XN000022-1993-10-29 — Page 14

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1993

HK'S FURNITURE AND LIGHTING INDUSTRIES: COMPETITIVE AND PROSPEROUS

BY INVESTING IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND IN MAKING USE OF LOWER LABOUR COSTS FOR MORE LABOUR INTENSIVE MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS, THE LOCAL FURNITURE AND LIGHTING MANUFACTURERS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAINED THE COMPETITIVE EDGE, CUT PRODUCTION COST AND IMPROVED QUALITY.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 10TH HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE AND LIGHTING FAIR, THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR. TONY MILLER TODAY (FRIDAY) ATTRIBUTED THE ACTIVE IMPROVEMENT TO THE GROWING DEMAND FOR RIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS AND INCREASINGLY INTENSE COMPETITION.

ALTHOUGH HONG KONG'S FURNITURE AND LIGHTING INDUSTRIES WERE RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO OUR MAJOR INDUSTRIES, SUCH AS TEXTILES, GARMENTS AND ELECTRONICS, MR MILLER NOTED THAT HONG KONG HAD WITNESSED A FAST-EXPANDING DEMAND FOR HIGH QUALITY FURNITURE AND LIGHTING

PRODUCTS.

"HONG KONG IS BECOMING AN AFFLUENT SOCIETY.

"AS THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE POPULATION CONTINUES ΤΟ IMPROVE, FAMILIES ARE PAYING GREATER ATTENTION TO INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARE WILLING TO SPEND A GREATER PORTION OF THEIR DISPOSABLE INCOME ON BEAUTIFYING THEIR HOUSEHOLDS, HE SAID.

**

"IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN MORE AND MORE TASTEFUL AND WELL- DESIGNED FURNITURE AND LIGHTING PRODUCTS IN THE MARKET CATERING FOR LOCAL LIVING CONDITIONS," HE SAID.

FIGURES ALSO REFLECT THE GROWING DEMAND AND COMPETITION: BETWEEN 1987 AND 1992, HONG KONG'S IMPORTS OF ALL FURNITURE INCREASED BY 160 PER CENT TO SOME $5 BILLION, WHILE THE GROSS OUTPUT OF THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY ALSO ROSE TO ONE-AND-A-QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS IN 1991.

"HONG KONG PRODUCES FURNITURE IN BOTH WESTERN AND ASIAN STYLES, MR MILLER SAID.

T

SOLD

**ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS ARE LOCALLY, WITH THE REMAINDER EXPORTED OVERSEAS, MAINLY то THE USA, CHINA AND JAPAN, HE ADDED,

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ON LIGHTING EQUIPMENT, HONG KONG S IMPORTS ALSO INCREASED DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1987 TO 1992.

OVERALL IMPORTS WERE VALUED AT FOUR-AND-A-QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS, AN INCREASE OF 350 PER CENT. THE GROSS OUTPUT OF THE LOCAL LIGHTING INDUSTRY ALSO GREW TO SOME $300 MILLION IN 1991.

MR MILLER PRAISED THE FAIR FOR PROVIDING AN EXCELLENT FORUM FOR LOCAL AND OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS TO EXHIBIT THEIR LATEST PRODUCTS, EXCHANGE IDEAS ON THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THE PRODUCTS, AND EXPLORE POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BOTH LOCALLY

AND

INTERNATIONALLY.

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