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Organisation Upsized

Export Furniture Exhibition
Malaysia Agro Exposition Park
Serdang, Malaysia
March 3 – 7, 2010

The Malaysia Agro Exposition Park, Serdang (MAEPS) serves as the venue for EFE for the second time in 2010. The MAEPS is just 20 minutes from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and 15 minutes from the city, by car. Occupying 80,000 sq m, the showground will be divided into six halls housing more than 500 local and international exhibitors. Participants can expect a better organised event in this much bigger location.

A wide selection of furniture – from modern to classical, as well as innovative and practical office furniture – will be featured. The organiser expects visitors from about 160 countries to visit the sixth edition of EFE. According to updated statistics provided by the organiser, in 2009, most of the visitors and buyers came from Southeast Asia (37 percent). Other Asian countries accounted for 11 percent, and Africa 12 percent. Europe and the Middle East each stood for 15 percent of EFE's total visitorship. The remaining is divided among Australia and the Americas.

Said Karles Ravndal from Handelshuset Martinsen, Norway: “Even though I have only visited one hall so far, I can say that the planning has been good and the layout is conducive for a big team like mine to browse through the different exhibits. I am here with quite a number of staff and it helps a lot that the expo is well-organised.”

On the relatively new venue, Rais Admed and Shyam Joshi from Winds Trading, Dubai said that they would prefer the exhibition to be held nearer to the city. However, they added that the showground is very spacious and easy to move about.

Jean Goder from Acquire Home Living, Australia also appreciates the effective use of space. “Everything here is very accessible. There is no problem making my way from one booth to another, or one hall to another. The halls are very clean and comfortable as well and makes my experience a pleasant one.”

Buyers are also appreciative of the products exhibited. Goder, who sells a wide range of furniture back home, added, “There has been a good range of products I have seen so far… The exhibitors have got all sorts of different furniture and there is plenty of stuff that would fit into my business back in Australia”.

Nigeria’s Udegbunam Chidi Kingsley agrees: “I have seen a lot of beautiful products… I am really interested in taking back a number of products back to Africa”.

This is why Michelle Andrea Tumala from Goulden Myers International, Philippines has been an ardent supporter of EFE. She said: “I have come for every EFE so far. EFE 2009 gives me an opportunity to look for new items that are applicable for the Filipino market as the product range in Malaysia is very different from what can get in the Philippines.”

More are in store for visitors and buyers. An International Buyers Lounge, Business Centre and Luggage Room will be made available. Additional services such as Internet, foot reflexology and massage, and free shuttle buses plying between the city centre, KLIA and MAEPS can be expected.

EFE is managed by EFE Expo Sdn Bhd; organised and presented by the Malaysia Furniture Entrepreneur Association (MFEA).

Global Contents

Furniture China
Shanghai New International Expo Centre
Shanghai, China
September 9 - 12, 2009

Overseas exhibitors hailing from 20 countries will showcase their newest products, and share their knowledge on innovation and design. Spanish furniture brand Vondom confirmed its participation, becoming the latest company onboard. Country pavilions include those from France, Italy, Malaysia and Indonesia, and together with brands from the US, Australia, Greece, Spain, Germany, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and India.
Furniture China 2009 is organised around 6 themes:

• Home Furniture,
• Office Furniture,
• Furnishings,
• Kitchen & Cabinet,
• Furniture Manufacturing and Supplies,
• FMC Premium

To satisfy increasing demands in China’s domestic furniture market and to facilitate communication between stakeholders, a Face-to-Face Sourcing Event with professional buyers will be organised by Furnitureinchina.com, the B2B platform offering extensive information about exhibitors. The event will be held during Furniture China 2009, with the purpose of promoting information exchange and facilitating trade in furniture industry.

CIFF - China International Furniture Fair 2009
China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex
Guangzhou, China
September 6 - 9, 2009

All-rounded Offering

The September show of CIFF 2009 will reach 160,000 sq m, 23 percent larger than that of the same period of last year. More than 700 expected exhibitors will be displaying their newest products at the show. Many of the leading brands in the modern and classical furniture sectors have also confirmed their participation. Participating companies include: Landbond, Hing Lee, Zuoyou, Red Apple, Kinwai, Steel-Land, Zhihao, Zhida, Sleemon, Yuanfangyuan, etc.

