Believe it or not, it looks like there is going to be a sofa shortage. Who could ever have seen this coming
Blaine Wieland, president of Home Reserve

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged chemical plants resulting in a severe shortage of foam products used in the production of furniture and bedding. Blaine Wieland, president of Home Reserve, a small furniture manufacturer based in Fort Wayne, Indiana says furniture makers from coast to coast are suffering through the most dramatic disruption in foam supplies and prices ever to hit the industry.

Wieland said, "We lost chemical ingredients suppliers, and the processing plants that make the key components of polyurethane foam had to go offline during the hurricane." Wieland also claims a finished product shortage is possible. "Believe it or not, it looks like there is going to be a sofa shortage. Who could ever have seen this coming," he said.

Major manufacturers including La Z Boy and Serta have cited foam shortages but claim to have enough supply to meet demand (see La Z Boy story) (see Sealy story).

Wieland says when he can get foam, "they're demanding price increases of 60%."

Wieland suggests that when furniture prices rise, demand for the products will slacken.