That’s why we never miss the major trade fairs (here, the report of our visit to the recent Euroshop in Dusseldorf). This is also why we decided to NOT attend the the next (upcoming) edition of Euroluce 2017, as part of the Salone del Mobile. We are not superstitious: we do not skip the year because of its number (17). Nor do we believe that internationalization is only pursued in the events out of the Italian territory (a little healthy patriotism still prevents us to think so). It is simply a strategic choice that finds its whys in some numbers and the concept of glocalization.

Let’s start from glocalization. We are not going to hurl invective against globalization but a simple concept, namely the “zero km relationship” or glocal relationship. For the years 2016 – 2017, we decided to take part in the fair format Architect@work. We participated in the Vienna edition (October 12 and 13, 2016), Milan edition (November 23 and 24, 2016) and London edition (January 25 and 26, 2017). For the future, we are planning to go to Germany and, maybe, France.
A very simple fair format but, above all, winning and “local”. That’s why we liked it soon. The fair consists in encompassing the entire design world in two half-days of exhibition (afternoon until 8 p.m., to meet even the needs of the professionals of the industry). Exhibitors include brands from the construction sector (Furniture, paneling, fixtures, plumbing and heating material, and lighting fixtures, of course) respecting the shares per commodity sector. Visitors include professionals related to the design world (architects, interior designers, designers and installers). Stands have the same size and rules for everyone: in order to participate, the products on display must be assessed and approved by a technical committee, which guarantees the actual innovative nature.

The location of the fair consists in the possibility to weave one-to-one relationships with professionals who visit and often gravitate professionally in the city of reference, even if often the projects on which they work have an international scope (it’s especially the case of the London edition). That’s why it is a glocal fair in all respects!
Of course, for a company like ours, investments to be made must be weighted carefully. The stated and unavoidable goal remains that of internationalization. Instead, the way to pursue it has changed. Therefore, the strategic decision this year was to attend this fair format, to the detriment of other events that were increasingly international but larger and economically more challenging, as well as to invest in people who gravitate in the export world (recently, we hired a group export manager and a back office able to speak four European languages). Our goal for 2017 is opening markets that still know little about us, such as the German and French markets, with an ever-facing eye on the realities in the Middle East (Qatar above all) and the United Arab Emirates, with projects that often are conceived and developed in collaboration with design firms based in London, Milan or Germany. The UK market, meanwhile, is growing and developing from year to year with a nearly 40% weight on foreign sales and a growth in the last two years always in double figures. The 2017 goal is to reach 1.5 million turnover for the foreign segment and there are the conditions to reach it…

In short, ambitious goals, inspirational ideas, always fresh energy and dynamic organization. These are the key words of our international 2017!