About Expo
Kenya Wood International Expo
Kenya Wood has established itself as the GO TO SHOW for reaching out to the Kenya wood and woodworking sector. Organized as a focused technology tradeshow for the furniture sector of the country, Kenya Wood has been reflecting the growth of the sector.
The objective of the Expo is to provide professionals with an opportunity to explore the expertise available and improve productivity in an economical manner. The show has participation from the leading technology, tools, and accessories suppliers from both within Kenya and overseas. Visited by the members of leading trade associations, the show attracts business profile visitors, incorporating buyers for woodworking machinery, architects, saw mill companies, plywood, timber, importers, interior designers, builders and developers, contractors, manufacturers, and dealers and distributors. The objective of the Expo is to bring global technology closer to the doorsteps of end users.
Why Kenya ?
Kenya’s furniture industry is well positioned to expand its furniture sales domestically and regionally to capitalize on the growing local and regional markets in East Africa, other parts of the continent, and beyond. Kenya is the strongest regional producer in East Africa. It has a logistically advantageous geographic position that confers it comparatively easy access to local, regional and international markets, a supply of raw materials from neighboring countries that is relatively accessible, and a large workforce with a strong tradition of working in both the informal and formal segments of the furniture value chain.
The furniture market in Kenya stood approximately at US$496 million in sales in 2013, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10% over the past five years. Similar growth over the coming years is expected. Furniture imports stand at US$66 million and constitute 13 percent of the total market. Imports are taking an increasingly large portion of the Kenyan market, growing at a CAGR of 24% between 2009-2013.
Exports are growing more slowly at a 10% CAGR. Without a significant push for the development of the local industry, an increasing proportion of consumption in these markets will be met by imports.
The largest volume of round wood from plantations in Kenya goes to sawn timber and wood Composites. The ever-increasing demand for wood products presents good opportunities for enterprise development and employment creation by strengthening the SME wood industry. This can be done through awareness and promotion activities as well as entrepreneurship facilitation. Vocational training will play important role in developing technical work force in the sector.