From the opening ceremony to the first congress and the interzum forum italy Award, the 2026 edition sparks debate on the furniture supply chain.
“Beyond the Furniture Towards the Future” is the theme that accompanied the opening this morning of the second edition of interzum forum italy at the Bergamo Exhibition Centre. The inaugural ceremony, attended by Thomas Rosolia, CEO of Koelnmesse Italia, Claudia Maria Terzi, Lombardy Regional Councillor for Infrastructure and Public Works, Sergio Gandi, Deputy Mayor of Bergamo and Councillor for Budget, Taxation and Trade, along with other representatives of local institutions, partners and congress speakers, marked the official opening of two days of discussion on the evolution of the design and furniture supply chain.
With a focus on the Function & Components, Materials & Nature, and Textile & Machinery sectors, the 2026 edition brings together companies, designers, industry partners, and representatives of the main production districts, confirming its role as a key reference point for the sector and offering an up-to-date perspective on an evolving ecosystem in which production, logistics and collaborative models are shifting towards more integrated, resilient, and innovative solutions.
Kicking off the congress proceedings was the conference chaired by Edi Snaidero, President of EFIC (European Furniture Industries Confederation); Volker Irle, Managing Director of AMK (The Association of Modern Kitchen); Federica Dallanoce, President of the Italian Association for Purchasing and Supply Management (ADACI); Alessandra Tracogna, Partner and Senior Expert at CSIL and Jörg Buck, Executive Board Member of the Italian-German Chamber of Commerce. The discussion opened with analyses by CSIL, which provided the reference framework for interpreting the effects of current economic dynamics on the furniture supply chain. In a context of slowing global growth and tensions affecting international trade, the sector is particularly impacted by cost volatility and raw material shortages. However, CSIL projections indicate a possible recovery in trade between 2027 and 2028, provided that the global environment gradually returns to greater stability.
“In such a dynamic phase, moments of dialogue like interzum forum italy take on an even more strategic value: they offer an opportunity to share expertise, interpret market signals together, and strengthen relationships among all actors in the production chain," says Thomas Rosolia, CEO of Koelnmesse Italia. "It is within this exchange between companies, territories, and people that value is created and the conditions are built to face the challenges ahead with greater resilience.”
At the opening, attention therefore returned to the core themes of the project, such as materials, technologies, processes, and trends, which were further explored over the two days thanks to the interzum forum italy format, combining a specialised exhibition with an extensive programme of content curated by national and international experts.
Second edition of interzum forum italy Award
The highlight of the Trend Stage was the award ceremony of the interzum forum italy Award 2026, the only recognition dedicated to the technical aspects of the supply chain, designed to showcase the most relevant and sustainable innovations presented by companies. After careful evaluation by the international jury, the winners were announced and awarded on stage: a celebration that underlines how the ability to innovate in materials, processes, and technologies remains a key driver in guiding the evolution of the sector.
The five winners were:
Category: INNOVATION
- Company: BOYTEKS TEKSTIL SANAYI VE TICARET A.S.
Product: Enviro, a treatment for textiles derived from used cooking vegetable oil.
- Company: KEYFORM SRL
Prodcut: KIDI, multifunctional accessory.
- Company: MORGAN TECNICA
- Prodcut: Spidercut, cutting machine.
Category: ESG & SUSTAINIBILITY
- Company: NEONEST
Product: Patented structure for beds and furniture, complete with neoconnect, neohold accessories, and neocord covering.
- Company: SIMALFA® by ALFA Klebstoffe AG
- Product: SIMALFA® 475-SGT, water-based adhesive product for bonding foams and mattress production.
