Tiếng Việt
普通话
Huynh Quang Thanh, chairman and CEO of Hiep Long Fine Furniture Company, one of 450 exhibitors at VIFA-EXPO 2018 in HCMC, said the company has got export orders sufficient for production until mid-2018, and is negotiating other deals which can keep the firm busy until the end of this year.
The company’s products are shipped to European countries, the U.S., Japan and Middle Eastern countries. It targets export growth of 12-15% this year.
Thanh, who is also chairman of the Binh Duong Furniture Association (BIFA), said the country’s woodworking industry as well as wood and wooden product exports would grow strongly in 2018.
Nguyen Chien Thang, general director of Scansia Pacific Co Ltd, said the company’s new orders have increased by 25% compared to the same period last year and secured production for the entire year.
Some businesses joining the expo said foreign importers prefer Vietnamese wood and wooden products, which are of high quality. Vietnam is the leading wooden product manufacturer and exporter in Southeast Asia.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the global furniture demand is expected to grow 3.5% this year and global trade in wooden products would grow 4%. This is a chance for Vietnamese firms to expand markets and raise wooden product exports.
Thanks to the flourishing market, VIFA-EXPO 2018 attracts a great number of visitors and exhibitors. Jointly held by the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade, the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCMC (HAWA) and HAWA Corporation, VIFA-EXPO is the largest such event in Vietnam.
Taking place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) at 799 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, District 7, HCMC from March 7 to 10, VIFA-EXPO features nearly 1,980 booths of 450 enterprises on a total area of 30,000 square meters.
The exhibition showcases a variety of products with competitive prices, modern designs and outstanding features. It is also expected to create a chance for furniture and home accessories manufacturers and suppliers to share experiences, seek partnerships and build links with customers and partners.
Huynh Van Hanh, vice chairman of HAWA, estimated Vietnam’s wood, wooden product and non-timber forest product exports at US$9 billion this year. Wood and wooden products alone shall bring in US$8.66 billion.
Hanh believed the target is achievable thanks to the expanding market, free trade agreements the country has signed, the growing woodworking industry and the increasing global demand for furniture.
According to data of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the nation’s export turnover of wood, wooden products and non-timber forest products totaled US$8 billion last year. Wood and wooden products alone brought in US$7.66 billion, making the country the largest wood and wooden product exporter in ASEAN, the second largest in Asia and the fifth largest in the world.