MidEast presents big opportunities for RP’s furniture, building materials sectors

The Middle East interiors and construction sector may be a trillion-dollar market in the next few years, presenting tremendous opportunities for the Philippine furniture and building materials industries.

According to the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) – the export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry, MEED, the Middle East’s leading online business opportunity tracker, reported that the countries that make the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) imported about $5 billion worth of furniture and interior products in 2005.

MEED, CITEM said, reported that the Middle East and North African (MENA) region’s commercial real estate sector continues to expand, thus the demand for quality, creative interior design, furnishings and textiles.

The opening of the residential property market in Abu Dhabi, multi-million projects in Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Auwain and Qatar, plus the recently announced Enaar mega-residential and commercial development which will create an entire suburb of Cairo, are among the many current and planned schemes.

Even Qatar, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, demands bigger furniture and construction supply due to its budding real estate sector including the $5-billion New Doha International Airport, Hamad Medical City, Qatar Education City, the General Library, the Islamic Museum, Science and Technology Park, modern shopping malls, new hotels and sports venues.

To capitalize on this fast growing market of the Middle East, 10 Filipino companies will represent the country in the 16th Index Dubai, the most significant and largest international exhibition for furnishing and interior products in the world.

Scheduled from Nov. 7-11 at the Dubai International Exhibition Center, the Philippines will join the annual show for the fourth time.

The Dubai Index show will have more than 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries including Europe, America, and the Far East, and is expected to attract over 30,000 trade visitors including architects, hoteliers, contractors, agents, and private buyers from around the globe.

In the past, trade promotions to Dubai were focused on what the Philippines can offer in the area of construction.

With the mushrooming of hotels and high-end offices in Dubai, a window of opportunity has opened for the interior industry.

This year the Philippine delegation to the Dubai Index include 33 Point 3 Exports, Inc. which offers hand woven rattan table/ and home accessories; Bon-Ace Fashion tools, Inc. which makes fiber cast and shell inlaid home accessories and lighting; Designer’s Décor, Inc. which makes flower arrangement, bonsai, and artificial trees; Designs Ligna, Inc. which makes case goods, bedroom and dining collections made of American ash wood; Kriska Do International Corp. which makes hand-made vases, candle holders and jars; Lightworks Resources, Inc. which makes furniture, art wall and vases with water features); Loran Industries, Inc. which offers furniture, lamps, and home accessories; Speedy Crafts International Corp. which makes laminated and coconut shell/seashell inlaid home accessories and gift items; Stoneworld Impex, Inc. which makes fiber cast and fossil stone/shell inlaid accent tables, home décor; and Scherer Jardin Plants which makes artificial plants and outdoor furniture.

Filipino furniture manufacturers are known for creating classic designs with a modern touch from natural elements such as stone, wood, shell, and coconut.

The Philippines has been recognized by the International Design Yearbook and Frankfurt Tendence Lifestyle.

"We have been exhibiting at Index for three years now. The show indeed is the perfect platform to do business with not just Dubai, but all the other countries in the Middle East. With our new and more elegant designs, we are expecting to make bigger deals this year," said Mrs. Rashmi Tolentino Singh, Executive Vice President of Lightworks Resources, Inc.

The Philippines generated $4.8 million in sales in 2005, 60 percent higher than 2004’s $3 million.

Trade Assistant Secretary and CITEM head Fe Agoncillo-Reyes said, "aside from maximizing the trade opportunities in the Middle East market, we also aim to sustain the trade leads gained from previous years and to establish linkages with overseas design firms for possible partnerships and outsourcing arrangements."

To date, the Philippines ranks 36 in the list of furniture exporters worldwide, with total exports amounting to $260 million as of last year, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

There are about 5,000 Filipino contractors handling both local and foreign projects from airports and industrial plants to design consultancy.

The country’s technologically-driven manufacturing processes contribute much to the Philippines’ image as a reliable provider of furniture and construction materials to vast markets like the United Sates, Japan, Great Britain, Australia, Europe, and the rest of Asia.