VIFA 2013: Launching Pad for Woodwork Firms to World Markets

VIFA is an annual event organised by the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA) and one of destinations of the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC). Following the success of previous fairs, VIFA 2013 is set to take place from March 11 to 14. 2013 at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre, 799 Nguyen Van Linh Street, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. The event is co-organised by the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA) and HAWA Corporation.

 

According to the organisers, in order to increase the effectiveness of this year's exhibition, they have continuously launched popularity activities right from 2012, featured by introductory and business matching events in the United States, Italy, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, India, and Thailand. Besides, the information support from economic media agencies in the country helped insert articles in wood-related newspapers and magazines in major export markets of Vietnam like the United States, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. VIFA 2013 is also advertised at arrival terminals at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to make it known to international visitors. Furthermore, the organisers have also cooperated with some units to publish directories of wood industry and wood product fairs in Malaysia, China, Indonesia and India. This year, apart from the abovementioned traditional advertising channels, VIFA 2013 is also introduced to on social networks such as Twitter, G+, Blogspot and Facebook.

 

With effective popularity measures of the organisers, VIFA 2013 has attracted 126 Vietnamese enterprises showcasing products and services in 603 booths and exhibitors from 11 countries and territories namely Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea, etc.). To date, the organisers have received attendance registration applications from over 900 visitors from 70 countries and territories. These figures are enough to prove the increasing demand of promoting trade, seeking export opportunities, expanding export markets. The prestige of VIFA is further asserted when the Italian Chamber of Commerce informed that it would lead a business delegation to visit VIFA 2013 to consider the participation in VIFA 2014. Moreover, to meet the trade exchange demand between the two countries, HAWA plans to open a representative office in Monza, Italy in April 2013 to support trade connectivity more effectively.

 

Visiting VIFA 2013, buyers will have the opportunity to meet, exchange and establish business partnerships with leading wooden furniture manufacturers and exporters in Vietnam. With products displayed at VIFA 2013, importers and purchasers will have more creative inspiration to brainstorm unique designs to meet the different needs and tastes of customers. The deployment and development of new products is started from orders placed with manufacturers at VIFA 2013.

 

Mr Huynh Van Hanh, General Director of HAWA Corporation, said exhibitors at VIFA 2013 will be directly supported by the organisers in the form of specific incentives such as unchanged exhibition fees in three years, conveyance fees for transporting from the gate to booths, and administrative fees in a bid to help them to save costs to a maximum. Furthermore, the fair is also incorporated with symposiums like the “Seminar on safety standards applied to commodities in the US and demands for FSC - CoC (Forest Stewardship Council - Chain of Custody) certification in EU market” organised by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), TUV SUD PSB Vietnam Co., Ltd, and Hawa and the “Seminar on introduction of HAFELE Training Centre and mobile training project” hosted by Hafele Company, the Vietnam - Germany Forestry Support Programme (GIZ) and Hawa. “Through this fair, especially through workshops and exchanges incorporated, businesses will have more opportunity to meet, exchange and establish business partnerships with the world's leading importers," he stressed.

 

After five versions of exhibitions, VIFA 2013 continues to be supported and trusted by enterprises and known more by foreign visitors. Given the foundation and achievements, VIFA 2013 is expected to become an effective export promotion channel, enabling companies to reap more success in new potential export markets and assert the name of Vietnamese woodwork and handicrafts on the international arena.”