ARGENTINA – According to the “Annual Survey” prepared by the FAIMA Observatory – Argentine Federation of Timber and Related Industries, which brings together 27 chambers and associations throughout the country, in the first nine months of 2017 the sector grew 6.5% on average.

Likewise, the survey shows positive expectations for entrepreneurs in 2018 regarding production and sales.

The sample included 507 companies, divided into 10 sub-groups, and due to their geographic location, the sample is representative of the location of the productive hubs of the wood and furniture industry in the country.

The entrepreneurial optimism is reflected as an increase in production is expected against the prior year in 37% of cases and 52% believe that it will remain stable. Similarly, 47% of respondents believe that their sales will increase and only 6% expected them to drop.

In the machinery category, 63% of the companies indicated that they had invested during 2017 and 52% intend to do so in 2018, this directly coincides with the expectations expressed regarding the increase in production that companies expect to achieve.