FederlegnoArredo: new presidents elected for the furniture associations

The governing bodies of FederlegnoArredo’s furniture associations met to renew their leadership for the 2026-2030 term.

Denise Archiutti (Veneta Cucine Spa) was elected President of Assarredo, succeeding Maria Porro. Mattia Fiorindo (FIMA Carlo Frattini Spa) is the new President of Assobagno, following Elia Vismara’s term of office. Nicola Franceschi (Aresline Spa) takes over as President of Assufficio, succeeding Gianfranco Marinelli. Marco Fogarolo (Fogarolo Allestimenti Srl) was confirmed at the helm of Asal-Assoallestimenti. Paolo Montanaro (MV Line Spa) takes over as President of Assotende, succeeding Gianfranco Bellin. Carlo Urbinati (Foscarini Spa) was elected for a second term as President of Assoluce.

With the renewal of the presidencies of the furniture associations, following those of the wood sector completed before the summer break, FederlegnoArredo has now completed the renewal of its association governance ahead of the next presidential term.

The association meetings were held at Artwood Academy, the professional and specialist training centre for the wood-furniture supply chain founded in 2013 on the initiative of FederlegnoArredo in Lentate sul Seveso (MB). The choice highlights the strategic value of training and investment in the skills needed to support the evolution and competitiveness of the supply chain. Meeting in the place where tomorrow’s professionals are trained also reaffirms the importance of attracting young talent and developing skills capable of responding to the transformation of the sector. For Assoluce, the association meeting was held at the Artemide Competence Center, a particularly significant venue for the lighting sector and one of the sites of one of the industry’s leading companies.

The renewal of the presidencies involves different but closely interconnected segments of the Italian furniture supply chain and comes at a time still characterised by an uncertain international environment and by the need for companies to continue investing in innovation, new markets and business development.

A SYSTEM RESPONDING TO AN STILL UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT

The furniture macro-system (MSA), worth more than €27.7 billion in 2025, is one of the strongest expressions of “made in Italy”, thanks to its strong international vocation. Production for the domestic market is worth €13.5 billion, while exports, at €14.2 billion, continue to account for more than half of the overall value.

The MSA continues to operate in a complex economic and international environment. This is the picture emerging from the January-June 2026 Monitor, a survey carried out by the FederlegnoArredo Study Centre on a representative sample of companies.

In the first half of 2026, the MSA recorded a decline of 2.3 per cent, almost entirely attributable to the fall in exports, down 4.2 per cent, while sales on the domestic market remained broadly stable, down 0.2 per cent. The contraction was largely driven by the furniture segment, down 3.2 per cent and the most significant in value terms, but also affected bathroom furniture, down 0.9 per cent, and lighting, down 4.8 per cent. Positive results were recorded by the office segment, up 1.1 per cent, with contrasting trends between Italy and foreign markets, and by the awnings and solar shading segment, up 1.7 per cent.

As regards expectations for the end of the year, as many as 33 per cent of companies believe that 2026 will close with a decline, in some cases a sharp one, compared with 2025. On the export front, meanwhile, the polarisation between companies recording growth and those experiencing a decline is becoming more pronounced. Weak domestic demand, falling exports, market uncertainty and rising costs, the latter felt particularly by smaller companies, are the main obstacles to growth.

Companies are nevertheless showing a notable ability to respond to the unfavourable environment. Strategies adopted to counter negative trends include a stronger focus on contract projects, diversification across foreign markets and product innovation.

The six associations represent an equal number of segments within the furniture supply chain: Assarredo brings together companies from across the furniture sector, from manufacturers of furniture, upholstered products, kitchens, outdoor furniture and sleep systems to furnishing accessories; Assobagno represents bathroom furniture manufacturers; Assufficio companies producing furniture for workplaces, collective spaces and educational environments; Asal-Assoallestimenti companies specialising in the design and construction of exhibition stands; Assotende manufacturers of awnings and solar shading systems; and Assoluce manufacturers of lighting equipment.

THE NEW PRESIDENTIAL BOARDS

The renewal of the associations’ governance is completed by the respective Presidential Boards, which will support the new leadership teams over the next four years.

Assarredo
Filippo Antonelli, Francesca Battaglia, Carola Bestetti, Eleonore Cavallli, Laura Colombo, Francesco Crassevig, Christian Dal Bo, Stefano De Colle, Franco Di Fonzo, Fabio Formenti, Gianmaria Frigerio, Lorena Fulgini, Jacopo Galli, Daniele Livi, Mirko Longo, Lorenza Luti, Fabrizio Mansutti, Massimilano Messina, Giulia Molteni, Roberto Moroso, Anna Nardi, Roberto Pompa, Maria Porro, Stefania Rinaldi, Alberto Scavolini, Edi Snaidero, Miriam Vernier, Barbara Villari, Francesco Zanca, Denise Archiutti (President)

Assobagno
Maurizio Bellosta, Giampaolo Calisti, Alberico Crosetta, Marco Gobbini, Andrea Gulinucci, Christian Krapf, Andrea Lanza, Federico Pintossi, Alberto Poletto, Giuseppe Presotto, Valeria Provini, Alberto Serraglini, Daniela Stocco, Mattia Fiorindo (President)

Assufficio
Camilla Bianchini, Alex Bressan, Roberto Cigana, Massimiliano Di Biase, Alessandra Fardin, Maurizio Furlan, Pietro Molteni, Roberto Motti, Marcello Pedicone, Mirko Quinti, Emidio Salvatorelli, Massimo Stella, Raimondo Taraborelli, Massimiliano Zamò, Nicola Franceschi (President)

Asal-Assoallestimenti
Gianfranco D’Alconzo, Ares Bolognesi, Giorgio Benfenati, Cristiano Franchi, Domenico Gagliardi, Matteo Plotini, Sandro Stipa, Michele Tosetto, Massimiliano Vaj, Marco Fogarolo (President)

Assotende
Angelo Battista, Alessio Bellin, Gianfranco Bellin, Giovanni Cirillo, Marco Durì, Enrico Incarnato, Carlo Giovanardi, Simone Mazzon, Roberto Mezzalira, Michele Parravicini, Nicola Prendin, Alberto Radaelli, Davide Roveda, Matteo Scampini, Stefano Sghedoni, Paolo Montanaro (President)

Assoluce
Carlotta de Bevilacqua, Andrea Citterio, Francesca Fascina, Marco Ghilarducci, Pablo Illueca, Enrico Maria Masiero, Andrea Signoroni, Roberto Ziliani, Carlo Urbinati (President)