Pasquale Salzano (third right), Italian Ambassador, opens INDEX Qatar-2018 exhibition at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center yesterday.
DOHA: Italian companies famous for manufacturing handmade furniture are expected to open small factories in Qatar to produce popular artisan furniture and to teach the manufacturing art to local people.
“Italian furniture manufactures running family business are now coming to Doha first time and they may establish some small factories and also teach how to make the special products which we are producing since generations in Italy,” said Pasquale Salzano, Italian Ambassador to Qatar.
Salzano was speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of INDEX Qatar 2018, a leading interior design and fit-out exhibition. A three-day event with visitors attending the exhibition and design talks conference opened yesterday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
“We are looking for local partnerships not only for big Italian companies but also for small producers of artisan-handcrafting products,” said Salzano.
He said that the products made in Italy are already on sales in Qatar. “The most important thing is to start producing these products especially the small products with artisan skills in Qatar. It is not easy to transfer the artisan skills but this is time to start to do that,” said Salzano.
He said that the participation of Italy and Turkish companies is greater than any companies representing other countries in the exhibition because Italy is worldwide famous for the furniture and beautiful artisan quality of the products.
He added that Italian handmade furniture showcased in the exhibition was really astonishing. “You will also find linen handmade products which are coming from Florence, the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, a hub of family business producing furniture since generations,” said Salzano.
He said in Qatar there are a lot of resources and possibilities in merging together the skills of those in this furniture business since generations which will be very useful for Italian companies. “Italian companies participating in the exhibition are hailed all over the Italy specially those from Tuscany,” said Salzano.
Supported by the National Tourism Council, and against a backdrop of sustained growth for the fit-out market across the country, INDEX Qatar is gathering hundreds of international product manufacturers, interior design firms, and other visitors at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre until Thursday 15 November.
