Azernews.Az

By E.Huseynov

Inegol, becoming the center of the Turkish furniture industry, hopes to increase its exports in the near future.

President of Chamber of Furniture Inegol, Ozcan Ayhan announced about this in his interview with AzerNews. "We hope to increaseour exports on the world market," he said.

He noted that currently about 35 percent of furniture products made in Turkey are produced in Inegol. About 35,000 people are involved in this sphere, he added.

Today, products of 600 companies of Inegol furniture industry already exported to 90-100 countries. In 2013, Inegol exported goods worth $320 million. The figure is expected to reach about $400 million by late 2014.

Ayhan further said the work is underway on a project to create a grand "Furniture town" with area of 4,000,000 m2 in Inegol.

Only laboratory in Turkey to test furniture products started operation in Inegol. It is equipped with modern German technology that allows testing of any furniture products to the highest European standards, he noted.

Products of Inegol furniture industry distributed to Azerbaijan for several years and cooperation is well established. There is only a problem in high customs rates for the import of furniture in Azerbaijan, Ayhan added.

Organization MODEF fuarcılik annually holds furniture exhibitions in Inegol. The last one, the 32nd Furniture and Decorations MODEF EXPO was held on November 4-8. This exhibition was attended by 160 companies from 59 countries; more than 15,000 people visit the exhibition in total, including about 2,400 foreigners from the Middle East, North Africa, the Turkic-speaking countries and the Balkans.

MODEF EXPO has already started preparations for the next 33^rd exhibition, which is scheduled for April 7-12, 2015.