Furniture factory bases in China - why should I go to Foshan?
After the beginning of the Chinese economic reform, known in the West as the Opening of China, back in the 80s of the last century, China received a powerful impetus in economic development. Over the years, the production capacity of furniture in China has gradually become concentrated. As a result, 5 large industrial bases have formed, providing 90% of furniture production in China.
These five clusters include:
- Furniture Industrial Base in the Pearl River Delta
- Furniture Industrial Base in the Yangtze River Delta
- Furniture Industrial Base in Bohai Economic District
- Northeast Furniture Industrial Base
- Western Furniture Industrial Base
The first four industrial zones are mainly focused on furniture export production enterprises and large-scale production companies. These enterprises are the main suppliers of furniture to both domestic and foreign markets. Companies located in western China mainly produce furniture for the domestic market.
Among the five furniture industrial zones, the largest ones are located in the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta. They are the two main industrial zones with the largest production and export volume.
Pearl River Delta Furniture Industrial Base (Guangzhou, Foshan)
Where it is: South of China, Guangdong province
Advantages: industrial clusters, established supply chains, special economic zone
It is the largest furniture industry zone in China with centres in Guangdong province’s cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shunde, and Foshan. This area is located near Hong Kong and Macau.
This province was one of the first in China to create a special economic zone with more attractive conditions for carrying on business. Now in the province of Guangdong, there are more than 6,000 furniture companies with more than a million people working in total.
Guangdong is a leader in producing and selling furniture in China. One-third of the total furniture production volume in China belongs to this industrial cluster. Furniture from this region is exported mainly to North America and Europe.
In addition to furniture factories, China’s largest ceramic tile factories are also located here. Moreover, 70% of lighting export from China is in Guangdong. Many manufacturers and suppliers of sanitary and finishing materials are also based in this region. Shops of most factories are presented on numerous markets of Foshan city, which is located 40 kilometers from Guangzhou. For those who plan to purchase, not only furniture but lighting, sanitary ware, tiles, wooden floors, and other finishing materials within the same city, a trip to Foshan will be a perfect option.
Due to decades of economic development in the industrial zone of the Pearl River Delta, there are many industrial clusters, a complete product supply chain has been built, production technologies are constantly being transformed and improved, which allows this industrial zone to remain the leader in China today.
Yangtze River Delta Furniture Industrial Zone
Where is: Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces
Advantages: product quality and a high level of company management
The second-largest furniture industrial zone covers two provinces: Jiangsu and Zhejiang. This industrial zone is actively developing, attracting more and more companies. The managers of these companies work mainly to increase the recognition of their brands.
The region has developed information technology, convenient transportation infrastructure, and a large manufacturing cluster. Shanghai is the largest seaports in the world. The total volume of furniture production also makes up one-third of the production in the country, mainly furniture is exported to Europe and the United States.
The region has a clear specialization in furniture production: office furniture in Hangzhou, outdoor furniture in Saoshan and Wenzhou, panel furniture and European classical furniture in Yuhuan, swivel chairs in Anji, mattresses in Shaoxing, traditional mahogany furniture in Yiwu and Huzhou, cabinet furniture in Ningbo, sofas and upholstered furniture in Haining and solid wood furniture in Jiashan. If you want to buy different kinds of furniture, then you have to travel around these cities in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.
Bohai Furniture Industrial Zone
Where is: Beijing, Tianjin; Hebei, Shandong, Liaoning provinces
Advantages: company scale, demand
The territory of this industrial zone is located around Bohai Bay and forms a circle with Hebei, Shandong, and Liaoning provinces with a centre in Beijing and Tianjin. This region has been manufacturing furniture for a long time, it is rich in production supplies and has an excellent geographical location.
A distinctive feature of local companies is their size. The market is represented by large companies primarily focused on the domestic market.
Northeast Furniture Industrial Zone
Where it is: Northeast China, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Jilin provinces
Advantages: natural resources, production of solid wood furniture
This industrial zone is in close proximity to the forest-rich areas of Daxing and Xiaoxing Mountains in northeast China. Many companies work with suppliers of forest resources from Russia. The largest distribution centres are the cities of Shenyang and Dalian.
The region specializes in the production of solid wood furniture. This industrial zone is just formating and intensively developing. It is located in northeast China, which is less densely populated than central and southern China. The cost of living in northeast China is noticeably lower than in the coastal cities of the southern and eastern parts of the country. Due to its location, companies are more oriented towards local consumers. If in the south the assortment is updated every six months, then in the north it may not change for years. If you are looking for a place where you can choose furniture from a wide list of new models and different styles, then you better look at the southern part of China - Guangdong Province.
Western Furniture Industrial Zone
Where is: Sichuan province, Chengdu city
Advantages: supply of cheap products
The western furniture industrial zone is located in Sichuan province, in Chengdu. Local products are mainly focused on the budget segment, sold in the central and western regions of China and exported to developing countries.
The local government has listed the furniture industry as the pillar industry and strongly supports entrepreneurs: in addition to introducing various benefits, it has solved the problems of furniture factories in land acquisition, loans, and employment.
Due to the constantly increasing demand for furniture in cities located far from the sea, companies from this industrial zone gain a good advantage in the local market due to logistics.
The Globus company is located in Foshan, in the most developed furniture zone of China. Our customers come to Foshan for a wide selection of furniture of various styles, lighting and decoration materials. You can request a furniture tour here.