Furniture fittings and components: what does the Russian market live on?

We considered the main trends in the furniture fittings market, its development prospects and the current state of the furniture market.

Today, the furniture fittings market in Russia is going through a stage of adaptation to new conditions. The development of innovations, improvement of product quality and diversification of supplies remain important aspects. As before, the furniture market continues to have a significant impact on the furniture hardware market.

Furniture market recovered after 2022

In 2021, furniture production in Russia peaked at over 70 million units. However, the situation changed dramatically in 2022. Production volumes fell by 13.3% in physical terms and by 8.1% in value terms. The decline continued in early 2023: in the first two months of the year, production fell by almost 10%. These trends are due to the fall in the ruble exchange rate, the rising cost of raw materials, increased energy and transportation costs.

Nevertheless, the domestic furniture industry came out of 2023 with positive results. According to the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Industry Enterprises of Russia (AMDPR), the volume of manufactured products increased by 33%, to 66.7 million units, and the market volume increased by 25%, to 496.8 billion rubles. INFOLine experts are confident that the furniture market will continue to grow in 2024, driven by strong demand from government agencies and record values for housing commissioning.

Main Trends in the Furniture Fittings Market

For decades, the Russian market of furniture fittings has been characterized by such a feature as dependence on imported products. Russian furniture manufacturers buy up to 90% of fittings abroad, especially in Italy, Germany and Austria. In conditions of sanctions and geopolitical tension, many companies are switching to analogs from China and Turkey. This makes it possible to reduce costs, but it will take time to establish a stable supply.

The furniture fittings segment is characterized by a steady trend towards innovation and modernization. Modern solutions include systems for maximum silent closing, including Push-To-Open and Soft-Close mechanisms. These developments are in demand especially among young parents living in small-sized apartments, where any loud sound can wake up the child. There is also a growing demand for minimalistic and multifunctional products that are in line with current interior trends.

The most popular solutions for furniture from the functional hardware sector are modern flush-mounted guides (in our case, the B-SLIDE model), in particular, guides for small furniture. The latter is quite understandable, taking into account the modest dimensions of Russian interiors, trends for increasing free space and "air" in the home and office ", - said Elena Vinogradova, Marketing Director of BOYARD LLC (BOYARD brand).

Prospects for development of the market of fittings and components in Russia

The market of furniture accessories in Russia has a significant potential for growth. It is predicted that in the medium term the market volume may reach 115-120 thousand tons - compared to the current figures the growth may be 10-15%. The development of this segment largely depends on domestic demand for furniture and activity in the construction sector.

At the moment, Russia lacks production of some types of fittings, such as furniture hinges and lifting mechanisms, which increases dependence on foreign supplies to 90%. However, there are also successful examples of local production - for example, polymer seals for aluminum profiles produced in Tatarstan.

At the same time, the development of domestic hardware production is not an easy task. According to Andrei Novosyolov, General Director of Fiera Group of Companies, the market size can be a constraint here. As an example, the expert cites Serbia, where with 6.5 million population produces cabinet furniture worth 1 billion euros. While in Russia - only 2 billion euros. "Even if you steal know-how and invest billions in production, who will you sell to? You can't take it to China, and they won't let you go to Europe", the expert believes.

The development of the furniture fittings market in Russia will be facilitated not only by the growth of construction and furniture market, but also by innovative technological solutions. Companies offering modern and functional solutions will have an advantage. Support of domestic production and creation of favorable conditions for export development also play an important role.

Woodex 2025 for manufacturers and suppliers of fittings and components

Woodex 2025 is the 19th International exhibition of equipment, materials and components for the woodworking and furniture industry. At the exhibition, manufacturers and suppliers will be able to demonstrate specialized products to their target audience - representatives of furniture manufacturing companies, wooden house building, etc.

Woodex 2023 was visited by 8,190 specialists from 26 countries. For the first time, responding to the industry's demand, the exhibition was supplemented with a new section "Furniture Components and Fittings". It was of interest to 2,628 visitors to the exhibition.

WOODEX 2023 RESULTS