.

“Our decision to launch a smartSHOP is a direct result of listening to our attendees,” says Archie Thompson, AWFS Tradeshow Committee Chair. “Owners of smaller-sized businesses told us that the AWFS^®Fair can be overwhelming and they just don’t know where to start looking for machinery or supplies. We felt the smartSHOP would allow them to see everything at work in an environment that is similar to their own, get advice on what products they need and be directed to the exhibitors who are showing equipment they can use.”

The full-scale international AWFS^®Fair, scheduled for July 15 – 19, in Las Vegas, will also feature exhibitors from the entire home and commercial furnishings industry and includes manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, lumber, construction, materials, and other supplies to furniture, cabinet manufacturers and custom woodworkers.

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NATIONAL HARDWOOD LUMBER ASSOCIATION EXPANDS GLOBAL REACH
NEW OFFICE OPENS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA

The National Hardwood Lumber Association officially opened its first overseas office on Monday, January 12th in Shanghai, China. Bob Sabistina, previous NHLA Inspector Training School Director and previous NHLA Chief Inspector, will oversee the Shanghai office. His work will be divided into three main areas:

1) Inspection services including grade inquiries on specific loads and dispute resolutions.
2) Teaching and training of US hardwood lumber grades to the growing list of consumers in China and Southeast Asia in cooperation with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC).
3) NHLA promotion and representation at industry meetings, tradeshows and various industry functions.

Mr. Sabistina has been working in Asia as a consultant for the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) since 2005, mainly conducting NHLA grading seminars. The move to a permanent office is a natural progression as the North American hardwood industry expands its search for hardwood lumber markets. "The success of reaching those markets is dependent upon the differentiation of North American hardwoods from the rest of the products," explained NHLA Executive Director Mark Barford.  "Our commitment to the Shanghai office shows our members, the industry and the global market that NHLA is moving forward with our new brand and refocused message - 'Strong Roots. Global Reach.'"

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FEBRUARY LAS VEGAS MARKET ATTENDEES WILL DISCOVER
EXTENCIVE, NEW RESOURCE WITHIN WMCLV’S BUILDING B

Retailers and interior designers looking to maximize their experience at 2009 Winter Las Vegas Market, February 9 – 13, will find the latest and greatest conveniently located under one roof—Building B at World Market Center Las Vegas. The 1.6-million-square-foot Building B will be a true hub of activity during Las Vegas Market, including an assortment of new and expanded showrooms, educational resources and convenient services. 

Expansions abound  

To accommodate the many new product introductions planned for 2009 and growing retail business at Las Vegas Market, many World Market Center Las Vegas showrooms have moved to expanded spaces in Building B. Such companies include Dovetail Furniture and Designs, one of the largest importers and distributers of eclectic handmade furniture, accessories and textiles from around the world; Peninsula Home Collection, which features uniquely painted and distressed furniture handcrafted in South America; Crestview Collection, showcasing a full line of portable lighting, accent furniture, accessories and wall decor for today’s home; and Richter Designs, premier manufacturers of high-end custom upholstery, are all moving their show-rooms to larger spaces within Building B. 

Additionally, to accommodate buyers looking for fresh resources and products, a new eclectic mix of permanent showrooms will be located entirely on the first floor of Building B. Showrooms located here will showcase a wide array of fashion-forward products that are unique in character and originate from different corners of the globe.

“These showrooms will offer an assorted mix of traditional, transitional and contemporary home furnishings and will feature accessories, wall decor and other modern trends of design,” said Babs Blair, Vice President of Leasing for World Market Center Las Vegas. “This will be an area that designers will go crazy over.” Buyers will find an array of goods that boast unique staining and finishing processes, as well as products made from stone, granite and marble. Dining and occasional tables, crafted from a variety of different types of finishes, such as hand-painted chests and leather goods, also will be featured.

Such tenured companies as Acrylicore, Environment Furniture, Charles Carol, Crestview, Style Craft Frames & Wall Decor and Kreiss will have exhibit space on the first floor. Cutting-edge lines that were previously located on other floors, such as Andes International, Armenart, Casa Bonita, Classic Leather, Dovetail Furniture & Designs and Peninsula, will now be relocated on the first floor of Building B.   

High-design juried showcases now located in Building B

In tandem with the changes taking place on the first floor, the second floor of Building B will also be fashion forward:  “B2” will serve as the home of the juried showcase exhibits, including ConText, Design & Living and the Living Green Pavilion. “These exhibits have been held at various locations in the past, so we are excited to provide a permanent home for them in Building B.  As always, this will be a must attend destination for discriminating buyers and designers,” said Tim Branscome, Vice President of International for World Market Center Las Vegas.  Each section of the juried showcases will allow buyers the chance to purchase a variety of unique and exclusive products shown by exhibitors at the Las Vegas Market. 

