The 34th International Furniture, Interior Design and Related Industries Fair “Ambienta 2007” has closed at the Zagreb Fair, gathering 718 exhibitors, of which 336 are domestic and 382 foreign from 26 countries.
Over six days, during which the fair took place, domestic and foreign visitors were able to see the latest achievements in the design and production of the most diverse furniture and interior design elements. The fair was attended by more than 50 thousand people. Many round tables and business meetings were held, among which the most important was the business forum “Forestry and Wood Processing in a New Environment,” where it was assessed that the wood processing industry in Croatia is experiencing favorable trends in increasing exports and employment.
It was also highlighted that the Croatian wood industry achieved a positive balance of 72 million US dollars in foreign trade in the first seven months of this year, with export coverage of imports at 115 percent. This industrial sector, important for the Croatian economy, employs about 30 thousand workers and is export-oriented. Currently, wood processing and furniture production account for 7.5 percent of Croatian exports. At the round table “Potential of the Furniture Industry in Equipping Adriatic Hotels,” it was assessed that domestic producers participate too little in their equipping, and several measures were proposed to change this situation.
During the fair, an initiative by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, and Croatian Forests titled “Wood Comes First” was presented, aimed at strengthening the market for wood products, developing the wood sector and forestry, increasing employment in the wood industry, and promoting a responsible approach to the environment, forests, wood, and products from renewable sources. Organized by the Tuzla Canton Chamber of Commerce, 29 exhibitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina presented themselves in a joint exhibition space as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina Days at Ambient. Traditional awards and recognitions were also given to exhibitors. The awards for the most successful performance were received by the companies “Hespo” and “Textum” as well as the Sector for Agriculture, Food Industry, and Forestry of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, while the recognition for the highest level of overall performance went to the Sector for Agriculture, Food Industry, and Forestry of HGK.
