There is no longer any doubt that office furniture produced by Poland's Balma, Mikomax, MDD and other manufacturers can successfully compete with Western products, and not only in terms of price. Nowy Styl and Profim have well-established positions in the Polish market and have been successfully expanding their export activity by opening offices abroad and establishing companies with Western partners. In order to do this, they have had to qualify for the required certification. Some manufacturers have decided to develop their own research laboratories, something that not even all Western companies have.

One can also see changes in design. Polish companies have realized that in order to stay on the market they need to have their own brand-name products. As a result, they have been investing in designers. Furniture for Polish companies is designed by Poles, Italians and Germans. Some designs also come from Claudio Bellini's studio.

Polish office furniture is increasingly finding buyers in Western European countries. It is well regarded not only because of its quality but also thanks to its design. This is particularly visible at fairs like Orgatec, where exhibitions of Polish office furniture promote the whole sector. Germany continues to be the largest foreign market for Polish furniture, but it is also exported to Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States.

After the Polish economy opened up in 1989, many Western investors came to Poland, lured by the prospect of profit. Their presence generated a growing demand for both office furniture and comprehensive office management services. The inflow of Western capital also engendered the construction of the country's first high-class office buildings. In the initial phase, almost all space in the best office buildings that Western investors had built in Poland was leased to foreign companies.

A separate issue at that time was office furniture or, more specifically, its absence. In the early 1990s, office furniture production continued because of inertia at the furniture factories in Jarocin and Wyszków. Companies run by Polish expatriates were also producing furniture. Despite a good tradition of furniture craftsmanship in Poland, by 1990 office furniture remained the weakest segment of the furniture industry. This was a result of decisions made by Comecon many years prior. Poland was supposed to produce home furniture. Office furniture production was assigned to Romania and East Germany. Early on furniture for the new offices in postcommunist Poland had to be imported. This was also the case for finishing materials such as carpeting, paneling, wallpaper, lamps and computer equipment.

Polish companies manufacturing office furniture have mushroomed to meet the new market demand. This demand forced companies to model production on and learn from the best European manufacturers. Most of the companies that now operate are not more than 15 years old. These Polish entrepreneurs knew how to exploit the moment, as well as the technology and experience of rivals that had long been on the market. As a result, they set up modern and flexible enterprises. The development of the sector after 1989, when most companies started from scratch, is remarkable. The first Polish office furniture manufactured by Mikomax, Balma, MDD and other producers was made from composites and intended for office use. More advanced and expensive technology was needed to produce wood-veneer furniture. The newly established companies needed several years to earn enough money in order to be able to expand production.

Fifteen years is not a long time. Looking at the Polish market from this perspective, certain signs of stabilization are visible. Some office furniture manufacturers have disappeared from the market, but those who acquired modern machinery and concentrated on developing their own products were able to continue on. In times of crisis, they managed to find new buyers by exporting their wares. There will be an opportunity to see their products at Cologne's Orgatec trade show.