CebuX organizer expects more international buyers

The organizer of the upcoming Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (CebuX 2007) expects a good number of solid buyers from all over the world, especially from emerging markets from Europe and Middle East.

Currently, there are about 400 buyers who pre-registered with the organizer, Cebu Furniture Industry Foundation (CFIF), the organizing committee executives expect over a thousand buyers to come to Cebu this coming February 26 to March 1 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, to window-shop and eventually buy Cebu's finest furniture pieces.

Laurie Boquiren, CFIF board member, and top mover of this year's CebuX said that due to Cebu's bid to position itself as the center of high-value furniture, stricter rules are imposed for the interested exhibitors, and only 97 furniture companies actually qualified to showcase their items this year.

"We had to screen well the companies who applied, they have to produce fresh ideas, new manipulation, and should be able to come up with winning items," Boquiren said.

With the fierce competition, Cebu has to magnify its niche as the maker of very high-end furniture pieces, buyers should see this advantage in the show, Boquiren said.

The CebuX last year, generated US$20.4 million sales with the Middle East still the largest purchase accounting for 26 percent of the total sales. Other top buyer countries include; North America, countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.

Carrying the theme "Everything Inspires," this year's CebuX aims to attract the discriminating buyers from emerging markets, such as Europe.

With the Design and Product Development Project, buyers coming to this year's show are guaranteed to see new designs from a perfect blend of imagination and creativity in the use of mixed-media, from synthetic to indigenous materials.

"This show promises a wide array of the finest selection of high-end furniture and furnishings from classical to contemporary, showing lifestyle at its best," Boquiren emphasized.

The Design and Product Development Project for CebuX 2007 is supported by CFIF through a funding subsidy set aside by the Board of Trustees to enhance the design capability of the industry. Also, it is partly funded by Pearl 2 of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

CebuX is tantamount to design and creativity, she added. Dubbed as the furniture design destination of Southeast Asia, the show pioneered the Asian circuit of furniture shows and is followed closely by the shows in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Year after year, about 1,700 buyers from around 63 countries all over the world visit CebuX.