GERMANY –   German furniture exports remained nearly stable in the first nine months of the year, reaching EUR 6.2 billion (-0.7%), according to preliminary foreign trade data from the Federal Statistical Office.

Despite ongoing tariff disputes and difficult global conditions, the sector is showing signs of stabilization, said Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the Associations of the German Furniture Industry.

Exports performed well in several key markets. Shipments to Switzerland, the industry’s second-largest export destination, increased by almost 3%. Strong growth was also recorded in Italy (+9.4%) and Spain (+8.7%), markets currently benefiting from activity in residential construction.

However, declines were reported in major neighboring markets. Exports fell in France (-2.1%), Austria (-6.8%), the United Kingdom (-4.9%), Belgium (-2.1%), and the Netherlands (-0.7%).

Exports to the United States, the most important non-European market for German-made furniture, dropped by around 2%, with the kitchen furniture sector experiencing a sharp decline of nearly 11%. Kurth noted that US tariffs are leading to unnecessary price increases and reducing the competitiveness of European suppliers.

Rising imports are also reshaping the German market. Goods originally destined for the US are increasingly being redirected to Germany by Asian manufacturers. Between January and September, imports from China rose 12.4% to EUR 2.4 billion, while

Vietnam increased shipments by 17.4% to EUR 197 million. China now accounts for 30% of all German furniture imports, just ahead of Poland (29%). Imports from Italy (+25.4%) and Lithuania (+28%) also saw significant growth. In total, German furniture imports increased 11% to approximately EUR 8 billion.

Photo: Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the Associations of the German Furniture Industry