The Italian furniture sector held up reasonably well to the end of 2008 considering the scale of the economic downturn. Preliminary 2008 end-year figures suggest that Italian sales of wood furniture fell by 5.6% in 2008 compared to the previous year. Much of the decline in sales was due to a fall in the overall level of Italian domestic furniture consumption. The value of Italian wood furniture exports fell by only 2%. The likelihood is that the Italian furniture sector extended its share of the global wood furniture sector in 2008. The latest available international data indicates that the share of Italian furniture on the global market in 2007 reached 9.1%, rising from 8.9% in 2006.
Continue reading “Export Demand for Italian Furniture Proves Resilient – ITTO European Market Report 28th April 2009”Dramatic Fall in EU Imports of Tropical Hardwoods During 2008 – ITTO European Market Report 14th April 2009
Newly released Eurostat data provides official confirmation of anecdotal reports of a dramatic EU-wide fall in imports of tropical hardwood products during 2008. The downturn was felt in all corners of the EU and affected just about the entire range of wood products imported from tropical countries. In 2008, the volume of EU-25 imports of hardwood logs, sawn, veneer, and plywood from countries in the tropical forest zone was down 27%, 23%, 11% and 14% respectively.
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