Renewal of the heartfelt appeal of the companies of the Italian design industry, together with FederlegnoArredo, after the recent publication of the Design Manifesto signed by a group of leaders in the sector, now updated in its key points and boosted in terms of participation. The appeal is addressed directly to Vittorio Colao, in charge of the new Covid-19 Task Force, and the Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli.
To reopen companies, to resume production, to restart the system, generating real projects for the future. Starting on 20 April. Without granting the regional governments or individual prefects the possibility of delaying the process, but taking unilateral action instead.
The position of the 10 companies behind the document is clear and forceful: Bisazza, B&B Italia, Boffi, Cappellini, Cassina, Flexform, Giorgetti, Minotti (joining the original group), Molteni Group, Poltrona Frau do not intend to wait for 4 May – as presently stipulated by the ministerial decree – to reopen the doors of their factories. What is at risk, in fact, is “20-30% of our industrial legacy, with serious damage caused to the chain of supply, production and distribution. All this will inevitably lead to loss of jobs. For many companies in this sector, already gravely penalized due to the cancellation of the Salone del Mobile 2020, this would mean no longer being able to resume operations,” the companies point out.
The Design Manifesto, first published on Thursday 9 April and now expanded in its contents and demands, becomes a mirror of the needs of the entire industry, which fears not only the loss of orders, but also that of important contracts, as well as serious delays in deliveries that could lead to contractual penalties. “Many of our competitors, in Germany and Scandinavia, for example, or in the devastated context of Spain, are continuing regular operation during these weeks. To meet the demand from major developers or international clients, they guarantee production and delivery times, so they can take over commissions and orders that would otherwise be ours.”
The priority is therefore to reactivate operations on 20 April, and to open furniture stores at the same time, which because of their large size can welcome visitors and clients without violating norms of social distancing. The theme of safety is one of the main factors of the Manifesto, which emphasizes the activation inside companies of all the measures required to guarantee the highest levels of safety in the workplace. Looking to the near future and the phase after the lockdown, “to be able to resume operations stronger than before, aware that only through unity can we continue to prosper in the time to come.”
