Swedish Exhibit Wins Major Furniture Award

Furniture World Magazine

The Swedish Furniture Industry Association (SMI) together with five of its members won ICFF's prestigious "Body of Work" award at the annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. The ICFF Editor's awards are among the industry's highest accolades and the "Body of Work" award is given for the best overall content and presentation. "We are genuinely gratified that our presentation of Swedish design has been so well received by the American market," said Nils-Erik Engström, the new managing director of SMI. "It is a wonderful acknowledgment of the intrinsic nature and quality of contemporary Swedish furniture design. I'm honored to have been able to accept this award on behalf of the SMI and the exhibiting companies: Källemo, Offecct, Swedese, Iform and Galleri Stolen." Editors of leading international design publications such as Abitare, Domus, Frame, House & Garden, House Beautiful, Interior Design, Interni, Intramuros, Metropolis, Metropolitan Home and Wallpaper unanimously crowned Sweden with the award "Body of Work" at the 2002 International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. Sweden was chosen among more than 500 exhibitors from Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Sweden, U.S., and the United Kingdom. SMI is an organization that represents more than 100 furniture companies embodying nearly 60% of all the furniture produced in this dynamic nation. SMI's members consist of companies producing and marketing furniture entirely or partially manufactured by Swedish companies. SMI has an important role and a number of liabilities in helping its members become more competitive. Some of the organizations main responsibilities are to promote their members' interests domestically and internationally; provide continual information about market trends, laws and regulations and environmental issues; and contribute to the development and adaptation of new routines, techniques and technologies. In addition, SMI is responsible for arranging the annual International Furniture Fair in conjunction with Stockholm International Fairs. SMI also serves as a contact party and reference group for the Swedish furniture industry and also promotes the quality trademark "Möbelfakta."