With a population of more than 7 million and an area of more than 110,000 square kilometers, Bulgaria is recognized as a medium-sized European country. Bulgaria, like many of its eastern European neighbors, has large forested areas across its territory. In addition, forests cover more than 4 million hectares or 37 percent of the total national territory of Bulgaria. Furthermore, the forests of the country continues to grow because of the growing urbanization and introduction of legislation for land conservation to the Bulgarian population. Likewise, large areas of forest in Bulgaria, as member of the European Union under the European ecological network NATURA, are protected parks and timber zones.
Bulgaria is the third most important European country in terms of biodiversity and forestry. The average forest age in Bulgaria is 58. 38% of Bulgaria’s forests are devoted to the national lumber and timber industry and 62% of the remaining forests are protected.
Although Bulgaria is a manufacturer of soft as well as hardwood, Bulgaria imports significant quantities of wood because of the successful wood furniture industry. Bulgaria’s trade balance in the wood products sector is strong.
As far as production is concerned, the forests in Bulgaria are primarily deciduous, which are 69 percent, meaning they consist of trees which shed seasonally. In the meantime, 31% are coniferous forests whose trees hibernate but do not necessarily foliage for winter. Bulgaria’s coniferous forests consist mainly of white pine trees, Scotch pine, black pine trees, Norway spruce and fir trees. Likewise, mostly beech, oak, turkey oak and ash tree are deciduous trees.
Traditionally, the furniture sector has been a resource and labour-intensive industry with local firms and large production corporations co-existing.
BULGARIAN IMPORT AND EXPORT – WELL INTEGRATED IN EU MARKET
Bulgaria operates globally, purchases furniture items for the domestic market and sells its production to other countries. In EU furniture market Bulgaria is well integrated.
Furniture production is a dynamic industry with its success factors lying in the creative ability to combine raw materials and technology in order to meet market demand and consumer requirements.
The competitive advantage of Bulgaria is the low labor rate. Another factor is a long tradition in furniture making and the low costs of doing business in Bulgaria.
BG Advise successful business approaches
Recent client inquiry has been in the relevant sector.
BG Advise helped to establish the client’s business in Bulgaria and after a research and preparing for the specific business needs, the production of saunas was established.
The availability of workforce at a level, the suitable location of the country for production and export, low taxes and a trained team with knowledge of the city’s infrastructure and administrative procedures played an important role in establishing the client’s successful business model.
In the next steps, through competition, workers were selected – they spent their internship in Belgium at the owner’s company. Production began in September 2019 and the first saunas are now ready for export. The team is expanding and promoting boutique saunas not only in Europe but in other continents also – Australia, America.
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