Office Furniture

The office furniture industry encompasses any company involved in the manufacturing, distribution, and retailing of office furniture. Office furniture manufacturers create an assortment of products that may include desks, bookcases, filing cabinets, chairs, and general cabinets. At times, office furniture manufacturers may also produce office and workspace fixtures such as countertops, cafeteria equipment, partitions, and a variety of furniture parts.

Office furniture is typically designed for optimum functioning in a workplace environment. For example, computer desks are designed specifically for the purpose of housing computers and computer accessories, while also allowing for work room. At times, office furniture is geared to specialty work spaces, as businesses differ in layout. Furniture created for a modular space may be designed differently than furniture for use in a high-rise building. Office furniture stores and showrooms may offer consumers the option of ordering furniture from a manufacturer that the consumer is able to design or customize to meet their specific needs and wants. Office furniture may be distributed for or delivered to a customer in parts that need to be put together, or as a finished, pre-assembled piece.

Demand in the office furniture industry is driven by the state of the economy, as well as employment growth, business formations, expansions, and overall operations, or the need of a company to replace office furniture. Profitability in this industry is reliant upon effective merchandising and marketing tactics. Small companies strive to create specialty products with a high quality of workmanship so they are able to retail pieces for a substantial price. Revenue generate by individual companies is dependent upon volume as many costs are static.