Furniture Fair in Latin America To Take Place in Southern Brazil, March 2006

Furniture World Magazine

MOVELSUL Brazil 2006, said (by its producers) to be the largest international furniture fair in Latin America, will be held for the fifteenth time March 13-17. The event, held in the city of Bento Goncalves in southern Brazil, positions Brazil as a major manufacturer of furniture in the international market. The city of Bento Goncalves (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) is one of Brazil's most important furniture export hubs. MOVELSUL Brasil, is a professional event exclusively for manufacturers and buyers that draws more than 400 exhibitors from all over Brazil and an estimated 33,000 visitors from wood and furniture-production sectors. Organized by the Construction and Furniture Industries Syndicate of Bento Goncalves-SINDIMOVEIS (Sindicato das Industrias da Construcao e do Mobiliario de Bento Goncalves), the fair's services focus on business prospects. MOVELSUL, which takes place every even-numbered year in March, serves as a stage for the launch of new products. It is a perfect event for retailers and importers to learn the latest trends and use of new raw materials. The "Buyer Project," which is supported by the federal government, gives importers the opportunity to meet Brazilian manufacturers and initiate partnerships based on capabilities and needs. Another popular event at MOVELSUL Brasil is "Design Salon," an international prize for furniture design. This competition is open to Brazilian industries as well as students and professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 3,500 projects have been received in the ten competitions held thus far. The fair's success can be attributed not only to the quality of the furniture showcased, but its locale. Bento Goncalves is located in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul, the heartland of Italian immigrants.A unique region geographically, the people are friendly, leisure activities abound, and local restaurants serve traditional cuisine. Brazilian furniture exports generated US$ 1 billion in revenues in 2004, with principal buyers the United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Canada, and Uruguay. The federal government and development agencies have invested in the furniture sector for some time. Today, the infrastructure of Brazilian factories equals that of traditional country producers, with human resources ready to meet world demand. For further information, please visit the MOVELSUL website at http://www.movelsul.com.br .