Specialised Sofa Zone For Visitors Convenience

Modern Furniture and Classical Furniture are the two dominant themes of CIFF, well accepted by the buyers at home and abroad. For the sake of convenient sourcing, the September show of CIFF 2009 will set up a sofa zone, which covers an area of 50,000 sq m in Hall 9.2-13.2 at Complex B.

Outdoor Furniture Zone For Healthy Lifestyle

The September show of CIFF 2009 will also showcase an outdoor furniture zone. Whole-Home-Furnishing with Home Decor and Home Textile Homedecor & Hometextile China 2009, with an exhibition area of 30,000 sq m, will also be held concurrently, presenting trendy concepts, products and textiles for the home. As an added feature for greater convenience, buyers can purchase furniture and the matching furnishing together using the “one-stop” purchasing platform.

On-Site Activities Add Valalue To Attendance

As a professional event in the furniture industry, CIFF will make full use of its resources and influence by building up the interactive platform for industry players. In addition, salons and seminars in design, academics, marketing and technology will be also held during the show. During the September show, job casting for senior professionals of the Chinese furniture industry and wide circulation enterprises participatory activities, organized in collaboration with the Guangdong Furniture Association, will also be held.

On a separate note, organisers China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corp issued a company statement reinstating that CIFF does not have a "sub-venue" other than at the China Import & Export Fair Complex. The statement also warns against the misleading and illegal adoption of the CIFF name to promote other events held within the vicinity of the same nature and in the same duration. A spokesperson said that while China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corp has not come across any marketing material bearing such contents, it did receive several enquiries from the industry, on whether there is a "sub venue" or a CIFF-related show.

Middle Eastern Boom

Index
Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai, UAE
November 11 – 14, 2009

Index 2009, the leading trade interior design show in the Middle East, will have a brand new focus. A number of features will be introduced to help the interior design industry maximise opportunities in a difficult business environment.

Despite the global economic downturn, there are still new projects which require interior design coming up in the region everyday. Independent research company Proleads estimates that nearly US$43 billion worth of interior projects have been confirmed within the UAE for 2009, in addition to some US$140 billion worth of new hotel projects which should be completed across the Gulf as a whole within the next two years, which in turn will generate significant interior design business opportunities.

Now in its 19th year, Index, organised by dmg world media, now has a brand new team, headed up by event director, Lu Buchanan.

In a trade-show first, Index will introduce a Business Match-Making programme. By invitation only, this programme will match top interior designers, specifiers and buyers with relevant exhibitors. The VIPs will receive a number of benefits, including fast-track entry, access to a VIP lounge and a pre-planned tour of the exhibitors they have been matched with. All this is designed to ensure the effective use of time during the Index show, thus facilitating business. Index will also have a Steering Committee, comprising representatives from the industry and the media, who will be shaping the show and developing new features in the lead-up to the event.

Lu Buchanan, Index event director, said, “Basically, if you think you know Index, you need to think again! This year’s show has been shaped as a result of industry feedback, and we are aiming to provide an arena where contracts are signed and real business takes place, set against a background of the latest cutting edge design.

“In addition, we recognise that time is precious for the top executives in the industry, and so have developed our unique VIP Business Match-Making programme to ensure that Index is of real value to them. I believe we are set for the most exciting show to date, and we look forward to announcing further details shortly.”

It Gets Bigger And Better

Vietnam Internatational Furniture Fair
Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
March 11 - 14, 2010

With more than 40 foreign and local companies from 15 countries already on board, VIFA 2010 will be a golden opportunity to link up with potential business contacts. Showcasing furniture products in bedroom, children, kitchen, living room, dining room, office, sofa, garden/outdoor, and customised sectors, as well as handicrafts, decorative accessories, woodworking machinery and furniture accessories, visitors will be able to view the latest products and launches.

Building on the success of VIFA 2009, which displayed more than 10,000 pieces of furniture and furnishing products, the latest edition promises more, with double the size of 2009 and support from embassies, government and trade associations. Direct invitations have also brought in quality potential buyers from across the world, providing more business opportunities for participants. Such a direct channel of communication will be useful for companies, making it easier to establish personal and direct relationship between business partners.

