The European wood flooring market declined close to 4 percent in 2012, according to the first estimates available from the European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP). The preliminary number shows consumption of slightly more than 91 million square meters (979.5 million square feet) and is based on estimates received from member countries during the Domotex trade show held in Hannover, Germany, last month.
The FEP noted that the overall market is increasingly polarized, with markets in Austria, Germany and Switzerland performing solidly, while the situation in southern markets "remains disquieting." In addition to the economy, current challenges for the sector are high energy costs, stiff competition, expensive transport and logistics, extremely high unemployment rates in some regions and an uncertain euro/dollar ratio, the FEP noted.
Despite those factors, FEP Chairman Lars Gunnar Andersen pointed to the European market's innovation and the multiple economic forecasts predicting a more optimistic business climate in the second half of the year as positive factors for the industry.
The FEP's 57th General Assembly and 38th Parquet Congress will be held June 6-7 in Brussels, Belgium.
