nd the imports is for export or reexportation. Approximately 45-50% of office furniture sold in Belgium is imported. Trends The European Federation of Office Furniture predicts that the demand for office furniture in the Belgian market will increase at an estimated annual rate of 4-5%. Other sources state that the market will remain rather stable. Indeed, the market should continue to grow in terms of volume but it will most probably decrease in terms of turnover, due to the price collapse in the past few years. The office furniture market in Belgium is divided into two distinct markets: a market characterized by manufacturers who produce large quantities of very standard office furniture with low prices, and a "facility management" market which focuses on the companies's image, needs and philosophy, and which deals with global services (design, lighting, etc). Whereas there has been a collapse in price in the first market, the latter market is experiencing a price increase. Manufacturers are not just selling separate pieces of office furniture. They are now selling more and more systems furniture, that is, entire interiors. The systems furniture sold in Belgium and Europe are quite different from those sold in Bulgaria. Bulgarian furniture is mainly composed of pieces to be attached to walls. Belgian and European furniture is more flexible; it includes dividing walls that can be moved and matched with other office furniture or elements. This difference must be taken into serious consideration by Bulgarian manufacturers. As concerns design, furniture does not only have to be functional and good-looking, but as secondary work conditions become more important, "ergonomic" factors constitute a very important element. Furthermore, because offices have become a status symbol in Belgium, their finished "look" ranks highly on the priorities list. Space-saving furniture has also become a major trend due to increasing office rental costs, togeth...
