German experts attending wood processing equipment and machinery fair in Ho Chi Minh City said Vietnamese woodworking industry has enormous potential for further development.

Ingo Bette, representative of the Association of German Machinery and Industrial Equipment Manufacturers, said he believed that Vietnamese wooden exports, particularly furniture, will sharply increase in the coming years.

Having reached $1.35 billion in the past nine months of this year, Vietnam’s total woodwork export revenue is expected to jump to $2 billion for the whole year, 10 times more than five years ago.

Local woodwork processors will attend the world’s fair for the forestry and wood industries, Ligna 2007, in Hannover, Germany from May 14-18 of 2007.

The Vietnam International Woodworking Industry Fair, which kicked off on Oct 19, ended on Oct 22, lured 155 companies from 17 countries and territories.

The fair was organized by Yorkers from Hong Kong and local advertising company Vinexad at Phu My Hung International Exhibition Centre in district 7.

Germany is now ranking third in EU in importing woodwork products from Vietnam with total shipment value expected to reach nearly $70 million in 2006.

Source: VNS, Labour