MEBEL' 2000  Moscow, 14th - 18th November 2000 Mebel' has now reached its sixth edition and it is growing up. In the furniture and furnishings sectors it is becoming an important event, which must be seriously weighed up. And also we seriously need to weigh up the weather, which has gone crazy and gives us rain instead of the usual traditional snow. Again, for the year 2000 edition, the heart and centre of the show was the Italian pavilion, pavilion number 2, hall 2, prepared as always by Ice and Federlegno - Arredo. Among the 119 exhibitors there was a strong Tuscan representation of 19 companies, some of which were present for the first time in a very crowded area, co-ordinated by the synergy activated by the Centro Sperimentale del Mobile e dell'Arredamento together with the Tuscany Regional Council, the Chamber of Commerce's Foreign Centre and Federlegno - Arredo. The exhibition was a success. Many interested visitors and operators came from Moscow (official statistical data are not available yet) and other Russian cities, from the ex-Soviet Republic countries and even from China and from other European countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic. Surrounding the exhibition there were a number of parallel events such as designers' seminars in the most exclusive showrooms and inauguration cocktail parties for new retail stores with invitations for the specialised press. As if this wasn't enough, there was almost a multiplication effect of the Italian spaces, not only because there were other two Italian exhibition areas in addition to pavilion 2.2 (at pavilion 6, 100 m2 with 6 exhibitors from the component sector, and at the Forum pavilion - 200 m2 and 8 companies), but also because many spaces in the other pavilions were acquired by Moscow companies which exposed Italian furniture or kitchens: PAIL, for example, which distributes Giemmegi and Ferretti Group kitchens, did just this and the showroom Stealth did it too. Our most direct competitors, the Spanish, seem to have lost interest in the Mebel' (there were only 32 attendants) and at the same time, the specialised operators who visited the fair seem to have neglected them. There were even fewer French and English companies ( 5 exhibitors for each of the two countries) while the German representation was larger (46 companies, but none of them represented the top level German furniture industry). Obviously, there was a massive participation of Russian companies (348 commercial and manufacturing exhibitors) and Polish participation was notable as well (38 companies). It is quite obvious to highlight that both Russian and Polish furniture have a low level, medium - low level target, while generally every typology of Italian furniture sold in Russia is for high-end levels and niche markets. The exhibition was therefore a success and provided the participating companies with interesting hints ton how to face the Russian market which remains uncertain. Indeed, even though results are more encouraging than those of other emerging markets, the overall view is rather mixed. In the year 2000, Russia could have entered a new development phase after the 1998 crisis and the triple devaluation of the rouble. 1999 saw an important and almost unbelievable stabilisation, partly due to the devaluation of the rouble which made Russian prices more competitive on the international market, to the increase in petroleum prices and to the recovery of the national industrial production. In 1999 the GNP rose by 3.2% compared with 1998 and in the fist quarter of the year 2000, growth was 7-8% and private consumption continued to rise too. Among this, the private consumption relating to durables (therefore also furniture and domestic products) which were estimated at 894.2 billion roubles (37.9 US$) in 1999 and at 1,350 billion roubles for the year 2000 (42.2 - 45 US$). For the year 2000, forecasts were made for a further consolidation of the economy with a minimum 2-3% growth in the GNP and inflation foreseen at 18-20%. Official statistical data will provide a definite picture and will tell us whether the forecast of an increase in consumption, estimated at 60 - 65% of pre-crisis levels for the year 2000 and at 80% by the end of 2001 has been confirmed or not. In the meantime, the tourist's eyes noted more dynamism, cleaner streets and more orderly urban architecture. For distribution, there are still the same difficulties that existed in previous years, even though the trend is to open more and more medium - sized specialised showrooms which work with designers and architects. The opening of an Ikea store near the airport is worth mentioning. International large distribution has already entered Russia as well!

Text by: Letizia Salvadori I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. In cooperation with: M.Angeles Fernández Alvarez TOP