HEMEROTECA
11/01/2017
According to the CSIL World Furniture Outlook 2017 report, prospects for global furniture trade and consumption are encouraging.
In the last ten years world trade of furniture (defined as the average between total furniture exports from the 70 major countries and total furniture imports into the 70 major countries) has grown faster than furniture production and has consistently amounted to about 1% of world trade of manufactures.
The bulk of international trade of furniture originates in China, Germany, Italy, Poland and Vietnam and goes to the US, Germany, the UK, France, and Canada. A major new development is the decrease of Chinese furniture exports in 2016. The fastest growing furniture exporter (from a low base) is Vietnam.
In the last five years the increase of imports in the US (from US$ 23 billion in 2010 to about US$ 32 billion in 2016) was the main engine of growth in international trade of furniture.
Total world furniture consumption (i.e. the aggregate of 70 countries) grew from US$ 345 billion in 2007 to a peak of US$ 364 billion in 2008 before decreasing as a consequence of the recession in 2009. Growth resumed in 2010. Consumption rose above the pre-recession level in 2011 and, according to CSIL preliminary estimates, reached US$ 396 billion in 2016.
Consumption is forecasted to grow by 2.7% in real terms worldwide. The fastest growing region continues to be Asia and Pacific, although growth in China is slowing down. Prospects for North America are more favourable than for Europe. South America remains in a phase of recession.
The World Furniture Outlook report contains data on furniture production, consumption and trade for 70 countries. Preliminary estimates for 2016 and demand forecasts for 2017 and 2018 are also included.
