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ITALIAN FURNITURE SHOWCASED AT MEBEL 2007 TO KEEP THE LEAD IN THE RUSSIAN MARKET
The Italian Trade Commission (ICE) has brought together an official delegation of companies that will represent Italy at Mebel , Moscow's furniture trade fair. The objective is to confirm Italy's status as the leading furniture supplier to Russia - the highest growth market for furniture Made in Italy. The 2007 edition will mark the thirteenth time that ICE has set up an official delegation for Mebel - an event which will be attended by the leading international manufacturers of furniture, upholstery, kitchens, lighting, furniture accessories, household textiles and related supplies.
Marking this year its 19th edition, the event represents the most important outlook on the Russian market for the Italian furniture sector. The fair is scheduled for 12-16th November 2007 and will be hosted in the pavilions of the Expocentr exhibition centre. The last edition welcomed 2,500 exhibitors, the majority of which (60%) came from abroad, from Europe and Asia. 26 countries were represented, of which 14 (including Italy) had their own national pavilion. In 2006 Italy significantly increased its exhibition presence compared to 2005.
This was a strategic decision, exemplifying the wish of the "Made in Italy" brand to cement its leadership in the Russian furniture market. This trend is confirmed by the provisional number of companies expected at the fair: 280 (some coordinated by consortia, associations, chambers of commerce, regional authorities), of which approximately 40% are at their first trade event in the Russian market.
In 2006 the value of Italian furniture exports to Russia (source: ICE) was approximately 629 million euros, recording a yearly increase of 23.7%. Some estimates indicate 2008 as the year in which exports will break the threshold of 1 billion euros (in 2000 it was just over 300 million). The target seems reachable in the light of the latest development trends: from 2000 to 2006 Italian furniture exports to Russia have increased at an average annual rate of 20%, with a global market sector growth of 5% per year. In the first half of 2007 (source: ICE) furniture exports towards Russia have grown, in value terms, by 22.18% compared with the same period in 2006.
The strong point of Italian products is their ability to exemplify, even in furniture, the excellence of Italian design: this element is a particular draw for Russian consumers who dispose - although only limited to an elite segment of the population - of significant financial means to purchase quality import products. The estimated value of the furniture market in Russia in 2006 (source: ICE) was between 7.2 to 7.3 billion US dollars (a 19% growth in numerical terms and of 11.8% in real terms), with a projected increase of up to 12 billion US dollars by 2011.
Italy is one of the leading global exporters of furniture: in percentage terms, it holds 17% of international exports. In this sector, Italian companies are characterised by a strong exporting trend: out of over 35,000 manufacturers (mostly SMEs), approximately 16,000 are geared towards exports. The sector invoices 45% of its turnover abroad.
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