Design Connects People

Malaysian International Furniture Fair ( MIFF) 2019

Malaysian International Furniture Fair ( MIFF), the industry’s largest marketplace in South- East Asia, recently held at Kuala Lumpur has smashed through the billion- dollar sales mark for the first time in its 25- year history. Malaysian exhibitors at MIFF 2019 raked in US$ 1.01 billion in sales over four days, up 3% increase from the previous high of US$ 984 million in 2018. The record performance was achieved a year after the trade show was expanded to 100,000sq m across the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre ( MITEC) and Putra World Trade ( PWTC) with design as its cornerstone.

The show organiser, UBM Malaysia, reported MIFF 2019 attracted 6,112 global buyers from 130 countries and regions, an increase of 4% from last year. Traffic was significantly higher from North America and the Far East while the numbers remained stable from South- East Asia South Asia, Australasia, Europe, Africa and South America. A total of 600 exhibitors from14 countries— 346 Malaysian and 254 foreign companies— showcased new products and collections under the theme “Design Connects People”.

In the limelight was the promotion of Muar which had been officially recognised as the Furniture City of Malaysia. MIFF has strong ties with companies from the southern manufacturing hub which was further strengthened by a strategic partnership

between MIFF and Muar Furniture Association in 2013.

Staking their turf with their own ready- to- market products were young designers from the MIFF- driven Millennials@ Design programme and from the Malaysian Timber Industry Board’s Tanggam Design Centre and Professional Designers Programme ( PDP), a collaboration with Muar featuring the works of designers from Malaysia, Italy and Belgium.

“Celebrating our 25th anniversary with a milestone like this is certainly something that we are proud of. It is the best endorsement of MIFF by the markets but what makes us most proud is that we continue to place our customers and their business priorities first even as we are on a strong growth path,” said Karen Goi, General Manager of MIFF.

American importer James

Holt, who was at the show for the third year, noted the number of exhibitors had grown tremendously along with a wide range of products to choose from. “The designs stay fresh and up to date. So far, we have struck several deals, and we are looking forward to more of them. This is a great hub for us to buy products, especially for importers like us who want to purchase Chinese products.”

The next edition of the annual trade show is scheduled to be held from 6- 9 March 2020 at the same two venues.

For more details, visit: www. miff. com. my