Mebel 2016: experts discussed supportive measures for furniture exports
The Mebel 2016 exhibition held at Expocentre Fairgrounds featured a consultation session of the Russian Export Center on support tools of furniture exports.
The event was organized by the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Russian Export Center (REC) and Expocentre AO to discuss supportive measures for manufacturers and exporters of the furniture and woodworking industries.
As Expocentre Deputy General Director Mikhail Tolkachev said in his welcome address, Mebel 2016 brought together the whole industry and created favourable environment for important industry events such as consultation sessions.
According to the meeting moderator Vice President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Dmitriev, the main idea of such sessions is not only to consult exhibitors – Russian manufacturers – about existing opportunities and forms of government support which would promote companies to international markets, “at the sessions we plan to discuss not only export issues but others as well”, he said.
REC Managing Director of Non-Financial Support Konstantin Evstyukhin told about practical relevance of non-financial supportive measures for exporters. He told about a wide range of the services rendered. First of all, it is analytical support including assessment of export potential and risks facing the companies when entering international markets. REC experts also create pools of foreign clients, check good standing of companies, organize target events and business missions in Russia and abroad, settle issues of customs administration and provide logistical services for foreign trade contracts, etc.
Olga Kruchenkova from the Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance (EXIAR) informed of a wide range of financial measures to support export projects. The Agency, REC and Eximbank of Russia are parts of the REC Group which provides insurance and credit support. Different loans, e.g., for foreign purchasers of Russia-made goods, are made through Eximbank of Russia. Last year the exports supported by the REC Group amounted to 6.6 billion US dollars. Financial support was provided to 170 Russian exporters. According to the expert, relying on the results of the first half of 2016, it is already clear that the figure will increase.
General Director of the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia Oleg Numerov emphasized the importance of REC for the industry, “We looked forward to such center as REC. The furniture industry has always been export-oriented.”
The Mebel official website is at www.meb-expo.ru/en/
Expocentre Press Service