Vietnamwood 2013, one of Asia's leading events in the woodworking machinery, wood processing and furniture production industry, has come to an end at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7.

The biannual event is organized under the cooperation of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising Joint Stock Co (VINEXAD), Chan Chao International Co Ltd, Yorkers Trade & Marketing service Co Ltd, and Paper Communication Exhibition Service.

The 10th Vietnam International Woodworking Industry Fair, better known as Vietnamwood, has attracted many international associations.

They include European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (Eumabois), German Engineering Association, Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tool Manufacturers’ Association, Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association and American Hardwood Export Council, David Yang, director of Chan Chao International Co, told a press conference in July this year.

“The 4-day event continues to serve as the definitive one-stop platform for the industrial suppliers from all vertical sectors to showcase a wide range of products and technologies, and to meet professional buyers from ASEAN countries,” said the organizer.

With official supports from Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM (HAWA), Forest Products Association of Binh Dinh (FPA Binh Dinh), official supported by EUMABOIS - European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers.

There are over 260 well-known exhibitors from 19 international countries, including Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the U.S.A., and Vietnam, show their best in 500 booths.

They have introduced a wide range of industrial products, technologies and services in an effort to attract key industrial players from Vietnam and neighboring countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and India.

“Vietnam’s woodworking and export sector has made strong growth with high demand for machines and processing tools. Therefore, international suppliers have decided to seek opportunities at the fair, Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon magazine quoted Yang as saying.

Dang Quoc Hung, deputy chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCMC (Hawa), told Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon that the industry generated an export value of nearly US$2.5 billion in the first half of the year, up 18% against 2012.

The sector has made a positive development over the past 10 years and the demand for machine and production line upgrading has soared, creating conditions for machine production and imports to grow, he added.

“Vietnamese wood products have gained praise for quality, design and competitive prices,” Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon quoted James Koh, presidential advisor of the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, as saying at an introduction in HCMC in late July of the International Furniture Fair Singapore 2014/31st ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS 2014).