India International Furniture Fair boosts Indian trade industry with significant offerings from international brands and companies

Mumbai and Singapore, 5 December 2011 - The inaugural India International Furniture Fair ended on a high note. The trade fair was held from 16 to 18 November in Mumbai and witnessed international and local exhibitors unveil their latest products. Design and industry experts forecasted global and local trends and developments to some 2,376 trade visitors over three days.

Mr James Chia, Chairman of MP International said, "Our main priority was to ensure that the international exhibitors and local Indian buyers share a common platform to network, conduct business and share invaluable knowledge. We have received very positive and enthusiastic feedback from participants and we are now assured of a continued success for next year's edition."

Local furniture trade professionals were provided with an international sourcing platform of around 100 well-known brands and companies from 17 countries showcasing a wide array of quality and premium products that comprised residential, hospitality and office furniture. Three country pavilions were represented by China, Singapore and Spain.

Winning praise from participants for its trade-focused format, the trade fair was attended by top decision-makers in the local furniture industry like architects, interior designers, consultants, furniture importers, wholesalers, retailers, hospitality purchasing professionals and more. Visitors were satisfied with the appropriate mix of international exhibiting showcase and the excellent opportunity to meet, network and source from these suppliers at their doorstep.

Mr Bhaskar Reddy, Purchase Manager of Novotel Hotels said, "I had a very fruitful experience at IIFF. The quality of the products is impeccable and of international standards. I highly recommend local furniture traders and buyers to visit the fair to meet international exhibitors, source for premium products as well as to gather latest trade information and build new contacts."

Another objective of IIFF is to create a launchpad for manufacturers from around the world to introduce their product offerings to the Indian market. Exhibitors were pleased with the quality of trade buyers at IIFF and have expressed their confidence in breaking into the local market.

Mr Ernie Koh, Vice President of Singapore Furniture Industries Council which organised the Singapore pavilion said: "We are pleased with our debut showing under the umbrella of Singapore Mozaic at this year's IIFF. In fact, we received many commendations from the local trade buyers for our range of products and designs. Aided by our strong branding attributes, IIFF has opened new doors and given our Singapore companies excellent exposure to the burgeoning Indian market. This has been a great experience for us, both as a group and individually."

A delighted Mr Charley Wang, Director of International Fairs of Dongguan Famous Furniture Association which organised the Chinese pavilion commented: "We are pleased with our participation in the first IIFF. Our members have made many quality business leads with the Indian buyers. This trade fair is certainly an effective platform to develop a better understanding towards this huge potential market."

Mr Mark Yong, Marketing Director of Ewins Pte Ltd from Singapore which supplies furniture fittings and components echoed: "The quality of buyers is beyond our expectations. We have had many good leads and met many serious buyers."

The design seminars were well-received. Design and industry experts converged at twoday design seminars to present invaluable insights on trends and developments from global perspective and the unique methods of adapting these trends for the Indian market. Topics range from emerging design trends in residential sector; hospitality designs and sustainable architecture in India.

Mr Parikshit Vyas, Architect and Director of Parikshit Vyas Design Collaborative enthused, "The design seminars were very informative and educational. As an architect, I am constantly learning about current design trends and development and IIFF is an excellent platform to achieve this objective."

The project pitch sessions also won praise from trade buyers who found the initiative useful for sourcing effectively, thus ensuring a more fruitful business visit at IIFF.

The post-show retail business symposium was welcomed by the international exhibitors as they gained first-hand knowledge on India's market from local industry professionals. The industry tour took participants to various leading furniture retail outlets and gave them an insight on the industry which participants found particularly informative.

The fair was inaugurated by Mr James Chia, Chairman of MP International along with Mr Ernie Koh, Vice President of Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Mr Mahesh Punia, Assistant Vice President of Association of Furniture Manufacturers and Traders India, Mr Charley Wang, Director of International Fairs of Dongguan Famous Furniture Association, and Ms Ana Mari Minguez, representative of the Spanish Delegation.

IIFF had the strong support of several key Indian organisations including: Association of Furniture Manufacturers of India, Association of Furniture Manufacturers and Traders (India), Council of Architecture, Builders' Association of India and Institute of Indian Interior Designers. The fair was also endorsed by several international associations including Dongguan Famous Furniture Association, Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Furniture Entrepreneur Association and VCCI Trade and Service One Member Company International Trade Promotion and Service Centre.

Organised by MP International Pte Ltd and International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd, the next edition of the IIFF will be held from 4 to 6 October 2012 at Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre in Mumbai.
For more information on IIFF, please visit www.indiafurniturefair.com

About MP International Pte Ltd
Established in 1987, MP International (MPI) specialises in organising exhibitions, conferences and special events. The group has organised and managed some 300 national, regional and international events, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2009 Leaders' Week. It is a leading international organiser of trade exhibitions, including ITMA and ITMA Asia. A member of the Pico group, MPI is headquartered in Singapore with a global footprint across Asia and Europe.

About International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS Pte Ltd)
International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS Pte Ltd) is partly owned by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and MP International Pte Ltd. IFFS Pte Ltd's primary objectives are to organise and manage furniture and furniture-related fairs, exhibitions, shows, conferences and other events worldwide. This includes the annual International Furniture Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS), Deco Asia and Hospitality Asia, a keynote event on the furniture trade exhibition calendar.

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