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Event Will Expand
To Seven Halls in 2008
SINGAPORE, 27 March 2007
– IFFS/AFS 2007 achieved an attendance of 17,322
trade visitors from 117 countries at the recent five-day
International Furniture Fair Singapore 2007 and 24th
ASEAN Furniture Show which ended on 5 March. Once
again, the best and varied mix of Asian furniture
designs coupled with the participation of high-quality
international exhibitors contributed to the success
of the event which achieved an estimated USD 240 million
of spot orders.
Amongst the visitors, there were
66 buying delegations from 17 countries. An additional
USD 2.1 billion of follow-on sales are expected as
a result of the opportunities secured at the fair.
IFFS/AFS 2007 also generated approximately USD 38
million in economic spin-offs for Singapore’s
Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions
(MICE) and tourism sectors.
In terms of the scale of the fair,
IFFS/AFS 2007 was the largest in its 24-year history,
providing a useful platform for the forging of an
unprecedented number of potential global trade partnerships.
It hosted a record 510 exhibitors from 28 countries
of which, many had increased their exhibition space.
This resulted in the show being 10.7 percent bigger
than 2006 with 60,000 square metres in gross space
(or 39,300 square metres in nett space) spread across
all six halls at the Singapore Expo.
With more than 35,000 pieces of
designer furniture and furnishing products on display,
IFFS/AFS 2007 offered unparalleled variety and quality
buying opportunities. These included the largest collection
of Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Taiwanese and Vietnamese
furniture products, exhibited outside of the respective
countries.
In addition, IFFS/AFS 2007 provided
a breath of fresh air when it came to match-making
between designers and manufacturers with a total of
92 first-to-market furniture prototypes by young designers
from the region who took part in various design initiatives
including the annual Furniture Design Award, FL!P
Challenge and the inaugural PLATFORM.
Mr Craig Swift, Client Services
Manager of Sacred Earth, one of the 41 exhibitors
from Vietnam at IFFS/AFS 2007, said: “We have
exhibited at IFFS/AFS for three consecutive years
and have always had successful shows. 2007 was by
far the most productive for us with quality buyers
from a large spread of regions and markets. We have
already signed up for 2008, where we are confident
of building on the success from the previous shows.”
Mr Steven Chew, Chief Operating
Officer of Sitra Holdings (International) Limited,
Singapore, added: “We are pleased to see that
IFFS/AFS has grown from strength to strength since
its inception. We see tremendous value in participating
in IFFS/AFS because of the exhibition’s ability
to attract top international buyers and other industry
professionals from all over the world. We were able
to grow our sales directly and indirectly through
the show and this show has become a must-have in our
annual marketing calendar.”
Impressed with the quality and
variety of the show, Mr Al-Karim Chatur, a VIP Buyer
from Eztia Furnishings, Canada, said: “Our participation
at IFFS/AFS 2007 was a huge success. We have always
found the Singapore show to be our treasure trove.
And as the saying goes, ‘the early bird catches
the worm’, IFFS/AFS has proven to be our gold
mine and by placing it as the first show to visit
in the ASEAN furniture trade show circuit, we have
always been able to achieve what we want.”
Echoing similar sentiments, another
VIP Buyer, Mr Nicholas Pastos from Narde Ltd, Cyprus,
said: “Once again, IFFS/AFS was very well organised
and my colleagues and I were able to find a myriad
of good designs and high quality furniture at the
exhibition.”
Mr Tony Pang, Chairman, IFFS/AFS
Show Advisory Panel, said: “We are heartened
that IFFS/AFS has once again proved valuable to the
global furniture trade players. The efficiencies of
Singapore such as our business-oriented facilities
and services, effective transport and logistics system
as well as safe and cosmopolitan environment have
continued to help boost our leadership position as
a trendsetter in furniture designs as well as in reaffirming
and catalysing businesses in the region. I’m
certain expectations for next year’s fair will
be raised and I am confident we will gear up to meet
the challenges ahead.”
