Furniture China 2008 (Shanghai) Post Show Report

Furniture World Magazine

Furniture China 2008 was held from September 10-13, 2008 at the SNIEC. According to show management, the show attracted 1,931 exhibitors from 22 countries & regions including 155 overseas exhibitors making the show the third largest furniture show in the world with more than 330,000 sqm (3 million square feet) of exhibition area. Asian companies, especially from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, SAR Hong Kong and India, continued to expand their presence at Furniture China. Furthermore, France, after a long absence, presented the French furniture industry in a French Pavilion for the first time. Companies from Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Turkey and America have added their presence to the international portion of the exhibition amounting to more than 24,000 sqm (216,000 sq. ft.) of exhibition area. 58,582 domestic & International visitors attended the show with 13,600 of these hailing from 150 countries & regions despite stricter visa regulations and more expensive airline tickets. For the first time ever, big group delegations from Brazil and Mexico were welcomed at Furniture China, confirming its importance for the Central and South American Markets. Among the TOP 10 visitor countries were: Australia, Japan, USA, SAR Hong Kong, United Kingdom, India, Taiwan, Italy and Canada. The show has seen an increase in visitors from Australia, USA, Eastern Europe, Central & South America while other countries & regions remain cautious about the market opportunities and worldwide economy. In total, more than 43% of the overseas visitors came from Asian countries (including Middle East), 27% from Europe, 12% from Australia/Oceania, 11% from North America, 5% from South & Central America and another 2% from the rest of the world. NEW SHOW FORMAT The new concept and design of Furniture China 2008 was very well received. Many international exhibitors and visitors praised the higher quality and design competitiveness of the exhibitors. Each exhibition hall had a clear focus and a high level of quality showcasing furniture for the office, the kitchen and the living room, and for decoration, beds and sofas, furniture parts, outdoor furniture and furniture woodworking machinery. The organizer says that it will continue to promote the quality of exhibitors and will address the increased demand for design-comprehensive exhibition halls. Also, the organizer notes that it has tried very hard to protect the intellectual property rights of its exhibitors and there were no report of any intellectual property rights violation. GROWING EXPORTS AND IMPORTS Despite market difficulties, such as increased labor prices, raw material prices, strong exchange rates to the U.S. dollar and increased competition, Chinese Furniture exports continued to grow at 28% for the first half of 2008 while furniture imports to China rose by 33%. Within a few years China will become the fastest growing consumer market in the world for furniture. With more than 10 million new wealthy people living in China, it is further expected that up-market furniture sales will continue to show strong market growth. According to the China National Furniture Association, which celebrated its 20th Anniversary at Furniture China 2008, Chinese furniture manufacturers have become more competitive in the areas of design and continue to improve product quality. More than 70% of the exported furniture was from International joint-venture companies, confirming China as the worldwide manufacturing base for furniture of all kinds in all qualities. Furniture China is organized by the China National Furniture Association and Shanghai CMP Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co. EXPO STORE CONCEPT: Furniture China 2008 introduced the EXPO STORE concept that showcased major domestic retailers and distributors in an increased demanding consumer environment. The EXPO STORE concept was very well received and more than 4,000 visitors took the chance to visit the 186 retail outlets and temporary exhibits. It was the first successful trial in Shanghai this year. The organizer will continue to expand this EXPO-STORE concept in conjunction with Furniture China in the years to come. Furniture China 2009 will be held from September 9 – 12, 2009 at Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre. Major exhibitors from America, Italy, Malaysia and Indonesia have already pre-registered for their exhibition stands in 2009. New exhibitors from Brazil, Mexico, Germany, North Africa and Eastern Europe are expected to join the event. The organizer will introduce a new website for Furniture China 2009 to make the application, registration and visa process for all exhibitors and visitors even easier and more convenient. FurnitureInChina.com - B2B platform continues to grow. This site is specially created to help furniture companies make direct contacts and promote China as a vital part of the online global furniture trade. In conjunction with The 14th China International Furniture Expo, all of the exhibiting companies have posted their company and product information on FurnitureInChina.com. About The Exhibition Managers: A Chinese-foreign co-operative enterprise between Shanghai Sinoexpo International Exhibition Ltd. (established in 1992) and CMP China Ltd., the arm of CMP Asia responsible for all mainland China businesses. It combines CMP Asia's global strength and experience with Sinoexpo's local network and expertise to stage 34 large-scale international events every year in China. For further information, contact: Shanghai CMP Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Tel: +86 21-64371178 x 103 Fax: +86 21-64370982 yolandaxu@cmpsinoexpo.com