Furniture Manufacturing Workers

Employment declines are expected for most furniture manufacturing careers through 2033, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Computer-controlled machinery, automated processes, and robots will limit employment in the industry. One area that will not be negatively affected by automation is custom furniture making, which does not lend itself to automated processes. With the increasing use of technology, however, most labor in the furniture manufacturing field will involve fewer people. For those items that require labor-intensive construction, many manufacturers will continue to either move production abroad, where labor is less expensive, or import these pieces of furniture.

Many buyers of business furniture are increasingly using ready-to-assemble, refurbished, or remanufactured furniture in order to hold down costs. This also may limit opportunities for furniture manufacturing workers in this branch of the industry.

In sum, the number of skilled workers in the furniture manufacturing industry is limited, since there aren't many shops willing to train beginners and few young people want to enter the field. Job prospects will be best for skilled workers, especially those who are familiar and have experience with computer-controlled machine tool operation. In addition, custom furniture designers and hand carvers will be in demand, since sales of custom-made, classical furniture will continue to be strong among collectors and other buyers. And although growth in the industry will be generally modest, thousands of jobs will become available as workers retire or leave the field for other reasons.

In general, the growth of the furniture manufacturing industry depends on the overall economy. When the economy is strong, more new homes will be built, personal incomes will rise, and more people are able to spend money on remodeling, decorating, and expanding their homes. When the economy is poor, people may put off purchasing a new house or remodeling their existing houses.