Designed for growth

The Polish furniture industry has a long tradition. We could even say that this branch of the economy has had a considerable influence on the development of the largest furniture chain in the world - IKEA. After all, the manufacture of the cult Ögla chairs started at Zakład Mebli Giętych [the Bent Wood Furniture Factory] in 1961 in Radomsko. Poland is the second most important (after China) manufacturer of furniture sold in IKEA shops across the world. According to the National Chamber of Commerce of Furniture Manufacturers in Poland, we currently have app. 24,000 furniture manufacturers, 22,000 of which are micro-businesses. Poles love Polish furniture - or perhaps this is only what they can afford, because the import of furniture to Poland amounts to only 15 pct of the value of Polish furniture exports, which constitutes one of the largest groups of exported goods. In 2011 the value of furniture manufacturing exceeded the previous record amount of PLN 30 bln, of which export