KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of buyers streamed into Southeast Asia's leading furniture show for a rousing start to the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) 20th anniversary edition.

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Yang Berusaha Mr. Mohd Ridzal Sheriff, Deputy Secretary General (Trade), on behalf of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, officially opened the show that will run for five days across two venues, the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and nearby Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC) from 4-8 March.

The trade show has grown from 152 Malaysian exhibitors and 2,500 overseas buyers in 1995 to 500 local and international exhibitors and over 6,000 overseas buyers from around the world.

Exhibitors from 13 countries and regions are showcasing their latest collections and products at this year's show which occupies 80,000 gross square metres.

The global appeal of MIFF is reflected in its impressive turnout of buyers from over 140 countries and the year-after-year record sales that reached an estimated US$854 million in business deals last year.   

Exhibitors are also capitalising on MIFF's global reach as a gateway into Southeast Asia and the swelling buyer traffic from the emerging markets of Africa, Middle East, South America, East Europe and South Asia. 

A signature event held alongside the trade show is the annual MIFF Furniture Design Competition (MIFF FDC) featuring 10 talented young designers with 11 entries rising above 244 total entries selected by an international jury. The prototypes of the finalists designing for the theme "Living Furniture, Leading Design" are showcased at MECC during MIFF.

The prize presentation for MIFF FDC and two honours for exhibitors -- Best Presentation Award and Furniture Excellence Award -- will be held on Thursday afternoon at MECC with Mr Mark Rozario, CEO of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia, as the guest-of-honour.  

Another major draw for visitors is the topical industry seminars that include this time the shaping of Malaysian design for the global market, the latest on intellectual property for the furniture industry in Malaysia, the award-wining U.S.-patented high temperature drying technology for rubber wood by the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and green technology products.

Datuk Dr Tan Chin Huat, Chairman of MIFF, said: "MIFF's focus has always been to meet and exceed the expectations of our exhibitors and buyers and deliver the best organised show possible. We are very proud to be serving the Malaysian and global furniture industry for 20 years and will continue to do so, and provide even more future business opportunities."

Mr Jime Essink, President and CEO of UBM Asia, said: "MIFF is one of the seven world-wide furniture events dedicated to the furniture industry by UBM. This gives our customers the added advantage to benefit from the synergy of these exhibitions such as Furniture China, Index Fairs in India, FIDexpo in Russia, Indonesia International Furniture Expo, Interiors UK and May Design Series in UK, to explore new business opportunities and maximise best sourcing channels."

Interested buyers can still register on-site at Registration Counters in PWTC (Level 2) and MECC (Ground floor) throughout the duration of the show between 9.30 am to 6 pm.

For more information on the show, check www.miff.com.my

Notes to Editors

Please note correction: International Trade and Industry representative Yang Berusaha Mr. Mohd Ridzal Sheriff, Deputy Secretary General (Trade) officially opened the show on 04/03/2014 on behalf of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

1. About MIFF (www.miff.com.my)

Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) is an export-oriented furniture trade show held annually in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is also a global leading trade show approved by UFI, The Global Association for Exhibition Industry. Since 1995, MIFF has nurtured invaluable partnerships between thousands of buyers and furniture makers across the globe.

2. About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is Asia's leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in mainland China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global presence in 25 major cities with 30 offices and over 1,400 staff. With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in 21 market sectors with 160 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions, 75 high-level professional conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 round-the-clock vertical portals and virtual event services for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world. We provide a one-stop diversified global service for high-value business matching, quality market news and online trading networks. UBM Asia has extensive office networks in China, Southeast Asia and India, three of the world's fastest growing B2B events markets. UBM China has 11 offices in the major cities in mainland China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Guzhen and Shenzhen, where we organise more than 70 exhibitions and conferences. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines with over 60 events in this region. UBM India teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai organise 20 exhibitions and 60 conferences every year across the country.

SOURCE UBM Asia (Malaysia)