Seminar on furniture market

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Forestry Society (MPI) and Ministry of Trade and Industry are organizing a one-day seminar on March 22 on ways to enter the US$22.5-billion home furniture market in the United States.

MPI said in a statement on Thursday the seminar would discuss the general trends, demands and consumer preferences in the U.S. home furnishing market, as well as wood furniture distribution chains.

"But the central theme of the meeting will be promoting wood and rattan furniture exports by using coating technology in the finishing process," it added.

Lilly Industries Inc. of the U.S., one of the largest coating and chemical companies in the world, will demonstrate at the seminar how coating technology can bolster the competitive advantage of Indonesian furniture in the American market, MPI said.

MPI said furniture exports from Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines and China, which have long used Lilly coating and finishing technology, were more than 10 times as high as exports from Indonesia.