Latin connections
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 10, 2008
High Point — With two slots on the Top 10 list of countries exporting furniture to the United States — No. 4 Mexico and No. 10 Brazil — Latin America continues to play a big role in this market.
But fierce competition from China and currency pressures have caused major challenges for Latin American companies looking to do more business here, as the weak dollar causes prices to soar and Asian giants take away more and more business at the low and medium price points.
To counter these developments, Latin American producers are playing to their strengths, putting more design detail and value into their products. They also are putting more emphasis on craftsmanship and construction, leveraging a long tradition of skill with joinery, finishing and decorative embellishments.
And they also are going more "green," introducing products that use sustainable woods, reclaimed materials and other eco-friendly elements.
In this report, Furniture/Today highlights the key challenges and opportunities facing furniture producers south of the border as they seek to grow their business in the United States.
