The 21st edition of Shanghai’s Furniture China exhibition reaffirmed its position as the country’s leading fair for higher-end product and international exchange last month, reports Paul Farley …
China’s industrial growth may be slowing, but there’s little evidence of this in the busy aisles of Furniture China. I’m told by the show’s founder, UBM Sinoexpo’s Wang Mingliang, that footfall was up an estimated 40% on the first day alone, and a further 10% on the second. Even when one considers that the show is a day shorter than usual, such a remarkable uplift is initially questionable – but there’s definitely more vigour to the event than I’ve experienced previously.
It’s worth noting that founder had reason to be on the defensive this year. The arrival of Guangzhou’s CIFF exhibition across town has put added pressure on Shanghai’s well-established fixture – yet the only consequence seems to be an even greater influx of Chinese visitors to Furniture China.
“Our situation hasn’t worsened,” says Wang. He’s not surprised by the increased attendance, and argues that it’s because his event is uniquely placed to serve both the domestic and international markets – alongside the country’s other giants, the March edition of CIFF (Guangzhou) and 3F (Dongguan).
“Rather than being diminished by the fresh competition, Furniture China’s exhibitor base has the venue bursting at the seams”
An official statement reports “record-breaking” attendance, presumably well in excess of last year’s high of 98,400. Rather than being diminished by the fresh competition, Furniture China’s exhibitor base of around 2500 furniture suppliers and 500 design enterprises has the venue bursting at the seams at 350,000m2, additional space added to house the That’s Mine and Design of Designers presentations.
The exhibitors are principally Chinese companies, but Furniture China remains one of the region’s most popular platforms for international exhibitors. A total of 248 non-Chinese exhibitors, many within one of the show’s nine country-specific pavilions, help create a truly global feel.
Some seek to engage the country’s burgeoning domestic market, while others are content to meet the traffic on this eminently international crossroads. Whatever the reason for exhibiting, there are many familiar faces.
France and Belgium are particularly well represented, and, buoyed by favourable rates of exchange, the European exhibitors in general report strong sales. Gautier’s export key account manager, Hervé Soulard, praises the amount of business taking place, whilst Theuns’ Philip Thuys, whose business in the UK is up 25% year-on-year, already opened a number of good international accounts by noon of the first day alone.
Despite the organiser’s report that pre-registrations of overseas visitors saw double-digit growth this year – after reaching a record high in 2014 – there remains, however, some disillusion at the number of international visitors present this year, in terms of UK visitors and Europe in general. UK visitors questioned on the matter suggest that there are simply too many shows taking place in general – and that, with ongoing market consolidation, the number of individual buyers is simply not as large as it was a few years ago.
It could be that rising costs, driven by the Chinese government’s greater focus on workers’ rights and pollution control, among other things, is making outward trade increasingly difficult.
China’s lack of design nous is certainly one reason why Furniture China’s product does not appeal to every buyer, and, as a flagship entity within the Chinese furniture industry, Furniture China recognises its own responsibility to championing creativity.
The show coincides with Shanghai Home Design Week, an attempt, according to the organiser, to “break the barrier between furniture and decoration” by incorporating within the event showrooms, installations and boutiques around the city.
The sheer number of designers represented meant there is a good deal to see, supplemented by specialised conferences and awards schemes. China’s design community has some way to go – and might need to be a little more open to external influences if it’s ever going to challenge the world’s best – but this exhibition takes the matter seriously.
The show’s conference programme delves into subjects such as domestic design, China’s development and advances across the Asian producing countries, whilst adjunct shows feature office furniture, machinery and components, making Furniture China a very well-rounded event.
“There’s definitely more vigour to the event than I’ve experienced previously”
And, according to its principals, an event with a future – the venue’s general manager Michael Kruppe takes to the stage during the exhibitors’ gala dinner to rebuff rumours that there are plans to turn Shanghai New International Expo Centre into a department store, and affirming the exhibition centre’s shareholders’ support for the event.
On the matter of the new player in town – the government-backed CIFF Shanghai – both Wang Mingliang and Zhu Changling, president of the China National Furniture Association and chairman of the Council of Asian Furniture Associations (CAFA), agree that both exhibitions, and their visitors, might be better served if their offer and audience was clarified in the future.
“China has 60,000 furniture manufacturers,” explains Wang. “That’s one reason why two shows can co-exist! We benefit from this competition.”
“Co-operation between the two events would be the best way,” adds Zhu, “but we cannot find a short-term solution – it would be much simpler if both were run by commercial organisers.”
With a reported 90% of exhibitors already pre-booked for next year’s edition – taking place from 8-11th September – and an (as-yet unclarified) all-time high in visitor numbers, these gentlemen have good reason to be confident in the show’s future.
This article was published in October's issue of Furniture News magazine.
