Romanian furniture producer Mobexpert has announced a chunky 70 percent increase in sales of decorative items in Romania and Bulgaria, but did not disclose the actual sale value. The company tries to adapt to a greater tendency among Romanian and Bulgarian consumers to restyle, redecorate and make superficial changes to their homes, rather than buy big expensive pieces of furniture.

According to the home furnishing producer and retailer, shoppers are buying less large items of furniture and instead revamping their homes by adding smaller pieces and redecorating. The firm expects the trend to continue and in response will dedicate 25 – 30 percent of display space in shops to decoration products. Some plans for new stores in Bulgaria have been put on hold as a further result of the emerging trend. Also, Mobexpert is negotiating with an American producer to represent them in Europe, but refused to name the company until discussions are complete.

Mobexpert operates smaller and larger stores under two brands, Mobexpert and Mobexpert Office. The company started in 1993 founded by Dan Sucu and his then wife, and was initially a furniture importer and retailer. The firm soon expanded into production and has steadily increased the size of its operations in retail, production and logistics of the full spectrum of interior design products. After the two split up, Sucu remained majority shareholder in Mobexpert, and Camelia Sucu took the retailer Class Living.

Currently, Mobexpert has 30 stores in cities across Romania and since 2005 has opened shops in Belgrade, Serbia and Sofia in Bulgaria. Mobexpert group has nine manufacturing plants in four centers, all located in Romania.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com

photo source: Courtesy of Mobexpert