PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain — About 280 representatives from 60 manufacturers, retailers, financial groups and even trade publications and associations meet here for the first World Furniture Congress last month.

The event brought industry officials from 40 countries jointly to discuss ways to improved cooperate and share information in an increasingly global furniture industry.

It also resulted in an offer from Jack Chen, president of the Council of Asia Pacific Furniture Assns., to create a World Furniture Organization by Aug. 1. The group will be made up of industry associations devoted to fostering international communication and cooperation.

Chen also speaks about the importance of integrating global resources, preserving raw materials and requires exchanging the latest technological information.

More World Furniture Congress events are anticipated, with dates and places to be announced later.