Perhaps it’s the fluctuating shipping costs and exchange rates – or maybe the language barrier, or quality control issues. It could even simply be a matter of distance. Whichever the caveat, the last few years have seen British suppliers increasingly turning away from factories in China and the Far East towards supply partners a little closer to home – and Poland has quickly become one of the most prominent. Paul Farley reports from Meble Polska …
According to FIRA’s recent Statistical Digest, at 8% of UK furniture imports, Poland – which boasts strong, modern facilities, and is accessible via relatively direct transport routes – ranks our fifth biggest overseas furniture source.
The country’s principal furniture show is Poznan’s Meble Polska – an event which, like the country’s industry, is maturing rapidly. Having grown steadily since a significant overhaul in 2010, Meble Polska 2014, which took place in February, significantly outperformed last year’s edition, a total of 207 exhibitors (up 10.1%) lining up across 35,000 sqm (up 13%), attracting a reported 17,495 visitors (up around 20%). These results are testament to year-on-year improvements in terms of product offering, presentation and visitor experience.
Last year, Furniture News’ Steve Platts visited the event to find a supply base at odds with the mindset of UK buyers, citing the pressure of trade barriers such as the UK Flammability Regulations conflicting with the common perception that Polish goods should be cheap: “After companies have invested a considerable amount into making products conform to UK regulations, they are simply turned away by UK retailers due to prices that don’t fit the stereotype,” he wrote.
There’s evidence that such views continue to hinder trade to a degree, but it seemed to me that such concerns were overshadowed by the bigger picture – a UK market heavily reliant on Polish exports.
Meble Polska presented suppliers from seven countries – Belgium, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Italy and Great Britain, the latter including MFC Group and Elstead Lighting – but these outsiders were very much in a minority compared to the locals.
“MDF and chipboard contemporary cabinet furniture, artfully foiled and veneered to create collections that, on the whole, are far more than the sum of their parts”
Poland’s manufacturers specialise in MDF and chipboard contemporary cabinet furniture, artfully foiled and veneered to create collections that, on the whole, are far more than the sum of their parts. There’s a youthful feel and energy to much of this product, and, thanks to the varied colours and finishes on offer, a truly flexible proposition which can be tailored to suit virtually any market.
Stand-out examples of this process included manufacturing giant IMS Group, Forte, Taranko and Gala Meble, which presented cabinet solutions for every room of the house, from fitted bedrooms to modular AV systems, often with tasteful surface contrasts or built-in lighting options. There were strong solid wood touches too, the likes of Klose (distributed exclusively in the UK through Richard Stamp Agencies) and Paget presenting combinations with a little more substance.
Upholstery is another area in which the Poles excel, although the bulk of product on display was a little too low-down and broad for UK tastes. Exceptions included the IMS Group – which impressed in this area too, its hall-sized stand featuring a breathtaking display in which light patterns and accents were projected onto a sofa in a dazzling presentation – Benix, and Burhéns (also now distributed exclusively in the UK through Richard Stamp Agencies), an upholstery manufacturer with a Scandinavian focus, which displayed a good mix of UK-ready styles.
“We’ve been able to reach so many different domestic market clients here,” commented Burhéns’ production director Folke Buren, “from Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Spain to the Balkans, and we’ve had retailer interest from the US and Russia.”
Indeed, registration figures suggest that the fair was attended by visitors from around 50 countries, and that almost 27% of the show’s visitors came from abroad – once again, predominantly from Germany. It does seem that the Government-backed Created in Poland promotional campaign – which some may have noticed at Interiors UK – played an important role in raising the fair’s international visibility this time around.
From UK exhibitors’ point of view, Meble Polska sounds a relatively accessible platform – fairly inexpensive, and logistically straightforward. As a visitor, the whole experience proved surprisingly modern and professional, from the historic Poznan surrounds to the newer sections of the showground, transport, navigation, English-speaking representatives and first-class hospitality and entertainment.
Of course, there’s plenty more to the fair – a substantial design arena, the co-located Home Decor fair, seminars, best-in-show awards, private networking areas, and organised tours to nearby factories – and Meble Polska looks set to benefit from a new partnership with European furniture retailer federation FENA, gaining well-deserved exposure across Europe.
Next year’s fair will take place between 17-20th February. Show director Józef Szyszka comments: “We have already started our preparations for next year’s edition, and we are focusing on reinforcing the position of the fair as a venue for contract signing."
This article was originally published in the April issue of Furniture News magazine – see the archive issue for a sample of the products displayed at the 2014 event.
