North America continues to control the largest piece of the pie when it comes to the global contract furniture market, with consumption of office, education and healthcare furniture estimated at $18.41 billion in 2016, the most recent figures published by BIFMA/IHS Markit.

Growth in the global market is expected to continue over the next few years, with Research Nester Pvt. projecting a compound annual growth rate of 5.2% through 2021 for the industry worldwide. This also bodes well for U.S. and Canadian manufacturers, whose product sales accounted for nearly 38.6% of the market share in 2016.

The ability to quickly react to changing workplace needs helps give North American manufacturers a competitive advantage.  As seen at NeoCon, current market trends include: privacy on demand within the open plan workplace, incorporating partitions and mobile pods; adaptive furnishings that can be reconfigured for collaborative or private work; biophilic design which incorporates natural materials and light into the office; and products for acoustic comfort.

Click here to enlarge the infographic plus find more market data in December's FDMC Wood Industry Almanac.

Quick Stats
Seating and systems each account for 28% of office furniture products by category, according to BIFMA 2015 information. Tables are roughly 12% of the product mix, followed by files and casegoods at 11% each, and storage at 5%. Other types of products account for the remaining 5%.

According to Research Nester Pvt., the European office furniture market saw an increase of 5% in 2015, and projected to continue at a robust growth rate over the next few years. The Asia Pacific office furniture market, which was estimated at $7.2 billion in 2014, is projected for modest growth rate over the next 5 years.

Domestically, the contract furniture market is also growing at a steady pace, with material costs and healthcare costs the most frequently cited perceived threats to the industry, according to MADA/OFI Trends Survey, conducted by Michael A. Dunlap & Associates LLC.

The value of shipments of U.S. institutional furniture is expected to dip slightly through 2018, before reaching $4.92 billion in 2019. U.S. Census Bureau and Statista project dollars at $4.73 billion in 2017, and $4.67 billion in 2018, before the rise in 2019. 2020 projections call for a decrease down to $4.82 billion.

Total revenue of Canadian office furniture manufacture is projected to reach $4.41 billion in 2017 and $4.43 billion in 2018, before leveling out in 2019 and 2020 at $4.51 billion, according to information from StatCan and Statista.

Market Data Sources: Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assn., IHS Markit, Research Nester Pvt. Ltd., Michael A. Dunlap & Assoc. LLC, Statista, StatCan/Statistics Canada, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division

Category: Contract furniture: business/office furniture, government furniture, home office, education furniture, healthcare furnishings, institutional furniture, hospitality furniture.