The addition of IoT technology to China's 2nd International Furniture Innovation Fair raises the number of visitors and level of turnover to unprecedented new highs

CHENGDU, China, Dec. 6, 2017 /CNW/ -- The 2^nd International Furniture Innovation Fair (Chengdu) (IFIF) came to a successful conclusion on November 29, 2017. The first furniture Internet of Things (IoT) exhibition in China, a result of bringing together leading international IoT technologies, the Cloud City marketing platform and brick and mortar merchants under one roof, showcased how IoT can be widely applied in the traceability, sales, marketing and promotion of furniture. The event, in partnership with the Cloud City platform, enabled a seamless integration of the presentation of products both online and offline and the roll out of a furniture IoT ecosystem easily accessible on a mobile device. The introduction and integration of the new technologies went a long way in highlighting made-in-China furniture on the world stage.

The 2^nd IFIF was a huge success, with 321,000 professional and general visitors attending as well as more than 72,000 instances of a motor vehicle entering the parking facilities or dropping off visitors during the five days. Contracts with an aggregate value exceeding 5.19 billion yuan (approx. $US 785 million) were signed. Both the number of visitors and amount of turnover far exceeded the levels reached during the first edition of the event.

The event brought together over 2,000 leading furniture makers as exhibitors from around the world, including Stylution, Serta, Lazboy, Cheers, Derruci, Quan You and KUKA, as well as procurement groups from government agencies, furniture design firms as well as wholesalers and retailers worldwide, with the largest numbers of such groups originating from the UK, the US, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan. The expo was a showcase for a variety of product demonstrations, promotions, forums and lectures taking place across six pavilions.

The event, in addition to serving as a venue for the promotion of furniture, furnishings and accessories, proved to be a staging ground for more technological innovations, leading a new round of smart changes across the furniture market. By creating a model for an IoT Innovation Fair, the event took the lead in making the industry aware of the many possible applications that advanced mobile IoT Z-Code technology and the Cloud City marketing platform could deliver to the promotion and eventual sale of the furniture on display, especially in terms of integration with IoT, and the ability to highlight the quality of the wares. With the integrated marketing platform, exhibitors were given access to an extensive range of features including a unique, non-duplicative product code for each item across all vendors, as well as QR code-based shopping in addition to promotional events, advertising, traceability and cross marketing, enabling the synchronization of online and offline product displays as well as synergy between online and offline resources. Exhibitors were able to easily identify potential partners and establish partnerships, easing their expansion into markets across western China, and keeping the expenses to do so well under control.

The 2^nd IFIF witnessed the presence of many furniture brands from China's Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and Shaanxi provinces, who showcased their products and had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with professional traders from China's western and central provinces and regions, many of whom placed orders on the spot. The organizing committee offered travel and accommodation subsidies to the traders as well as assistance in dealing with the paperwork involved in the purchases. A huge pull for ordinary consumers who attended the show with the goal of outfitting their own home or office were able to acquire what they needed at "ex-factory" prices.

The fair received extensive positive feedback from attending members and representatives from many of the world's chambers of commerce. Daniel Miller, manager at China-Britain Business Council Southwest China, said that the 2^nd IFIF's adoption of advanced IoT technologies including the Cloud City platform and the Z-code technology is good news for companies outside China and will help British companies who are seeking to make a quick entry into the Chinese market.

During the fair, well-known brands including DeRUCCI and Airland held press conferences where they announced the launch of new products, with the brands booking orders for the new products on the spot. This proved to be a major draw for traders and end-buyers alike. The 1^st Kunpeng Scholarship Western Design Summit Forum, an event highly anticipated by industry watchers, was also held during the fair, at which the industry's leading designers gathered to engage in discussions on how changing lifestyles influence furniture design.

The award ceremony of the 2^nd IFIF was held on November 29. The top 10 favorites among 287 furniture brands were selected through surveys of the event's 4,265,523 visitors.

The official website of the International Furniture Innovation Fair (Chengdu): www.cdifif.com

SOURCE International Furnishings Innovation Fair (Chengdu)