The representatives of the Ukrainian furniture sector will organize a trade mission to London (UK) on April 25-28, 2023.
The four-day mission to London will be organised by the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers (UAFM) with the support of the USAID Competitive Economy Program (USAID CEP), which aims to support competitive Ukrainian industries and firms, and boost Ukraine’s exports and trade.
The trade mission will be represented by 21 Ukrainian companies producing furniture and doors for the HoReCa sector, private and commercial projects. Also, it will be the first in-person trade mission of Ukraine’s furniture manufacturers to the UK since the onset of the full-scale war.
The event can be of particular interest to UK buyers and designers as the UK was among the top 7 importers of Ukrainian furniture in 2022 (according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine). The agenda of the mission provides for B2B meetings at the premises of the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK and visits to the showrooms of potential clients.
With the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine, many furniture and home décor manufacturers were badly impacted and faced lots of challenges like the need to relocate enterprises to safer regions, disrupted logistic chains, lack of raw materials, power outages, constant missile attacks, decreased demand on the domestic market. Nevertheless, they proved to be resilient and managed to export 274,599 tons of furniture products to 99 countries in 2022.
“In 2022, Ukraine exported $806 million worth of furniture products. It is a stunning result because, despite the war, the export volume is just 23% lower than in 2021 and 43% higher than in the pandemic 2020”, informed Oksana Donska, Board Member of UAFM, CEO of Furniture of Ukraine Business Expo, organizer of national stands “Furniture of Ukraine”.
Ukrainian furniture is already sold in large chains like Jysk and is chosen by such world-famous brands like Dior, Facebook, Fairmont, Regus.
“The Ukrainian furniture sector is one of the few industrial sectors in Ukraine which demonstrates its competitiveness on all world markets and gradually increases its export potential. We can offer high-quality products and modern designs at more affordable prices to our foreign partners”, said Volodymyr Patis, President of UAFM and one of the organisers of the trade mission.
It is expected that as a result of the trade mission the Ukrainian furniture manufacturers can sign deals worth $1 million. As the domestic demand dropped, such contracts can be solid support for the Ukrainian furniture manufacturers as it will help to preserve the pre-war volumes of production, pay salaries, and save their businesses from bankruptcy.
“USAID CEP supports Ukrainian manufacturers of furniture in providing access to international markets to ensure the industry’s resilience. The Trade mission to London is envisaged to help Ukrainian furniture businesses leverage their competitive advantages and showcase their high-quality products, and as a result generate export sales”, said Olesya Zaluska, USAID CEP Chief of Party.
The agenda, list of the exhibiting companies, and registration details can be accessed via the link: https://furnitureukraine.com/
