Turkish Furniture Sector Eyes $500 Million Export Goal with Saudi Deals

MEDİCENTER TV / TÜRKİYE

Turkey's furniture exporters return from Saudi Arabia with new trade prospects

Turkey’s furniture industry, which exports products to more than 200 countries and generates $4.5 billion in annual exports, is accelerating its efforts to reach its $5 billion target. In a significant move, a delegation of 17 Turkish furniture manufacturers visited Riyadh and Jeddah between May 11–17, 2025, as part of a trade mission organized by the Aegean Furniture, Paper, and Forest Products Exporters’ Association (EMKOÜİB).

Ali Fuat Gürle, Chairman of the Association, confirmed that each participating firm successfully established new export links. “Our goal is to increase our exports to Saudi Arabia from $161.5 million in 2024 to $500 million in the medium term, becoming the second-largest supplier after China,” he stated.

NEOM’s furniture could be made in Türkiye

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project—a $1.5 trillion futuristic megacity planned to house 9 million residents—presents vast opportunities for furniture suppliers. “Saudi Arabia has become a massive construction site. With their shift in administrative vision, they are investing heavily in infrastructure. That translates into significant demand for furnishings,” Gürle noted.

He emphasized that Turkey’s proximity and strong historical ties make it uniquely positioned to meet Saudi Arabia’s $3.7 billion annual furniture import needs.

Over 500 B2B meetings held across Riyadh and Jeddah

The trade delegation conducted over 500 business-to-business meetings with Saudi importers. In addition to official events held in Riyadh on May 12 and Jeddah on May 14, the program also included site visits for relationship building and market exploration.

The Jeddah round was supported by key figures, including Türkiye’s Consul General in Jeddah Mustafa Ünal, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce representative Sultan Alhamed, and Turkish Commercial Attachés Oğuz Şahin and Ahmet Güneş.

Long-term partnerships and sectoral missions ahead

Vice Chairman of EMKOÜİB, Hikmet Güngör, highlighted the growing potential for joint ventures between Turkish and Saudi companies. “We organized a similar mission to Riyadh last year. This time, expanding to both Riyadh and Jeddah resulted in deeper connections. We plan to repeat and scale these missions in the coming months.”

He added that the participating companies were impressed by the professionalism and purchasing potential of the Saudi market.

Looking ahead: USA and Kazakhstan on the radar

The Association is now preparing for new trade missions to Chicago, USA, and Kazakhstan later this year. Additionally, three Furniture Procurement Committees are in the pipeline—one of which will coincide with the Modeko Fair.

Turkish brands featured in the Saudi trade mission include KARLI ORMAN, SİMRE MOBİLYA, BOFİGO GROUP, MELTEM BEBEK MOBİLYA, and many more, representing sectors from office and children’s furniture to outdoor decor and shelving systems.

With modern design, quality craftsmanship, and competitive pricing, Turkish furniture is making strong inroads into global markets—positioning itself as a key player in mega projects like NEOM.

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