Dongguan fair hires Lyndrup to market event to U.S. buyers
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 9, 2005
Houjie, China — The 3F Famous Furniture Fair in Dongguan has hired Lyndrup International to help market the event to U.S. retailers and importers.
The North Carolina consulting company is working with the fair's organizer, the Dongguan Famous Furniture Assn., to boost international interest and attendance.
The association chose the firm because of the rapport it developed with owner Mark Lyndrup, a former High Point University professor, who attended the 3F Fair last year.
In addition to drawing more U.S. buyers for product from China and other countries participating in the fair, the association says it hopes to foster alliances between the U.S. and Chinese industries.
"We hope to establish relationships with furniture industry associations and enterprises in the U.S. and exchange information to help furniture industry development in both countries," said Fang Hui, the secretary general of the Dongguan Famous Furniture Assn.
Next year's 13th and 14th editions of the fair are scheduled for March 17–21 and Aug. 17–21 at the Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center in Houjie.
The fair is held in six buildings totaling about 2.5 million square feet and features 700 exhibitors, mostly home furnishings manufacturers. The five-day event typically draws about 80,000 visitors, including 6,000 international buyers from 50 countries. Most foreign buyers are from Asia, but 10% come from of the United States, 14% from Europe and 12% from the Middle East.
Lyndrup hosted Fang and a group of about 14 fair officials at the High Point market in October. The visitors included Juricka Chu, an overseas marketing officer with the Hong Kong-based International Furniture and Decoration Assn., a co-sponsor of the fair.
Along with helping assess how a High Point-type approach might work in Houjie, Lyndrup will help the fair develop an advertising strategy. The ads will likely tout the event's proximity to hotels, airports and other fairs in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
Lyndrup also has a separate contract with the Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center to help market the venue, which hosts other trade show events in addition to the furniture fair.
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