Notable 17% Growth in Thailand Furniture Exports With an Even Grander TIFF 2011 to Penetrate New Markets

BANGKOK, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Export Promotion (DEP) expresses great satisfaction with Thailand's 2010 furniture export growth. The new record of 1,172.85 million USD worth of exported furniture was achieved. The upcoming Thailand International Furniture Fair 2011 (TIFF 2011) will maintain this successful momentum and is expected to attract as many as 34,000 international and local visitors. The exposition will be held on March 16th-20th, 2011, at BITEC Bangna.

Mrs. Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, DEP Director-General, stated that "The furniture and home decorative items industry fared very well in the year 2010, and the export of Thai furniture items now accounts for 0.6% of Thailand's total export value."

The top three importers of Thai furniture products in 2010 were the following countries:

• The United States, total value: 272.06 million USD, with a 24.07% increase.

• Japan, total value: 220.74 million USD, represents a 1.43% increase.

• The United Kingdom, total value: 111.33 million USD, and a 3.56% decrease.

The year 2010 also saw significant growth in Thai furniture exports in the following markets: Indonesia (106.47%), South Korea (78.71%), China (72.97%), France (63.41%), Taiwan (61.55%), South Africa (52.71%), and India (51.18%).

"Last year, the world economy began to recover, contributing to the surge in demand for Thai furniture products and parts. In comparison with the 2009 performance, our 2010 furniture exports to the top 20 importers made a significant increase," said Mrs. Nuntawan.

Looking forward into 2011, the DEP anticipates a 10% growth in the export of Thai furniture items and parts over the 2010 figure, or approximately 1,290 million USD. To achieve this ambitious goal, the DEP will implement a strategic plan covering the following 7 areas:

• To promote Thailand as a hub of quality furniture products via the TIFF event.

• To create unique selling points for niche market furniture products by focusing on outstanding quality, meticulousness, distinctive designs and compliance with the lifestyle of foreign customers

• To organize marketing events to penetrate into high-potential markets such as Russia, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia

• To continue to seek alternative cheaper materials to replace more expensive, imported materials, with no compromise on quality

• To contribute to the establishment of the Thailand Para Rubber Wood Institute to be tasked with overseeing the overall systematic management of the use of Para rubber wood in Thailand  

• To steer Thai furniture brands to achieve international recognition, and to encourage Thai furniture manufacturers to develop their own brands, rather than to function as outsourced manufacturers

• To maximize the trade benefits offered by Free Trade Agreements with Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, and South Korea

Mrs. Nuntawan further noted that "The annual TIFF event is one of Thailand's most prominent furniture expositions. It is co-organized by the Department of Export Promotion, the Furniture Industry Club, the Federation of Thai Industries, and the Thai Furniture Industries Association. Visitors will certainly delight in a vast variety of premium-quality furniture items designed by talented Thai designers. The event aims to provide a platform for Thai furniture manufacturers to showcase to potential Thai and foreign customers their uniquely designed furniture, as well as latest eco-friendly collections."

"The TIFF event is widely recognized for its most comprehensive range of the very best furniture items Thailand has to offer. This year, the event will feature as many as 220 international exhibitors from Thailand and ASEAN countries in over 900 booths. It is anticipated to attract over 34,000 international visitors including ones from major markets like Japan, the United States, the European Union, India, China, the Middle East, Africa, Canada, Australia, and ASEAN. It will also welcome potential buyers, importers, and furniture entrepreneurs, as well as, procurement personnel of leading property projects, hotels and resorts. As economic and political situations have improved in general, the TIFF 2011 event is expected to exceed an ambitious sales target of approximately 2 billion baht," concluded Mrs. Nuntawan.

For more information about Thailand International Furniture Fair, please check at http://www.thailandfurniturefair.com.

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SOURCE Thailand International Furniture Fair 2011