In Q3 2023, Poles before the age of 45 bought as many as 60,000 flats. This is almost twice as many as at the end of 2022. The increase in real estate activity will directly translate into dynamic growth in the finishing and furniture industry, but also in the TSL sector. Haulage companies are preparing for an increase in furniture shipments in the country and across Europe.

The second half of 2023 was marked by the 2% Secure Loan in Poland, which translated into a significant increase in demand for flats. According to BIK data, almost 93,000 people benefited from the programme and took out 66,800 loans totalling almost PLN 30 billion. In Q1 2024, the effects of the 2% Secure Loan were still being felt, causing considerable interest in the housing market. Q2 brought with it a drop in demand, which is linked to the anticipation of the introduction of the announced new government housing subsidy programme, but developers are not reporting major drops in sales of units, confirming that the situation in the property market is stable.

According to Otodom, as a result of the increase in demand for units, in November 2023, developers from the seven main markets (Warsaw, Krakow, Tricity, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Katowice) put 6,400 flats on sale, which is as much as 20 per cent more than in October this year and more than 200 per cent more than in February.

The single-family house market is in a similar situation. 2024 could be a time of great motivation to start building one's own home due to changing zoning regulations, as well as the stabilisation of building material prices. EU environmental policy and the benefits for multi-family households planned in the new loan subsidy programme are also important.

The summer months are marked by renovations and finishing touches to purchased properties. According to data from the Provident Barometer 2024 survey, spending on this purpose is included in the annual budget by more than 35 per cent of adult Poles, making it the second most popular investment goal, just after saving for holidays.

The furniture manufacturing and distribution industries, as well as home finishing products, will have to adapt to the new challenges. The furniture sector, after a difficult period related to high electricity costs, inflation and the uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine, is hoping for an improvement. This aspect will also remain important for the logistics industry and transport companies.

European market situation

On the wave of residential real estate purchases and renovations is not only Poland, but also other European countries. After nearly two years, housing prices in Europe's largest real estate market, Germany, have fallen by almost 10 percent, while the cost of materials and furniture is rising there, so our western neighbors are turning to Polish suppliers.

Furniture from Poland reaches the markets of more than 100 countries each year. The key recipients are primarily Western European countries, such as the aforementioned Germany and the United Kingdom, for whom Polish sofas or dressers are synonymous with high quality at a reasonable price. International shipments of furniture both by road, air and sea, as well as special logistics projects from Poland are carried out by Geis, among others.

The biggest challenge in transporting furniture of any kind is preparing it properly for transport and protecting it against possible damage. It is also important to plan the route optimally and to manage the loading area correctly. At this stage, it is important to remember to position the furniture appropriately in the load space to limit movement of the goods. Each potentially movable element should be properly secured, e.g. by separating goods from each other with special beams mounted inside the semi-trailer or securing them with transport belts, so that they do not pose a risk of damage to other consignments as well,' says Paweł Golec, Geis PL Operations Director.

For Europeans buying Polish furniture products, the price competitiveness of Polish products is also important, which is influenced, among other things, by its location in the centre of Europe and an extensive network of warehouses.

Poland is one of the three largest markets for logistics space in Europe. About 30 percent of the new warehouse halls being built on our continent are being built here, distribution centers of international companies are developing, and large transport companies are operating here. We have also recently advanced to the narrow group of European countries boasting modern industrial and warehouse space exceeding the level of 30 million square meters. What is important is that Poland is located almost in the center of Europe, thanks to which TSL companies have easy access to many markets, so they can optimize their routes, minimize costs and transport time. At Geis PL, we regularly handle shipments of goods from Poland to Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Spain, the Baltic States, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Romania, and Bulgaria, among others. In recent months, we have delivered the most furniture to Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and France, but the most expensive shipments in this regard are usually to Spain and Italy,” adds Mariusz Bala, Director of International General Cargo at Geis PL.

Benefits for the entire TSL sector and opportunities to expand the scale of Polish furniture exports can also come from the development of maritime infrastructure. In Gdansk, another deep-water quay is currently under construction at the Baltic Hub container terminal. Also in Swinoujscie, the expansion of the port has been confirmed, and in Gdynia, the construction of an external port for handling containerized ocean-going vessels is being completed.

In view of these developments, the TSL industry is preparing for a dynamic pace of work and increased traffic. Innovations in the area of warehouse management, optimization of logistics processes and modern transportation solutions are becoming key to responding effectively to the growing needs of the market.