Handicraft And Furniture Expo 2004 In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Furniture World Magazine

A surging demand for Vietnamese furniture has created a large market for US wood products and woodworking machinery. Vietnamese manufacturers are rushing to fill the void as Chinese furniture exports dwindle due to US antidumping petitions. As Vietnam's furniture industry grows, so too does its demand for logs, lumber, woodworking machinery and technology. Vietnam’s expanding wood processing industry relies upon imported wood. Total timber imports to Vietnam reached US$250 million in 2003, and significant growth is expected. The demand for woodworking machinery and related equipment is also soaring. According to Wood & Wood Products magazine, Vietnam is on its way to becoming a “wood products giant.” In 2003, Vietnam's wooden exports exceeded US$ 560 million – a 28% increase on 2002 and is expected to reach $US 750 million this year, as reported by the Vietnam Ministry of Trade. Within three years, 75 percent to 80 percent of wood furniture sold in the United States will be manufactured in Asia, says Keith B. Hughes, an industry analyst with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets. To seize these opportunities, the Vietnam Resource Group is organizing a delegation of US companies that will travel to Vietnam from Sept. 27th to October 4th , 2004. The Trade Mission will attend the WOOD, FURNITURE AND HANDICRAFT EXPO 2004 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The WOOD, FURNITURE AND HANDICRAFT EXPO 2004 – organized by Ho Chi Minh City Service Of Trade – is an annual event and the largest furniture and handicraft industry event in Vietnam. It is attended by over 500 major domestic wood processing , furniture and handicraft manufacturers. For more information, please contact: West Coast : Ross Meador: 510-845-5726 Southwest: Jim Ridge: 817-715-4071 East Coast: Trung Trinh: 202-271-8200 Or email us at: us2vietnam@aol.com