Indeed, the size and scope of the
fair will be expanded when the IFFS/AFS returns from
1 to 5 March next year. IFFS/AFS 2008 will occupy
seven halls at the Singapore Expo, allowing an additional
10,000 square metres of floor space for exhibition.
To date, more than 12,000 square metres of exhibition
space for the 2008 fair have already been booked by
more than 50 companies.
Mr Quek Chin Tuan, Chief Executive
Officer of IFFS Pte Ltd, added: “We remain fully
committed to growing, improving and value-adding to
the fair so as to provide both exhibitors and buyers
a more rewarding networking, buying and selling experience.
In fact, we have taken into account the feedback which
we have received from trade visitors and exhibitors
and will be moving the dates for the fair closer to
the China shows. IFFS/AFS 2009 will be held from 8
to 12 March. Our objective is to ensure that IFFS/AFS
continues to respond to the needs and demands of industry
players by minimising travel inconveniences which
will allow for more effective scheduling of itineraries.”
For more updates on IFFS/AFS 2008,
please visit www.iffs.com.sg
About the Singapore Furniture
Industries Council (SFIC)
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) was
established in 1981 as the official representative
body of Singapore's furniture industry. It currently
represents 95 per cent of established furniture manufacturers
in Singapore of whom, 65 per cent have subsidiary
manufacturing plants in the region including China,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Its primary
role is to promote the interests of its members and
the Singapore furniture industry. Many of its initiatives
aim to facilitate members' exposure to the world market,
develop local talent and encourage entrepreneurship.
SFIC also organises the annual Furniture Design Award
to spur trend-setting furniture designs from Asia.
To ensure the industry’s growth and viability,
SFIC continues to forge close partnerships with the
government and trade-related agencies to harness technology,
knowledge and information for effective strategic
planning.
About International Furniture
Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS Pte Ltd)
International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS
Pte Ltd) is a subsidiary of SFIC, which owns 60 per
cent of IFFS Pte Ltd. MP International Pte Ltd owns
the remaining 40 per cent share of the company. IFFS
Pte Ltd’s business is in organising and managing
furniture and furniture-related fairs, exhibitions,
shows, conferences and other events worldwide. IFFS
Pte Ltd organises the annual International Furniture
Fair Singapore, which is held in conjunction with
the ASEAN Furniture Show. In addition, IFFS Pte Ltd
and MP International have launched the International
Hospitality Furniture Expo, which will be held in
Bahrain from 3 – 5 September 2007. The company
has a six-member Board of Directors, comprising the
Chairman of the Board, Mr James Koh, who is Presidential
Advisor to SFIC, Mr Andrew Ng, the current SFIC President,
Messrs Jerry Tan and Sim Kah Choon who are Vice-Presidents
of SFIC, Mr James Chia and Ms Sylvia Phua, Chairman
and CEO of MP International Pte Ltd respectively.
About International Furniture
Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS)
The International Furniture Fair Singapore, held in
conjunction with the ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS)
began in 1981 and has since grown to be regarded by
industry experts as Asia's most prestigious furniture
trade show. IFFS/AFS provides an effective marketing
platform for regional companies to venture into global
markets. As a testimony to the quality of the show,
IFFS/AFS is the first Asian-based international furniture
fair to be accepted as a member of the elite Union
des Foires Internationales, a Paris-based international
authority on trade fairs. In addition, it is the only
furniture trade event in Singapore to be awarded the
'Approved International Fair' status by the Singapore
Tourism Board. The Singapore Exhibition and Convention
Bureau also recognises the fair as a major event on
Singapore's international exhibition calendar.
Issued by : Foreword
Communications Pte Ltd
On behalf of :
International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd
For media enquires, please contact:
Jasmine Sim (Consultant)/Sylvia
Lim (Senior Associate)
Foreword Communications Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 6338 5918
Email: jasmine@foreword.com.sg
/ sylvia@foreword.com.sg
Quek Chin Tuan (Chief Executive
Officer)/Juliana Gan (Assistant Marcom Manager)
IFFS Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 6569 6988
Email: chintuan@iffs.com.sg
/ juliana@iffs.com.sg
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