Despite the challenging tough market conditions, the Export Furniture Exhibition (EFE) 2016 rang up its second highest sales ever of $703m as it concluded its recent show on a positive note.

Organised by EFE Expo Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned company by Malaysian Furniture Council (MFC), the four-day annual event which kicked off the furniture buying season in Asia as one of the Southeast Asia’s biggest furniture events, featured 257 exhibitors from Malaysia and the region, with over 50% new exhibitors, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). The upbeat mood and busy networking in the trading halls were buoyed by quality buyers and the strong presence of new buyers. More than 9000 attendees from 135 countries and regions attended the 12th edition of EFE.

Last year, the show, well known as a quality and value for money market place and an event by the industry for the industry, boasted with extensive selections, recorded $670m orders with over 8000 visitors from 128 countries and regions. According to the organizer, buyer traffic to EFE 2016 was relatively steady from Australasia, North America, the Middle East, South Asia, South-East Asia and East Asia.

Despite concerns over the surging US dollar and slump in oil prices, exhibitors were in positive mood as high quality buyers continued to dictate orders and new buyers drove new business. Tang Wai Keong, general manager of Future Manufacturer (Sofa), which secured higher sales than last year, says: “Buyers from over 45 countries visited us and we had more than 50% increase in sales.”

Another exhibitor Dato’ Peter Ng, MD of Gio-Luzini Sdn. Bhd (Dining) commented that the company received great response from a diversity of global buyers and is satisfied.

Ranked the world’s 8th largest furniture exporter, Malaysia posted exports of RM 9.14b last year as compared to RM 8.01b in 2014, an increase of 14%. This is a positive improvement towards Malaysia’s objective to achieve RM 16b in furniture exports by year 2020 in line with the National Timber Policy outlined by the Malaysian Government.

Among the side highlights of EFE 2016 was the China Export Pavilion, where Malaysian exhibitors were provided with an opportunity to export to China where currently there is a strong demand of solid wood furniture products.

Another highlight was the Professional Designers Programme (PDP), mooted out by Malaysian Timber Industry Board in collaboration with the Malaysian Furniture Promotion Council in their efforts in producing high-quality products with original designs. The PDP involved four Malaysia pride recipient manufacturers, four international professional designers, eight designers from the Tanggam program and four in-house designers. To maintain and improve Malaysia’s world ranking, today the Malaysian industry is focused on the development of the culture of design.

Export Furniture Exhibition continues to exude strong positive sentiment and EFE 2017 is scheduled to take place on 8-11 March 2017 at KLCC, the prominent venue adjacent to the internationally known iconic Petronas Twin Towers of Malaysia.

(Source: Furniture News  Author: Victoria Noakes)