After a rather patchy development between 2009 and 2013, when signs of growth were always immediately followed by renewed weakness, 2014 and 2015 finally saw some stability in EU wood furniture imports.

More than half of all EU wood furniture imports, €3.15 billion, came from China in 2015, with deliveries rising 12.1%. Chinese deliveries have therefore fully recovered from dips experienced in 2011 and 2013 and last year exceeded the previous peak level of €3.06 billion recorded in 2010.

Volatility in Chinese wood furniture deliveries to Europe over the last few years may be attributed to exchange rate effects and declining competitiveness of China relative to EU domestic producers.

The challenges of verifying timber legality in China’s complex supply chains may also have deterred some European buying following introduction of EUTR in March 2013. However the recent recovery in imports from China suggests that European buyers may now be more comfortable with the legality assurances provided by Chinese manufacturers.

EU imports of wood furniture from tropical countries increased 16% from €1.47 billion in 2014 to €1.70 billion in 2015. While China remains the EU’s largest external supplier of wood furniture,Vietnam is the star performer in terms of sales growth. EU imports of wood furniture from Vietnam increased 21.6% to €725 million in 2015.

This follows 19% growth the previous year and is a clear demonstration of Vietnam’s rising competitiveness in global furniture manufacturing.

(Source: ITTO/Fordaq)