Furniture production in the first quarter of this year advanced slightly to 317 million euros, rising from the 301.2 million euros registered in the similar period of last year, amid rising domestic demand.
Under the circumstances, furniture sales on the domestic market reached 124.88 million euros, up 8.2% from the corresponding period of 2005, according to the data released by the Association of Furniture Producers in Romania (APMR).
"Q1 figures are pointing to an increase in the value of furniture production and exports compared with last year, but the respective increase is insignificant. These increases are not satisfactory, considering the trend over last few years, namely the 2000-2004 period," stated Aurel Rizea, chairman of APMR.
Players have diverging opinions regarding the trend of the furniture industry this year. Some maintain the market is going to follow the same slightly upward trend, while others state decline has already begun.
Last year, 90% of Alprom production went to export, with this percentage expected to shrink to 86-87% this year. Its main markets in 2005 were France, UK, the Netherlands and Germany.
On the other hand, the representatives of Samus Mex, one of the plants that are part of the Mobexpert group, believe both production and sales were lower compared with 2005.
Representatives of the Green-Forest furniture producer in Timisoara believe the upward trend of production was triggered by rising domestic consumption of furniture and by flat export prices for the Romanian furniture.
After the first three months of this year, an increase in the RON value of production can also be noticed, after APMR's data last year indicated a decrease for this indicator.
Under the circumstances, opinions differ regarding the progression of the Romanian furniture market in 2006.
This year the number of employees in the industry will continue to drop, continuing the trend in 2005, when approximately 10,000 people lost their jobs, according to data released by the association.
"I believe this trend will become more visible, as the effects of the efforts to increase the competitiveness of companies, on one hand, and the massive migration of workers in the Romanian industry, on the other, will produce their combined effects," believes Mihai Gadei of Samux Mex.
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