Production in the Jalisco furniture industry increased 9% at the end of 2022, after Mexico gained ground from China as an importer in the US market, said Teresa Calderón, president of the Jalisco Furniture Manufacturers Association (Afamjal).
He specified that after the Covid-19 pandemic that affected the production chains and the cost of freight from Asia tripled, it caused Mexico to position itself in the US market, and now, US investors are in the process of making synergies and alliances with Mexican companies, especially small and artisan ones, to assemble furniture packages for the home and offices.
The Mexican furniture industry is the third largest exporter of chairs in the world, only surpassed by China and Poland.
China continues to lead in furniture manufacturing, by volume, but Mexican quality is already equivalent to Italian.
At a press conference, Calderón highlighted that Mexico is the sixth largest furniture exporter globally and the main one in the Americas, above the US and Canada, according to data from the International Trade Center (ITC). .
In 2021, which is the latest figure available, it represented exports of 11,000 million dollars, and more than 150 million dollars at the Jalisco level in 2022.
When announcing the International Furniture Expo 2023, to be held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, from February 15 to 18, Roberto Cornejo, Afamjal exhibition coordinator, highlighted that they expect an economic benefit of 800 million pesos, waiting for 30,000 buyers and national and international visitors.
He pointed out that many US companies seek to complement with national production, after tariff barriers imposed on China.
Michael C. Camuñez, CEO and executive director of Monarch Global Strategies LiO, a binational business advisory firm, is responsible for the new strategy of achieving synergies with companies.
