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Click here to return to this month's Article Index The Cutting Edge™ July 2004International Business DevelopmentWood Furniture Import Trends By Harold Zassenhaus, WMMA® Export Director zemg@erols.comWood Furniture import statistics have been broken down into 11 component parts: bedroom furniture, wood frame upholstered furniture, chairs, furniture parts, office furniture, kitchen cabinets, furniture and parts of rattan, cane or bamboo, chair parts, kitchen furniture (excluding cabinets), furniture for vehicles and other wood furniture. Members can click here to view a series of tables showing three year trends by type, by country, by fastest growing country as well as imports from China by type. Members will need their user name and password to log onto the site. Contact Karen Boyle, WMMA® Headquarters, 215-564-3484, for forgotten user name and password. Wood furniture imports continued their growth trend in the first quarter of 2004. Every statistically meaningful product category grew at double digit rates for the first three months, with imports of wood frame upholstered furniture racking up the highest percentage gains at 23% over the same period in 2003. No surprise that China continued to be the largest supplier and one of the fastest growing with shipments totaling $1.2 billion and a growth rate of over 20%. More than ever before, an imported piece of wood furniture is likely to be from China. The US imports 49% of its bedroom furniture from China, 32% of its wood frame upholstered furniture, 32% of its chairs and 52% of its chair parts from China; 25% of its wood kitchen furniture (excluding cabinets) and 31% of wood furniture parts came from China. And, if it does not fit into a customs classification, such as dinning room sets, China supplies 45% of it. Only Canada supplies more wood office furniture and kitchen cabinets. Imports of Chinese-made wooden bedroom furniture totaled $308 million for the 1st quarter, a healthy increase of 26% over the same period in 2003. However, it is possible that the pending US Department of Commerce dumping ruling accounted for the surge, and bedroom furniture imports will fall off by the 3rd quarter. While China is the 600 pound gorilla, and growing, there are other supplying nations that are taking market share. Vietnam is of considerable and growing importance. Imports totaled $52 million through March - a 68% increase over the same period in 2003. Bear in mind that as late as 2001, imports from Vietnam amounted to slightly over $12 million --- for the entire year. Vietnam is a market that many of our members should not ignore. Furniture production is concentrated in one area, they have limited metalworking capabilities, and they are open to source from the US. Table of Contents
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