Doing business while respecting the environment through eco-sustainability and the ethics of recycling: this is the mission of the Gruppo Saviola, a leader in the production and processing of post-consumer wood for the furniture industry for over 60 years.

Thanks to the passion and intuition of its founder, Mauro Saviola, who in the 1990s decided to salvage and valorize waste wood, giving new life to what had until then been seen as something to be thrown away, the Gruppo Saviola is today the world's leading producer of panels made from 100% recycled and recyclable wood.

The same enthusiasm and vision is maintained today by his son, Alessandro Saviola, President of the Gruppo Saviola, who answered some of our questions to explain how the business of this aptly named and internationally recognized eco-ethical company is continuing.

Let's talk about innovation: at the last Sicam, it was the key word that appeared in all the divisions, which makes one understand the great research work done by companies in the subcontracting sector to develop new products and study new processes.

Innovation is a cornerstone of our business: suffice it to say that 30 years ago, at a time when sustainability was not yet a common priority, my father Mauro was the first in the world to invent a system for collecting and recycling wood, which led to the production of our core product: the Ecological Panel®. At Sicam, our product, made of 100% recycled wood and completely recyclable, was the protagonist of the exhibition, with high quality and innovative design solutions. This was also thanks to the launch of the new Elementum Europe collection, a set of last generation finishes and decors specifically designed for the foreign market.

From the Elementum Europe collection, the Leizu Azzurro DS4 décor, which evokes the refinement of a damask fabric.

In terms of innovation, as stated in our corporate mission, we are always looking for more sustainable materials to use in our production process in order to reduce the emissions generated by our products. We are investigating ways to use waste from our production processes as raw materials for new products. We are improving our manufacturing facilities every year, and are trying to make them as energy independent as possible by installing renewable energy production systems. Although our Ecological Panel® is already an excellent product, we are looking for incremental improvements that can increase its performance. We always try to give a second life, whenever possible, to the resources produced in our plants and, in compliance with the regulations, we adapt the management to the needs of the market and to the different national and European directives.

For a company like yours, which is at the forefront of today's key issues such as sustainability, recycling and the circular economy, what are the necessary elements for a sustainable product to really meet all the requirements?

First and foremost, for a product to be sustainable, it must be different in the way it is made, and our Ecological Panel®, which saves 10,000 trees a day, is truly a sustainable choice. The raw material for a sustainable product should come from waste from another production process or from recycling other materials. The supply chain should be traceable so we know where the raw material and all components of the product came from. In addition, all regulations for the protection of workers must be observed during the production process, so that the product is also socially sustainable. A sustainable product must be backed by a sustainable company that is willing to invest in this direction. In this sense, our product represents a new way of sustainable furnishing.

 
Natural Pecan DR1, an elegant design that offers an alternative to oak

The central theme of the upcoming interzum 2025 is "Rethinking Resources: Circular and Biobased Solutions". How important is this shift today?

As I said at the beginning, in addition to the Ecological Panel®, our company is working at the forefront of innovation. In the last two years, we have created Savionet, a new organizational unit that refines and completes our network for collecting post-consumer wood, the raw material for our panels, to ensure a higher quality of incoming raw material. In this way, we recycle 1.5 million tons of post-consumer wood each year, or 30 times the size of the Colosseum. In addition, thanks to our Sadepan division, we are working to make the glues and resins used to make our Ecological Panel® more and more sustainable, making it an increasingly green product.

According to FederlegnoArredo's recent FurnCIRCLE study, 44 percent of companies in the sector have implemented eco-design policies and 81 percent plan to do so by 2027. Certifications, training and circular economy are considered strategic assets for the future.

We were doing circular economy before it was called that. In fact, our first Ecological Panel® was produced in 1992, when sustainability was not a central issue. For us, the circular economy is not a strategic asset, which today is pushing more and more consumers toward a sustainable choice when they need to furnish their homes. We also see employee training and certification as fundamental to the development of our business. In the coming months, we will work with our internal ESG Committee to obtain additional specific and qualifying certifications for 14 of our products across all of our businesses. On the other hand, we invest in training because we believe that personal growth and soft skills development give our employees an edge that they can leverage in the workplace. In 2023, we invested about three times more per employee than the national average, with a 100 percent increase in training hours compared to 2022.

Customization is a very strong trend in recent years, present not only at the Salone del Mobile in Milan and therefore with the finished product, but also at Sicam. A product that is expressed through finishes, textures, colors, custom-made products.

Customization is a process that goes far beyond the simple choice of color or material. It is an evolution of the product concept, where the object becomes a unique expression of individual style and needs. Customization makes it possible to create innovative and high-quality products that meet the needs of an increasingly demanding market looking for personalized solutions. 
Both at the Salone del Mobile and at Sicam, the trend towards this high tailoring is increasingly evident, with products that are perfectly adapted to the needs and tastes of each customer. Saviola has a very strong focus on customization, thanks to an in-house creative workshop that allows us to lead the trends of the moment. Talking about customization today means creating an added value that enriches the shopping experience and transforms a simple product, making it unique and "exclusive", allowing consumers to create unique and personalized environments.

 
The decorative Chalet Oak White P71 in a light Nordic tone

The latest economic data is certainly not exciting, with negative signals coming from all sectors or, at best, indicating "cautious optimism" for the future. Your analysis of the market and possible future scenarios.

Our industry is going through a period that is not particularly bright, and there is a decline in demand both in our country and internationally. Possible scenarios also depend on the geopolitical situation, as well as post-Covid. The war in Ukraine and the conflict situation in the Middle East add to the uncertainty. In addition, it should be remembered that the Covid period saw an explosion in the consumption of the wood furniture supply chain. The dynamics were clear: people who had no opportunity to invest in leisure activities invested in renovating their homes. Certainly, we do not expect an expansive economic performance for 2025, but we do not indulge in pessimism, even considering that we have two fundamental levers: quality and ecology, which make our product unique.

With the election of Trump as President of the United States, what are the economic implications for the wood furniture supply chain?

The consequences are very uncertain, as is the whole international situation at the moment, but regardless of the outcome of the US elections, the warning I would like to give is to Europe, which must increasingly be able to gather and synthesize the demands coming from the Member States, and take a position with quick and effective decisions. The times we are living in require speed and clarity in adapting the course to the different contexts.