MIFF directors plan expansion
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, April 10, 2005
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Just across the street from the Pan Pacific Hotel, visitors to the Malaysian International Furniture Fair wait for shuttle buses to take them to see more product.
But the product they are going to see isn't part of MIFF, which completed its 11th edition on March 5 at the Putra World Trade Center here.
The buses were taking visitors to competing markets several miles away in the same city. Those markets are The Malaysian Furniture Export Exhibition, or MAFEX, at the Malaysian International Exhibition & Convention Center at Mines Resort City; and the Export Furniture Fair Malaysia, or EFE, at the Asia Pacific Auction Center.
But Tan Chin Huat, managing director of MIFF, doesn't appear too worried about the competition. His show is still the largest in Malaysia, with over 400 exhibitors showing in about 650,000 square feet. That compares to 300 exhibitors in 250,000 square feet at EFE and 112 exhibitors in 200,000 square feet at MAFEX.
Next year, MIFF plans to expand by at least 80,000 square feet in the new 120,000-square-foot Kuala Lumpur Convention Center near the famous Twin Towers. Set to open in June, the convention center will help bring MIFF to more than 730,000 square feet.
Tan said he plans to use that space for international exhibitors, most of which exhibit in Level One of the fair. The show will transport visitors to and from the two facilities with about 35 shuttle buses.
Tan could not immediately say how many additional exhibitors he plans to recruit. For now, he plans to focus more on the quality of exhibitors versus sheer numbers. New exhibitors also would need to complement the existing product lines, which mainly consist of low to midpriced casual dining and bedroom. The show also features leather and fabric upholstery as well as some occasional and office furniture.
The bulk of the exhibitor base likely will remain Malaysian manufacturers, many of whose designs cater to the European, United Kingdom and Middle East markets. But there are a growing number of companies attracting American buyers looking for Malaysian-made product at competitive price points.
Malaysian furniture makers, Tan and others say, will continue to have a tough time competing with Chinese manufacturers, particularly in terms of price. But Tan believes Malaysia will be able to compete over the long term thanks to its good infrastructure and distribution capabilities, plus the design and diversity of its product mix.
MIFF plans to be part of the long-term growth, he said. Based on expansion capabilities at the KLCC and the Putra center, Tan said MIFF could grow to 1 million square feet in five years.
He acknowledged the other two shows could remain viable competitors for some time. And while he doesn't shun that competition, he is confident MIFF will prevail in the marketplace.
"I hope through MIFF to be able to make Malaysia a furniture hub in this region," Tan said. "As a hub of both export and design, I think we have better strengths than anybody in the region."
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