VIFA 2009, which was 10 percent bigger than the previous edition, reported impressive number of 15,000 trade buyers and visitors from over 59 countries. It also brought in a surprising amount of export sales totalling US$70 million, drawing attention from local manufacturers, traders, the public and government leaders.

An added feature of VIFA 2010 is a guide to help visitors make the most of the exhibition. The fair will be open to the public on March 14, 2010.

Spice Up The World!

Internatational Furniture Fair Singapore /
ASEAN Furniture Show
Singapore Expo, Singapore
March 9 - 12, 2010

As the global economy shows positive signs of a pick-up, the International Furniture Fair Singapore 2010, in conjunction with the 27th ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS 2010), looks set to spice up the global furniture scene with a strong line-up of first-time and loyal repeat exhibitors, both local and international, already confirming their participation in the event. To date, more than 50 percent of the 45,000 sq m exhibition space at IFFS/AFS 2010 has been snapped up eight months ahead of the fair. This high participation rate, despite the current economic outlook, is an excellent endorsement of the fair’s solid reputation as one of the world’s top international furniture trade shows featuring the best of East and West.

Singapore exhibitors have been enthusiastic in their support for the fair, with newcomers such as Novaz Singapore and Evershine Corp making their debut next year. They will be joining big players in the Singapore furniture scene including Eurosa Furniture, Koda, Suncoast Sitra and Star Furniture as well as familiar names like Archipelago Exports, Asiades, Box Living, Cellini Design Center, Domus Ventures, Falcon Inc, Haleywood Industries, O’Bredi and Soflex Gallery, who are collectively taking up 6,458 sq m of booth space at IFFS/AFS 2010.

Adding to the list are international players Brema Marketing, Ever Gaining Furniture, Manutti, Pan Pacific NZ, Ronan, PR Interiors, Shenzhen Meihuaju Industrial, Verdon and Wesbrook, reaffirming that IFFS/AFS 2010 remains an effective trade conduit for global furniture players and the place to see the very latest furniture offerings. IFFS/AFS is also known for its distinct focus on furniture design, reflected through its array of design-related features and activities such as PLATFORM, an arena for young furniture design talents to showcase their furniture prototypes and strike up potential partnerships with international manufacturers. The winners of the Furniture Design Award 2010, Asia’s trend-setting furniture design competition organised by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, will also be presenting their masterpieces at the fair.

IFFS/AFS 2009 saw a healthy attendance of 15,606 trade visitors from 118 countries, with a total of 104 overseas buying delegations from 38 different countries and achieved an estimated total of US$245 million in spot orders.

Seminars Lined Up

HCMC EXPO 2009
International Exhibition & Convention Centre
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
October 6 - 10, 2009

This will be Gophatdat.com’s third year as co-organiser for HCMC Expo together with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry & Trade. This is the largest and the most focused event for the furniture and handicraft industry in Vietnam, with over 300 manufacturers participating in this fair.

A highlight of the fair will be the “Sourcing Seminar”, to be held during the fair on October 6. This event will see the participation of 80 suppliers. There will be many opportunities to source for quality Vietnamese products from reputable suppliers, and also to gain a platform to launch into the local market. You will also have a chance to visit the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade. VIP guests will also be provided with information kits of attendees of the fair.

September Inauguration

JSWB Internatational Furniture Fair Guangzhou
JSWB Home Furnishings Center, Pazhou
Guangdong, China
September 6 - 10, 2009

The inaugural JSWB International Furniture Fair Guangzhou will be held at the soon-to-be-opened JSWB Home Furnishings Center in Pazhou. The Center is conveniently located right above the Pazhou subway station on Line 2 of the Metro, next to the Pazhou Exhibition Hall Phase 3.

The fair will be open from 9am to 9pm throughout, with the first two days for industry professionals only. Some 130 exhibitors will be showcasing on 90.000 sq m on six floors at the JSWB Home Furnishings Center. Many of the largest and most well known Chinese furniture brands and manufacturers will be present.

There will be two fairs annually from 2010 onwards, in spring and autumn respectively, with a second exhibition hall added. JSWB International Furniture Fair is expected to further strengthen the position of Guangzhou as the main venue for international furniture fairs in Southern China.