US Exports rebound, up 15% in 2021
USA
The U.S. export market was back in the black in 2021, reversing its 9% decline in 2020 with a 15% gain to reach more than USD2.303 billion. That figure is also up about 4.6% over pre-pandemic 2019’s USD2.202 billion, signaling a continued return to normalcy.
According to Furniture Today research, Canada remained the largest trading partner for U.S. exports, receiving more than USD1.56 billion in goods, or about 68% of all U.S. exports. Mexico with imports of USD124.2 million, the United Kingdom (USD45 million) and South Korea (USD36.7 million) held on to their spots to round out the Top 5 with increases of 14%, 13% and 3%, respectively.
Australia also increased its importation of U.S.-made products by 5% to reach USD27.8 million.
Business between the United States and the Bahamas was back to pre-pandemic levels, coming in at about USD35.7 million, after an off year in 2020, while exports by the U.S. to Saudi Arabia dipped to USD22.3 million, a decrease of 21% from the previous year.
Other countries showing negative changes from 2020 were Japan and China, although the declines of 3% and 6%, respectively, were smaller than in 2020. Germany, which had increased its imports from the United States in 2020, registered a 9% decrease in 2021 to USD23.6 million despite moving to ninth from 10th among the Top 10.
The second tier of U.S. trading partners, all receiving more than USD10 million in shipments during 2021, were United Arab Emirates (USD18.2 million); France (USD17.7 million); Cayman Islands (USD14.8 million); Netherlands (USD13.8 million); Dominican Republic (USD12.4 million); Brazil (USD10.9 million) and Taiwan (USD10.6 million).
In total, the U.S. exported furniture to 184 countries in 2021.
Within the product categories exported by the United States in 2021, miscellaneous wood furniture held on to the No. 1 spot, accounting for USD414.2 million, up 17% over 2020. This was followed by wood frame upholstered seats, which represented shipments of USD273.3 million in 2021 and saw the largest gain of 33% among the leading categories.
Other export categories with double-digit increases were mattresses, up 19% to USD193.1 million; wood frame upholstered chairs, up 23% to USD173.7 million; wood bedroom furniture, up 11% to USD148.1 million; plastic furniture, up 11% to USD113.5 million; bedding foundations, up 12% to USD110.9 million and seats other than metal or wood frame, up 12% to USD109 million.
(Furniture Today)