In 2017, furniture exports exceeded EUR 335 million. The growth trend has been steady over the years, and has grown nearly twice as much compared to 2008. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Economy Alexander Manolev during the biggest forum for the furniture industry in Bulgaria - the exhibitions "Technomebel" and "The World of Furniture".

"Some of the countries in the top 10 for Bulgarian exports are Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and even China," said Alexander Manolev, adding that the Bulgarian business deserves congratulations on the high quality it offers. He also addressed some of the main problems of the sector with the shortage of qualified staff and the fight against the gray sector and emphasized the measures taken by the Ministry of Economy to solve these difficulties.

The production in the sector in 2017 exceeds BGN 919 million and the turnover of the companies is about BGN 1 billion, it became clear during the event. "My wish for you is to never stop updating and always look for new solutions. Just as you have shown that you can do it over the years. We, both through the Operational Program "Innovation and Competitiveness" and through other initiatives of the Ministry, will strive to support you, "Alexander Manolev said to the representatives of the branch.

Within the framework of the exhibitions, the awards were presented in the contest "Bulgarian Furniture of the Year". The International Exhibitions "Technomebel" and "The World of Furniture" are held at Inter Expo Center - Sofia from 24 to 28 April 2018. They enable the end user to see the whole production cycle of a product and the opportunity to participate in b2b meetings with experts from the country and abroad, demonstrations and presentation of new technologies and trends in the field of woodworking.

The last edition of the two exhibitions was attended by 11,000 people from Bulgaria and 30 other countries. There were 184 companies who presented their products and services on a total area of 14 500 sq.m.