Profile of the California furniture industry : structure, product types, and wood use

In 1993, a survey of California furniture manufacturers provided the information necessary to profile this large user of hardwood and softwood lumber. The industry in California was found to be dominated by small, one-factory furniture plants with less than 20 employees. The vast majority of businesses were located near Los Angeles (72%) or San Francisco (23%). Similar to national averages, about three quarters of the wood used was hardwood and the remainder softwood. However, specific species use was drastically different, with California using substantially more alder and ponderosa pine than national (or even regional) averages. The California industry also used almost twice as high a proportion of wood components and sub-assemblies compared to national averages. This market for remanufactured wood products provides both structural impediments and opportunities, particularly for the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada.