KI in the News

On September 8, 2015, the 36th China International Furniture Fair had its grand opening in the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The world's sixth-largest contract furniture brand, KI (Krueger International) Furniture, chose this time for its official launch in China, held by its China exclusive distributor Beijing Kang Ai Healthcare Furniture Co. Ltd. With 75-year long history, KI Furniture, the world's sixth-largest contract furniture manufacturer, is committed to providing a full range of smart furniture solutions for schools, hospitals, corporations, governments and other institutions. KI CEO and chairman Dick Resch, KI global purchasing operations vice president Don Gust, KI design and product marketing vice president Shawn Green and Mr. Guo Xiaofei from Beijing Kang Ai Healthcare Furniture Co.,Ltd. attended the opening ceremony:

Interview guest: Beijing Kang Ai Healthcare Furniture Co.,Ltd. CEO Mr. Guo Xiaofei

Location: National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)

Mr. Guo Xiaofei introduces the brand at the event

NetEase Home: KI is renowned internationally, but why it choose this year's International Furniture Fair to enter China’s market?

Guo Xiaofei: Actually Beijing Kang Ai has been attentive towards the development of the elderly and education market for years. Plus, I have been in communication with KI for quite some time; we have reached a common awareness for the entire market culture. So we took this opportunity to work with KI, officially bringing KI to the Chinese market to serve China. Due to the development of the whole society in the near future, there is an increasing need to promote the market for the elderly and health care, education and family-caring aspects. Therefore, KI and Beijing Kang Ai decided to give KI its first showing in China at CIFF.

NetEase Home: KI Furniture is a leading brand in health care, elderly market and special fabrics; what is its focus for the development in China?

Guo Xiaofei: At this time, KI furniture has introduced all its full line of brands, rather than a single product line. From the view of current market trends, the office furniture market has developed in China for 30 years, which means homogeneous competition saturated market. An excess in production signals a less than profitable market share. It seems inappropriate for KI to enter China, however, in fact, it is deliberate choice. China currently is going through a profound reform in education and health care, and KI is the world's most famous educational solutions provider, ranking first in the world for 11 consecutive years. So we took this opportunity to bring KI to China. Although KI has brought all its brands to China, we put heavy emphasis on health care and education, supplemental elderly care service to establish the brand.

Live models show

Interaction for activities on-site

NetEase Home: What’s KI furniture’s plan in Greater China in the future?

Guo Xiaofei: In the future, KI furniture will build an entire sales service system in the Greater China to promote KI furniture brands, explore the Greater China market, enlarge elderly care service and education market, and have them achieve the international standards.

NetEase Home: Can you talk about your insight on China's furnishing, education and health care industry?

Guo Xiaofei: With the development of China's reform, the future of Chinese furniture industry will face a major reshuffle; homogeneous and less competitive furniture companies will be phased out, the remaining furniture companies will bear the task for ‘Made in China in Great Quality’. At the same time, China is also focusing on the elderly care service development, health care and education reform. In the future, the medical and education furniture will emerge as a new market point in the furniture industry.

NetEase Home: What is your opinion on the current development pattern for the elderly care service industry and office furniture industry in China?

Guo Xiaofei: Chinese elderly care service industry has great potential. Immaturity and underdevelopment allows us the opportunity to understand, change and serve the market. Beijing Kang Ai will concentrate on supporting fields of elderly care service, health care and education, and we will progress stably as the entire market develops.

On behalf of KI, we both hope to establish a better market order in the future. The introduction of a new brand, plus our group’s deep heritage in China: our own group involves in IT, office, medical, elderly care, education and O2O, currently working with Beikong Healthcare Group to carry out a comprehensive cooperation at the strategic level; we may also enter financial sector. In addition, many well-known designers from home and abroad come to this site today, including Chanel Hotel (hotel furnishing) assistant designer, as well as architect designers from the United Kingdom and the United States. We hope the changing of the industry and market order will bring us success and establish a strong foothold in this market.

NetEase Home: Thank you very much!