UK joinery products sales holding up well

The BWF’s Joinery State of Trade Survey for Q2 also indicates that rising raw materials costs and labour availability are exerting pressure on joinery manufacturers.

BWF policy and communications executive Matt Mahony said industry order books were holding up well and companies were also having to think on their feet and diversify their offering.

“We know from the Q2 survey that investment in product improvement has been rising, and anecdotal evidence suggests that companies are taking on more of the burden of design and specification on account of knowledge gaps within the supply chain.

 In the survey, 42% of respondents noted an increase in sales from the previous quarter with almost two-thirds expecting improved sales volumes for Q3. A balance of 60% predicts an increase in sales over the next year.

 Some 42% of companies reported a current order book of future work extending beyond 3 months – up 13% from the previous quarter - with 41% saying that their order book extended from between 1 and 3 months.

 The survey found 38% of respondents on balance reported increasing their labour force in the last year, with 50% of respondents anticipating an increased labour force over the next year.

Compared to the previous year, a balance of 64% of respondents had invested in improving their products with 60% investing in their plant/equipment.