Marking its one-year anniversary at the 2009 Winter Las Vegas Market, ConText is the premier showcase for high-end home textiles and bedding, offering decorative pillows and cushions, luxurious bath items, table linens and throws among others. Design & Living is ideal for buyers searching for hot trends, including creative and colorful products that range from traditional to contemporary. This exhibit will convey high-designs for home furnishings and decor, as well as innovative products and exceptional accessories.  

Las Vegas Market’s Living Green Pavilion offers the latest in innovative eco-friendly and sustainable designs. The Living Green Pavilion is the country’s largest, most comprehensive venue of its kind, showcasing an array of recycled, reclaimed and renewed products from prestigious exhibitors. All products displayed are verified sustainable. The 2009 Winter Las Vegas Market is proud to offer the Living Green Pavilion as a resource for buyers to educate themselves on the latest in the eco-friendly movement.  

As always, the juried showcases boast a strong international presence and will highlight new designs from Europe, Brazil, Mexico and Asia. “There will be a lot of surprises on the second floor. Buyers should anticipate the opportunity to see a lot of new companies that have not exhibited in the country before,” said Branscome.

Upon reaching the second floor of Building B, buyers will have the option to go directly to one of the three showcases. With convenient access from both the escalator and elevator, there is no need to walk through one section to reach the next. In addition, buyers can take advantage of the accessibility from the second floor of Building B to the Las Vegas Design Center, the year-round hospitality marketplace located in Building C. 

“Interior designers, architects, high-end specialty retailers, suppliers and buyers looking for new designs will have an excellent opportunity to explore ConText, Design & Living and Living Green Pavilion on floor two, as well as the Las Vegas Design Center, which is conveniently located across the skywalk in Building C,” said Branscome. “These two independent parts complement one another nicely, so their prime locations and trend-setting designs offer buyers convenience as well an incredible product mix.” 

Educational Resources 

In addition to the wealth of home furnishings manufacturers and their products, attendees will be able to take advantage of many educational, trend-setting, industry and business seminars that provide meaningful and strategic tools to make their business successful and their Market experience more valuable.

World Market Center Las Vegas, along with Western Home Furnishings Association (WHFA) and National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA), is unveiling an Education Concierge to provide streamlined education information and world-class service to all Market attendees. Located in the Lobby of Building B, the Education Concierge will be available for those wishing to learn up-to-date seminar details, locations and speaker contact information. Specialty seminars will cover trends, color, and merchandising, buying patterns, sales techniques, business strategies, sustainability and more.

“With a robust offering of seminars from World Market Center Las Vegas and WHFA, we take pride in providing original and relevant seminars with information that attending retailers and designers can truly apply to their business,” said Margaret Casey, Director of Programming for World Market Center Las Vegas. “The expertise and passion our speakers bring is reflected in their valuable and engaging presentations. By providing our attendees with easy access to information on all of these events at one convenient location, the Education Concierge adds additional value during Las Vegas Market.”

A majority of Market’s seminars will take place on the 16th floor of Building B.  Additionally, the NHFA/WHFA Retailer Resource Center is located there and features a number of resources, including enhanced technology, coffee bar, Internet cafe, new vendor space and a “Launch Pad” for new product introductions.

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RETURN 1152 – THE RETURN DEVICE FROM HOLZ-HER

With the new RETURN 1152 HOLZ-HER offers a simple, fast and rational device for returning panels to the operator on edgebanders.

At the International HOLZ-HER Days on 25^th and 26^th September 2008 REICH Spezialmaschinen GmbH, known internationally under the brand name HOLZ-HER, demonstrated a return device for edgebanders. This modular system can be attached to the various SPRINT, ARCUS und CONTRIGA series from HOLZ-HER.

The HOLZ-HER RETURN unit allows efficient one-man operation of edgebanders and eliminates the cost-intensive work of manually removing work pieces from the machine and moving them back to the front of the edgebander. Regardless of whether small or medium lot sizes or even mass production, this unit ensures high efficiency with minimum space requirements and minimum manpower for edgebanding and the associated return of the work piece.

The heart of this unit is the basic machine body, which is attached to the end of the edgebander.  The work pieces coming out of the edgebander are transferred to the return device, transported in the lateral direction and then returned to the operator along the motor-driven return path.

The control for the unit is integrated directly into the switch cabinet on the base whereby the work pieces are recognized by a light barrier. A modular return path system allows the overall length of the unit to be adapted to the specific length of the edgebander.

The RETURN 1152 transports highly varying panel lengths within the range of 150-2500 mm safely and reliably. Work piece thicknesses of 8-60 can be transported without problems up to a maximum weight of 70 kg.

Air cushion table for easy charging

The air cushion table for charging the edgebander allows workpieces to be turned and positioned against the fence easily. This ensures that long parts can be fed into the machine precisely.

With the RETURN unit and air cushion table HOLZ-HER REICH Spezialmaschinen GmbH offers handling systems for edgebanders to allow maximum efficiency while protecting the material.

