Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-06
FURNITURE MAKERS
SEE BETTER TIMES
Normal Business by SepteHn-
Der | Is Expected in Manu-
featuring Centers.
BY WALTER BROWN.
Associated Press Financial Writer.

CHICAGO. June 6.-The furniture
manufacturing industry. after olSaS.
trous first quarter, thinks the worst
is over and that business will be normal
by September /.
The industry, as the year approacheo
the halfway mark, was operating at oO
per cent of capacity, according to Dr..
A. p. Haake managing director OF the
National Association of Furniture Man
ufacturers.
SALES until June l have been about
80 per cent lower than in 1923, SAID
DR.. Haake. THE lowest point was
reached during the week of March ~.
Since that time the curve has been up
ward, in a zigZag fashion, and there rs
an even chance that by the END OF
Summer business will be normal"
An Important Industry.
The making of furniture Is an i'm
portant industry in the Midwest, par
ticularly in the Chicago region, where
virtually one-half of the bed room suites,
family davenports, kitchen cabinets,
rockers and easy chairs and all other
home accommodations are made.
1t is a particularly important indus
try in a. score or more smaller cities,
where pay rolls are largely represented
by the wages and salaries paid in fur
niture factories, vanishing plants and
kindred industries.
Chicago, with its furniture mart,
headquarters for most of the larger
furniture makers, is the clearing
house" for the industry. Twice a year,
July and January, its furniture shows
bring dealers from every State. Other
important shows are held at Grand
Rapids and Rockford.
During the lean months of this year,
statistics show, 191 furniture manufac.
turing concerns failed. Mergers and
amalgamationS are eliminating several
of the furniture makers.
This year the. manufacturers aban-
doned their policy of "cutthroat" COM
petition, and financed q general good
will advertising campaign to stimulate
family interest in better and more har-
moniouS furniture.
While New York is the leading manu-
featuring State, the next three in furnl-
ture are Illinois. Indiana and Michigan.
The first 10 States include Wisconsin
and Ohio.
Within 5O0-mile radius of Chicago
an overnight rail journey-there are IS
per cent of the furniture makers and 80
per cent of the retailers. Ninety-four of
the lis companies doing In excess OF
81 100000 year exhibit at the Chicago
furniture shows.
The yearly output of furniture is APP
Fortunately $500, 000, 900 in value.
AS an indication of the Importance of
furniture making to many Middle West
cities New Albany, Ind, may be cited.
With a population of some $4,000 1t has
IL factories connected with the furni-
! ture business.
Grand Rapids Activities.
Grand Rapids is famous for its fur
niture factories. Rockford, Ill, has
large furniture manufacturing industry.
| Other Middle Western cities with i'm
portant furniture concerns are Bloom
| ington, Ind, and Bloomington, ILL.,;
Kenosha, Sheboygan and Racine, Wis;
Elwood, Michigan City, Shelbyville,
Frankfort and Nappanee, Ind; Naper-
vile, Kankakee, as well as Chicago, Ill.
cago, Ill.
DR.. Haake said 1929 recorded the
greatest volume of furniture sales, al
though it was not the most profitable.
Total sales were 0,0O0, 900. as COM
pared with $720 000, 900 in 1928.
In recent years the Southern States
have come rapidly to the front as fur
niture manufacturing States. North
| Carolina, with yearly output worth
$50 900 900, and Virginia, with $22,000.-
COO are among the 10 leading States.
Furniture shows for dealers are held at
High Point, N G.