After a strongly negative 2020, the first months of 2021 recorded strongly positive numbers for Italian wood-furniture chain, not only compared to 2020, but also to 2019. Many more signs that bode well for the second part of the year and for a recovery that now underway…
39 billion euros, of which 15 are destined for exports, over 300 thousand employees, 71,500 companies and a trade balance of 7.6 billion euros. The furniture macrosystem alone is worth 21 billion euros, of which 11 billion for exports and 10 billion for the national market.
This is the photograph of the wood-furniture chain – taken on the eve of the supersalone staged at the beginning of September – which draws a particularly positive scenario after a difficult year.
Looking at the first five months of 2021, in fact, it can be seen that the export of the furniture and lighting macrosystem is growing strongly (5.4 billion euros, with an increase of 43.2 percent), but at the same time there is a moderate increase even compared to 2019 data, when exports were worth 5.1 billion euros, testifying to a growing trend, despite all the uncertainties linked primarily to the evolution of the pandemic. The top five commercial outlets are France (988.5 million euros, plus 53.7 percent compared to 2020 and plus 15.3 percent compared to 2019), the United States (573.5 million euros; 73.7 per percent compared to 2020 and plus 35.2 percent compared to 2019), Germany (555.5 million euros, plus 32.8 percent compared to 2020 and plus 8.6 percent compared to 2019), the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
From the findings of the Monitor of the FederlegnoArredo Studies Center, in the first half of 2021 sales – compared to the same period in 2020 – recorded an increase of 51.7 percent with a recovery in particular on the Italian market (plus 67.3 percent). And, where a comparison is made between the first half of 2021 and the first half of 2019, a comforting figure emerges for the entire supply chain, with global growth of 14.3 percent and 21.4 percent on the Italian market.
The latest industrial production index (calculated on the production volume) – released by Istat for the period January-June 2021 – indicates a rebound of 48.7 percent for furniture companies (up 7.7 percent compared to 2019). Good results for kitchen-sector (plus 64.4 per cent on 2020 and plus 15.1 per cent on 2019) while furniture for offices and shops is falling back (minus 10.0 per cent on 2019). The figure for industrial production for lighting was also positive (up 49.5 percent on 2020 and up 19.9 percent on 2019).