The furniture and related products cluster recorded its best year ever in terms of exports, exceeding EUR 2 million in sales abroad between January and December 2023. This sector, which relies on international markets for around 90% of its turnover, exceeded the figures for the same period last year by 10% and the figures for 2021 by 24%.
The year 2023 saw across-the-board growth in this cluster's main markets. France, for example, responsible for over 32% of exports, imported almost 8% more than in the same period in 2022 and remained the main destination for national products. In the top three places in the table are Spain, with a share of more than 26% and an increase of almost 15% compared to 2022, and Germany, which recorded a year-on-year increase of more than 26%. Rounding off the top five are the USA (5.6% share), which saw "a slight drop due to the national and international situation", and the UK (+11%).
Joaquim Carneiro, president of the Portuguese Furniture and Related Industries Association (APIMA), stresses: "Although we recorded our best result ever, we can't help but show some concern about the market fluctuations caused by the national and international scenario we are facing." "The country's economic and political instability, but also the war in Europe which has been going on for more than two years, are having a strong impact on the European economy. More recently, the conflict in the Middle East has had implications for the maritime movement of goods caused by the attacks in the Red Sea, and we are seeing political instability in markets that are very relevant to the sector. We have to look at all these constraints with responsibility, but also as an opportunity to continue to invest in the added value, innovation and sustainability of Portuguese companies, managing to differentiate ourselves from the other players in the cluster," he adds.
