Interview with Mr. Rafael Pérez Leiros, President of AMC, Spanish Association of Kitchen furniure manufacturers.

"... the sector is in peak conditions"

Which are the main lines of action of the association?

To provide advice concerning all issues related to the sector: technical and legal information, market research, plans for exports, to facilitate communication with the admiinistration and fair management, etc.

We also aim at permanently “translating” into action the worries of our associates.

On third place, an AMC “family” pretends all associates to understand that they will be protected against any problem or adverse situation. I can frankly speak and say I have had proofs that friendship and competitiveness can perfectly coexist with a minimum of respect towards the rules of the game.

¿Which are the main resources the association counts on and who are its main associates?

The AMC associates represent the three subsectors of the kitchen manufacturers (kitchen furniture manufacturers, electrical appliances manufacturers and auxiliary furniture and accesories manufacturers).

Almost a 100% of the upper-middle companies of the sector are represented in AMC.

The number of associates comes up to 80 and most of the main national companies in kitchen furniture are part of this number.

AMC constitutes itself into a permanet forum that “translates” into action the worries of its associates. With advice on any issues related to the sector: technical and legal information, market research and plans for exports as well as the communication with the administrations, fair organization, etc.

In what projects are you working on at the moment?

become one of the most important fairs in the sector at a national level.

Remember that this year SICI will be celebrating its 4 th edition in October 18-22 nd . The event will take place, as usual, in IFEMA (Madrid) and this edition will count with two pavilions, number 7 and 9, with a surface of 22.000 m2.

SICI has become an international reference within the kitchen furniture trade fairs. I think I am not very far away from the truth if I say that after EUROCUCCINA in Milan, SICI is the best fair in Europe as regards exhibitors (products, stands, etc.).

What relationship do you have with other organisms and institutions ?

Regardless of the relationship with the different associations linked to the wood sector (FEDERMUEBLE, CONFEMADERA, etc.), we have to emphasize the special relationship and close bonds AMC has with IFEMA. An example of this close relationship is SICI. In SICI we have brought together IFEMA´S ability for the organization of fairs, as well as its excellent facilities and services, and the knowledge and the ability of bringing together the members of the sector AMC has.

What new markets are opening for the sector?

From a geographical point of view, the “adventure” of exports is still an unresolved matter within the sector. There are very few Spanish kitchen furniture brands selling their products in other countries. Maybe it is a question of size regarding the industrial structure: the manufacturing companies find place for their whole production in the national market and there may be also some cultural reasons.

Anyway, together with ICEX and ANIEME, AMC has an annual exports plan that has been working for three years now with direct and reverse missions, which we hope will contribute together with SICI, to place Spanish products in international markets.

What are the challenges for next year?

From my point of view, the main challenge is the exports. We have to achieve, slowly but surely, the “country brand” value that other countries as Italy and Germany already have.

Sometimes, to be recognized at home, you need to be successful abroad. If we make an impression in other markets, we are automatically generating “entrance barriers” to other imported goods.

Another big challenge is to try to make the kitchen furniture offer transparent to the consumer, despite heterogeneity. This means the commercilization channels should be clearly marked so that the consumers can understand it is not the same to buy a kitchen in a specialized store than to buy it in hypermarkets or at a carpenter´s workshop, etc.

Last but not least, to achieve the final development and consolidation of an auxiliary industry that lives up to the expectations of manufacturers, both in a quantitative and qualitative way.