“The current edition of Furniture China 2018 attained the greatest progress over past ten years, which led the exhibition into a new era. Meanwhile, the organizers have also developed with a superior planning value. The renewing Furniture China emphasizes more on the lifting quality than quantity. High quality is undoubtedly the aim and one of the core competitiveness of Furniture China to make its way to a world’s leading and international furniture expo.”
This year, the 24th China International Furniture Expo (better known as Furniture China 2018) and its concurrent event – Maison Shanghai 2018 successfully concluded on 14 September in Pudong, Shanghai. During the four-day exhibition, the two shows presented thousands of furniture products and home decorations with around 3,500 exhibitors in SNIEC and SWEECC, reaching a higher standard of visitor engagement, exhibitor satisfaction and customer experience.
The post-show statistics show a positive result of growth on the number of international visitors. Visitor entry counting from all gates break 166,479 in total during the whole exhibition period, both fairs together hosting buyers and visitors from 132 countries and regions, who are mainly from United States, Australia, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Japan, United Kingdom, Thailand, Singapore, Canada and etc. General engagement of visitor on-site attendance is very much satisfactory with 9.82% increase this year and overseas visitors shows an increase of 23.87% compared with last year.
The raising visitor performance has considerably reflected an extraordinary good year for Furniture China and Maison Shanghai. From upstream to downstream, the two platforms have both greatly stimulated furniture market, and have facilitated trade and business for the industry. Annually in September, it’s an ideal real-time interactive business center gathering global suppliers and buyers at Furniture China and Maison Shanghai in Shanghai (Pudong) to build up connections, communications and contract order of high efficiency.
A Business Networking Hub, Internationalized and Open-minded
Internationality are the goal for Chinese furniture market, and also a firm topic for Furniture China to discuss and practice. In 2018, more international brands came to the exhibition and new international forums were held to lift the industrial proposal. Hall E1 & E2 showcased global vision of the industry with 220 exhibitors from 24 countries. International pavilions from France, Belgium, Italy, South Korea, Turkey, and Malaysia also filled in the venues with various materials and designs according to different cultural backgrounds and explained the possibility of living attitudes. GEM from France exhibited with 12 associated members which presented a variety of French-made furniture category, from kid’s furniture to outdoor furniture, and delivered its value of “My Furniture is French” to mark the willingness for business and culture interchanges with the world. BelgoFurn from Belgium also introduced 5 member companies exhibiting onsite, and reinforced their market goal for more high-quality cooperation with Chinese market.
Setting theme as “Prosperity & Promotion”, The World Furniture Forum 2018 lunched the World Furniture Confederation Shanghai Initiative and developed an exploring conversation on the cooperative industrial eco-system worldwide. More than ten keynote speakers shared the opinions on furniture industry, including three featured presentations:
“Responsibility and Mission” by Mr. Xu Xiangnan, President of China National Furniture Association，Chairman of Council of Asia Furniture Associations;
“IKEA – The Road to Globalization” by Ms. Stina Wallström, Director of Regulatory Affairs IKEA Range & Supply;
“Simple – the Power of Design” by Mr. Peter Zec, Initiator and President of the Red Dot Design Award;
And face-to-face talks from scholars and leaders:
Mr. Xu Meiqi, former Editor in Chief of “Furniture” Magazine，former Vice Director of Shanghai Furniture Research Institute;
Mr. Jirawat Tangkijngamwong, Vice President of Thai Furniture Association，Vice Chairman of Council of Asia Furniture Associations;
Mr. Fabrizio Carloncelli, Member of Italians Academics Association, former Dean of Instituto Italiano Design;
Mr. David Pavlis, Project Manager of European Furniture Manufacturers Federation (UEA), Foreign Affairs Manager of Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers.
The International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) and its members from 10 countries also set a forum at Furniture China 2018. IAFP Forum followed the theme of “International perspectives, global opportunities” to discuss current situation and dynamics in the furniture industry of its home country, in terms of production, exports, imports, business activities, retail landscape, market segmentation, etc.