Bet on market niches
In the case of Liz Furniturea family business that has a plant in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where it produces between 2,000 and 2,500 pieces per week, is one of those that has focused on a higher segment and stop thinking about volume sales.
“Of course (IKEA) has come to take a piece of the pie. We do not have an estimate, but since we are going to a segment a little higher, we believe that it is not such a direct affectation, but it is definitely a very valuable and very large competitor that is entering here ”, he mentioned in an interview with Expansion Jesús Gamboa, commercial director of the company.
At the same time, he prefers to make furniture with more exclusive designs and greater degree of customization. For example, its fabrics are imported from countries such as China, Belgium, Turkey, France and Spain, for the upholstery of its rooms, giving its customers a choice from a wide range of possibilities and combinations for the products they want in their homes.
From 2001 to 2009, Furniture Liz manufactured at IKEAbut the transnational decided to end the commercial relationship when it found a factory in Poland to meet your volume needsas narrated by Gamboa.
The furniture maker Freg Industries, With 100 employees at a plant in Jalisco and a capacity of between 200 and 250 products a week, it has also opted for greater product customization rather than volume sales.
“Obviously IKEA is a world leader in the industry, but that is why we go so far into specialization, because IKEA is not there”, says Ernesto Fregoso, general director of said family business, in an interview.
The manufacturer has also strengthened its Sofi’s Home business segment, which It has an online catalog and a physical store in Mexico City.