Furniture sector now a sunset industry

CEBU, Philippines - The furniture export sector may now be considered as “sunset” industry because of its sluggish movement, stakeholders believe that this is only taking a short term journey, as exciting opportunities are seen in the long term.

“In the long term there are a lot of good things going towards us. Yes, the business is difficult right now, but this is temporary,” said Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF) trustee Charles Estreegan.

The Cebu furniture exporters officially opened the Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (CebuNext 2011) last Saturday (March 5) until the 8th of this month, at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

According to Estreegan Cebu furniture exporters have been to different challenges, and worst crises, and there is no reason why it can’t survive in the longer term.

The survivors in the battered furniture export industry are now taking their strength to compete further, amid the unresolved problems of high cost of doing business in the Philippines, he said.

“We just have to believe in what we are doing. The environment is very challenging, but there are also opportunities,” Estreegan said.

He said furniture exporters in Cebu in particular have recognized its strength and weaknesses, and now ready to fight even for a more challenging world market.

While the world lifestyle is changing, furniture makers have also shifted their focus to trail blaze with the trends and consumer preferences.

Cebu has further emphasized its strength in design and creativity that no competitor can take over this edge.

Moreover, the strengthening market in Asia, including the demand from the domestic consumers for high-end, export-quality pieces of furniture, and furnishings have helped serious players to survive, while its traditional major market the United States still has to recover.

Clearly, Estreegan said the furniture sector in the Philippines, especially in Cebu is “here to stay”.

Faced by severe difficulty, the furniture makers in the Philippines have joined hands for the first time in the history of furniture making, to collaborate in promotion both in the local and international markets, for the sake of industry’s survival.

The CFIF, the Chamber of Furniture Industry in the Philippines (CFIP) and the CFIP-Pampanga chapter will have a joint exhibition this coming September that will be the biggest furniture show in the Philippines.

The three furniture industry groups will also participate in an exhibition in China to be held this year.

The joint effort according to Estreegan was decided out of the industry’s necessity, “otherwise we don’t really care,” Estreegan said.

The collaboration of the country’s furniture makers also hopes to get attention from the government that the industry needs a lot of assistance, and support, Estreegan said.

There are a total of 43 furniture companies that are showcasing their products at the CebuNext 2011. In the last two years, the Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition attracted as high as 90 exhibitors or close to a hundred even.—