Challenges and Responses for Custom Office Furniture Exports Amid Trade Wars

Amid the trade war, the export of custom office furniture faces both pressures and opportunities. Rising tariff barriers have directly squeezed corporate profit margins, significantly impacting small and medium-sized enterprises whose core competitive advantage lies in price competitiveness. Simultaneously, supply chain stability is being challenged. Fluctuations in international logistics and potential risks associated with key imported components have placed custom businesses—highly dependent on precise delivery—under dual pressures of contract breaches and rising costs. Overseas market demand is also undergoing structural shifts, with some clients shifting to local procurement or postponing non-essential upgrade plans, making order acquisition more difficult.

However, challenges often drive transformation. Companies can pursue market diversification by actively exploring emerging markets like ASEAN and the Middle East, or leverage Belt and Road cooperation to expand channels, thereby reducing over-reliance on any single market. More fundamentally, companies should upgrade their products and services themselves. For instance, developing modular, rapidly assembled flexible customization solutions can balance personalization with production efficiency. Alternatively, incorporating eco-friendly materials and integrating smart office technologies can enhance product value and irreplaceability. Regarding supply chain layout, considering assembly near target markets or deepening cooperation with regional suppliers can effectively alleviate pressure from tariffs and logistics.

Long-term, trade friction is driving the industry's shift from pure product exports toward a “product + service + solution” model. Companies can strengthen brand narratives, highlight design capabilities and holistic spatial planning services to build deeper connections with clients. Simultaneously, closely monitoring and leveraging trade agreement rules like RCEP to optimize origin management can uncover cost advantages while maintaining compliance. At the policy level, actively utilizing government-provided tools for stabilizing foreign trade—such as export credit insurance and tax rebates—can support enterprises in navigating short-term challenges.

In summary, the trade war presents not only challenges but also opportunities. It acts as an accelerator, compelling exporters to break free from reliance on low-cost expansion and instead build new competitiveness through innovation, flexibility, and deeper market integration. Those who adapt swiftly to change and successfully transform from manufacturers into service solution providers will secure a firm foothold in the reshaped global trade landscape.