Grand Rapids, MI, March 7--According to the latest statistics from the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA), office furniture sales are on the rise again, as shipments of office furniture rose 17 percent in January from a year earlier.
January marks the second month in a row, that office furniture shipments showed double digit increases, indicating a robust demand recovery in the face of rising raw material costs and pricing pressure.
New orders for office furniture also increased 8 percent from a year earlier to about $680 million, manufacturers told the trade group. Demand for U.S. office furniture shrunk from 2001 through 2003, but is beginning to pick up again as U.S. companies increase capital investments.
