Mexico is an attractive market for exporters of cast aluminum furniture, unfinished furniture, fine wooden furniture as well as others.
14/02/2008 :: World furniture exports have been growing over the last years. In 2005 the amount was $80,064 million USD. The imports registered during 2005 were $83,913 million USD.In spite of the presence in Latin America of similar furniture suppliers to Mexico, such as Brazil and Chile, this is nevertheless an attractive market for exporters of: cast aluminum furniture, unfinished furniture, fine wooden furniture with cabinets, upholstered suites, reproductions of old style furniture, tubular furniture and furniture for equipment, as well as others.
Domestic situation
Traditional family industry consisting of approximately 1,082 companies, of which 86% are small, 10.8% are medium-sized and 2.3% are big. The predominant style in the industry revolves around craftsmanship with simple designs and low levels of technology used by companies. This industrial sector also includes economic units that repair furniture, of which there are a total of 18,249 employing approximately 46,535 people. This substantial figure accounts for 41.9% of all furniture industry jobs which amount to around 111,187 in total.
The industrial and commercial sectors, which include furniture repair workshops, employ 193,374 people, of whom 54.8% are employed in the industrial sector and 45.1% work in the commercial sector.
During 2005, Mexico exported $1,269 million USD, of which 95% was accounted for by the North American market, 1.6% by Europe 3.5% by the rest of the world.
Strategy
To help companies in this sector increase their competitiveness in the international markets through the following promotional mechanisms: shelf products (information, guidance, training, publications and international fairs and events), the promotion of products abroad and adapting products to international requirements (business schedules abroad, research into distribution channels, product-country market research, promotion of exportable products, guidance and technical assistance).
Development of Exporters: To change the perception of Mexican furniture in the European market in terms of price, quality and design, through Technical Assistance Programs that will help Mexican manufacturers reach higher market segments.
Consolidation of Exporters: To make specialist export guides available to the business community and provide accurate market data for the purposes of market penetration.
The market penetration strategy for Europe will continue with the two Furniture Distribution Centers that we have in Europe. It is also necessary to set up on-site infrastructure to help Mexican manufacturers sell directly to wholesale consumers and increase their powers of negotiation, given that small importers tend to pay more as they buy on a smaller scale than local distributors.
In Latin America, emphasis will be placed on promoting new Mexican products, such as minimalist and contemporary furniture, with the aim of replacing imports by Latin American countries from Europe. Efforts will continue to promote exports of cast aluminum furniture, unfinished furniture, fine wooden furniture with cabinets, upholstered suites, reproductions of old style furniture, tubular furniture, furniture for equipment, etc.
Attention to Mexican companies with:
Individual Business Schedules Abroad
Product-Country Market Research
Promotion of Exportable Products
Research into Product-Country Distribution Channel
Examples of funiture companies in Mexico:
Arkea, Dimher, Disenos Antigua, Excosa, Ezquerro y Català, Fàbrica de Muebles, Gestalt, Grupo Ibarra, Grupo Mado, Industria Mueblera Fenig, Industrias Metalicas Rigsa, Industrias Riviera, Industrias RTA, International Kitchens, Lopez Morton, Muebles Alfa, Muebles Boal, Muebles Cook de Mexico, Muebles Drexel, Muebles Placencia, Nave, Ofimodul, Papsa, PM Steele, Sabone, Segusino, Von Haucke.
Source: Bancomext