Marelli's factory in Meda, Lombardy specialises in soft seating. Traditional needles and threads are used in time-honoured fashion.
The location of a brand can make or break a business; even with the readiness and instant accessibility of the digital world, consumers still require the more traditional and nostalgic sense of being able to visit, touch and experience at first hand the latest products in a well put-together showroom.
In terms of where best to position yourself, it comes to no surprise that Italy remains a focus point as a worldwide trendsetter and leader in design. It’s a place of extreme traditionalism: the annual Salone del Mobile design fair in Milan, and its offering of innovative international designers, continues to counteract any influence on the native design culture, marking itself as a devotional pinpoint for the industry. And not far off is London: a place where architecture and design has flourished in its historical setting.
ICF's Una chair is designed with customization in mind.
TASK, ICF and Marelli are three companies championing location in their business models. TASK is an independent UK manufacturer and supplier of contract furniture that produces in-house designs such as seating and storage. For over 10 years, TASK has held the exclusive UK distribution rights for two Italian producers: ICF and Marelli. Both are based in Milan – with Marelli primarily specialising in soft seating and ICF focusing on office chairs and tables – both are able to distribute their traditionally manufactured products within the European markets with thanks to their long-distance yet family-like connection with TASK.
The family is a connotation that resonates throughout the three companies’ relationship, as well as in the products they make and sell. ICF’s headquarters on the outskirts of Milan brings together a showroom, office, research lab, production house and a space for packaging and delivering – each phase has a particular industrial mindset that ensures quality in the assembly process.
Marelli, a family-owned company founded by Giulo Marelli in 1964, has a 1,500sq m showroom and factory in Meda, a town in Lombardy, in the province of Monza and Brianza, close to Milan and Como. Here, the company is able to present the models and materials used in the process – such as leathers, fabrics and various other finishes – in a home-inspired context filled with sofas, coffee tables, chairs, dining tables, mirrors and lifestyle accessories.