Dec. 5 – In Lombardy, the furniture and interior design industry is redirecting its exports to the east. According to an elaboration of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan on Istat data for the first half of 2013 compared to 2012, regional exports to Russia and Ukraine reached almost €85 million in six months, divided into: €70 million to Russia (+12.4%) and €15 million to Ukraine (+1 %), accounting for almost a quarter of the total Italian exports to the two countries. Among the provinces, the largest hubs are Como, with €28.7 million to Russia (+10.4%) and €8.2 million to Ukraine (+34.1 %) and Monza and Brianza (€21.3 million to Russia and €4.18 million towards Ukraine). Varese also registered strong growth, seeing its exports triple. In this context, it is natural that regional companies asked to meet with Russian and Ukrainian buyers during the “B2B System House,” which began yesterday and ends today in Desenzano del Garda. The two-day event hosts B2B meetings to facilitate the internationalization process for small and medium-sized enterprises active in home decor, bathroom furniture, kitchen furniture, office, lighting, finishes and furniture. The initiative involved more than 130 companies and was organized by Unicredit in partnership with FederlegnoArredo, ICE – the Agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian firms, and Promos – the Special Agency for international activities of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, in collaboration with DHL Express. Yet, B2B System House is just one of the many initiatives promoted by the Chamber of Commerce and designed for enterprises in the wood and furniture industry: last year, 457 companies participated in Promos initiatives, consisting in business missions abroad, participation in fairs and projects, and services provided to over 570 entrepreneurs in the industry.
