Poh Huat Resources Holding Bhd sees rising furniture demand from its Japanese customers following the recent earthquake-tsunami disaster in Japan. Managing director Tay Kim Huat said Malaysian furniture exporters would benefit because locally-made furniture was popular among Japanese.

He said the demand was likely to start coming in next year as Japan was now in the midst of solving the most pressing issue following the tragedy nuclear radiation. “Once Japan is back on its toes and the economy is moving in the right direction, demand for consumer products including furniture will going up,'' Tay told StarBiz after Poh Huat AGM recently.

He said Malaysian-made furniture was popular among Japanese because of its high quality, adding that Malaysian furniture exporters were able to deliver their products on time to their buyers in Japan.

Director Tay Khim Seng said while the United States remained the company's main export market, it would continue to eye for other destinations such as Central America, Middle East and Indian sub-continent.

For the financial year ended October 31, 2010, Poh Huat posted a net profit of RM10.72mil on RM355.66mil revenue compared with RM9.93mil and RM329.64mil respectively in the previous financial year.