ITALY – According to an article by Mauro Spinelli issued in the World Furniture  #70/September 2016, the office furniture market in Europe recorded a positive growth for the second year in a row (+4.7% in 2015). 

The CSIL report “The European Market for Office Furniture” (June 2016 edition) confirms the trend with largest markets, like Germany, France and the United Kingdom, pushing the growth and performing over the European average.

Market openness increased in 2015 with imports/consumption ratio growing to 35.5% in the year and exports/production ratio growing to 39%, thus gaining one percentage point on the previous year. In 2015 imports of the European countries reached EUR 2,795 million increasing by 6.9% on the previous year. Export performance has been more marked, with +6% in 2015 in comparison to 2014 and total exports of the area reached EUR 3,186 million. Despite the high growth rate of imports, the trade balance remained positive in 2015 (+EUR 319 million).