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SFIC TAKES OVER CHAIRMANSHIP OF ASEAN FURNITURE INDUSTRIES COUNCIL

Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) has been formally handed the reins of the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC) starting 8 November 2008. Taking over from the Philippines, Singapore will act as the Chairman, Secretary General and Secretariat for AFIC from 2008 to 2010. The other member countries of AFIC are Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand.

The Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) Executive Committee has appointed Mr Jerry Tan as Chairman of AFIC for the two-year term. Mr Tan is the Vice President of SFIC and Managing Director of JACO Singapore Pte Ltd. He is a well known figure in the regional furniture circles and has tremendous experience in the organisation of international furniture trade exhibitions and missions. He has extensive contacts with major furniture players and regional furniture associations throughout the ASEAN countries. His wealth of experience in regional furniture trade issues will put him in good stead to play a key role in fast tracking AFIC’s strategic initiatives to accelerate the growth of the ASEAN furniture industries.

He said: “I am honoured to take on this new role as Chairman for AFIC. The past committees have established a strong foundation for AFIC and we will work towards cementing even stronger ties and partnerships between the ASEAN furniture communities.  I am confident that collectively with our partner members; we can forge ahead and make the ASEAN furniture trade more prominent in international markets and visible worldwide.”

To further strengthen the committee’s knowledge and expertise, the SFIC Executive Committee has appointed Mr Steven Chew, Executive Director of Sitra Holdings (International) Limited, as Secretary General of AFIC. Mr Chew has over a decade of experience in the furniture and timber industries.  He is also a strong supporter of the green movement and brings with him a wealth of industry experience in sales, purchasing, operations and finance functions.  Together with Mr Jerry Tan, he is expected to play a key role in further strengthening AFIC and instilling it with a renewed sense of purpose.

“In these challenging economic times, AFIC plays an even more important role, that of ensuring healthy intra-ASEAN trade and an enhanced competitiveness to stay buoyant amidst the sea of fast-moving global players who are increasingly focused on speed and value. ASEAN integration is our primary focus and I hope to see immediate results in the form of a smoother, more cohesive and effective ASEAN furniture exhibition circuit.” adds Mr Jerry Tan.

AFIC member countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand hold annual furniture trade fairs, namely International Furniture &  Craft Fair Indonesia (IFFINA), Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), the Philippine International Furniture Show - Manila (PIFS), Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (Cebu X), International Furniture Fair Singapore in conjunction with ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS), and Thailand International Furniture Fair (TIFF).  The ASEAN Furniture Show held in conjunction with IFFS in Singapore adds to the vibrancy of this circuit, bringing the best of ASEAN players together in a dynamic and comprehensive trade event annually.

AFIC will work with member countries to devise a more efficient exhibition timetable and route for exhibitors and buyers alike. This will bring about better efficiency in terms of time and expenses for all exhibitors and visitors, and encourage higher participation and greater visibility for member countries. AFIC is also keen to support effective design and value propositions in a bid to offer the global market a bigger, newer and more innovative ASEAN show. 

In the next two years, AFIC will continue to roll out initiatives to promote closer relations and cooperation between furniture manufacturing business communities in member countries and regional and international organisations. Actively making recommendations on trade incentives and measures to benefit the ASEAN furniture industries, AFIC aims to further accelerate and harmonise the growth and progress of the furniture and fixture industries regionally with a global consciousness.

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C&F ENTERPRISES TO OPEN LAS VEGAS SHOWROOM IN SEPTEMBER ‘09 FASHION-FORWARD GIFT LEADER TO EXHIBIT IN TEMP SPACE AT FEBRUARY 2009 MARKET

C&F Enterprises, Inc. leased a 10,540-square-foot showroom in Building C at World Market Center Las Vegas. C&F Enterprises is one of the leading designers and producers of giftware, decorative accessories, quilted bedding and needlework, everyday linens and holiday merchandise.

The permanent showroom, C-599, will open in the fall of 2009 and will showcase the C&F  line, Gallerie II, and licensed lines such as April Cornell and Colonial Williamsburg. In the interim, C&F will exhibit in temporary space for the Winter 2009 Las Vegas Market in February, according to Jimmy Fang, executive vice president of the Newport News, Va.-based company, who said the Las Vegas showroom will be his company’s first corporate showroom in the western half of the United States.

Fang said the attraction of the growing gift segment in Las Vegas along with the adjoining home furnishing showrooms was a strong attraction to his company.  “Under normal circumstances, we’d grow our business by adding some customers while growing with our existing customers.  In this difficult economy, we need to reach new customers to maintain and grow our business.  We’ve had many requests from customers that no longer attend other shows, asking us to open a Las Vegas Showroom”

This seemed like an ideal time for us to expand into the Las Vegas Market and we’re doing it in a big way.  This will be our 2^nd largest showroom and gives us an opportunity to show our entire line to stores in the western US, many of whom have never had a chance to see our entire line.”

Fang added, “Las Vegas is a destination for not just the western half of the U.S. but the entire United States and the rest of the world. They get a lot of international buyers there. We expect the Las Vegas Market to be successful because people are excited to go to Las Vegas, not just for the Market, but for the city itself.”

