2009 was a really rough year in the office furniture industry. According to BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association), sales were down by almost 30%. That’s the biggest dip office furniture and cubicle sales have ever seen since the Association started keeping track in the early nineties. The good news is that 2010 saw the first signs of recovery with numbers rising up 7% and total sales topping 8.3 billion dollars. BIFMA expects the industry to more than make up the full 30% drop by the end of 2012.

The future for cubicles is looking a little less sunny. In 2010, systems furniture made up only 25.9% of the total production of office furniture in the United States. That’s the lowest percentage ever recorded (the highest is 36.6% ten years ago). It’s still a substantial category, but it appears that alternative desking solutions may be gaining ground as employers explore the use of collaborative workspaces. The good news for our customers is that the market for used and refurbished cubicles is still strong. So, no matter what happens, you can still get your cubicles from us!