Cebu, Philippines — The Far East furniture shows that begin here this week are being held amid heightened concerns about international terrorism, a sagging U.S. economy, possible war in Iraq, and no abatement of factory growth in China.
The series of markets continues in Pampanga, in the north of the Philippines, then moves on to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Bangkok in Thailand.
Cebu, Philippines
The Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, organizers of the Cebu show, hopes to top 2002's attendance and orders-written figures. About 200,000 square feet of exhibition space was added in anticipation of strong traffic.
The 2003 edition of the Cebu show, which runs from Feb. 26 through March 2 at the Cebu International Convention Center of the Waterfront Hotel, has been marketed under the tagline, "The freshest designs," an indication of the strategy many Philippine producers are embracing in competition with China.
Of the scheduled exhibitors, 56 are traditional specialists, 65 produce contemporary and 37 source home accents categories.
In addition, some 250 factories are within a 10- to 30-minute drive from the show venue, making visits convenient and common.
This year's market is the first since the CFIF pulled out of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines in December, part of an effort to assert itself as the lead organization for furniture exporters in the country.
The nonprofit CFIF is comprised of about 150 furniture manufacturers, many of them among the country's largest.
Upon withdrawing from the CFIP, which is based in Manila, the Cebu-based CFIF said it was seeking a bigger say in the formulation of government policies affecting furniture, since by some accounts Cebu accounts for as much as 90% of the country's furniture exports.
Pampanga, Philippines
The Philippine International Furniture Show, which moved from Manila to Clark Field, Pampanga, runs Feb. 28 through March 3 at the Centennial Expo Pilipino.
This year, PIFS is using more than 20 individually designed, detached villas as lifestyle showrooms. Catering to tastes that range from Zen to contemporary, classical to eclectic and Mediterranean to Middle Eastern, the show is aimed primarily at the European market.
The market this year has a larger contingent of exhibitors displaying housewares and accessories, according to organizers.
Singapore
The International Furniture Fair Singapore, the Far East's oldest and largest show, overlaps with the Philippine shows, running March 1–5, with its final two days open to the public.
The 20-year-old show is held in conjunction with the ASEAN Furniture Show for office and contract. Since 1999, the market has been held in the Singapore Expo Center, a state-of-the-art complex near the island's airport. This year it will for the first time require all six show halls, or about 600,000 square feet, a 22% increase over 2002.
A relaxation in the visa application rules for entry into Singapore will make it easier for buyers to attend this year. Visas are not required of U.S. visitors and others no longer need a Singapore-registered company to act as a sponsor.
In part because of the visa rules, the number of visitors from the Middle East is expected to more than double this year compared to 2002. The show's organizer, the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, expects exhibitors targeting the Middle East and Indian markets will dramatically increase their booth space.
IFFS will feature 600 exhibitors from 35 countries, and it is expected to attract more than 18,000 visitors. According to the SFIC, Vietnamese exhibitors have increased their floor space five-fold.
"Given the difficult economic conditions, the strong response (from exhibitors and buyers indicates) we are moving in the right direction and addressing the demands of the industry," said James Koh, president of SFIC and also president of Koda, a full-line producer based in Singapore.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The ninth Malaysian International Furniture Fair kicks off in Kuala Lumpur at the Putra World Trade Center on March 4, continuing through March 8. Organizers are encouraged by the number of buyers who pre-registered.
"We believe that MIFF 2003 will record another successful year," said Tan Chin Huat, managing director of MIFF. "A significant number of visitors from around the globe have pre-registered."
The United States has the highest number of pre-registered buyers.
Tan is aware, however, of the anxiety concerning international travel and trade. He passed along the comments of a buyer from the United Kingdom, who told Tan he viewed Kuala Lumpur as "a very safe place."
MIFF will use 10 exhibition halls totaling 600,000 square feet.
Bangkok, Thailand
The Thailand International Furniture Fair will take place at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center from March 5 through March 9. The show's last two days are open to the public and less conducive to trade business.
About 70% of Thailand's wood furniture exports are in the country's indigenous parawood species, and that wood dominates offerings here.
Growth in Thai furniture exports indicates that "foreign buyers are confident in our parawood," said Songchai Saisavetvaree, deputy director general of the department of export promotion in Thailand's ministry of commerce. Like other Asian countries, Thailand is "focusing on product design," he said.
The department of export promotion organizes TIFF.