C&F Enterprises sells to higher-end retailers, including better department stores, small gift stores and catalogs.  “We certainly expect to broaden our customer base with this new showroom,” Fang said.

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A NEW BOOST FOR ZOW IN ITALY
ROMANO UGOLINI IS THE NEW SURVEY MANAGING DIRECTOR IN MILAN

On 1 November 2008, Romano Ugolini took up the post of Managing Director of Survey Marketing + Consulting s.r.l., Milan. Since 2001, Ugolini has been the Sales Manager at Survey Marketing + Consulting for the regions of Southern Europe, France, Great Britain and America. Under his management, the Italian Survey team is now enthusiastically launching into the task of preparing for ZOW 2009 at the new venue in Verona.

Romano Ugolini (52) has been involved in the wood processing industry for 30 years, where he held several management positions; he was General Manager for the American subsidiary of the Italian SCM Group in Atlanta and Sales Manager for Koch Maschinenfabrik (Leopoldshöhe/Germany). Since 2001, Ugolini has been the Sales Director at Survey Marketing + Consulting for the regions of Southern Europe, France, Great Britain and America, and is one of the pioneers and guarantors of the international success of the numerous Survey exhibitions.

The main drive and incentive for Romano Ugolini in his new position as Managing Director in Milan are convincing growth rates in the various countries and the positive results of ZOW. “I’ve been travelling the world for many years and am very familiar with the global markets. I'm convinced that we can still do a lot more to bring people and countries together. I can’t think of a better job than working together with my team to make this objective a reality.”

 ROMANO UGOLINI

For Ugolini, the current sense of crisis in the markets is no reason to give up – quite the contrary. “As exhibition organisers, we have an extremely important role in supporting the economy in every possible way during difficult times. We take this job very seriously, so we’re now supporting the sector in a more disciplined and ambitious manner. ZOW is an effective tool with great potential to achieve this. It’s in times like this that the ZOW philosophy shines through. The motto ‘back to the roots’, which ZOW traditionally follows, will prove to be a future-proof exhibition concept and it also provide the furniture supplier sector with an effective market platform in the long term because this motto focuses on people, products and communication.”

The future of ZOW in Italy lies in Verona

The course is set for the future. Ugolini is delighted that ZOW in Italy is moving to Verona next year: “ZOW in Verona will be the top event in 2009 for the supplier sector in Italy and the Veronafiere venue will set new standards.”

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 LASVEGAS DESIGN CENTER

AT WORLD MARKET CENTER LAS VEGAS

JORDAN SPENCER OPENS 18,000 SQ. FT. MULTI-LINE SHOWROOMS AT LAS VEGAS DESIGN CENTER

The Phoenix, Az.-based Jordan Spencer opened a new, multi-line showroom at Las Vegas Design Center on the World Market Center Las Vegas home furnishings campus.  Jordan Spencer carries top design brands focused on transitional elegance, including Lorts Manufacturing, Artitalia, Pearson Company, Lee Industries, Currey & Co, Casa Fiora, Jonathan Charles, Wildwood and other high-end lines new to Las Vegas Design Center.

The Jordan Spencer showroom is currently located in Building C, C-376. In 2009, Jordan Spencer will open their new 18,000-square-foot showroom in space C-412.   “Jordan Spencer offers residential and hospitality customers the option to choose from hundreds of fabrics, finishes and distressing choices as well as custom sizes”, said Ty Lorts, President.

Lorts said the company welcomes the opportunity to cater to the local, regional and international design community from its new Las Vegas showroom. “Las Vegas is a great destination for people to visit and we look forward to servicing a broad range of customers here – from five star resorts to residential customers.” Lorts said, adding that Jordan Spencer was missing an opportunity by not being in Las Vegas. “We want to be where the buyers are and we’re turning over every stone to make that happen. We are looking forward to day-to-day design business as well as hospitality business here.”

William Grenewald, Vice President of Leasing at Las Vegas Design Center said, “We are really pleased to welcome Jordan Spencer to LVDC.  They will be one of our largest showrooms, our first independent multi-line showroom, and the owners bring decades of industry experience plus a wonderful cross-section of high-end lines to our product mix.  Much of their offering will be of great interest to our growing hospitality design audience, as well as residential designers.”

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SICAM - THE PORDENONE EVENT BUSTLING WITH ACTIVITY

The upcoming SICAM trade show’s organisational framework is
already buzzing with activity

To date over 140 companies have registered for the SICAM - event dedicated to the furniture industry’s components, semi-finished products and accessories - that will be held in Pordenone on 14 - 17 October 2009. One third of the available exhibition area has already been allocated to companies and groups that have chosen continuity, thus witnessing their appreciation for the experiences in this city in Friuli.

Pordenone is unquestionably a leading city in the world of sub-supplies due to its location in the furniture district that embraces both the provinces of Treviso and Pordenone, which produce 40% of Italian furniture and, most likely, and thanks to the efforts made by Fiera di Pordenone and its partners, who have never doubted that the SICAM would cross the borders of the reference markets as a real international event. Data based on such events held from 2001 to date prove this point.

