Can the German Furniture Industry Beat the Economic Slowdown?

Germany's furniture industry has an annual turnover of almost 20 Billion euros. Most furniture factories are in eastern Westfalia and employ almost 30,000 people, including at Nobilia, Germany's biggest kitchen manufacturer. Furniture is also an international business, with almost half the goods going abroad; to Spain and also Dubai, where German manufacturers have successfully furnished apartment complexes. But what lies ahead for 2009? Orders from abroad have fallen, but so far, not at home. Our reporter Marion Hütter is at the International Furniture Trade Fair in Cologne (19.1 - 25.1) to assess the effect of the financial crisis on the furniture industry. She also goes to eastern Westfalia to visit kitchen manufacturer Nobilia.

DW-World | January 20, 2009

Tags:. .westfalia. .cologne. .furnished. .slowdown. .marion