Natuzzi Workers Get 13 Weeks Off Due to Weak Orders

May 5, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Leather Upholstery on May 2008 Citing weak orders, Natuzzi, Italy’s largest furniture manufacturer, said it will idle 1,200 workers for 13 weeks. It also said it joined with other manufacturers in Southern Italy’s “Upholstery District” to create a task force that is calling for local and national officials to declare that the industrial sector is in “a state of heavy crisis.”

In April, the company reported that sales in its fourth quarter declined 8.4 percent and net sales for the year fell 13.7 percent to 634.4 million euros. For the year, Natuzzi’s net loss was 62.6 million euros versus earnings of 12.3 euros the year before.

In an announcement Monday, the company said the task force is calling for a set of government actions to enhance competitiveness for the upholstery industry, including the financing of training to help place upholstery workers in other fields.