INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW

AMA Research has published the 9th edition of the report ‘Office Furniture Market - UK 2009-2013’. The office furniture market is worth around £670 million in the UK. The market has been under pressure for some years, adversely affected by a poor office construction sector and high levels of commercial office space available, whilst the recent turmoil in global financial markets has had a knock on effect on the economy as a whole. The market is expected to show a further decline in 2009 and it is likely to be 2010 before the market shows any sign of growth.   The current market conditions remain difficult, although the market has been supported by positive performance in the SOHO sector, which has been taking an increasing share of the market as a whole. The market remains highly competitive with surplus supply capacity remaining and, although imports seem to have stopped growing they have been increasing their rate of penetration, resulting in a changing distribution structure.   The report assesses this situation and presents forecasts of performance for the office furniture market, covering desking, seating, storage and other furniture, through to 2013.

Product areas covered include:

• Desking – Executive, System and Economy.

• Seating – Adjustable and Non-Adjustable.

• Storage – Shelving, Bookcases, Cupboards, Filing Cabinets, Personal, Shared, Archive.

• Other –  Screens and Computer Trolleys.

Areas of particular interest:-

• The changing nature and impact of the SOHO market, growth of alternative distribution channels.

• Office property space activity and likely impacts on the office furniture market.

• Changing working practices in the UK and likely impacts on office furniture.

Leading Suppliers  profiled:-

Senator International Ltd  

Herman Miller Ltd   

Bisley Office Equipment Ltd   

DAMS International Ltd  

Steelcase plc  

Orangebox Ltd  

Gresham Office Furniture Ltd  

EFG Office Furniture Limited   

TBS (South Wales) Ltd

Morris Office Furniture

Sven Christiansen

Ofquest Ltd

The Furniture Factory

OEP Furniture Group plc

Pledge Office Chairs Ltd,

Verco Office Furniture Ltd   

Other  Leading Suppliers  included:-

Carleton Furniture Group Ltd, Komfort Workspace plc, Ahrend Ltd, Black Arrow Group plc, Logic Office Group plc, Haworth Inc, G.G.I. Office Furniture (UK) Ltd, Eurotek Office Furniture Ltd, GDB UK Ltd, Antocks Lairn, Wallis Office Furniture Ltd, Knoll International, Sedus Stoll AG, Dauphin HumanDesign UK Ltd, Paragon Business Products Ltd, Wilkhahn Ltd, Samas, Samuel Bruce Furniture, KI Europe, Techo UK Ltd, Tvilum-Scanbirk A/S, O’Sullivan,  Monarch Computer Furniture.   

Key areas of coverage in the report include:-

THE MARKET 

• Total office furniture market – analysis of size by value, current situation, historical trends, forecasts, reasons for changes and background influences.

• Future prospects of the office furniture market to the year 2013.

• Imports and Exports – trade balance, major countries supplying imports.

• Key influences on the development of the office furniture market, technology, call centres, the SOHO market, new working practices and environmental considerations.

• The office construction market – analysis by size, public/private sector mix, historical trends and future prospects, RMI and its influence on market trends.

• Major product groups within the office furniture market, share of the market.

• Desking market – analysis by size, historical trends with forecasts to 2013.

• Trends in functionality and design, other desking trends including pedestals, impact of changing working practices and technological developments, future prospects, greater market fragmentation.

• Seating market – analysis by size, historical trends, forecasts to 2013.

• Mix of seating market by type i.e. adjustable/non-adjustable, reasons for growth of adjustable, influence of changing regulations, new product features, material usage, different types of seating, innovations.

• Storage market – size by value with historical trends and forecasts to 2013.

• Mix of storage units by material and mix by type i.e. shelving/cabinet/cupboards.

• Other office furniture e.g. mobile computer trolleys, partitioning/screening.

• Major suppliers, market shares, product and market positioning.

• Key company information for major companies.  Changes in market structures.

• Other suppliers involved in desking & tables, seating, storage & partitioning.

• Major channels of distribution – shares by type of channel, areas of growth and decline, future trends and opportunities.

• Key outlets involved in the major channels of distribution.

• Prospects for the Office Furniture market – major factors influencing short and longer term prospects.

• Developments in the major product and market sectors.

• Supplier and distribution developments.