When it comes to furniture, North Carolina goes big—after all, it’s home to the world’s largest furnishings industry trade show, the world’s largest furniture store and the world’s largest furniture manufacturer.
Meet some of the furniture companies doing business in North Carolina:
North Carolina’s furniture industry has been painstakingly crafted and built to last.
Furniture has always been a solid part of North Carolina’s economy. This tradition continues today, fueled by North Carolina’s pro-business environment and well-earned title of “Furniture Capital of the World.” Here are some of the other reasons why furniture is ‘Made in NC’:
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- The lowest corporate income tax rate in the U.S.
- 2.5% corporate tax rate
- NC is ranked No. 1 for lowest state and local tax burden in the United States by Ernst & Young and the Council on State Taxation
- Largest furniture industry in the nation
- Industry value-chain is made up of 3,000 establishments and 35,000+ employees
- Concentration of furniture manufacturing activity is more than three times the national average
- High Point Market
- The world’s largest furnishings industry tradeshow
- Brings 75,000+ attendees to High Point twice annually
- Includes 2,000+ exhibitors from more than 100 countries
- A large supply of wood products
- 600 lumber wood product manufacturing companies, employing 17,600
- NC is the fifth-largest wood product manufacturing industry in the nation
- Reliable, low-cost electricity
- NC’s average industrial electricity rate is more than 8% lower than the national average
- 35,000+ furniture manufacturing workforce—the largest in the U.S.
- An educated and highly trained workforce
- Three Tier 1 research universities within 25 miles of one another:
- Duke University
- North Carolina State University
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- 125 public and private colleges and universities across the state
- NC’s 58-campus community college system offers a variety of training and classes within 25 miles of every resident in the state
- Three Tier 1 research universities within 25 miles of one another:
- Customized training programs
- NCWorks, the state’s comprehensive workforce development platform, offers customizable training for new and existing businesses in the state
- Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center
- Part of the N.C. State University College of Engineering, established in 1991
- Conducts technical assistance and applied research for furniture manufacturers
- American Home Furnishings Alliance
- AHFA represents the home furnishings industry, from small to large companies, public and private, domestic and import
- Offers access to 150+ solution partners for manufacturing equipment, machinery and component parts, consulting, IT, legal, compliance, transportation and logistics services
- American Society of Furniture Designers
- ASFD advocates and elevates designers in the furniture industry through networking, mentorship and professional development
- North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance
- Consortium of local workforce investment boards and education authorities as well as non-profits and 10 community colleges
- Aimed at increasing the number of certificates, diplomas and degrees awarded in advanced manufacturing disciplines across the state
If you have an economic development project and you'd like assistance, contact a state economic developer using the webform below.