LAHORE: Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Monday announced to hold the three-day mega 9th Interiors Pakistan Expo-2017 to promote local furniture industry worldwide from December 15 here at the Expo Centre in Lahore.
In the past, PFC had successfully organised eight mega exhibitions and got an amazing response from the public and private sector alike. As many as 100 brands will exhibit their products at the expo that is aimed at promoting and introducing Pakistani interiors, furniture and accessories in and outside Pakistan, said PFC Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq while talking to media here today after chairing a high-level meeting of the board of directors of the council.
This exhibition has now opened new vistas and venues to the amazing potential and calibre of Pakistani furniture, fixtures and respective furnishing goods that we produce with high quality, he said.
“The essence of this mega furniture exhibition is to promote the furniture and associated Pak made products at local and international level. Delegations from China, Italy, United Kingdom, Turkey, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Denmark, Thailand and, Bangkok have been invited for participation while delegations from other countries are expected as well,” he added. Members of diplomatic corps, leading businessmen, stakeholders of the furniture industry and a foreign delegation will also attend the event, he maintained.
Master Molty Foam is the official sponsor of the event while more than 70 leading local companies and interior designers will display their products and as per the previous trend, nearly 250,000 to 300,000 people are likely to visit this mega exhibition.
Visitors on the lookout for buying furniture will be able to enjoy a special discount of up to 20 per cent on different items at the exhibition which will also provide the younger designers and architects to study the market trends and display their own work alongside that of more established professionals. PFC is the only platform available to all small, medium and large furniture manufacturing companies in the country to promote their business and furniture related accessories, he added.
Mian Kashif demanded of the government to establish exclusive expo centres for furniture industry one each in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Peshawar and Quetta, especially for Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. “Only 25 per cent industrialists and traders of the country visit Karachi fairs and after the establishment of new expo centres with greater facilities more people would come to these cities to increase their trade with foreigners and local investors,” he hoped.
PFC Secretary Hamid Mahmood on this occasion said the objective of Interiors Pakistan was to give exposure to local entrepreneurs to the major markets in Pakistan. “This activity aims at the uplifting socio-economic condition of the community and connects the entrepreneurs with direct buyers”, he added.
He said with a little innovation, investment and government support, furniture industry can generate even more employment and income for the sustainable economy. He said textiles and rice were currently the largest exports of Pakistan bringing in $ 14 billion and $ 2 billion of foreign exchange, respectively. Furniture exports, on the other hand, stand at a meagre $ 51 million.
He said the holding of three-day Interiors Pakistan exhibitions would not only promote economic activities in the country but would also encourage furniture exports.
On this occasion, Adnan Afzal is appointed as event coordinator to arrange all things to make this mega event a big success.
