Ancient furniture industry of Pingyao

Furniture producers in Angu village, in Pingyao county, Shanxi, were busy preparing for business in the new year during Spring Festival. The ancient furniture industry has been very competitive since the 1990s, when it started with family workshops, and has developed into a flagship industry over the years. Currently, its walnut furniture business has a total yearly output reaching 100 million yuan ($ 16 million).

According to Bai Erbao, the village's Party secretary, there are more than 30 furniture enterprises, two with an annual output value surpassing 20 million yuan, and more than 10 with 5 million yuan in annual output value. The industry also employs over 1,500 and the village administration is preparing to set up an Angu Village Ancient Furniture Association to further develop the industry, asking for more government support and bank loans, and promoting their furniture around the country.

In addition, the multi-functional Home Furnishing Park that combines R&D, production, exhibitions and marketing, with strong Shanxi cultural elements, has been completed and will start operation in September this year. The park aims to become a market distribution center as well as logistics base for home furnishings in North China.