Therefore, on the one hand we find a strong, mature industrial fabric, and on the other hand a precise, tested project that witnesses a close knit team’s efforts in organising a B2B event. Targeted at meeting the demands of specialist operators, both exhibitors and visitors, SICAM will be held in a trade district – such as the one in Pordenone – entirely dedicated to hosting this review of supplies and semi-processed items.

SICAM’s success in Pordenone over the years mostly depends on insight into sub-supplies companies’ need to have their own stage to display their productive qualities to a large number of potential partners. History seems to repeat itself today – despite the extremely hard times for the entire production line, and the rather confused atmosphere that prevails in the trade show framework, Pordenone holds its leadership with an event that deems “service” the most relevant commitment. The success of this happening held in Friuli lies in the unparalleled focus on clients and obsessive care for the smallest details.

 For various weeks Exposicam – the company that organises the event – constantly counts the participation of all leading companies. Thanks to the growing synergy created between Exposicam, the Pordenone Trade Fair, local institutions, associations and institutions that have long worked to provide this container with the tools required to ensure its very best.

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CHINA FURNITURE & WOODWORKS 2008 – A REVIEW

The thirteenth edition of China Furniture & Woodworks was held from June 12-15 in Dalian, comprising three sectors, the 13^th China Int’l Furniture (Summer) Exhibition (China Furniture 13^th), the 13^th China Int’l Woodworking Machinery (Summer) Exhibition(China Woodworks 13^th ) and the 13^th China Int’l Furniture Components & Raw Material (Summer) Exhibition(China Furniture Supply 13^th ).

China Furniture & Woodworks 2008 featured 521 exhibitors, of which 85 were international. Trade visitors of approximately 40,000 attended the show, including about 3000 international buyers from Japan, Korea, Russia, Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Southeast Asia.

China Furniture, balanced development with variety and sustaining innovation

In line with the slogan of Export-orientation, combined with domestic distribution, the 13^th China Int’l Furniture (Summer) Exhibition saw a balanced development with variety. Wood furniture still took the leading position, and upholstered furniture increased by a great proportion, panel furniture caught more attention. Rattan, plastic, metal furniture and home furnishings made the show a brilliant total events in furniture manufacture industry.

New products and new technology became an eye-catching feature of the 13th China Int’l Furniture (Summer) Exhibition. Nowadays innovation has become a common perspective, which has been witnessed as the most distinctive and obvious prospect of Edition 2008. The multi-purposed sofa bed with collapsible design that Dalian Roman displayed combined artistic and space saving feature. Asian Zakka Hari Rabu did more on innovative design. Its products are fashionable and avant-garde. With Thailand hand-made technology, the products gave a close experience to Northern market a Southeast Asian home furnishing style. Preliminary statistics showed that about 85% exhibitors launched new products at the show, and Chinese furniture manufacturers are on their way to independent innovation.

Growing domestic market demand evolves fierce competition. As the government’s macro regulation and control put into force, furniture export faces increasing press. A large group of enterprises majoring in export started to explore domestic market. The leading brand of wood furniture in China, Dalian Hua Feng, displayed various types of panel furniture targeted at domestic consuming market. Long-established export companies like Noda, Jinling, San You also focus their eye on the market at home. Domestic distribution is becoming a central part of Chinese furniture manufacturers’ sale strategy.

Platform of Export-to-Japan Stylish Furniture Selection was launched during China Furniture 13^th. Over 60 pieces furniture of Japanese style from 30 domestic exhibitors displayed become highlight of the show, attracting about 400 person/times of Japanese visitors. Additionally, Sino-Japanese venture like Okawa, Zengben, KYOWA MOKKO, Yuan Mu, IMADA, etc. also displayed their products at the platform.

China Woodworks and China Furniture Supply, co-existence of technology
reformation and product diversity

June 12-15, The 13^th China Int’l Furniture Woodworking Machinery (Summer) Exhibition and 13^th China Int’l Furniture Components & Raw Material (Summer) Exhibition was held in Dalian Star-Sea Convention &Exhibition Center. According to statistics, nearly 300 woodworking machinery and raw materials enterprises gathered at the show over a total area of 20,000 sqm. During the 4 days’ show time, 20,000 trade visitors attended.

Further development of furniture industry calls for high quality woodworking machinery and technology. China Woodworks 13^th concurrently held with China Furniture 13^th gave domestic and overseas professionals an ideal platform of collecting latest market and technology information. Exhibitors of China Furniture 13^th and buyers’ delegations from Russia, U.S.A., Germany, Japan and domestic regions visited the show, and made business talk and purchased related products.

International machinery manufacturers like Union Brother, Kumha, Bohler udderholm, Companies from Taiwan including Jianming, Senko, Yicheng, Deyuan, domestic enterprises like V-hold, Jiang Jia, Weideli, Weite Power, Qiantway Machine, etc. brought their latest products and impressed the visitors.

