Major movements, characterised by lightning-fast entries and exits from holding companies and groups, are modifying the corporate and financial structures of theItalian furniture. The latest operation concerns the lighting sector, where, thanks to the dynamic manager from Turin Federico Palazzari, is consolidating, through several M&A operations, Nemo Group. This company, of great appeal for its lighting technologies and design, announced on October 30th theacquisition of two historic brands: FontanaArte e Driade. These companies, which were part of Italian Creation Group (Icg) together with Valcucine and Toscoquattro, have left the holding company due to the economic uncertainties caused by the international situation of the company, founded in 2013 by John Perissinotto e Stefano Core. “I am happy – commented Perissinotto – that Nemo has aggregated the Corsico hub into its group, formed by FontanaArte and Driade that have ended up in safe hands and that will be able to give satisfaction in the future with the development of the right synergies. The security of the future of companies has always been my priority and has guided my choices also on this occasion”.
It is worth noting that Perissinotto had acquired FontanaArte – founded in 1932 by Luigi Fontana and Gio Ponti – from Nice Spa, controlled by Nice Group, one of the world leaders in the smart home sector. The five companies of the group will continue, according to a strategy consolidated over time, to operate as separate entities. Thanks to synergies and cooperation, they will strengthen themselves in the complex global scenario, leveraging the binomial that distinguishes the group: design e technologies. With a turnover of approximately 60 million euros, also increased thanks to a rapid M&A activity and a export the 75% Nemo GROUP boasts a widespread commercial presence structured in Italy, France, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and the Middle East, as well as a distribution network that covers more than 80 countries. With an average growth of 20% per year, Nemo Lighting has acquired several companies, starting in 2020 with theAcquisition of Ilti, a specialist in lighting technologies, and subsequently the historic Reggiani, a large company in the lighting sector, founded in Brianza in 1957.
Palazzari: “The goal: new skills and attracting talent”
“The first objective of this acquisition, for me – he had explained at the time Palazzari on the occasion of the most important acquisition, Reggiani – is to bring new skills into the group, train and attract talent. The technical skills and the very high level positioning of Reggiani will allow the group to create important synergies also on a commercial level, expanding the offer, but above all the opportunities”. Furthermore, it bought 10% of the Italian Slam, manufacturer of sailing clothing since 1971, and recently, it also acquired 2% of the Zumtobel group, a big Austrian in the field of lighting technology.
“As for the acquisition of FontanaArte and Driade – he states Andrea Spallino, COO of Nemo Group – is consistent with our project to contribute to the growth of Italian companies that have made the history of design and lighting in the world. Over the years, Nemo Group has developed a unique management and development model, which is based on a deep knowledge of the industrial and commercial aspects of design, combining the essential values of family businesses with the growth of a management with a strong entrepreneurial vocation”.
First of all, internationality
The choices made in recent years by Nemo Group represent an original development model, which takes into account the most “precious” characteristic of Italian design: that of being, like Driade – founded in 1968 by the Astori brothers – a unique aesthetic laboratory, capable of attracting artists and designers from all over the world. The internationality of the Made in Italy is reflected even more strongly in the history of FontanaArte, which has just celebrated 90 years of activity and which since 1999 has become a globalized brand, thanks to the richness of its catalog, its relationships with the big names in world design and the numerous awards obtained in various countries. Furthermore, it has become part of the Special Register of historic brands of national interest.
Entrepreneur and designer
Palazzari, thanks to his experience as a designer, has collaborated with numerous twentieth-century designers who have established the foundations of contemporary design, such as Le Corbusier, Vico Magistretti, Charlotte Perriand and others. This is an entrepreneur who, like the founders of the first Italian post-war companies, pioneers of Italian good design, boasts a dual experience as a manager and designer, which allows him to experiment without prejudice with new paths and tools, such as Nft world of digital works, as is also happening to another particularly charismatic Italian brand, Visionnaire. On the occasion of the inauguration of the Nemo Virtual Museum, the company has started the minting activity, a minting process that allows the data of an Nft work to be irremovably and publicly inserted on a blockchain, giving life to a real Nemo collection of Nfts.
Valcucine from Icg to Nice Group
The flag changes continue, as valcucine, a very refined Friulian company that was the first in Europe to completely choose the eco-sustainability of its processes, has become part of the Nice holding, the BeNice Holding Spa. Nice has announced that it has acquired a giant: the American Nortek Security & Control, Llc, from Melrose Industries. Nortek Security & Control is a leader in the development of technologies for the sectors of security, home automation, control, power, audio/video, access control, health and artificial intelligence (AI), for residential and commercial applications. With the entry of Valcucine, the holding company – as stated in a press release from the company – strengthens its presence in the design sector, which reflects the personal passion of the founder, Laurel Good, and has been the cornerstone of his entrepreneurial journey for over thirty years. Nice thus becomes the strategic link between the world of design and that of the smart home, since the environment where digitalized and connected appliances and systems are most concentrated is the kitchen.
