South Korean market the only increase for U.S. furniture exports Export total drops more than 7%

Time：2019-12-05 12:23:52    Share：

U. S. furniture exports fell in the first half of 2019, a situation fueled largely by Chinese retaliatory tariffs, but also softening demand in other major markets including Canada, Japan and the Middle East.

During that period, overall shipments fell to $1.08 billion from $1.16 billion in the first half of 2018, just over a 7% drop.

China shipments were among the hardest hit, due not only to the retaliatory tariffs, but also softening consumer demand, observers note. According to government figures compiled by Furniture Today, shipments there fell to $26.9 million from $46.1 million, a nearly 42% drop.

This shift largely affected the upper end, which still produces a lion’s share of the upholstery and case goods in the United States, some of which gets exported around the world. While China has long been a growth market for these producers, observers note that other producers such as Italy have gained market share thanks in large part to the tariffs and the perceived quality of Italian-made goods.

But China was not the only country where exports fell. With the exception of South Korea, shipments to each of the other major export markets also fell, signifying a major shift in global demand.

Shipments to South Korea rose to $21 million, from $18.6 million, a nearly 13% increase. This made it the fifth largest market for U.S.-made furniture in the first half.

Canada remained the top market, but shipments there fell to $646.6 million, from $657.7 million, a 1.7% drop. It was followed by Mexico, where shipments fell to $60.1 million, from $75 million, a nearly 20% drop. Shipments to the United Kingdom, the third largest market, fell to $33.6 million, from $35.5 million, a 5.3% drop.

After South Korea, the next largest market for U.S. made furniture and bedding was the Bahamas, an emerging customer for U.S. exports. However, shipments there also fell to $18.9 million, from $19.1 million, a 1% drop, while shipments to Saudi Arabia fell to $17.8 million, from $23.7 million, a drop of nearly 25%.

Shipments to Japan, meanwhile, fell to $14.7 million from $19 million, a 22.6% drop, while shipments to Australia fell to $12.9 million from $13.9 million, a drop of 7.2%.

Shipments to the United Arab Emirates, also a major Middle East economy considered a growth area for U.S. furniture exports, also fell. Shipments there totaled $12.1 million in the first half of 2019, compared to shipments of $15.1 million in the first half of 2018, a drop of nearly 20%.