Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 10.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £1.3bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Channels of demand shift: new office construction slows, but office renovations pick up
- New office construction is a key determinant of industry sales. New offices have extensive furniture needs to make them suitable for work, meaning contract outfitters and construction companies place large-scale orders, which benefits wholesalers. Alpha, for instance, reported that its delivery of furniture for the Argyle Street project in Glasgow in 2024 was the largest in its history. Office construction output typically aligns with economic cycles, as strong business confidence prompts companies to invest in new office spaces.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
New office construction is expected to bounce back providing a boost to industry revenue prospects
- In recent years, high interest rates and lingering concerns about stagnant economic growth have limited tender opportunities in the new office market. However, with Goldman Sachs forecasting interest rates to be cut to 3% by mid-2026, investor sentiment is expected to recover. Falling interest rates will reduce the cost of financing new office projects, encouraging companies to undertake more projects. As office furniture is essential in the interior fit-out of office construction projects, growth in this market will provide wholesalers with a healthy stream of revenue from contract outfitters and construction companies.
Biggest companies in the Office Furniture Wholesaling in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2026 | Revenue (£m)
2026 |
|---|---|---|
Furniture@Work Ltd | 30.5 | |
Hunters Contracts Ltd | 25.4 | |
Alpha Marketing plc | 20.5 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Seating, Office systems and desks and Filing cabinets. Seating is the largest segment of the Office Furniture Wholesaling in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Offices increasingly order ergonomic chairs
- The largest product category is seating. The main sales from this segment are for office chairs, although sofas are also popular for reception areas and booths for meeting spaces.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Office furniture wholesalers stock a range of office furniture, including bookshelves, cabinets, chairs, desks, filing cabinets, furniture parts and cubicle partitions. Furniture can be ordered off the shelf or custom-made. Items may be sold, assembled or unassembled.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include Wooden office furniture wholesale, Steel office furniture wholesale and Partition, shelving and locker wholesale.Companies
Companies covered in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include Furniture@Work Ltd, Hunters Contracts Ltd and Alpha Marketing plc.Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include wholesale bypass, casegoods and business confidence index.Industry Code
SIC 46.65 - Office Furniture Wholesaling in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Sustainability has become a source of revenue growth. Companies and their employees are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious, which is driving wholesalers to innov...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Ergonomic office seating design is dominating furniture trends. With rising health awareness, companies are investing in ergonomic chairs and height-adjustable desks to impro...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
London dominates the UK's office furniture market. As a global financial hub, London has a high level of office construction and refurbishment activity, creating a lucrative ...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Retailers are cutting wholesalers out of transactions. An expanding number of office furniture retailers are choosing to liaise directly with office furniture manufacturers, ...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
There are no major companies in the industry. Low barriers to entry, enabling the entrance of new companies and intense price competition, mean that wholesalers lack the fina...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Furniture@Work Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Hunters Contracts Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Alpha Marketing plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Furniture@Work Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Hunters Contracts Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Alpha Marketing plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Upholding fire safety standards. The Furniture and Furnishing (Fire Safety) Regulations Act 1988 mandates that the office furniture wholesalers sell furniture that meets fire...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Heightened input prices ramped up purchase costs. Raw materials key to office furniture manufacturing, like aluminium, have skyrocketed in price in recent years, trickling do...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
- Assets (2019-2023)
- Liabilities (2019-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is £1.3bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 445 businesses in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.0 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 10.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom are Furniture@Work Ltd, Hunters Contracts Ltd and Alpha Marketing plc
What does the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include?
Wooden office furniture wholesale and Steel office furniture wholesale are part of the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is Furniture@Work Ltd.
How competitive is the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Office Furniture Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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