British furniture manufacturers are more confident about the business situation, with almost half hoping to recruit new staff.
Figures from the latest BFM Trade Survey found 84% were more confident about the general business situation than in October last year.
Some 42% expected to hire new employees in the next six months, although they are facing difficulties in recruiting.
‘As we emerge from lockdown, furniture manufacturers are showing a high degree of confidence going forward, with sustained levels of demand, although labour shortages are becoming a concern. Feedback from our members shows an increasing frustration in being unable to find staff and many factories now have order backlogs of up to four or five months as a result,’ says Nick Garratt, BFM md.
Figures show the furniture sector was performing well pre-pandemic, with the number of enterprises in furniture manufacturing in 2019 being approximately the same as a decade ago at 6,355, while employee numbers have increased annually over the last five years to more than 95,000.
