Officials urged the country to export equipment makers to look beyond the High Point and expand the business overseas.

"We See the world changing the furniture," Charlie Greene, chairman of the NC Furnishings Export Council, said in making furniture in a breakfast Tuesday. "Our opportunities in exports."

Established by Governor Jim Hunt in 1995, the council works to improve exports to export furniture to international markets from North Carolina.

Show special meeting of Pacific rim opportunities, such as Japan, the second largest economy in the world - in addition to the U.S. - with $ 4.6 trillion in 2004.

In 2005, the United States exported approximately $ 378 million in furniture in Japan, according to figures presented by Sumio Shibata, a representative of the State of North Carolina Office of Japan. In the same year, North Carolina exported almost $ 19 million in Japan, he said.

The economic growth of densely populated countries, opportunities for higher sales of furniture. But unlike the houses in the United States, Japan houses smaller and more compact that requires furniture.

Japan also show furniture such as the High Point International Home Furnishings Market, which opens Thursday. The International Furniture Fair in Tokyo attract about 26,000 visitors and approximately 550 exhibitors.

But he said state leaders to work in front of the house is the priority. With a shift in some U.S. manufacturing furniture overseas factory, North Carolina needs to focus back on how it will remain a center of furniture.

"The industry is one of transition," Trade Minister Jim said state coercion. "What we have here in North Carolina is the knowledge of how to house design and equipment market worldwide."

Pressure and other leaders said the future of the furniture of the country may be in distribution and transportation of furniture.

"North Carolina is within 600 miles of 75 percent of furniture sold in the United States," said Tom Crump, director of the council of export. "The future for major distribution."