Pitcure Of Birthday Cakes

Crisis

It was not hard to imagine that with the collapse of the real estate sector U.S., Italian furniture could also suffer the consequences. If you then add the difficulties of Spain that they can easily get less than 1.8% of exports for the month of July (or less than 1.3% in the first seven months) reported yesterday by Istat. "The situation is not particularly brilliant - admits Rosario Messina, president of Federlegno-furniture since July - but do not forget that in the last three years we have had an average growth of 5% per year, with an increase in exports of 7-8 % '.
President Messina, which gives feedback of the current situation of Italian furniture?
Identify the causes of the braking in the early months of the year is easy. Meanwhile, one of our major markets, the United States before he lost ground because of the euro / dollar, then collapsed for financial shocks. For our furniture in June, the decline was 20%. A week ago I was in New York, in an Italian restaurant frequented by rampant finance: three quarters of the tables were empty. If we then look to Spain, but another important market in crisis, where the building is locked, there is always a further 30% drop in June. The same as we have seen in Japan.
This means that the scenario before us is very dark?
No, indeed. Simply changing the geography of Italian exports. If in the countries I mentioned are on the brakes, this does not mean that Made in Italy has lost dynamism. In the first half in Russia have grown 27%, 34% in Australia, in Emirai Arab 34%, Ukraine 24%, 22% in Romania. Other double-digit growth we have achieved in Turkey, we are expanding in Greece and Egypt. In short, the Italian export has not collapsed, have fallen some big markets, but others are growing. And another important fact is that the contract is growing, that orders for big jobs.
What are the weaknesses in its view of the sector in Italy?
The sharp fall in exports in the U.S. is due in large part to the district of upholstered furniture in the area of \u200b\u200bBari and Matera. Nothing to do: Italy to make products of the medium-high or high, or succumbs. And China is not even our problem now is Vietnam, where production costs are even lower, the point that the Chinese have moved there. Our high-end products, however, defended well all over the world. Another weakness of the district of Matera and Bari is the fact that single-product and Single price: you can not think of producing sofas and only in one price range. How
expected to be shut down this year?
Now we will see how the next few months, until December, which for us are among the most important. However I do not think that now we can recover a lot. I negative opinion will close at around minus 2 percent. In the spring return
Furniture Fair, which this year has had a successful record. Who will be the next president of Cosmit, the company that organized?
decide by next month and will be chosen from among the members of the board of directors. I, however, as president of Federlegno (which owns 100% of Cosmit), I will stay in the board of directors as vice president.