Zanotta acquired by Cassina becomes part of Haworth Lifestyle Design Group
Zanotta SpA, an historic Italian company operating in the high-end segment and internationally renowned for its iconic furniture, was acquired by Cassina SpA, a company of the Haworth Lifestyle Design group. A leading voice for design throughout the world, Cassina will coordinate its activities and future development plan.
Zanotta now becomes part of the Haworth Lifestyle Design group together with the other prestigious brands: Cassina, Cappellini, Ceccotti, Karakter, Poltrona Frau, Luxury Living, JANUS Et Cie, Luminaire and Interni.
Founded in 1954 in Nova Milanese, Zanotta is recognised as one of the major players in the history of Italian design. Since the 60s, guided by the intuition and extraordinary entrepreneurial capacity of its founder Aurelio Zanotta, it has conquered the design scene with its emblematic products defined by innovation and technological research, as well as the continuous evolution in the quality of materials and production processes.
With a turnover of approximately 25 million Euros, the company operates in both the Residential and Contract markets and is available in over 700 specialised stores in 50 countries around the world.
Zanotta is today one of the most represented, recognisable and iconic design companies also thanks to its 330 products exhibited in 56 museums around the world and the 4 Compasso d’Oro ADI received in its career.
Over its exceptional history, Zanotta has collaborated with some of the most important Italian architects and designers, including, Gae Aulenti, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini, Carlo Mollino, Bruno Munari and Ettore Sottsass. A collection of legendary products that best represent everyday life such as, for example, the Maggiolina chaise-longue, the Sciangai coat stand, the Sacco armchair, the Tonietta chair, the Mezzadro stool, the Leonardo table, the Allunaggio outdoor seat and the Quaderna table, in production for decades and still today a point of reference for passionate customers and design connoisseurs.
Giuliano Mosconi, CEO of Tecno/Zanotta group, commented: “Following these years of intense work, which have brought Zanotta back into the spotlight, I am happy that this wonderful company can continue its journey side by side with an important player like Cassina, who will help it to make the most of its potential.”
Luca Fuso, CEO of Cassina, commented: “We are extremely happy to welcome Zanotta, a company that has written some of the most important chapters of design and with which we share the founding values of this sector, from production quality to supporting culture. We will guarantee ample operational autonomy to this formidable brand so that it can continue its creative journey through the search for new talent and the enhancement of its exceptional product portfolio. We will take care of Zanotta and work towards generating the greatest attention for it to grow worldwide.”
Dario Rinero, CEO of Haworth Lifestyle Design, commented: “With the arrival of Zanotta we have added another shining star to our bright sky, confirming HLD group’s vocation to identify, attract and develop the best organisations from the global design scene. I warmly welcome our new colleagues who, thanks to their commitment, have been evolving this wonderful brand every day for the past 70 years, while I remember with respectful admiration Aurelio Zanotta, the company’s founding father, visionary and master of the great history of Italian design.”
The buyer was supported by EY for the financial/accounting due diligence, by Studio Legale Tributario for tax audits and by ADVANT Nctm for legal advice on the entire transaction, while Ethica Group acted as the financial advisor to the seller who was advised by Fieldfisher Italia for legal advice.
Cassina, founded in Meda in 1927, launched industrial design in Italy during the 1950s by taking a completely new approach which saw a shift from handcraftsmanship to serial production. Cassina has always had a pioneering attitude thanks to its commitment to research and innovation, combining technological skill with traditional craftsmanship and involving important architects and designers to envision new forms and transform them into projects.
Today, ‘The Cassina Perspective’ expresses the company’s values through an eclectic collection where innovative products and Modern icons come together to create welcoming environments, dialoguing according to a unique design code based on excellence.
Haworth Lifestyle Design (formerly Poltrona Frau Group) has been operating since the early 2000s and has brought together some of the most prestigious brands in the world of high-end furniture: Poltrona Frau, Cappellini, Cassina, Ceccotti, JANUS et Cie, Karakter, Luxury Living, Luminaire and Interni. With a turnover of 850 million Euros and 2,200 employees, it is today one of the largest companies in the world operating in this sector.
The Group is part of Haworth Inc, one of the most important operators in the world in the field of commercial furniture based in the United States, with a turnover of approximately 2.5 billion dollars and 7,500 employees worldwide.
