Salice has been undergoing transformation ever since it was acquired by the Cobepa group in 2022. Solutions from Salice have also evolved as part of this journey. BuildingandInteriors met Michele Gazzola, Group Sales & Marketing Director, Arturo Salice S.p.a. and Vivek Modi, Managing Director, Salice India, at the just concluded Interzum 2025 in Cologne, Germany. Read on to know what the two leaders have to say on the global and India market.
B&I: Salice had been present in India via the distributor route before you set up a wholly-owned subsidiary. How has this journey been for the brand in India?
Michele Gazzola
We need to state that legacy is legacy. Salice completes 100 years next year. Our legacy has been a good certificate for entry into important markets like India. Our mission to grow today is very different since we have had changes in the management. Structural changes are also part of this transformation. Today, establishing and strengthening our presence in India via our people is crucial and fundamental to the transfer of the Salice value system to our Indian operations. We need to tell our own story to our customers and not go through an external entity.
Vivek Modi
Our earlier presence in India through a distributor did not help us well because we were present very selectively across regions in India. This was the case for over a decade. We made an India foray, as a subsidiary, 4 years ago. This move has instilled a very high confidence amongst our channel partners, including furniture and kitchen manufacturers (the OEMs). Today, Salice enjoys the trust of its customers for sales, supplies, installation support and a sustainable after-sales network. Also, with Salice having its own presence in the Indian market, the company has been able to reach the customers in a better way with its innovative and technologically advanced furniture and kitchen solutions. Today, we are much stronger in India than we have been at any other point in time.
B&I: In terms of the geographical reach, how well spread is Salice today in India?
Vivek Modi
We are fairly well spread across India. I would not say that we are region-focused in our expansion. Traditionally, the south, west and north are the strong regions, in one order or another. I would also count the east into this. So, we are fairly widespread and are growing in each of these regions in an overdrive mode. On the city classifications, at the moment, we are focusing on tier-1 and tier-2 cities more. As we are growing, we are going to focus on tier-3 and tier-4 cities as well. Our expansion will be both in terms of the solutions and the markets we plan to be in. So, it’s an interesting growth phase for Salice in India.
B&I: What’s your take on the subject of supply-chain disruptions worldwide?
Michele Gazzola
Salice has been recognised globally by our customers as a very resilient brand in terms of our supply chain management. I do think that both our supply line and industrial (manufacturing) infrastructure are very, very strong. So, honestly, I feel quite confident with regard to the way we source and produce our furniture solutions. At the same time, clearly, it’s a critical point. We want to be careful. That’s why we are taking good care of our local distribution. That’s why Vivek and his team are focusing a lot on our local availability and also on some ideas of localisation and of thinking about products and services to be localised in a way that our customers continue to show confidence and trust in Salice in India.
B&I: Is Salice looking at local sourcing in India?
Michele Gazzola
At our core, India is a strong focus market for our growth targets. Localisation could be a possibility going forward, though no concrete plans are set for such a move. Also, what is important here is that Salice is a manufacturer. We have always sold what we produce ourselves. We know our category inside out. Compliance and quality will be very important if we decide on this route. If we have to get into manufacturing in India, it has to be done in the same stringent quality standards we follow in Italy.
Vivek Modi
To add to what Michele said, we are a manufacturing company. We sell what we produce. This is very different from some of the other international players in India, which work on part manufacturing, part sourcing. For us at Salice, getting the compliance certificates like the BIS in the present scenario is easier because we have a sound understanding. We are a manufacturer first and a distributor (of our own products) later, again unlike some of the other players present in India, which are distributors first and now getting into manufacturing. So, it’s an easier road for Salice in this situation. Also, for Salice, getting compliance certificates is easier since we know the manufacturing side quite well.
B&I: Salice is into premium furniture solutions. How do you see this market going in a year or two?
Michele Gazzola
I strongly believe that our market share in the premium segment is still way below its potential. We are quite happy to march ahead in our journey in the top-end of the market. And we intend to keep doing that. With that as my first point, of course, we will look at the value part of the market, and we will analyse the situation market-to-market. We are looking at market share in segments which we can serve, given our commitment to the quality of solutions we offer. And by the way, this is in line with our development strategy as we want to grow the company size by offering not only products which are our traditional core. We are a 99-year-old company turning 100 next year. So we have a form which is stable and strong over almost a century. At the same time, we want to expand our offering through ancillary products.
Vivek Modi
The Indian furniture market is maturing with every passing day. People in India are aspiring for better kitchens, wardrobes, and furniture in their homes. They have strong aspirations to improve their home environment. The ease of travel has made an increasingly large population in India aware of trends worldwide. This trend, which was limited to tier-1 and, at max, tier-2 cities, is now visible in tier-3 and tier-4 cities as well. In my view, the increasing aspirations of Indian consumers will automatically translate into the adoption of better brands and better solutions. And Salice in India is primed to serve this market.
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