Efficiency gains could help UK furniture manufacturers recover their margins and put them on a firm footing for 2026, according to the latest quarterly manufacturing health index from inventory management specialist Unleashed, whose figures reveal that revenue from sales declined in Q3 2025, with small- and mid-sized firms generating an average of £207,581 – nearly a fifth less compared to the previous quarter, but a 55% jump YoY.
Profitability (GMP) stood at 48.3%, dropping slightly by 2.1% QoQ, as lead times, purchasing volumes and stock on hand value all dropped.
Lead times fell from 37 to 22 days (-40.5% QoQ), while purchase orders (POs) and stock on hand declined by -20.6% and -12.9% respectively.
Unleashed's quarterly report is based on data from more than 600 UK firms using its software, across manufacturing categories such as food and drink, clothing and fashion, and construction.
Joe Llewellyn, GM of ERP small business at The Access Group, the parent company of Unleashed, says furniture manufacturers had moved quickly to protect their margins: “The last quarter was characterised by a determined push towards efficiency. Although sales dropped this quarter, manufacturers responded quickly to reduce the impact.
"Our data shows purchasing and lead times were both down QoQ, a sign of weakened demand reflected in the contracted PMI for this period. This, along with ongoing cost pressures, prompted furniture manufacturers to move from cautious ‘just in case’ stock building in Q2 to a leaner just in time approach, cutting their margins and stock on hand to protect their margins and cash flow.”
Looking ahead, he adds that operational excellence would be key to succeeding in a low-growth, high-cost environment: “Going into 2026, furniture manufacturers will need to make the most of data to enable forecast-driven replenishment, track landed costs in real-time, and identify and convert excess stock into cash. Doing more with less is the new reality, seen in the continued trend in industrial automation.”
Unleashed’s report also compared performance across different manufacturing categories. Overall, firms saw a 12.9% QoQ surge in sales, and a +1.3pp uplift in GMP to 39.66%. Purchase orders also dropped by 30% QoQ, as did stock on hand (-27.2%), and lead times by eight days. While furniture manufacturers bucked the trend, other categories such as sports also saw sales and profitability drop.
Read the full Unleashed Manufacturing Health Index report here.
