Reinvented Promosedia showcases Italian design

By Susan Pantaleo -- Furniture Today, 10/9/2006
This year's show hosted 144 manufacturers with displays at the Udine fairgrounds, down from 175 exhibitors, including an array of companies from outside Italy, in 2005.The Italians value design innovation as the key to long-term success. At Promosedia, that was evidenced by the popularity of design competitions and awards.

Udine, Italy— Taking a simple and bold approach, the Promosedia show here has reinvented itself to combat intense global competition.
The International Chair Exhibition celebrated a 30-year anniversary in September by returning to its original purpose as an exclusive showcase for Italian chair manufacturing. More than 10,000 visitors from 70 countries came to this city in the heart of Italy's chair-making district to view the "Made in Italy" exhibition.

"Changes to the exhibit were not made as a protectionist measure, but as a showcase for higher quality, more innovative Italian design," said the show's president, Franco Buttazzoni. "We don't want to be the biggest; we want to be the most specialized and innovative."

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Catas, the Italian Laboratory for Research & Testing Furniture and Wood-based Products, honored companies based on aesthetics, performance of materials, safety and ergonomics. Winners were the Three Skin Chair, by designer Ron Arad; Luna, by designers Biagio Cisotti and Sandra Laube; Gió by designer Antonio Minervini; and Ginger by designers Robby Cantarutti and Francesca Petricich