Bizjournals have reported that orders for residential furniture continued to fall at the end of 2006, off by 6 percent in December from the year before with orders for all of 2006 down 3 percent from 2005, according to the accounting and consulting firm SmithLeonard in High Point.
Business has been soft for furniture manufacturers for some time, but the survey analysis noted that the picture may be at least somewhat brighter at the retail level because the decline is measured in dollar volume at the manufacturer level. The yearly decline followed a rebound in 2005, when orders grew by 2 percent compared to 2004. However sales by retailers using overseas suppliers aren’t reflected in the declining numbers, the survey noted.
So basically although not looking great, its hardly doom and gloom for the industry. leather sofas in particular are doing well across most sectors.
Info from: www.bizjournals.com
