GERMANY – The furniture and supply cluster of East Westphalia-Lippe (OWL) in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia accounts for over a quarter of the total sales generated by the furniture industry (2013: 4,657 million euros) – while kitchen furniture accounts for 64 percent of sales.

There is no other region in the world with such a concentration of companies operating in the kitchen and furniture segment – including well-known manufacturers such as Nobilia, which produces around 2,200 kitchens per day, or the furniture component supplier Hettich, which is among the world’s leading manufacturers of furniture fittings. Many other component suppliers are based in OWL, accounting for 40 percent of the products manufactured in Germany.

In addition to the furniture industry itself, the sector-related associations of the timber and furniture industry have also established themselves in the region. As a result, the enterprises in the area benefit from a close network of all of the partners in the sector based there. This conditions make OWL a significant furniture cluster in Europe and one of the largest furniture production sites in the world.