Design

Nemo Group acquires Driade and FontanaArte

The group now has five companies in its portfolio, with distribution in 80 countries

by Giovanna Mancini

3' min read

3' min read

Two historical Italian design brands, Driade and FontanaArte, became part of the Nemo Group, the furniture cluster founded by Federico Palazzari, with the birth of Nemo Lighting in 2012 (after taking over the Nemo brand from the then Frau Group), joined by Ilti Luce in 2020 and Reggiani in 2023.

After this transaction, the group, which specialises in high-end decorative and architectural lighting, employs 230 people with five sales subsidiaries and four production units, one of which is in China.

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Five independent brands

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The acquisition of Driade and FontanaArte by the Nemo Group is part of a broader project to consolidate the group: "This operation is consistent with our project to contribute to the growth of Italian companies that have made the history of design and lighting in the world," explains Coo Andrea Spallino. "Over the years, the Nemo Group has developed a unique management and development model, which is based on a profound knowledge of the industrial and commercial aspects of design, combining the indispensable values of family businesses with the growth of a management with a strong entrepreneurial vocation.

The five companies of the group will continue to work independently, but share strategic group synergies to drive growth and the global competitiveness of the brands in the portfolio, thanks to a structured commercial presence in Italy, France, Denmark, the UK, the US, China and the Middle East, as well as a distribution network covering more than 80 countries.

As part of the same transaction, BeNice Holding will take over the majority of Valcucine, a historic company from Friuli specialising in high-end designer kitchens.

FontanaArte and Driade, stoira and future

Founded in 1932 by Gio Ponti, FontanaArte is recognised for its excellence in decorative lighting. Born from the idea of enhancing the artistic and plastic potential of glass, FontanaArte has established itself as a benchmark in the Italian design scene, fusing art and industrial skills. Under the leadership of the Nemo Group, the company will continue to consolidate its role, in which the tradition of Italian design is intertwined with the ability to anticipate new aesthetic codes, taking advantage of the group's industrial know-how.

The integration of Driade, a brand recognised for its ability to explore new forms and ideas in furnishing, is in line with the philosophy of the other companies in the group, explain the Nemo Group's top management: the synergy between lighting and furnishing creates a dialogue that combines technological innovation with the elegance and creativity typical of Italian design. Founded in 1968 by the Astori siblings, Enrico and Antonia, and Adelaide Acerbi Astori, Driade is considered an aesthetic workshop, where the art of living is reinvented through collaborations with internationally renowned designers and young emerging talents.

The objectives of the operation

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"The foundations of the success of the Nemo Group and its member companies lie in their ability to combine tradition and innovation," says Stefania Ferrari, Cmo of Nemo Group. "The entry of FontanaArte and Driade is a unique opportunity to enhance Italian know-how, consolidate our position on the international design scene, and respond to the needs of an increasingly demanding global market.

The design and historical value of the two companies and their positioning will allow the group to create important industrial and commercial synergies and a g

lobal increasingly representative of the values of design projects.

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