According to an internal association survey, the turnover of the German parquet manufacturers organized in the vdp in Germany increased by 6% in 2022 compared to the previous year to €274.4 million. The development in the first half of the year was decisive for the growth. In addition, the increase in sales was characterized by increases in supply chain costs and high energy prices, which contributed to higher costs. At the same time, however, the parquet sales of the vdp member companies in Germany fell by 11.7% compared to the previous year to 7.7 million m2.

“Following the lively renovation activities of people in Germany during the pandemic, the situation in Ukraine changed significantly after the start of the war. In the course of the downturn in the construction industry, our industry is increasingly feeling headwind,” explained vdp Chairman Michael Schmid. However, other floor coverings also have to do with market declines. "The overall economic situation in Germany is causing problems for the parquet industry," stated Schmid. The decline in sales intensified in the first quarter of 2023: Compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the parquet sales of the vdp member companies from January to March 2023 fell by 36.4% according to an association survey, sales fell by 29.7% to EUR 51.2 million. €.

A massive increase in parquet imports, especially from the Far East, has exacerbated the difficult situation in the real estate sector. According to the Federal Statistical Office, Germany's imports of multi-layer parquet from China alone increased to 9.2 million m2 in the 2022 calendar year, after around 7 million m2 in the previous year. Total imports of parquet to Germany rose by around 10% to 22.3 million m2 within a year. In contrast, German exports fell by around 3% to 10.1 million m2. Well over 40% of German parquet exports went to the three neighboring countries of Austria, Switzerland and France, with which the German parquet industry has traditionally been closely linked.