German furniture industry does not lose optimism

German furniture industry does not lose optimism

The corona-related shop closings before and after Christmas hit the German furniture industry hard. "It's just that people are more at home during this time and are more concerned with the subject of living and furnishing. In particular, the days around Christmas are therefore extremely profitable days in the furniture trade and they will no longer apply this year," said Jan Kurth, General Manager of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM). It is uncertain whether the industry will be able to make up for these sales losses if the stores are allowed to reopen in mid or late January. Despite the current difficulties, the furniture industry is looking to the future with a certain degree of optimism. "The mood in the industry is not bad," said Kurth. "The subject of living and furnishing has gained in importance among consumers during the pandemic. And there is much to suggest that it will remain so beyond Corona." The own home is valued more than before as a place of retreat and made more comfortable. "The topic of home office will certainly remain in the next few years. There is a lot of need to do something in your own four walls," said Kurth. According to an industry survey conducted by the association, around half of the companies expect slight increases in sales in the coming year. The Corona year 2020 did not go as badly for the industry as initially feared. "It was a classic V-bend - first it went steeply downhill and then just as steeply uphill again," said Kurth. Overall, the industry will probably have to cope with sales losses in the low single-digit percentage range this year. But incoming orders in 2020 were even above the previous year's level. "Everything that has to do with living - including the kitchens - went well. Everything that falls into the professional and investment sectors, such as hotel equipment or office furniture, has suffered more," said the managing director.