Amid Challenges, High-end Furniture Firm Natuzzi Battles With Italian Trade Unions Over 400 Jobs

MILAN — High-end Italian design furniture firm Natuzzi’s concern program for 2026 and 2028 and the destiny of much than 400 jobs stay successful limbo.

On Monday, the nation’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made successful Italy said the 3rd circular of talks held by the ministry betwixt commercialized unions and the Bari-based high-end furnishings steadfast ended without a resolution.

More from WWD

• Andrée Putman Studio to Reveal Unseen Iconic Furniture Creations astatine Art Paris

• Osaka Aims to Become Global Design Hub arsenic Osaka Design Week Kicks Off Sept. 23

• Former Vans Executive Laura Stauth Joins Salomon North America

“Although determination is nary scheduled day for a caller meeting, some the institution and the unions, with differing words and nuances, anticipation for the resumption of dialogue,” the ministry said successful a enactment published connected its website connected Monday.

Natuzzi Group, which produces sofas and different furnishings astatine its facilities successful Puglia, Basilicata and Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, arsenic good arsenic Romania, said the concern program is important amid a challenging macro and geopolitical environment.

“The 2026-2028 concern program projected to institutions and societal partners remains, for the company, the strategical effect to the request to code the existent important geopolitical and economical instability and to accommodate its concern exemplary successful effect to a planetary script undergoing profound transformation,” Natuzzi said.

Natuzzi, which has astir precocious worked with designers similar Karim Rashid and Fabio Novembre, presently employs astir 1,800 radical and said the concern program would impact the aboriginal of much than 400 employees, which the ministry said were “close to retirement.”

“The company, emphasizing the hard economical and fiscal concern of the group, reaffirmed the conditions for an agreement: the closure of the Jesce 2 tract and the merchantability of the Ginosa plant…the voluntary exit of astir 400 workers adjacent to retirement, and the reassignment of astatine slightest 300 further radical to companies successful the area,” the enactment said.

The Apulia portion of the Fillea Cgil commercialized national stated layoffs would full 479 and would harm the integrity of Italian production.

“We anticipation that the adjacent steps by the institution volition determination successful the absorption of responsibility,” Italy’s Fillea Cgil said connected its Instagram.

Natuzzi’s concern program involves a 50 cardinal euro-investment for the 2026 to 2028 period.

Natuzzi distributed its collections worldwide done a planetary retail web of astir 565 stores and 687 wholesale partners astatine the extremity of 2025. According to the concern plan, 72 openings with concern partners were slated for 2026.