Mudanjiang Woodworking Machinery Works Co., Ltd. is majoring in production of four-sides moulder, which is used in manufacture of wood furniture. While Dalian is China’s Solid Wood Furniture Industrial Base, and the company attained rich harvest every time from China Furniture & Woodworks in Dalian. At China Furniture & Woodworks 2008 it launched new type four-side moulder which it developed independently. The machine increases feeding speed from 18-24m/minute to 30m/minute, and the rotational speed of blade carrying axle reaches to 8000 turns /minute from original 6000 turns /minute, which comes up to the advanced world standards and improves production efficiency. The new machine received attention from overseas users of Japan, USA, Russia, etc., and the company also established contacts with quality potential customers.

Over 100 furniture components and raw material suppliers exhibited under the same roof at China Furniture Supply 13^th. Numerous overseas wood suppliers were part of the show, which came out to be a highlight of the event. The U.S.A. Pavilion organized by Hardwood States Export Group (HSEG) and American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) was joined by 14 American wood products suppliers. Canada Wood was also present at the show together with several local companies. They brought quality wood material to China. With sound quality and favorite price, North American wood has been accepted by more Chinese users. At the show these suppliers harvested satisfying orders. Moreover, they established business contact with numerous potential customers and attained anticipative result.

J.D. Irving Limited has been greatly impressed by its initial participation of China Furniture & Woodworks 2008 as an exhibitor. J. D. Irving Limited is a diversified family enterprise with its business scope covering Canada and USA. In order to open the Chinese market as quickly as possible, J. D. Irving Limited has made a decision to participate China Furniture Supply 13^th. After the accession to the Chinese market, China Furniture & Woodworks 2008 has been selected as the first stage by J. D. Irving Limited. Mr Dennis Cuffley, senior chief director of the hardwood sale with fifteen years’ experience in hardwood distribution in North America has been accredited to participate in this exhibition by his company. Mr Dennis Cuffley was very delighted and gratified toward the achievement of the show. He said, ‘We are very happy to come to China, China is a market saturated with enormous potentiality. During two times’ visit of China, I have deeply felt that Chinese customers are demanding for various kinds of high-level wood materials, which could be definitely attributed to the fast development of the Chinese economy. Here, I may assert my words explicitly that we will seek for the long-term cooperation in China and will also contribute to the fast development of Chinese economy with the superb quality of our products. China Furniture Supply 13^th has gone out of our previous expectancy with which we are satisfied. In the past three days, the show is flooded with people, among whom the professionals of the relative circles account for the large proportion. In accordance with the characteristics of the market in northern part of China, most audiences express their keen interests in our products like hard maple, white cedar, spurce etc, and further negotiate with us on a variety of specific terms such as specification, grades and quotation. During the show, we also sign the cooperative agreements with three major customers.’

Dalian is renowned as China’s Solid Wood Furniture Industrial Base, the demand for coating products have been prioritized by the industries of this city. Therefore, manufacturers of coating products around the nation are taking this business opportunity to exhibit in Dalian. According to the statistics, the exhibitors who are producing coating products account for the largest proportion, which is 30%. While leather and hardware products are the followings, which accounts for 25%. As the consumption demands of the consumers are diversified, there will be an increase on demanding upholstered and panel furniture. Therefore the demand for leather and hardware products which can be witnessed as the indispensable part of producing upholstered and panel furniture will definitely be on the increase. Nevertheless there are less manufacturing enterprises of leather and hardware products in Dalian. Therefore, tremendous manufacturing enterprises of leather and hardware products from south part of China are landing on this city for penetrating this big market. They wish to make their reputation and brand known through participation of China Furniture & Woodworks 2008. 

China Furniture & Woodworks 2008 has been successfully held for thirteen sessions. With 13 years of careful cultivation, it has grown into a mature and professional exhibition. The category of China Furniture & Woodworks will be specifically classified, and the service will also be diversified in the near future. The next edition of China Furniture & Woodworks is scheduled from 05^th to 08^th of June 2009.

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NEW SHOW DATES FOR DELHIWOOD
EVENT RESCHEDULED BY TWO DAYS

“DELHIWOOD” the largest International woodworking TRADE FAIR for NORTHERN INDIA is now rescheduled by two days, the exhibition will now be held from the 14-17 FEBRUARY 2009  at HALLS 14 & 18,PRAGATI MAIDAN, NEW DELHI, INDIA.

The organiser, PDA TRADE FAIRS, explains the change in schedule: “Delhiwood has drawn a phenomenal response in its inaugural edition from the originally planned one hall i,e., Hall 18 & has grown to a 16000 sqm event & includes Hall 14 now. In spite of this tremendous growth we were unable to provide more than the initially planned 2 days as build up period to exhibitors as the venue was not available, the event was sandwiched between two other exhibitions. The venue authorities (ITPO, Pragati Maidan) have informed us that due to some changes in the bookings, we would now be able to extend the dates.

