The Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) submitted the following post show report: 20,179 visitors, including 6,823 international buyers entered a world where design, creativity and innovation thrived at the Malaysian International Furniture Fair 2010 (MIFF 2010) which happened from 2 – 6 March at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC). International visitors from 140 countries and region consisted of those from the ASEAN region (19.7%), Europe (16.3%), the Far East (11.5%), other Asian countries (11.3%), the Middle East (12.6%), followed by Africa (10.6%), America (8.3%) and Australasia (9.7%).
‘Green’ was certainly one of the buzzword among the 571 exhibitors at MIFF 2010 and ID Trends, as visitors were the first few to witness some exciting new trends and materials showcased at the fair. Among the ground breaking designs and materials shown were the Firefly Folding Table from TAZ Open Systems, which is made out of a revolutionary new MDF material that is recyclable and have the potential to change the industry. The Firefly Folding Table won the Gold Award in the MIFF Furniture Excellence Award. Elsewhere, Kitapanel Wood Product’s Binary Stool used waste MDF-board materials from their kitchen cabinets, winning the Occasional Category in the Furniture Excellence Award. Other ‘green’ materials seen at MIFF 2010 included parallel oil palm strands (POPS), which was developed by Blue Mountain Resources in collaboration with the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).
Meanwhile, the new segment titled ID Trends in conjunction with MIFF 2010 at MECC brought unexpected surprises for both its exhibitors and buyers. Many ID Trends exhibitors managed to secure export deals for the first time as international buyers saw some new and interesting products, and proceeded to place orders at the fair.
With 16 years of experience under their belt, the organiser of MIFF once again held a successful show much to the satisfaction of exhibitors and buyers. Participating exhibitor Gary Wong of Ferco Seating, Malaysia, remarked, “The MIFF provides really good exposure for manufacturers. It gives them a chance to touch base with their regular customers and meet new ones. As one of the world’s top 10 furniture fairs, MIFF is a must participate for all furniture makers. The organisation is fantastic, well laid-out with information and labeled signs.”
Among the highlights at MIFF 2010 were the three competitions held in conjunction with the exhibition – Furniture Excellence Award, Best Presentation Award and The Ideation Award. A panel of local and international judges was elected to sift through numerous entries and emerged with deserving winners who showed innovativeness and creativity in product designs and booth displays. In addition, seminar speakers Dr Tan Yu Eng, Jennifer Curtis and Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam gave useful insights to industry players on what is ‘green’ furniture, and how maximising this trend can be beneficial to all furniture manufacturers.
International buyers had a great night of fun at the legendary Buyers’ Night. With the theme ‘Year of The Tiger,” guests ushered in the night with the ‘Yee Sang,’ a dish which signifies prosperity in the New Year. Despite limited seats available, it was a night of excitement which attracted buyers from more than 60 countries. Comfort and convenience of buyers’ was a top priority for the organiser, and non-stop shuttles between venues and the International Buyers’ Lounge was available for them to take a break or hold discussions. Many visitors commented on the excellent arrangement of the MIFF series, which was not only convenient, but also non-time wasting.
Abdul Aziz Mahamad who came from Mozambique gave recognition to the organiser when he said, “Thumbs up to the organiser for its efficiency in planning an event of this scale! I received my invitation in late December. A month ago, my delegate pass was delivered to me ahead of the exhibition, ensuring that registration would be a breeze. The MIFF is a great hunting ground for office furniture.”
MIFF continues to be one of the top ten furniture fairs in the world, and its organiser takes great care in the selection of its exhibitors so that only the best designs, quality and fair prices are offered at the fair. Over the years, this has become a strong point for the MIFF series as worldwide quality buyers wait in anticipation for fair every year to source, see the latest trends and purchase furniture. MIFF 2011 will take place from 1- 5 March 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.