Given that the Casa Poliform concept is designed to project an image of the Poliform brand to the world, it is no wonder that the installation is appearing at Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai. From the living area, with its comfortable soft furniture, multi-functional furniture, large bookcases and inviting dining tables, visitors can move on to the bedroom, a stunning space dedicated to the art of rest, with cosy double beds and stunning wardrobes experimenting with transparency and combinations of materials. Finally, the Varenna kitchen is a celebration of conviviality, designed as a place for entertaining and sharing – an impressively practical space that forms the heart of the home.
“We offer up a complete proposal for the home because what people love most about Poliform is the lifestyle we convey and the total look we promote,” explains Marco Longoni, the brand’s export manager. “This is a good strategy all over the world, but the reasons are two-fold here in China. Firstly, Chinese customers are quickly moving from classic to modern tastes, meaning that the Poliform style – which would have been too contemporary up until just a few years ago – is now perfectly in sync with that trend. On top of that, we are able to provide cabinets and kitchens in addition to simple furniture, which is a service that the real-estate industry – another sector experiencing rapid growth – requires, given that it sells entire apartments in the big skyscrapers. The cost of an apartment is no less than €10,000 per square metre, so the products inside must be of a high standard. Poliform is a leading company in the sector because we’re capable of accommodating large orders, as well as ensuring top quality from a technical perspective.”
Clearly, the brand is appealing to both consumers and construction companies. Yet part of Poliform’s strength is its consolidated presence in China, with ten mono-brand stores in the country’s biggest cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Qingdao, Foshan and Hong Kong, and at least two new openings scheduled for 2018.
“We’re expanding in the market through our stores,” says Longoni, “but we’re also opening a local technical and support office to oversee technical and commercial relations with the distribution channel, in response to strong growth in the market. This office will act as an intermediary between Poliform, the parent company, and its local distributors.”