We now wish to utilize this opportunity to offer our exhibitors one more days move in time, we also know from experience it is imperative for an event of this size to have a minimum of 3 days build up. Since, we can now, extend the booking days we are providing a 3 day build up time. Hence the exhibition opening is being moved ahead by two days. DELHIWOOD therefore will now be held from 14-17 FEBRUARY 2009. 

Mr.Pradeep Devaiah, Chairman & CEO, PDA TRADE FAIRS adds “a look at INDIAWOOD’s growth reflects the way the Indian wood working industry has matured. In 2002 INDIAWOOD was a platform that showcased the advantages of technology & mechanization.For the first time in INDIA a complete wood processing line was showcased in INDIAWOOD 2004 & by then the event was facilitating the conversion of INDIA’s woodworking industry from manual carpentry to mechanized production. By 2006, the market dynamics positioned INDIAWOOD as the most fulfilling sourcing ground for the woodworking Industry in India, which reflects the extent to which the market had matured since 2002. Thanks to the industry’s growth & the rapid modernization of woodworkers in INDIA, INDIAWOOD 2008 set a new bench mark for woodworking industry shows outside USA & EUROPE, the event showcased besides state of the art panel processing & Solid wood processing machinery, semi finished products, fittings, accessories, Raw materials, Plywood mfrg machines, lamination machines, lumber & timber from around the world. The show was a whopping 30,000 Sq Mtrs exhibition & drew over 18,000 visitors. “INDIAWOOD” had arrived in style”. 

Mr.Pradeep opines that DELHIWOOD is a logical brand extension of INDIAWOOD. Given the GEOGRAPHICAL size of INDIA & the unprecedented growth the country is witnessing, there is a latent need for a comprehensive exhibition to address the needs of the NORTH INDIAN markets requirements. Leveraging INDIAWOOD’s experience we announced DELHIWOOD aiming to showcase the latest in wood processing technologies like sophisticated CNC machines, accessories and tools from all over the world.  It also aims to bring together a comprehensive range of materials and fittings to help give an impetus to the growth of industry in this region.  This will also go a long way towards the creation of new entrepreneurs to enter this arena.”

The Delhiwood team is also upbeat about the event & a team member says   “Indiawood’s proven track record of attracting the biggest machinery companies with live displays of production lines attracted pan Indian visitors and visitors from South Asia and South East Asia.  The industries’ trust in our ability to deliver similar audiences is amply reflected in the response to Delhiwood within a short span post the announcement”.

The press release by PDA TRADE FAIRS also states visitors can hope to see industry majors such as BIESSE, JAI INDUSTRIES, HOLZHER, HOMAG, HBR, SCM, WEINIG, WOODTECH as well as Country Pavilions from Taiwan, Italy and Germany and groups from Malaysia, Turkey and China. Special efforts or on to attract Architects & Interior decorators to provide additional value to Non-machinery exhibitors such as HAFELE, REHAU, Asian Paints and others .

In keeping with our philosophy of delivering complete value to exhibitors, the DELHIWOOD PROJECT TEAM will target visitors from the following segments: Furniture Manufacturers, Particle Board Manufacturers, Architects and Builders, Manufacturers of Wood-Based Articles, Craftsmen, Forestry Officials, Plywood Manufacturers, Interior Decorators and Saw Millers.           

PDA is committed to sparing no effort and money to ensure that exhibitors leave Delhi Wood with their order books full, like in the past with India Wood says Mr.Pradeep Devaiah.

He adds to drive home the point “In the face of uncertainty in most markets, due to the global economic meltdown, INDIA is in a unique position to offer scope for companies looking to gain from INDIA’s internal requirement. One such sector that still has enormous potential due to INDIA’s internal requirement is the woodworking industry. The tremendous response the first edition of “DELHIWOOD” India’s largest International woodworking exhibition in North India is adequate testimony to the Indian markets stability & strength of internal requirement. 

The Delhiwood team looks forward to welcoming all to another woodworking industry “MEGA EVENT.”

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ZOW COMES TO SHENZHEN: PREMIERE IN MARCH 2009 SURVEY ORGANISES
SECOND FURNITURE SUPPLIER FAIR IN CHINA

Between 19 and 22 March 2009, the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Centre will play host to its first ZOW supplier fair for the furniture and interior design industry. ZOW is taking place at the same time as the Shenzhen International Furniture Exhibition (SIFE), held every March, which brings together the decision-makers in the furniture industry in this important economic hub in southern China. The organiser is the Shenzhen Trade Furniture Association (SZFA), one of China’s most influential furniture associations. The organiser of ZOW, Survey (Asia) Marketing & Consulting, is delighted at this new strategic partnership and is confident that in SZFA it has found the optimum partner in Shenzhen.

