Office furniture sector ‘keeps growing’

The market for office furniture in the US is continuing to expand, according to new data, although an expert has detected indications of weakness.

A quarterly index by Michael Dunlap & Associates which polled executives at office furniture firms found that business has been slipping, the Western Michigan Business Review reports.

The index registered 55.62 out of 100 in October, which reflects a fall from the score of 58.49 which was seen in July.

However, Michael Dunlap said that although the office furniture industry "is showing signs of weakness", it is "still growing – just at a much slower pace".

Meanwhile, the personal outlook index for office furniture manufacturers registered a score of 59.10 last month. This is both a decrease from the 65.28 score of the previous quarter and the only time in the past two years that it has dropped below 60.

A separate survey by the Business and Institution Furniture Manufacturer’s Association revealed that the office furniture market is still expected to grow by five per cent this year and by 3.4 per cent in 2008.

Commenting on the situation, Steve McMahon, director of furniture solutions for Staples Contract Division, said that there is a trend of customers focusing on "more mid-market products where it’s price-competitive and provides more value for the money".

At Paperstone we can supply your firm with a wide selection of office furniture.