The Turkish furniture industry continued to grow with exports even during the epidemic period. Focusing on the export target of $10 billion in 2023, the sector realized foreign sales of $7.5 billion as of the 11th month of this year.
Huseyin Taklaci, Chairman of the Turkish Woodworking Federation (TAIF), evaluated the performance of the furniture and woodworking industry this year.
Stating that Italy comes to the forefront in the world furniture industry with designs, Sweden with practical and ergonomic products, and China with cheap labor, Taklaci said that the Turkish furniture industry adopts a policy based on design, handwork and branding.
For this reason, Taklaci pointed out that they attach great importance to R&D, design and branding studies and stated that the handicraft skill that stands out in the world should be protected by continuing with vocational training.
“Export of $7.5 billion was realized with by-products”
Emphasizing that furniture and woodworking is one of the sectors with the highest localization rate (95%) in Turkiye, Taklaci said:
“The Turkish furniture industry, which has grown with exports even during the pandemic period, has come to the fore recently with its product presentation to domestic and international markets. Focusing on the export target of $10 billion in 2023, the furniture industry realized an export of $7.5 billion, including by-products, as of the 11th month of this year. Only in furniture and seating groups, $3.5 billion were exported.”
“3% of world furniture exports are from Turkiye”
Pointing out that furniture exports are a market of $200 billion in the world, Taklacı informed that 3% of the said export is realized by Turkiye. Stating that Turkiye aims to increase the total export share from the market to 10%, Taklaci said:
“The Turkish furniture industry was among the top 10 countries in exports last year. We aim to be one of the top 3 exporting countries in the world furniture industry in the near term by forcing the ranking at the end of this year. Most of our exports are to Iraq with a share of 12%, followed by the USA, Libya, Israel and France, respectively.”
Reminding that furniture production includes not only wood products, but also many sectors from plastic to metal, from polyurethane to textile, from glass to paint, “For this reason, you are not only exporting furniture, you are exporting more than one product by adding value to a tree grown and cut in Turkiye by handwork and dressing it with products such as textile, paint, glass, metal.”
Source: Trthaber / Translated by Irem Yildiz