Belgian Producers Maintain Strong Exports in '99
August 2, 2000
Kortrijk, Belgium - Due to a remarkable improvement of international business in the second half of the year, the Belgian furnishing and decoration fabrics producers were able to maintain their strong export position through 1999. Apart from their well known trumps like creativity, skill and technical equipment, the logistic support they get from their Federation of the Belgian Textile Industry (Febeltex) was certainly also one of the elements of this good performance.
''In spite of the slackening economic situation worldwide during the first six months of 1999, the Belgian interior textiles producers have managed to realize about the same export level - in terms of money - as compared with the year before,'' said Marc Vervaeke, director of the Interior Textiles division of Febeltex. ''In 1999, exports of furnishing and decoration fabrics amounted up to 18.7 billion BEF ($465 million) against 18.8 billion BEF in 1998. However, these are not yet definite figures and it is quite possible that we will equal those of 1998.''
Vervaeke said that, in contrast with the very weak first half of the year, export activities improved strongly during the second six months making the year one of the best in recent memory.
''A considerably improved economic situation worldwide, the relatively strong position of the American dollar, the strong cut back of supplies with the clients, and a clear trend to increasing prices of raw materials certainly justify an optimistic look at the near future,'' Vervaeke said. In 1999, Belgian exports of pile fabrics (velvets and épinglé, not including flock) amounted up to 5.1 billion BEF, of chenille fabrics at 3 billion BEF and of flat woven fabrics (partly including mattress ticking) at 10.6 billion BEF.
Worldwide, Belgium positions itself as an important player in the market of furnishing and decoration fabrics: with about 75 companies - the greater part of which are located in, Flanders, the Northern part of the country - it is the second most important producer. Main export markets are: the 15 countries of the European Union (67.4 percent of total exports), Eastern Europe (13.4 percent), Northern America (7.0 percent), South-east Asia (2.1 percent) and the Middle East (2.7 percent). Top ten of the Belgian export countries in 1999 were: the U.K. (value 4 994 million BEF), Germany (2 239 million), France (1 848 million), U.S.A. (1 412 million), the Netherlands (1 331 million), Poland (1 045 million), Spain (416 million), Sweden (385 million), Norway (391 million), and Italy (371 million).
''Exports are of vital importance for the Belgian interior textiles industry,'' said Vervaeke. ''Many companies in the sector are extremely export-oriented, several of them up to 99 percent of their total turnover. Logically, the Interior Textiles Division of Febeltex tries to further help and stimulate them by organizing specific export initiatives such as, in 1999, contact days in Birmingham (U.K.), in New York and Los Angeles (U.S.A.), or collective fair participation at the Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Domotex in Hannover, Index in Dubai and Intertextile in Shangai.''
''In spite of the slackening economic situation worldwide during the first six months of 1999, the Belgian interior textiles producers have managed to realize about the same export level - in terms of money - as compared with the year before,'' said Marc Vervaeke, director of the Interior Textiles division of Febeltex. ''In 1999, exports of furnishing and decoration fabrics amounted up to 18.7 billion BEF ($465 million) against 18.8 billion BEF in 1998. However, these are not yet definite figures and it is quite possible that we will equal those of 1998.''
Vervaeke said that, in contrast with the very weak first half of the year, export activities improved strongly during the second six months making the year one of the best in recent memory.
''A considerably improved economic situation worldwide, the relatively strong position of the American dollar, the strong cut back of supplies with the clients, and a clear trend to increasing prices of raw materials certainly justify an optimistic look at the near future,'' Vervaeke said. In 1999, Belgian exports of pile fabrics (velvets and épinglé, not including flock) amounted up to 5.1 billion BEF, of chenille fabrics at 3 billion BEF and of flat woven fabrics (partly including mattress ticking) at 10.6 billion BEF.
Worldwide, Belgium positions itself as an important player in the market of furnishing and decoration fabrics: with about 75 companies - the greater part of which are located in, Flanders, the Northern part of the country - it is the second most important producer. Main export markets are: the 15 countries of the European Union (67.4 percent of total exports), Eastern Europe (13.4 percent), Northern America (7.0 percent), South-east Asia (2.1 percent) and the Middle East (2.7 percent). Top ten of the Belgian export countries in 1999 were: the U.K. (value 4 994 million BEF), Germany (2 239 million), France (1 848 million), U.S.A. (1 412 million), the Netherlands (1 331 million), Poland (1 045 million), Spain (416 million), Sweden (385 million), Norway (391 million), and Italy (371 million).
''Exports are of vital importance for the Belgian interior textiles industry,'' said Vervaeke. ''Many companies in the sector are extremely export-oriented, several of them up to 99 percent of their total turnover. Logically, the Interior Textiles Division of Febeltex tries to further help and stimulate them by organizing specific export initiatives such as, in 1999, contact days in Birmingham (U.K.), in New York and Los Angeles (U.S.A.), or collective fair participation at the Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Domotex in Hannover, Index in Dubai and Intertextile in Shangai.''
