The European ‘real-wood’ flooring industry continues to grow, thanks to economic revival especially in construction.
Parquet flooring in the first half of 2017 saw positive consumption trends and no country registered declines in buying, according to the Board of Directors of the European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP) at their meeting in September.
Austrian sales increased two per cent during the first half of 2017 compared to the same period last year despite intense competition from alternative flooring types. Belgian consumption rose 2.5 per cent in the first three months of 2017.
Denmark’s market is growing at an annual rate of around one to two per cent in line with its robust construction activity. Sales have been stable in Finland this year, an improvement after several years of decline. French demand grew by an estimated three per cent in the first half of 2017.
In Germany sales increased by two percent, reflecting good performance of the construction sector and despite a shortage of craftsmen and competition with other flooring types. Sales in Italy increased 1.5 per cent on the back of positive economic developments in the country.
Sales in the Netherlands continue to improve, rising an estimated seven per cent due to good performance of the housing sector. However affordability of wood raw material and availability of some species is problematic. Parquet consumption in Switzerland was flat, a situation is expected to remain unchanged in the second half of the year.
Source: ITTO
