B&B Italia and Teknion Form Key Alliance

Naoto Fukasawa’s Cloud sofa for B&B Italia.

B&B Italia

and

Teknion Corporation

, two leading companies in the furnishings sector, have formed a partnership to distribute, license, and manufacture the Project Collection, a range of furniture by B&B Italia. The collection includes tables, chairs, sofas, and more, and will focus on furnishings for the contract and commercial marketplaces in North America.

The partnership couldn’t have come at a better time. In the past decade, there has been an increasing demand in North America for international design. And since B&B Italia works with designers from around the world, this collaboration gives clients across the pond access to fresh designs that previously weren’t always available in North America.

“The partnership will make these internationally designed furnishings available to North American customers and give a broader array of fabrics, and we will still be able to deliver in an expected lead time,” says Charlie Bell, general manager of Teknion Studio, which has corporate headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Paul Statham, sales and marketing manager for B&B Italia agrees, adding: “It’s important to have a good partner for distribution in North America. It’s very hard for a company not based there. It’s also important for lead time to get a quality product from Italy to North America rather than exporting it there. Plus, input from Teknion on what kind of product is desired in that marketplace is also helpful.”

The Project Collection will officially launch at

NeoCon

June 10-12 in Chicago. Products will begin shipping as early as August or September.