Il 5 percent of the national GDP is in Milan, from tomorrow Tuesday 17 until Sunday 22, in the Rho Pero exhibition area where the 57th Furniture expo, with Eurocucina, FTK-Technology for Kitchen, the Bathroom Show, the Furnishing Accessories Show and the Satellite Show, with 1841 exhibitors of which 27 percent were foreigners from 33 countries, with about 5-6 thousand journalists (mostly part foreigners) and a Fuori Salone with 1.300 events.
That 5 percent of GDP means a turnover of 41,5 billion euros (2017 data, recently released) of the complete Federlegno-Arredo supply chain (from the panel to the furniture) which here in the world trade fair event, which for years has made all the competing international fairs disappear, celebrates the glories of the leading sector, the furniture design which, including lighting, is worth approx 27 billion euros with 29 thousand companies strongly exporting (+3,1 per cent in 2017) and with a further growth of the domestic market of 2 per cent.
For years, the tax incentives on restructuring have given an excellent boost to domestic demand, but the added value, the real engine that is growing further, is creativity and manufacturing. Here we design in collaboration with designers from hundreds of countries, even the most remote (Milan Design is a legend everywhere) and here, unique case, good design was born in close collaboration with the furniture maker, with the owner of the company, who often was and is himself an inventor and designer (Italy has the highest index of innovation for living in the world).
The founders of the first contemporary design furniture companies of the 50s were almost all designers of their own furniture together with the young architects who graduated from the Milan Polytechnic once the war was over. Today, behind those 41,5 billion euros there is a 2 percent dedicated to R&D, and in some sectors it exceeds 4 percent. The most beautiful furniture in the world, the most beautiful kitchens, the most innovative appliances and housewares make up that home-system which is boosting its sales and its image on all continents, especially in China where exports are galloping with percentages two digits.
And that's why every year at over a thousand events of the Fuori Salone (which moves 230 million euros, steadily increasing) 300 visitors arrive (this year there will be at least 350), mostly foreigners, to see in the showrooms and factory-lounges of Brianza everything that cannot be exhibited at the Fair. The Italian primacy – grown thanks to the Salone del Mobile – is in fact the result of a horizontal and vertical budding (appliances, lighting, housewares) which also originates from the success of our food and which has been conquering markets for decades, leaving very strong competitors behind.
Most of them are small-medium sized companies good financial standing because – as Cribis of the Crif group, specialists in business information, communicated to us – from the point of view of commercial risk, 41,5% of companies in this sector present an average risk and a lower risk level than the average in 34,3, 11,2% of cases. Maximum risk recorded by only 13% of companies in the sector, minimum level instead for XNUMX%.
Cribis has added to these data, a very interesting portrait of the furniture sector arriving to "count" the horizontal supply chain, consisting of manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing: the set of these three sectors is made up of 44 companies with a turnover of 22 billion euros in 2017 with an increase in revenues of 3 percent.
Source: Paula's house
