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ISSUE: May/June 2009

Export Furniture Exhibition: Strong Showing

With an improved venue, visitors and exhibitors at the Export Furniture Exhibition 2009 – held from March 4 – 6 at Serdang, Malaysia – were confident of the strength of show. Most said that it was a time of caution but opportunities to profit and grow were still abound.

“Business is still good but it is getting tougher to compete. We really have to do our best to market and advertise ourselves to attract customers, much more than before. The opportunities are still there but we have to work harder for it now. To help us focus our marketing and maximise our budget, we rely on market surveys to key us in what works and what doesn’t. We also examine thoroughly the kind of products that the consumers need as this is not a time that most people will spend on luxurious items. ”

JAN KEY

Purchase Director
Seats and Sofas, Germany

“My company is based in India and we deal in rubberwood products. Rubberwood is a good material for the market that my company serves – it is economical and durable enough. Malaysia is the natural place to go for rubberwood furniture as it is abundant here; moreover the quality of furniture in Malaysia is good. Over in India, demand is soft as people are feeling insecure about their jobs. They have to take care of daily necessities like food and utilities. Furniture might be the last thing on their minds.”

ANIL GARY

Managing Director
Matu International, Delhi, India

“Although orders have slowed down, prices of raw materials have also fallen by a little. This eases the pressure on small-scale companies such as mine but at the same time, I feel that the market could do much better. Thankfully, our orders by volume have not dropped but some of our customers are asking for different terms such as longer repayment periods. To deal with the flagging demand, we have also started to make promotional items at prices that are reasonable to attract value conscious buyers and consumers.”

HERBERT WEE

BSL Furniture Decoration
Johor, Malaysia

“Business is down but in this climate almost everyone across all industries is affected. Yes, the exchange rate for the Malaysian Ringgit might be quite favourable to exporters now but what is the use if there are no buyers. I feel that the Malaysian government can do more to help the furniture industry tide over this period and focus on saving local industries. The banks here should also be more flexible and allow debtors to re-negotiate payment terms as this is an extraordinary situation.”

NG JUI KENG

Executive Director
Goldinjaya Engineering Trading & Services
Johor, Malaysia

“Admittedly, things are tougher now but the usual business practices still apply. We try to manufacture in volumes that will be cost effective and pass the savings on to our customers. I think that this is what the market needs now – innovative products that are affordable yet high on quality. To do this, we focus on producing only two or three products at a time to reduce the time needed to re-configure our machines. This way, we produce non-stop and less downtime means more returns.”

STEVE ONG

Executive Director
Simewood Product, Johor, Malaysia

“We deal in wood working machinery but I am at the fair to check out what’s happening in the industry. We offer turnkey solutions for manufacturers so it is important to keep abreast of the trends and needs of the furniture industry: one of the largest customers of woodworking machinery. Since they have been hit by the credit insolvency crisis, orders for machinery have also slowed. Costs have gone up and no one is buying, exacerbating the situation. To survive this period, we have had to reduce expenses, cutting staff where needed.”

GUNTER SERAFINI

Chief Representative
Biesse Asia, Selangor, Malaysia

Current issue:
March/April 2010

To Gather Again In March
Every March, the international furniture community gears itself up for a jam-packed calendar. Starting with MIFF in Kuala Lumpur and to finish with the CIFF-Office Show at the end of March, buyers and suppliers gather in Asia for the latest products and designs the region has to offer. This is in the form of more than a dozen exhibitions running back-to-back.

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