Lone Malaysian exhibitor attracts buyers at Heimtextil Fair

FRANKFURT: A lone Malaysian exhibitor held the fort for Malaysia at the fourday long Heimtextil 2018 trade fair of Frankfurt, which ends on Friday, and is rated as the world’s largest event for the home-textile industry.

FERNEX Sdn Bhd, which manufactures foam pillows and mattresses, received a steady stream of buyers and other visitors, many of whom had come from distant corners of the world, including Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries.

In an interview with Bernama at the exhibition ground, Marketing Director Lee Kheang Lim said the trade fair provided an international platform where buyers from remote geographical corners could meet suppliers under one roof.

“The biggest advantage is that you meet everyone here from various countries … you don’t have to travel to meet individual customers in their native countries.

“We have had good enquiries from trade visitors from Germany, the Middle East and several countries of Asia,” Lee said.

FERNEX, which has manufacturing operations in Selangor and in China, has been a regular exhibitor at the annual Heimtextil trade fair since the past four years.

“There is robust demand for our products but we also notice that buyers are becoming increasingly price-conscious..

“Buyers want good quality products with innovative features, he said, adding that innovation was an important feature of any product offered in the market today.

While there was only one exhibitor from Malaysia at the show – many visitors wondered at the low turnout of Malaysian exhibitors at this premiere event, considering that Malaysia had the capability to offer some good quality products and designs.

There were exhibitors from a number of Asean countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

There were, of course, some large contingents of exhibitors from China (534), India (395), Pakistan (215), Turkey (261) and Taiwan (53).

Indeed, the Chinese and Indian contingents are larger than that of the host country, Germany, which had 315 exhibitors. There were some 2973 exhibitors from 64 countries.

Given Malaysia’s heavily export-dependent economy, it would be advisable for Malaysia companies, as many experts at the Frankfurt show were suggesting, to showcase their products at international shows such as the Heimtextil.

Malaysian exhibitors would not only get to establish contacts with local buyers but also get exposure to the latest marketing techniques, product designs and colours, all of which are an intrinsic part of the marketing technology.

The same holds true not only for the textile sector but also the electric and electronic industry, machinery and softwares.