Roca's investment rush shakes up the Italian luxury furniture market

BarcelonaThe sanitaryware manufacturer Roca Group has acquired the Italian bathroom design brand Antonio Lupi Design, the company announced in a statement on Tuesday. The transaction is part of the Catalan company's strategy to intensify its international growth. premiumAlbert Magrans, CEO of Roca, stated in the statement that the transaction will allow Laufen to position itself in a "privileged position in the high-end segment of the market." The Catalan multinational, which did not provide details of the amount paid in the transaction, operates in Italy through this subsidiary and already acquired Idral, a leading company in the country in faucets for public restrooms, a year ago.

Antonio Lupi Design was founded in 1950 in Tuscany and is one of the world leaders in the luxury bathroom furniture segment. It had a turnover of €42 million in the last fiscal year and its products are currently distributed in 80 countries. It has a workforce of around 100 employees and is headquartered in the town of Stabbia, about 40 kilometers from Florence.

The purchase agreement reached with Roca will allow the founding family of Antonio Lupi Design to remain at the forefront of brand management. Roca's acquisition of the company's capital will allow the Tuscan brand to gain a presence in international markets. In this regard, Andrea Lupi, CEO of the Italian company, noted that the transaction represents "a great strategic opportunity" and "an opportunity for expansion in Italy and abroad."

International Strategy

According to Roca, the acquisition reinforces its "commitment to brands with a strong identity and leadership in design." The Catalan company recently announced the acquisition of another company, this time the Australian Phoenix, as well as the investment of 70 million euros in a new factory in KazakhstanThe group has around 20,000 employees, 78 production plants, and is present in 170 countries.

The company closed 2024 with losses of 61 million euros, mainly due to the exit from the Russian market and high inflation in Argentina, reducing worldwide turnover by 5.2% to €1.948 billion. However, Roca Group maintains its investment commitment not only internationally but also in the Spanish market, with the construction this year of two new ceramic kilns at its plants in Gavà (Baix Llobregat) and Burgos. Furthermore, in 2024 it acquired a two-thirds stake in Keramischer Ofenbau, an Austrian company specializing in the construction of this type of kiln. In recent years, it has made progress in the electrification of several plants to gain efficiency and reduce its environmental impact.