Citem, DCP, EMB team up to boost PHL’s joining world’s major consumer-goods trade fair
Business Mirror
January 18, 2017
THE Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem) sustains its creative collaboration with the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP) and the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to strengthen the Philippines’s participation in Ambiente, scheduled for February 10 to 14 at Messe Frankfurt in Germany.
Ambiente is considered the world’s leading consumer-goods trade fair, with an average of 137,000 visiting trade buyers from 143 countries and more than 4,000 exhibitors from 95 countries. It is the primary venue where trends for the international consumer-goods industry over the coming year are defined, and the go-to sourcing destination of buyers from the international contract market, particularly hotel, restaurant and catering sectors.
“With a diverse range of buyers from all over the globe coming together in one enormous sourcing event, Ambiente opens up countless doors of trade opportunities for Philippine exporters,” Citem Executive Director Rosvi C. Gaetos said.
The Philippine collective under Citem reestablished its presence in Ambiente last year, yielding total export sales of $2.5 million. For the upcoming Ambiente 2017 edition, 14 Philippine home exporters under the LifestylePhilippines brand shall be concentrated at the fair’s Living Hall, targeting total export sales of $3 million.
“Living” is one of the three main hall organizations of Ambiente in which international exhibitors showcase their home products, ranging from accessories, interior design, indoor and outdoor decorations, and avant-garde furnishings.
For the LifestylePhilippines Pavilion in Ambiente, Citem has been working closely with DCP and product specialist Eric Paras since September to develop contemporary product collections that will respond to the demands of the market, and reflect the unique strengths of the participating Philippine exporters.
“The story is more about the companies, their beginnings, strengths and specializations,” Paras said. “I wanted to capitalize on handmade components of our products but not in a vernacular perspective. The direction is sophistication in crafts and the goal is to marry function and commercial appeal in order to generate business for our exporters.”
Citem has partnered with EMB to bring three companies under the Regional Interactive Platform for Philippine Exporters Plus (Ripples PLUS) program to Frankfurt, Germany, marking its first international trade-show participation under the home sector. Ripples PLUS is a jointly implemented program of the DTIEMB, DTI-Regional Operations Group, Philippine Trade Training Center and Citem that aims to enhance export capacity and competitiveness of Philippine companies through training, product development, marketing support and promotions.
Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, as part of his Trabaho at Negosyo agenda, recently gave his directive to create a more dynamic DTI, calling on the Industry Promotions Group, where Citem, DCP and the EMB belong, to strengthen its services for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“The Philippine participation in Ambiente establishes the creative collaboration that Citem wants to maintain with DTI agencies and, hopefully, start with other government offices, to achieve the vision of Secretary Lopez in helping MSMEs attain global competitiveness,” Gaetos said.