Since being declared a special economic zone in the 1980s, the Shenzhen region has undergone rapid development. Boasting 12 million inhabitants and the highest income per capital in China, the city is situated in the south of Guangdong province, in the Pearl River delta, just a few kilometres from the international financial hub of Hong Kong. Guangdong is the centre of the furniture industry in southern China and with its economic growth; it offers promising sales prospects for international furniture suppliers. With its excellent connections in the Chinese and overseas markets, SZFA sees itself as a promoter of international contacts and investments – the perfect host for a second ZOW in China!

In Shenzhen, the organiser Survey is looking to apply once again the successful formula of ‘Creating Close Contacts’, which has become ZOW’s trademark around the globe. At the heart of this unique trade fair is the clear presentation of exhibits and the communication between exhibitors and visitors, which is encouraged by specially designated functional areas. Only company decision-makers are invited to attend, so exhibitors can engage in profitable discussions with customers. Ready-made complete packages for exhibitors, an open stand layout, and comprehensive visitor services such as free admission, parking and catering make ZOW an attractive proposition for everyone attending while encouraging the creative workshop aspect of the event.

The Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Centre is one of the most modern trade fair venues in southern China, easily reached from either Shenzhen International Airport or Hong Kong International Airport. At ZOW, visitors can expect to see the full range of products from the furniture supplier industry all in one place: surfaces and fittings, recess and lighting systems, panels and profiles, built-in and semi-finished parts, adhesives and glues, and much more. Innovative product ideas and the opportunity to make excellent business contacts in a relaxed atmosphere make ZOW a popular meeting place for the industry.

But Shenzhen itself also has plenty to offer ZOW visitors in terms of both business and pleasure. SZFA maintains a variety of institutions here, including the Design Institute, which offers a fascinating insight into Chinese furniture design

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WOODWORKING & MACHINERY TRIENNIAL EVENT
ASEANWOOD-WOODTECH MALAYSIA 2008 IS BACK

Industry players from the ASEAN woodworking machinery,timber processing, forestry managing and furniture manufacturing and upplies sector will be congregating at Aseanwood-Woodtech Malaysia 2008 (WTM 2008) held at Putra World Trade Centre from 24-28 September 2008.
WTM 2008 is the only official woodworking trade fair in the ASEAN region held once every three years in Malaysia since its inception in 1994. WTM 2008 is endorsed by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities Malaysia, the Malaysian Woodworking Machinery Association (MWMA), the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and the Malaysia Furniture Industry Council (MFIC). It also receives full support from the Malaysia Furniture Entrepreneur Association (MFEA). On the international level, WTM 2008 is supported by the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (EUMABOIS), the Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association (TWMA) and their Japanese counterpart, the Chubu Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (Chubu).

WTM 2008 has confirmed 4 national pavilions from Germany, Italy, Taiwan, and China. AFEMMA is expected to bring in the Spanish pavilion. As of today, China is the largest pavilion with a participation force of 18 companies occupying over 900 sq meters of exhibition space.The overall exhibition size of WTM 2008 is targeted to be over 25,000 sq meters and is expecting to attract approximately 15,000 visitors from the Asia Pacific region. This is an overall increase of 10% from the exhibition in 2005.

Albert Lai, Managing Director of Trade-Link Management Services Sdn Bhd, organizer of WTM 2008 said, “Aseanwood-Woodtech has been growing more imperative as Malaysia moves from being just an exporter of unprocessed wood to a more focused development of value-added downstream products in the wood-based industry, combining manufacturing activities and research & development as well as product design and market promotion.”

 

“Despite the slowdown in Q1 & 2 for the wood-based sector in Malaysia, industry players are still looking forward to a relevant platform to promote their businesses. With the full support from the Ministry of Plantation
Industries and Commodities and significant federation and associations around the region,WTM will reinforce Malaysia’s position as a regional production,trading and distribution center for the wood-based industry. With the government’s aim for the wood-based industry to go global, WTM 2008 is poised to open more doors of opportunities.” Lai continues. Malaysia is the 10th largest exporter of furniture with over 60 export destinations, and is identified as an important segment of Malaysia’s dynamic manufacturing sector, the main driver of economic growth for the country.

For the year 2007, wood-based activities recorded of an encouraging growth in exports, amounting to RM 22.65 billion, a 60% increase compared to 10 years ago, as reported by the Ministry of Plantation
Industries & Commodities recently.It is also indicated that about RM933.4 million in I in-vestments were approved, representing about 23.1 percent of total investments in the commodities sector. Of the amount, RM539.1 million was domestic investments and RM394.3 million foreign.WTM 2008 incorporates Furnitech 2008, the 6th ASEAN International Exhibition of Machinery & Accessories for Furniture Production, Upholstery and Furnishings; and Forest 2008, the 6th ASEAN International Forestry Management, Timber Supply, Handlings and Storage Exhibition.

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ZOW Shanghai – Gateway to the Asian Market

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.

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FURNITURE MANUFACTURING &;SUPPLY CHINA 200 CONCURRENTLY WITH
‘FURNITURE CHINA 2007’, ‘ZOW CHINA 2007’

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.

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.