Heaptalk, Jakarta – Indonesia International Furniture Expo (IFEX), which had been postponed for two years, eventually returned to be held at JIEXpo, Jakarta. Although the implementation period of IFEX 2022 has shifted from March to August due to the covid-19 pandemic, Dyandra as the promotor who collaborates with Indonesian Furniture and Craft Industry Association (HIMKI), claimed that the response to the event exceeded the expectation, even increasing 90% of the previous target.
“We initially forecasted to attract 2,000 buyers, yet, to date, IFEX managed to record 3,800 registered buyers. This achievement is great and the number is expected to grow,” stated the Chairman of HIMKI, Abdul Sobur, during the press conference (19/08).
Sobur realized that multiple challenges, including the increase in fuel price that significantly escalates the transportation cost, strict lockdown in China, the world’s economic turmoil, and the impact of pandemics, have hit the implementation of the B2B expo. However, delivering his optimism, he mentioned that behind these challenges, buyers who attend the event have a strong desire to purchase the products as they put their best effort to come.
In line with Sobur’s optimism, the Vice President of HIMKI, Djudjuk Aryati, also conveyed, “The great enthusiasm from visitors abroad came from the uniqueness of Indonesian product. Indonesian products are created with strong craftsmanship and uniqueness that cannot be found everywhere; we usually use ‘exotic’ as the term to define Indonesian products.”
In addition, Djudjuk also mentioned that the pandemic is a natural selection for both sides, buyers and producers. Only strong businesses can endure the hit of multiple harmful situations that occurred, and these actors, as she mentioned as big buyers and resilient producers, were reflected in IFEX’s visitors and exhibitors.
Perceiving the achievement and the factors mentioned, Djudjuk believes that IFEX potentially brings big buyers to assist the participants in enhancing their exports as well as discovering new markets. In total, IFEX 2022 has attracted buyers from 57 countries worldwide. Based on the promotor’s data until Friday at 6 pm local time, the top ten visitors are from Australia, England, India, Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, the Netherlands, Spain, UAE, and Korea.
“The buyers’ country of origin has shifted from the previous IFEX event considered the uncertain economic condition, despite this alteration, the US still becomes the largest export destination,” said Sobur in his closing statement.
