< Previous2018 HighlightsA fair is made great by its exhibitors and by the value of the products exhibited ….. Traditional tables are juxtaposed with workstations that are unusual, comfortable and informal.6...here is what appeared on stage during the last edition of CIFF. …tables that seem to float, height-adjustable, sustainable in terms of shapes and materials.So stress levels drop slightly.7Index2018 HighlightsAn emphasis on colour, for offices that are atypical and redesigned to meet new needs. 8Upholstered balls, providing maximum comfort, readapted tyres, whales stolen from the sea. These are the new chairs for unusual and remarkable spaces. 9Index2018 Highlights10High-technology chairs that can furnish the space. Great focus on acoustics. Chairs and spaces that can ensure privacy and grant users the privacy they require. 11Index2018 MomentsFrom the new General Manager, Mr. Liu, at the latest CIFF inauguration ceremony, surrounded by stunning products and unusual installations at the East Design ShowWhether they are stolen or proclaimed and official, moments are in any case fragments that recount little pieces of the 12Special thanks to Anna Caldera and Adriano Baldanzi for having succeeded in capturing the magic of CIFF.story put on show at every edition of CIFF. A story created from product, but also, and particularly, from people. IndexThe office furniture in Chinaby Mauro Spinelli, CSIL Centre for Industrial Studies – Milan, Italy(www.worldfurnitureonline.com)China is the leading office furniture manufacturer and exporter at a world level. With a total value of USD 15 bil-lion in 2017, increasing by 10% on average during the last decade, China holds almost one third of total world output of office furniture. China increased its export share from 18% in 2007 to 37% in 2017 (USD 3.8 billion) and is the major exporter and the main supplier for the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Japan. The United States is the main customer with USD 1.2 billion, accounting for about 28% of the whole Chinese office furniture exports.Source: CSIL processingCHINA. OFFICE FURNITURE EXPORTS, 2010-2017. USD MILLIONOrigin of office furniture imports Destination of office furniture exportsUnited States 11.4% United States 28.2%Taiwan 10.9% Singapore 4.9%Germany 10.8% Japan 4.0%Malaysia 8.6% Australia 3.6%Portugal 8.3% Germany 3.5%Lithuania 7.2% United Kingdom 3.5Italy 7.2% Saudi Arabia 3.3%Poland 6.1% United Arab Emirates 2.8%Source: CSIL processingCHINA’S MAIN OFFICE FURNITURE TRADING PARTNERS. PERCENTAGES14Domestic consumption of office furniture in China increased by +2% in 2017 reaching a value of USD 11.3 billion and is expected to continue increasing both in 2018 and in 2019. Office spaces in China mainland continued to expand as it happened for the ‘Hospitality ‘and ‘Healthcare’ markets as major related business and this trend includes both the first-tier metropolis and the second-tier and third-tier cities. According to JLL the total Grade A office space in Shanghai will reach 11 million sq.m. by 2020, surpassing Hong Kong as the largest office market in Greater China. The country’s enormous production capacity enables it to fully satisfy the domestic demand, le-aving very little space for imported products (progressively growing), which account for a negligible quota of 1%. The Chinese office furniture sector, structurally fragmented, started its concentration trend. Although some of the fastest growing companies almost doubled their turnover over the last five years, the top 10 brands still represent less than 15% of the Chinese market. The increasing pressure coming from higher operational costs is forcing some smaller players to close down. On the low-end of the market China is experiencing competition from Ma-laysia, Cambodia and Indonesia (where labour costs are lower) while on the upper-end segment the general lack of brand strategies worth on company performances. Where price is higher, the competition of North American brands is strong and some of the local players risk to lose opportunities and market shares. The product evolution registered in China over the last years is evident, however, local companies still lack of a “brand identi-ty” abroad, as they supply international customers mainly under OEM agreements.The traditional production zones are located along the Eastern coastline. From South to North, the most impor-tant production poles are in the provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang and Shanghai. Guangdong alone covers over 30% of the total furniture production according to the China National Bureau of Statistics. Another important cluster for office furniture production is the Anji district (Zhejiang), specialised in the production of seating. The majority of office chair manufacturers located in Anji are privately owned Chinese firms and among them there are a lot of OEM manufacturers producing for both US and European office manufacturers and distributors. Starting from 2012 the number of companies in the district started to decrease due to the growing concentration and factory optimization. However, the output in volumes and values continued to increase.Source: CSIL processingANJI CHAIR DISTRICT. NUMBER OF COMPANIES 2005-201515IndexNext >