Flying under the metalforming and fabricating radar, the metal-furniture market, especially its office-furniture component, quietly and steadily improves. It's not in the news like automotive, and it's not the next big thing like medical, but the furniture market offers suppliers familiar with its unique structure a dependable work and revenue source. Consider that U.S. office-furniture production reached 10.82 billion dollars in 2006, according to the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association-a 7.4-percent increase over 2005 production, which itself had grown 12.7 percent over 2004. That marks three years of substantial growth, following a down period from 2001 to 2003. These statistics hint that the industry essentially mirrors the economy. Further confirmation: U.S. office-furniture production grew every year from 1992 to 2000 during a sustained U.S. economic expansion. Similar trends describe home furnishings.
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