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Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Clara-Camille Schneider Clara-Camille Schneider Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: October 2024 WZ G46.65DE

Revenue

€5.6bn

2024

€5.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

21,246

Businesses

1,785

Wages

€X.Xbn

Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany industry analysis

Due to the negative economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, industry turnover fell sharply in 2020. In order to prevent possible financial bottlenecks, companies initially refrained from purchasing office furniture. In addition, many employees had to switch to working from home, which reduced companies' demand for office furniture. However, wholesale sales of office furniture increased again in 2021 and 2022. The inflation-related cost increases were passed on to consumers via price increases and led to sales growth. The trend towards working from home has been established in society since 2022 at the latest, which is reflected in increased demand for office furniture from private households. The high demand for office furniture has also been fuelled by the fact that employers want to make the office more attractive in an increasingly hybrid working environment and are investing more in their office equipment.Against the backdrop of high interest and inflation rates and a subdued buying mood, private households and companies were reluctant to make purchases such as office furniture in 2023, a trend that will continue in 2024. There are also likely to be saturation effects in the retail sector, as many private consumers have already stocked up on office furniture during the pandemic. In addition to the weak consumer climate, new bureaucratic hurdles such as the regulation on deforestation-free supply chains or the right to repair are viewed with concern. In 2024, industry turnover is expected to fall by 1.2% compared to the previous year, which means that turnover is likely to be 5.6 billion euros. In total, industry turnover has fallen at an average annual rate of 0.6% over the past five years. The increasing health awareness of the population is having a fundamentally positive effect on the sales of industry players, as more and more companies are tending to replace their old office chairs and desks with ergonomic and health-promoting furniture. Further sales growth is expected over the next five years, which is likely to average 5% per year. This means that the industry's turnover is expected to reach 7.2 billion euros in 2029. The changing world of work harbours enormous market opportunities for the industry. With the emergence of new working models, such as co-working spaces, remote working or the four-day week, a hybrid workplace concept is becoming popular, which requires more flexibility in office furnishings. This requires multifunctional furniture and furnishing concepts.

Trends and Insights

  • The changing world of work harbours enormous market opportunities for the industry. For this, multifunctional furniture and furnishing concepts are needed that require maximum variability in everyday working life.
  • The rise in sales of seating furniture was recently due to high demand from the retail sector. The reason for this was the continuing trend towards working from home.
  • Most of the wholesalers' locations are in the centre of Germany.The proximity to the producers reduces transport costs and the time required to procure goods.
  • The presence of many small players in the market leads to strong internal competition in the industry. By lowering prices, wholesalers try to gain a competitive advantage over competitors within and outside the industry.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €5.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

With the home office trend, sales are shifting from B2B business to private households

  • The coronavirus pandemic and the associated contact restrictions have led to far-reaching changes in the world of work, including working from home.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Increasing environmental awareness is fuelling demand for environmentally friendly and resource-saving products

  • The social debate on measures to mitigate climate change reinforces the importance of sustainable production and marketing of office furniture.

Biggest companies in the Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Hans R. Schmid Holding AG
466.2
Ikea Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
307.1
Schäfer Shop Group GmbH & Co. KG
158.9

To view the market share and analysis for all 6 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Seating furniture, Desks and other tables and Cupboards and shelves. Seating furniture is the largest segment of the Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany.

Trends and Insights

The demand for ergonomic seating furniture increased due to the home office trend

  • Seating furniture accounts for the largest share of wholesale office furniture sales. It is divided into swivel chairs with castors or glides and other office and shop seating furniture with metal frames.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Wholesalers in this sector sell office furniture such as desks and shelves as well as shop furniture to companies and retailers. Many companies require the same or similar office furniture in large quantities for the standardised furnishing of their offices. Wholesalers have the resources to source and distribute a large number of items at once.

What's included in this industry?

Seating furnitureDesks and other tablesCupboards and shelves

Companies

Hans R. Schmid Holding AGIkea Deutschland GmbH & Co. KGSchäfer Shop Group GmbH & Co. KG

Purchase this report to view all 6 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

STANDING DESKDESKSHARINGREMOTE WORK

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 46.65 - Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The changing world of work harbours enormous market opportunities for the industry. For this, multifunctional furniture and furnishing concepts are needed that require maximu...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The rise in sales of seating furniture was recently due to high demand from the retail sector. The reason for this was the continuing trend towards working from home.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Most of the wholesalers' locations are in the centre of Germany.The proximity to the producers reduces transport costs and the time required to procure goods.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The presence of many small players in the market leads to strong internal competition in the industry. By lowering prices, wholesalers try to gain a competitive advantage ove...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Despite the many suppliers of Hans R. Schmid Holding, there were times during the pandemic when items were temporarily unavailable. As a result, purchase prices from supplier...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Hans R. Schmid Holding AG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Ikea Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Schäfer Shop Group GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 3 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Hans R. Schmid Holding AG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Ikea Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Schäfer Shop Group GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 3 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

German pension insurance, the employers' liability insurance association and the integration office grant subsidies for the purchase of back-friendly office equipment for empl...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The low profit margin is due to the fact that wholesalers in the industry compete with manufacturers who sell office supplies directly. As a result, they cannot charge prices...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany is €5.6bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 1,785 businesses in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Office Furniture Wholesaling market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Office Furniture Wholesaling market in Germany are Hans R. Schmid Holding AG, Ikea Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG and Schäfer Shop Group GmbH & Co. KG

What does the Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany include?

Seating furniture and Desks and other tables are part of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Office Furniture Wholesaling in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is Hans R. Schmid Holding AG.

How competitive is the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Office & Shop Furniture Manufacturing in Germany
  • Antique & Second-Hand Goods Retailers in Germany

Complementors

  • Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling in Germany
  • Electronic & Telecommunications Equipment Wholesaling in Germany
  • Furniture, Lighting & Homeware Retailers in Germany

International industries

  • Furniture Wholesaling in the US
  • Furniture & Furnishings Wholesaling in Canada
  • Furniture and Floor Covering Wholesaling in Australia
  • Furniture and Floor Covering Wholesaling in New Zealand
  • Office Furniture Wholesaling in the UK

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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