Cebu exporters eyeing Japan furniture market

CEBU, Philippines — Furniture makers from Cebu and other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao will take their chances in penetrating the lucrative furniture market in Japan through their participation in the International Furniture Fair Tokyo (IFFT) this month.

Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines director Pete Delantar announced that two furniture companies from Cebu, including his company, will be participating in the three-day furniture fair. The other Cebuano company is Coast Pacific Manufacturing Corporation.

Delantar, who owns the Nature's legacy Eximport Inc., bared that there will be a total of 25 furniture firms from the Philippines joining the IFFT slated on November 20 to 22, 2017.

The Philippines' participation to the event, which is coordinated by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), an export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is expected to heighten Japanese' awareness of the world-class furniture and home furniture pieces made from the Philippines.

Delantar said Citem is bringing in a delegation to IFFT to take advantage of Japan’s renovation market in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

"A lot of new and existing hotels are renovating, so we would like to push the Philippine brand there,” added Delantar.

Japan is currently building and opening more hotels to boost room inventory in anticipation to the massive influx of Olympic tourists.

Compared to furniture made in China and Vietnam, Philippine-made pieces are favored in Japan because it has an eco-friendly component and a beautiful story behind each product.

"For some good reasons, they like our products," added Delantar, who is also a former president of PhilExport-Cebu.

Delantar's company recently closed a deal with a Japanese partner in Chiba, to supply furniture and furnishing requirements of the two-storey showroom and renovation center.

Delantar noted that Japanese appetite to use home furnishings made from natural materials provide a wider advantage for his company to enter the lucrative Japanese market.

  Although Japan has been a consistent number two export market of Philippine furniture, Delantar said the country offers high potential specifically for manufacturers who have high regard for green innovation. (FREEMAN)