Italy’s Nemo Group Makes First Furnishings Acquisition With Driade

MILAN – Nemo Group, owned by Milan-based lighting entrepreneur Federico Palazzari, added two crown jewels to its rising design hub of manufacturers with the acquisition of lighting maker Fontana Arte and Driade, its first furnishings property.

Each firms have been beforehand managed by Italian Creation Group, which can also be house to kitchen maker Valcucine. The phrases of the deal weren’t disclosed.

The Milan-based firm previously generally known as Nemo Lighting turned Nemo Group in March, following a sequence of acquisitions to fortify its enterprise and open itself as much as different sectors of design. Palazzari began with a customized lighting manufacturing workshop in Milan and based Nemo Lighting in 2012.

In 2020, it acquired ILTI Luce, a historic model with a robust give attention to technical lighting and out of doors options. In mid-2023, Nemo Lighting purchased Reggiani, a pacesetter in large-scale skilled technical and architectural lighting, merging the experience of the three manufacturers. 

Nemo’s U.S. chief government officer Pietro Gennaro defined on the time that the brand new Nemo Group, which collaborates with world-renowned names comparable to designer Ron Gilad and boasts massive names comparable to Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, Lina Bo Bardi and Álvaro Siza in its assortment, was nicely ready to face the challenges of the market.

Driade was based in Milan in 1968 by artwork director Enrico Astori, designer Antonia Astori and Adelaide Acerbi, who led the model’s picture and communication. Avant garde designers Enzo Mari and Nanda Vigo have been essential at its inception: Mari with the Sof Sof chair and Vigo together with her furry Blocco seat.

Achille Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini and Philippe Starck are additionally amongst its roster of collaborators. Fabio Novembre was appointed artwork director of Driade in 2019.

Fontana Arte traces its origins again to 1881 with Luigi Fontana, who began making float glass or sheets of glass for the development trade in Milan. In 1931, his agency Luigi Fontana & C. appointed Gio Ponti as its artwork director.

The agency formally turned Fontana Arte in 1932 and immediately principally produces lighting, but additionally some glass furnishings. Ponti is credited with Fontana Arte’s iconic fashions: 0024, Bilia, Pirellina and Pirellone lamps, in addition to a espresso desk referred to as the Tavolino 1932.

With its 5 firms, Nemo Group now has a structured industrial presence in Italy, France, Denmark, the U.Ok., the U.S., China and the Center East, with a distribution community in over 80 international locations.

“The 5 teams will proceed to function as separate entities,” Nemo Group mentioned in an announcement, including that the companies will profit from the synergies and world positioning created by all 5 firms underneath the Nemo Group umbrella.