Business cases

Aran World's international expansion between vision and family strategy

The company founded by Renzo Rastelli combines family tradition and technological innovation

by Luca Brambilla*

4 December 2025

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Aran World is passion, vision and tenacity. It is a company born in the heart of Abruzzo that has brought value and prosperity to the territory thanks to the contribution of the Rastelli family. Over the years it has been able to expand throughout Italy and in more than 120 countries, exporting the excellence of Italian design to the world. With a turnover of around 100 million euro and over 300 employees, Aran World is today one of the leading international kitchen and furniture companies.

The Origins

Renzo Rastelli was just 20 years old when he chose to set aside his football talent to work as an accountant in the province of Teramo, in the town of Atri. Born into a humble family, and having lost his father when he was only ten years old, he left his university studies to cultivate his dream of setting up a 'business' both in the family and at work. Today he has five children and his business expands well beyond national borders.

All it took to achieve his goal was a little time and a brilliant pioneering intuition, which is still the basis of Aran World's success today. Realising how crucial logistics costs are at the export stage, Rastelli decided to give the customer the option of choosing whether to import the kitchens in an assembled version, or flat pack, depending on the transport and assembly costs of the recipient country. A change that entails not only financial savings for the partner, but also a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions when the flat pack solution is chosen.

The American takeover

Masco Corporation, eager to invest in Europe, acquired the company in 2001. Rastelli is chosen as administrator. The American company introduced a real organisational and management revolution: efficiency became the guiding principle for all production and administrative processes, and turnover rose with great benefits for both company and employees.

Four years later, Rastelli made an unexpected and courageous choice: in a leveraged buyout he took over Aran World.

The advent of the second generation

Today, the children are actively involved in the company's growth: Erika is Chief People Officer and follows the Group's Institutional Relations, Licia is in charge of operations and product management, Luca - after a high-profile international experience - follows the company's strategy, Lino is in charge of the American division - for which he oversaw the rebranding of retail distribution under the Renzo Rastelli brand - and Marco is completing his training.

The picture is as admirable as it is rare: all family members have chosen to put themselves at the service of the company by absorbing their father's teachings and values like sponges. Each one carving out their own personal space and generating a natural harmony that combines the different family sensibilities.

The new generation has brought a breath of fresh air, giving an innovative impetus to processes and machinery thanks also to the introduction of systems based on artificial intelligence.

Business Principles

The spirit of Aran World is based on four fundamental values, four beacons that guide every project and decision: innovation, responsibility, quality and customer focus. The result is a company constantly expanding towards global dimensions, which maintains a deep connection with its Abruzzi origins and preserves a heartfelt care for the environment, society and people.

The marriage of tradition and modernity, of family and managerial attitude, is also realised through initiatives such as the 'Family Council', a family governance body separate from the Board of Directors with the aim of creating debate around family-related issues - such as dividends, succession or child-rearing - outside the management arena. A choice driven by the desire to reduce the possibility of emotional or personal conflicts contaminating business decisions.

The core principles are transmitted to the new generations through an inclusive and fair culture, capable of creating a working environment where everyone can feel welcomed, respected and valued. Values not only declared but translated into real actions, capable of creating a company in which employees grow together.

The future goal of the Rastelli family is to continue to grow and inspire, establishing itself as a benchmark in sustainable design. "Life is a Circle", one of Renzo Rastelli's mottos, testifies to his desire to keep this entrepreneurial journey unstoppable, leaving it always open to nourish itself with new challenges.

*Director Strategic Communication Academy