site.btaTechnomebel Trade Fair Unveiled in Sofia

The furniture industry expects this year to achieve results similar to the levels of 2022, when there was a serious growth of 15-17% in the turnover of companies in the Bulgarian furniture industry, said Vasil Zhivkov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Branch Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry, who earlier on Tuesday participated in the opening of a trade fair, Technomebel,  at Inter Expo Center. It will continue until April 26. The expectations for 2023 are for the industry to report results that will be close to the previous one, perhaps with a slight decrease of 5% in turnover. According to Zhivkov, this is a trend typical for the entire European Union against the backdrop of a strong 2021 and 2022 for the furniture industry. Now there was a natural decline after the boom that was during COVID for the purchase of furniture and furnishings, he added. 

Currently, there are 2,500 companies in the furniture industry, less are in the woodworking industry, Zhivkov said, adding that these are Bulgarian companies. Both sectors employ between 45,000 and 50,000 people. The industry's contribution to GDP is about 3%. The main problems facing the industry are related to the price of wood and its lack in 2021 and to some extent in 2022, as well as reduced consumption. It can be seen that there is some outflow of consumption in the country and this also affects our industry, Zhivkov said. Regarding the pricing policy, he said that the prices of furniture are increasing mainly due to the increase in the prices of raw materials, energy resources, and wages. Prices are trying to catch up with inflation, Zhivkov said in response to a question about how much furniture prices have risen since the beginning of the year. 

This is the twentieth anniversary edition of the exhibition, which is a hub for the furniture industry in terms of supply of materials and technologies, Zhivkov said, adding that it is a major forum for the industry because of the participation of companies that supply materials, technologies and equipment. Manufacturers and\ suppliers meet at the exhibition, provide guidance for the development of this industry, and it is an opportunity to present the industry from the less known point of view of technology and materials, Zhivkov said. He pointed out that the industry is well developed in terms of robotization and mechanization using environmentally friendly materials. This year, about 100 companies participate in the exhibition, which represent over 300 Bulgarian and foreign brands. Exhibitors from Bulgaria, Turkiye, Romania and others are present. Manufacturers and distributors of woodworking machines and equipment, tools, consumables, painting and packaging equipment, furniture hardware and mechanisms, built-in elements - sinks and mixers, varnishes, stains, oils, etc. will be included with their stands. Within the exhibition, they will present the latest technologies for wood processing and furniture production, novelties in materials for furniture production, as well as everything necessary to equip woodworking and furniture factories. The opening of the exhibition was attended by the Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Economy and of Industry Miroslav Marinov and David Sukalinski.