Survey on the development of the global furniture industry - Germany & Russia

Russia

The survey of the Russian furniture industry shows that in the first quarter of 2020, the output and sales of Russian furniture were US$831 million and US$1.846 billion, an increase of 10% and 5% respectively year-on-year. In the context of the stagnation of the global furniture industry, Russia's furniture industry has maintained growth, mainly because the new crown pneumonia epidemic has a late impact on Russia, and the control measures began to be implemented at the end of March. Affected by the new crown epidemic, the number of Russian companies fell by 3% in April.

What are the other aspects of the impact of the new crown epidemic on the Russian furniture industry? According to investigations, after the outbreak, all stores and large furniture stores in Russia ceased operations from March 30 to May 11, and furniture retail sales fell by 95%. In addition, the export orders of national or large companies have decreased by more than 70%. Two-thirds of production companies ceased production.

How to reduce the impact of the epidemic? Furniture companies have produced a large number of cabinets, desks, shelves and other furniture for Moscow hospitals. These furniture have undergone some transformations and are called "non-standard" furniture. In a short period of time, Russian companies have not only developed new products, but also ensured that the products meet the standards.

The Russian furniture industry is currently facing multiple challenges. For example, the problem of corporate payment default, the problem of a sharp decline in furniture sales, and the problem of import and supply of furniture accessories. It is expected that the output of Russian furniture this year will drop by more than 10%-15% year-on-year, and sales will drop by more than 20%.

Germany

A survey of the German furniture industry shows that in the first quarter of this year, the output value of the German furniture industry was 4.4 billion euros, a year-on-year decrease of 2.6%. In terms of international trade, the export value was 1.75 billion euros, a decrease of 5.1% year-on-year, and the import value was 2.12 billion euros, a year-on-year decrease of 3.9%. The number of simulated companies in the first quarter was 470, a year-on-year decrease of 1.5%, and the number of employees was 83,474, a year-on-year decrease of 1.7%.

Due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, Germany's required supply chain has fluctuated. Italy is a country that is more severely affected by the epidemic, and it is also the main country that Germany imports many original parts. However, not the entire furniture industry chain has been seriously negatively affected. German furniture fairs, including the Cologne Fair, are generally held in January and February and have not been significantly affected. In order to control the epidemic, German furniture manufacturers have adopted active protective measures, and retailers have also formulated safety programs to protect consumers and employees. During this period, online sales have increased. Manufacturing companies represented by upholstered furniture have opened up new product lines, such as masks and other medical products.

Overall, the German furniture industry is not seriously affected by the epidemic. The "short-time work subsidy" implemented by the government also played an important role. At present, the supply chain fluctuations in the German furniture industry have basically been eliminated. The main problem lies in the demand side, and domestic and foreign consumption has yet to be restored.