The Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) concluded its biggest show to date on 11th March after four successful days, with exhibitors meeting more buyers from a wider base of countries, and signing orders right up to the close of the show, reports organiser UBM Malaysia …
This year saw the spacious new Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) venue co-host the annual event, alongside MIFF’s traditional home, the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Across the two venues, buyers were presented with more products and new collections than ever, from a record 625 exhibitors, from 13 countries.
MIFF is South-east Asia’s largest furniture sourcing hub, and was 25% bigger this year, taking place across a gross exhibiton area of some 100,000 sqm.
With an established reputation for robust trading, MIFF 2018 picked up extra pace from the new exhibitors and buyers which made up a third of the show. The larger exhibition space also made room for the launch of new initiatives to drive design quality and business opportunities – such as designRena, a curated floor for 80 top Malaysian companies, plus MIFF Timber Mart.
Not to be outdone, young designers at the Millennials@Design gallery also reported successful sales and high interest from buyers. The gallery is the latest effort by MIFF to support creative talent, with many of the young designers present alumni of the MIFF Furniture Design Competition, launched in 2010.
Karen Goi, MIFF’s general manager, says: “This year has again reinforced MIFF’s global standing as a very happening and productive sourcing hub. It proves we are effective in drawing new exhibitors, buyers and more products to a much larger show.
“Generally, exhibitors are happy, and they are securing extra business from markets which they have not encountered before, such as Africa and South America. Many have expressed that they want bigger booths in MITEC and PWTC to launch more products and scale up their presentations next year. We will be looking into more customer-centric and design-driven programmes to benefit them for an even better show in 2019, which is the 25th anniversary of MIFF.”
MIFF 2019 will run from 8-11th March at the same venues, under the theme of Design Connects People, which was unveiled this year.
