Italian design fears Trump’s tariffs. According to FederlegnoArredo’s periodic Monitor, which surveyed about 400 companies, the supply chain recorded a turnover of more than 2.2 billion euros (-0.7%) in the first quarter of 2025. For Federation President Claudio Feltrin, the uncertainties caused by the Trade War paralyze investment.
The effect of Trump’s tariffs
FederlegnoArredo’s survey puts entrepreneurs’ fears in black and white. Just under half of the sample quantifies the Trade War’s damage as a 5% drop in business. In contrast, 26% of respondents believe it will have an impact of up to 10%, while the remaining 25% fear it could exceed 10%. But there are also those who are unable to make any kind of prediction. “This is the most worrying figure“, comments President Feltrin. “It testifies to the state of confusion and total uncertainty that has immobilized many companies while waiting to have a stable picture and decide on future strategies, starting with opening up to new markets or discovering potential ones”.
Quarterly results
The duties complicate the situation of a supply chain that recorded figures in the first quarter that Feltrin called “comforting”. The -0.7% for the period is almost break-even, in the comparison with January-March 2024, with no substantial differences between the domestic market (-0.5%), which weighs just under 56%, and exports (-1%). Companies responding to the Monitor in their forecasts for 2025 (+2.8%) were more pessimistic than in the previous survey.
“A glimmer comes from the industrial production data for April”, Feltrin notes, “the furniture industry marks a +7.1% compared to April 2024 and the wood industry a +2.7%, while the general trend of manufacturing is stationary (-0.1%). Let’s wait for at least the first half of the year to really understand the direction this year is taking”.
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