UK furniture makers race to catch up with orders

The value of furniture production was down by more than a quarter in the first seven months of 2020.

Production struggled to keep pace with demand at the height of summer as U.K. furniture factories reopened to a surge in orders.

The value of U.K. manufacturing turnover across the all-encompassing furniture sector — across all category sub-segments — totalled £671.9 million according to July data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Though up by almost £200 million month-to-month as manufacturers resumed production after lockdown in June, the total remained well down on the same month last year — a decline of 18.6 percent.

Jan.–Jul. 2020 turnover across U.K. furniture manufacturing totals £3.88 billion according to ONS, down 28 percent on the first seven months of 2019.