Even more so than last year, when the entire wood and furniture supply chain was coming off two roaring years, with significant growth in both domestic sales and sales on all continents - also growth in margins and turnover - even more so this year the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan (62nd edition, 16-21 April) represents a fundamental anchor for restoring impetus to the entire sector which - according to the declarations of the president of Federlegnoarredo, Claudio Feltrin, on the occasion of today's press meeting in Milan for the presentation of the next Salon - will close 2023 at -8,1 percent, still above 2019 levels, at 52,6 billion euros. “But inflation has an impact and the decline – comments Feltrin – is also physiological due to the stop of bonuses. Furthermore, the demand crisis in Germany is making itself felt."
Furniture Fair, the difficulties of the market
This is why “the role of the next Salone will be even more important for the future of Made in Italy design”. The domestic market is experiencing a marked negative trend (-10,1%) which also affects exports (-4,5%) with a turnover of almost 20 billion euros (38% of the total). Furnishings recorded significantly lower drops with -3,4% total, -3,2% Italy and -3,6% export. After reaching almost three billion euros in 2022, thanks to an excellent performance in both production for the national market (2 billion) and exports (1 billion), in 2023 kitchens, in contrast to the other furniture sectors, they remain substantially at the same levels.
Il production turnover (3 billion) in fact recorded a limited contraction, -2%, determined by the decline in production for Italy (-3%). Exports stable: in the January-October period, the first two markets, France (165 million euros) and the United States (119 million euros), recorded +0,1% and +5,8% respectively. Third market is Switzerland (59 million euros) which recorded -1,5%. “Based on what a champion declared – states Edy Snaidero advisor in charge of the Cucine Group FederlegnoArredo.
Furniture Fair, expectations on foreign markets
“The expectation is for a confirmation edition, the sector hopes for a recovery on foreign markets especially in the second part of 2024, also in anticipation of Eurocucina, where much of the research carried out in recent years by the sector will be presented, with greater integration with the world of household appliances, especially in terms of optimization, personalization of spaces and sustainability". And the next Salone was the focus of his introductory story president Maria Porro, veteran of a long presentation trip around the world, who described the development of the innovative formula inaugurated in 2023.
Furniture Fair, Lynch's installation
“We wanted to capture new trends, the evolution of an entire sector by involving and listening to communities near and far, identifying new approaches, methodologies and technologies, experimenting, in one expression, staying on the frontier: this is still the ambition of the Show today of Mobile” explained the Visit. Neuroscience, artificial intelligence, new formats and paths, a unitary but widespread cultural project, between coherence and multidisciplinarity, the rooms for thinking by David Lynch, the installation by Salotto NY which takes us underwater and between poetry and numbers takes stock of the state of the art of the bathroom industry but also the talks with many guests including the Pritzker Francis Kéré prize and the visionary performances of artists and food designers: everything has been designed to offer the visitor and exhibitor an exceptional experience in terms of content and container, impossible to replicate except here, at the Milan Show, unthinkable to lose, even if it is not limited to just one week, but covers the entire year thanks to the propulsive and inclusive force of our digital platform".
Furniture Fair, the redistribution of the pavilions
Il relaunch of the optimization of the layouts and routes of EuroCucina and the International Bathroom Exhibition see one total redistribution of the pavilions with the aim of grouping exhibitors by content and visitor target. The program of events is particularly rich but above all stimulating because it is truly new, cultured but also imaginative and suitable for transmitting the values, beauty, work and research of the entire supply chain which, let us not forget, is today the first in Europe for quality and eco-sustainability.
There will obviously be news from our furniture makers, which the whole world is waiting for and which we will soon anticipate.. And there will also be the Fuorisalone to act as a backdrop, especially at night, to the glittering week-end of the Milanese weekend. The trend catcher architect Roberta Mutti will tell a preview of her decidedly unique story-study at FIRSTonline, which summarizes the long history of the Fuorisaloni through images and comments, a formula now imitated throughout the world.
Furniture Fair, controversies and gossip
Once again the great manufacturing and creative platform for furniture and the home is preparing, albeit amid controversy and gossip: some big names were so to speak... evicted from the first pavilions of the Fair, those placed at the entrance, because they were assigned to the two biennials, Eurocucina with FTK (first time together furniture and domestic technology, the highlight of the entire Fair). And the city of is already preparing Milan to which everyone addressed words of thanks because it is Milan with its Fair, with its administration, with its citizens (patient and perhaps happy with the chaos), the showrooms, the services of the tertiary sector (with prices now unbearable) which have given a great contribution to the success of the Fair over the of decades.
We will then talk about exhibitions and events and news but we cannot close without mentioning a curious and amusing speech by a regional councilor who - perhaps not knowing the sector, design and Milanese fairs well - spent a quarter of an hour amidst the hilarity of those present praised "the great Lombardy fair, the triumph of Lombardy design, the merit of the Lombardy region for the global success of Lombardy design", forgetting that entrepreneurs, designers, managers and journalists from all over the country were present and amazed and that the vast majority of exhibitors is not Lombard. And forgetting that today the home sector and the wood supply chain itself are spread across the country and that, without Milan, the Show would certainly not be the Show.
