The office furniture market - Italy

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

The office furniture market in Italy includes all players involved in Italian workspace design, including manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Office furniture is designed specifically for use in commercial and corporate spaces, such as meeting rooms, individual workstations, cafeterias and lounges. It can be segmented by product type (seating, workstations, tables, storage, and accessories) or by material (wood, plastic, metal, fabric, and leather).

The global office furniture market has been growing steadily for some years. However, when the pandemic hit the world, many employers reduced the expansion of their workspaces and laid off employees. As a result, demand for office furniture declined from a segment that accounted for 13.4 percent of the global furniture market. However, demand for the product is expected to increase in the coming years due to improving economic conditions. With a CAGR of 3.1% during 2021-2027, the office furniture market is expected to reach a value of $96.64 billion by 2027.

Italy is globally recognized as a leader in the furniture industry. Currently, demand for office furniture is on the rise, thanks to positive occupancy rates and the emergence of new office space across the country. Some of the best opportunities for the Italian office furniture market come from exports, which account for nearly 58 percent of total production. Italy's main export markets are France and Germany.

Other factors play a role in the development of the Italian office furniture market. On the one hand, increased demand for ergonomic office furniture is driving gains in the sector, with many entities redesigning their workspaces. On the other hand, the online office furniture sales segment is booming, thanks to the irruption of e-commerce platforms across the country.

The main player in the Italian office furniture market is the Molteni Group, founded in 1934 near Milan, in the so-called furniture district. In just a few years, it has gained a worldwide reputation, not least for the high quality of its products.