Since it serves both aesthetic and functional purposes, the simple fact is that people love buying furniture. In the UAE, the furniture manufacturing industry is on an upward trend, with a market size exceeding $1.9 billion. In fact, the industry is expected to grow at a steady pace of over 3.9% in the coming years.
So, what has led to this industry boom? Three key reasons stand out.
- With increasing disposable incomes, people are spending more on home improvements and furnishing.
- With a large expat population and more nuclear families, people are buying homes that they furnish uniquely.
- The rise of new developmental and hospitality projects, all of which need furnishings once complete.
A furniture company looking to establish themselves in the UAE would benefit from conducting market research to understand which category they may fit into. The UAE furniture market is fragmented, with many small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Whether you’re looking to nurture a homegrown brand or pioneer the next leading furniture chain store in the region, here are the business activities you may have to equip yourself with.
Note that every activity below references the manufacture of furniture built with any material except for stone, concrete, and ceramic.
3100.00 – Manufacture of furniture
Furniture manufacturing involves the design, production, and finishing of items designed to provide seating, storage, or support. This industry encompasses a vast range of products, from basic chairs and tables to intricate custom-made pieces for homes, offices, commercial spaces, and outdoor areas.
The process typically involves selecting materials such as wood, metal, glass, or plastic, and transforming them into functional and aesthetically pleasing pieces. This includes cutting, shaping, assembling, and finishing the furniture. Upholstery, painting, and other finishing techniques are often applied to enhance the product’s appearance and durability.
Furniture manufacturing covers a wide spectrum of products, including chairs, sofas, tables, cabinets, beds, and other storage units. It also includes specialized furniture for specific environments, such as office furniture, kitchen cabinets, and outdoor furniture.
- 3100.01 – Manufacture of chairs and seats for offices, workrooms, hotels, restaurants, public and domestic premises
This category encompasses the production of chairs and seats for a wide range of environments, including office spaces, workplaces, hospitality venues, and homes. This includes office chairs, dining chairs, bar stools, and public seating. - 3100.02 – Manufacture of chairs and seats for theatres, cinemas and the like
This category focuses on the production of seating specifically designed for theaters, cinemas, and other public assembly areas. These chairs often have specific requirements for comfort, durability, and fire safety. - 3100.03 – Manufacture of sofas, sofa beds and sofa sets
This category involves the production of upholstered seating furniture, including sofas, loveseats, sofa beds, and sectional sofas. - 3100.04 – Manufacture of garden chairs and seats
This category covers the production of outdoor seating furniture made from materials resistant to weather conditions. - 3100.05 – Manufacture of special furniture for shops: counters, display cases, shelves etc
This category includes the production of furniture specifically designed for retail environments, such as store counters, display cases, and shelving units. - 3100.06 – Manufacture of furniture for churches, schools, restaurants
This category encompasses the production of furniture tailored to specific institutions, such as pews for churches, desks for schools, and tables and chairs for restaurants. - 3100.07 – Manufacture of office furniture
This category focuses on the production of furniture designed for office environments, including desks, workstations, filing cabinets, and storage units. - 3100.08 – Manufacture of kitchen furniture
This category covers the production of furniture specifically designed for kitchens, such as cabinets, countertops, and kitchen islands. - 3100.09 – Manufacture of furniture for bedrooms, living rooms, gardens etc.
This category encompasses a wide range of furniture for residential spaces, including beds, wardrobes, dressers, living room tables, and outdoor furniture. - 3100.10 – Manufacture of cabinets for sewing machines, televisions etc.
This category includes the production of cabinets designed to house specific appliances or electronic devices. - 3100.11 – Manufacture of laboratory benches, stools and other laboratory seating, laboratory furniture (e.g. cabinets and tables)
This category focuses on the production of furniture specifically designed for laboratory environments, including laboratory benches, stools, and storage cabinets. - 3100.12 – Finishing such as upholstery of chairs and seats
This category involves the process of covering furniture frames with fabrics, leather, or other materials to create seating surfaces. - 3100.13 – Finishing of furniture such as spraying, painting, french polishing and upholstering
This category encompasses various finishing techniques applied to furniture, including painting, staining, and polishing. - 3100.14 – Manufacture of mattress supports
This category covers the production of components that support mattresses, such as box springs and bed frames. - 3100.15 – Manufacture of mattresses: mattresses fitted with springs or stuffed or internally fitted with a supporting material and uncovered cellular rubber or plastic mattresses
This category includes the production of mattresses for sleeping, using various materials and construction methods. - 3100.16 – Decorative restaurant carts, such as dessert carts, food wagons
This category covers the production of specialized carts used in restaurants for serving food and beverages.
Third-party Approval: No third-party approvals are required for these business activities.
Filing of Economic Substance Return: These business activities are exempt from this requirement.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance: These business activities are exempt from this requirement.
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