For years, Poland has been a recognized and valued furniture manufacturer on a European and even global scale. Statistics show that almost 80% of all Polish furniture production is exported. Analyzing the value of exports and imports of furniture products in Central and Eastern European countries, it can be concluded that Poland clearly ranks at the forefront. Of course, it should be noted that the furniture industry is not equally developed across the entire territory of Poland.
One of the regions famous for furniture production is Greater Poland (Wielkopolska), which boasts centuries-old traditions in this industry. Currently, the Greater Poland furniture industry consists of approximately 3,700 companies with total sales of approximately 3,528.64 million PLN (data for 2004). The production of furniture products is one of the ten most important export products of the region (second place).
Analyzing the transport structure among furniture industry enterprises in the Greater Poland region, it can be stated that the majority of SMEs distribute finished products and source raw materials using road transport. Only very large enterprises serving the largest furniture retailers in Europe, such as IKEA (Sweden), Conforama and But (France), Kika/Leiner/Michelfiet (Austria), MFI (Great Britain), Porta Möbel Walther, Hofner, Roller, and Kraft (Germany), also use rail transport.
This situation is not surprising and confirms the prevailing trend in Europe, where over 72% of cargo is transported by road.
Road transport, despite its undoubted advantages, such as short delivery times, the possibility of providing “door-to-door” services, competitive pricing, or flexibility, also has several significant drawbacks. The main disadvantage of road transport, noticeable to all road users, is undoubtedly increased traffic congestion. According to the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways, traffic on roads in Greater Poland has increased by over 30% in recent years. The direct effect of growing traffic congestion is the deterioration of existing road infrastructure and a decrease in road safety levels. One should also remember the harmful effect of exhaust fumes on the natural environment and carbon dioxide emissions.