Oct 20, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Some 150 companies from 17 countries are displaying machines, technologies and materials at the Woodworking Industry Fair 2005, making this the biggest such fair in Vietnam so far. Some 360 booths with one fourth of them of foreign companies have gone up for the fifth fair at the HCMC International Exhibition and Convention Center from Wednesday to Saturday. Companies in Vietnam have already ordered 70% of the exhibits, while the rest will be introduced for the first time and have not found buyers the organizers said. The organizers are expecting 18,000 visitors to come to the fair, up 4,000 from last year. The exhibitors are also counting on good responses from the fair because Vietnamese furniture makers need new equipment to turn out more and higher-quality exports, according to the organizers. Pham Quynh Giang from the organizing committee said many foreign companies, eyeing Vietnam’s promising furniture market, were participating in the fair. Joining foreign companies are representatives of the Italian Woodworking and Tools Manufacturers’ Association, the American Hardwood Export Council, the Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association and industry associations from other countries. The agriculture ministry said that foreign investment in the woodworking industry has been instrumental in spurring on Vietnam’s rapidly growing furniture export revenue in the past five years.