CFIF’s “Tubod” Opens to Domestic Market

The Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc. (CFIF) took pride and  pleasure in its newest marketing endeavor–Tubod. It is the first and  only furniture trade show in the country that is “made by designers  for designers” and “by trade for trade” specifically designed for the  domestic market.  The trade show  opened last June 6-8, 2013 at the  Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino in conjunction with the  PhilconstructVisayas.  Co-organized by the Philippine Constructors  Association (PCA) and the Cebu Contractors Association (CCA), the  Tubod Show was held in time for the opening of Cebu Chamber of  Commerce?s Cebu Business Month.

Nineteen exhibitors from Cebu, Davao, and Negros, were presented  during the trade show. Tubod is backed by 50 years of manufacturing  and exporting experience of high-quality and design-oriented furniture  and furnishings, opening its doors for the first time to serve the  needs of the domestic market.  The show concept was done in  collaboration with the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers  (PIID) Cebu chapter, who graciously lent a hand to design the  exhibitors’ booth interiors and overall look of the show. They also  curated the lifestyle settings of the Tubod?s Design Pavilion.

Concurrent with the trade show was another activity. A plant tour to  10 different furniture and furnishings factories in Cebu and Mandaue  was organized where contractors, designers, architects, and the like  were given a chance to visit the different factories and showrooms of  the participating companies. The plant tour enabled them to see the  capability and capacities of the factories to serve their requirements  for furniture and furnishings.

The Tubod show is the offshoot of the Domestic Market Sensing Study  commissioned by the GIZ (German International Cooperation) for the  furniture and furnishings industry. Together with the help of the  Department of Trade and Industry Cebu (DTI), GIZ laid the ground works  for this industry to penetrate the domestic market trade.

About 6,221 buyers and guests flocked to the three-day show,  signifying the local market?s openness and interest at doing business  with the Cebu furniture makers.