Brazilian Furniture Debuts at Las Vegas Market

Furniture World Magazine

For the first time Brazilian companies will display top furniture styles and brands at Las Vegas Market (U.S.A.), from July 25 – 28, 2006 in a 6,900 square foot space at Las Vegas Convention Center. The Brazilian group will have the participation of 16 exhibiting companies, as part of the project called Brazilian Furniture, co-sponsored by APEX-Brazil (Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) and controlled by ABIMOVEL (Brazilian Manufacturers Furniture Association). “The participation of Brazil at Las Vegas Market is very important as manufacturers in this region are demonstrating some of the most trend-setting styles and the country itself is a major player in the quality production of furniture exports,” said Tim Branscome, Director of International Business Development for World Market Center. The United States is the main importer of Brazilian furniture responsible for 40% of all Brazilian furniture exports. In general, the Brazilian furniture exports have demonstrated fast growing segment, reaching almost USD $1 billion in 2005, according to APEX-Brazil. “The Las Vegas Market is a significant new venue for the entrance of the Brazilian furniture in the United States. Our expectation is to create another opportunity to show our products in the west coast of the United States. The marketplace in Las Vegas favors a new access to that growing market segment and also has worldwide appeal,” says Rogerio Bellini, project manager of APEX. For the president of the Brazilian Contemporary Furniture & Home Décor Manufacturers Association (ABIMAD), Mr. Paulo Augusto Allemand, the participation in the Las Vegas Market will add more value to the national product. “The Brazilians want to participate in Las Vegas which is gaining great recognition and is among the most important trade fairs nowadays. It is another way to show the quality, functionality and identity of the Brazilian furniture for one of the most important markets in the world”, he says. At the Las Vegas Market, the Brazilian factories will be showing dining rooms, accent furniture, leather and fabric couches and home theaters. Another initiative sponsored by APEX is the opening of Brazilian Distribution Centers that will help the factories to handle merchandise for a certain period of time. Three distribution centers will be opening this year in Miami, Fla. (USA), Frankfurt, Germany and Lisbon, Portugal. Besides the APEX initiative there are other private warehouses/showrooms being established in the US market and one of them is the Pampaexport`s showroom located in Atlanta, Ga. (USA) where unique and quality Brazilian furniture can be found. The performance of the Brazilian factories is growing fast as far as the design and competitiveness of the national furniture industry have been improving the quality, productivity and attendance. Since 1998, the furniture sector in Brazil has promoted its products overseas and results began to show around 2003. Furniture design shows the identity of Brazil Brazilian furniture design has gained importance around the world. It officially was born in the middle of the 20th century when designer Sergio Rodrigues created the Poltrona Mole (Soft Armchair) and nowadays it is internationally recognized. Rodrigues himself is quoted by Delta Laurousse Encyclopedia as the creator of the Brazilian furniture. Because of this chair he was awarded at the International Furniture Contest, in Cantu, Italy, in 1961, and since then the Brazilian furniture had started to gain greater attention. For the set of its workmanship, Rodrigues received the award Lapiz da Plata, from the Buenos Aires Biennial of Architecture. Other known names over seas are Fernando and Humberto Campana. The “Campana brothers” became, in less then ten years, a national reference in design. Their creations are easily identified and some of their works are shown in international museums, such as MoMA (USA), Museum of Decorative Arts (Canada) and Vitra Design Museum (Germany). Among the several awards they have received is the George Nelson Design, granted in 1999 by the American magazine Interiors. One of the Campanas’ most known works is the Favela Chair, made of hundreds of wood pieces that are a type of popular Brazilian construction “favelas”. Brazil is also known for the work of Claudia Moreira Salles. She gathers simplicity and details in her pieces and uses a popular raw material in Brazil – the wood. Another designer usually quoted in the design history of the Brazil is Carlos Motta. He created the Sao Paulo Chair, a classic that originated a construction technique today applied in many furniture lines. Las Vegas Market takes place July 24-28 at World Market Center and Pavilions; the Temporaries will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and open on July 25. In all the July 2006 Market will be the largest Las Vegas Market yet with more than 2.6 million square feet of permanent and temporary exhibits. Attendees are encouraged to register and book hotel rooms in advance to receive their badge by mail. To register for Las Vegas Market and book hotels rooms, visit www.LasVegasMarket.com or call 888-WMC-SHOW (962-7469). Companies that will be showing at the Brazilian Pavilion at Las Vegas Convention Center include: 1. ANTICA ACCESSORIES 2. ARTENOVA FURNITURE 3. BRV MOVEIS 4. CASA D INDUSTRIA DE MOVEIS 5. CONNECT UPHOSLTERY 6. FORMANOVA FURNITURE 7. INDUSTRIA DE PELES MINUANO 8. MOVEIS GERMAN 9. MOVEIS RIMO 10. MODULAQUE LEATHER SOFAS 11. MULTIMOVEIS INDUSTRIA DE MOVEIS 12. NIROFLEX LEATHER AND FABRIC UPHOSLTERY 13. OSTERNO MOVEIS 14. POLITORNO MOVEIS 15. MÓVEIS SANDRIM 16. SIER MOVEIS