OREANDA-NEWS. On 19 May 2008 was announced, that the presentation of the Third World Furniture Congress took place May 15, 2008 at the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre. The Congress will be held in the venue November 9 and 10, 2009. Russia for the first time receives such a large scale and highly rated forum of furniture segment specialists.

The World Furniture Congress is the major political and economical event for the world furniture community.

Valentin Zverev, the President of the Association of Furniture and Wood-processing Industry Enterprises of Russia, welcomed presentation guests and participants. In his welcome message he said that in his opinion "under conditions of globalization the purposes pursued by the Association and the World Furniture Congress, promote protection of furniture business interests in the governmental and nongovernmental organizations of their countries, and also at the international level. The most high-ranking visitor of the event, the President of the World Furniture Confederation and the European Furniture Manufacturers Federation (UEA), Calixto Valenti has announced the basic problems of modern furniture manufacture and ways of their solution, and also functions fulfilled by the World Furniture Confederation and the Furniture Congress.

Alexander Bortsov, the Director General ZAO CROCUS INTERNational, Dmitry Jamshchikov, the Head of the Working Group for the organization of the World Furniture Congress in Russia, and Andrei Lapshin, MVK International Exhibition Company President, participated in the presentation.

The organizer of 3rd World Furniture Congress is the authoritative Association of Furniture and Wood-processing Industry Enterprises of Russia, the general partner and the operator is the Crocus Expo IEC. The principal partner and co-organizer of the event is MVK International Exhibition Company.

The first Congress took place in 2006 in Spain (Palma de Majorca), China (Shanghai) hosted the second Congress and the following World Furniture Congress is taking place in Russia and that reflects the increasing role of our country on the world business arena and will undoubtedly promote development of the domestic furniture market and inflow of investments to the sector. The Russian furniture industry starts to participate in the international dialogue with the business community and, on the same level with all other players of the world market, to influence development of the situation. In spite of the fact that the share of the domestic furniture industry in the world is insignificant, Russia as a market is of interest for investors.

Participation of top managers of national furniture associations and foreign companies in the World Furniture Congress in Russia will enable domestic experts to receive a trustworthy information about development tendencies in the branch, common problems, current state of the world furniture market, and also approaches and methods of successful management in furniture business. It is expected, that about 70 % of the Russian furniture companies, and it is about 3500 enterprises and companies, will take part in the work of the World Furniture Congress at the Crocus Expo.

The program of the Congress-2009 is being developed, however preliminary topics were announced during the presentation: elimination of barriers in furniture and materials trade, development of universal for all countries of the world quality standards of furniture products and other urgent issues.

The World Furniture Congress-2009 has been developed to incorporate a grand exposition: the event will be held alongside with the Crocus Expo IEC own project, the 5th International Specialized Exhibition Furniture Club. As Alexander Bortsov, the Director General ZAO CROCUS INTERNational, mentioned "about 1000 companies from more than 40 countries exhibit at the exhibition Furniture Club”. The exhibition project has already turned to a status event in the exhibitions' calendar, however holding of the World Furniture Congress alongside with the exhibition Furniture Club reflects absolutely new, universal level.