interzum forum italy closed its second edition at Fiera di Bergamo on 4 and 5 June, confirming its role as a focused meeting point for the international furniture and interior design subcontracting community. Around 4,400 visitors from 71 countries and 263 exhibitors from 26 countries came together to assess how design supply chains are evolving and how companies are adapting to new technical and regulatory demands.[2][4][5]
The 2026 edition occupied two halls of the Bergamo exhibition centre and combined a compact exhibition with a dense programme of talks and keynotes. In total, the event hosted 263 exhibitors from 26 countries, welcomed 4,400 visitors from 71 countries, offered more than 25 talks and over 40 speakers on the Trend Stage, and gathered more than 15 keynote speakers at Surface in Motion Italy.[2][4][5] Around 20% of visitors attended from abroad, while exhibitors reached an internationality rate of 40%, underlining the growing global interest in the Italian platform.[2][4][5]
Manufacturing companies, design studios, component suppliers, system integrators, and representatives of the main production districts used the two day event – held in Bergamo – to explore transformation processes, workflow integration, and emerging technical requirements along the design supply chain. Particular attention was devoted to regulatory compliance and to the skills needed to support implementation and innovation, with discussions aimed at identifying shared priorities, common standards, and future development pathways for the sector.[1][4][8]
Thomas Rosolia, CEO of Koelnmesse Italia, commented on the outcome: “We are very satisfied with the results of this edition which reflect the successful collaboration between our partners, industry associations, and exhibiting companies. Together, we have created a practical and valuable event for all professionals across the supply chain. The two-day exhibition was designed to provide opportunities for learning, discussion, and networking for those responsible for strategic and operational decision-making within their companies, helping them navigate market developments and respond effectively to evolving regulatory requirements.”
Project Manager Carlotta Benardelli highlighted the importance of direct engagement: “Companies recognized the value of the engagement journey developed with professionals and architects, understanding the opportunity to create a direct dialogue with key stakeholders across the supply chain. Our goal was to build a truly useful context, capable of generating qualified relationships and providing companies with concrete tools to better interpret ongoing transformations and convert them into concrete opportunities for growth and development.”
Design supply chains under review
The congress programme examined the evolution of subcontracting across industries through the lenses of sustainability, innovation, and changing lifestyles. Sessions explored the kitchen as integrated living architecture, hybrid and wellbeing oriented spaces, marine contract solutions, and the bedding sector’s response to ecodesign and sleep quality demands. Innovation was a constant thread, with contributions on artificial intelligence, computational design, Life Cycle Assessment methodologies, and low impact materials for furniture and interiors.[4][5][8]
Interiors for mobility – from campers to caravans and superyachts – formed another important focus area, alongside smart furniture and the integration of Internet of Things systems into connected living environments.[4][5] Office, hospitality, and contract interiors were discussed through international case studies, illustrating how companies are addressing digitalization, flexibility, inclusivity, and sustainability with a more strategic approach and tighter collaboration between design, engineering, and production teams.[4][5]
Trend Stage and Surface in Motion Italy
The Trend Stage confirmed its position as one of the core elements of interzum forum italy’s format, offering a sequence of compact talks built around dialogue with exhibitors and companies.[4][7] More than 25 talks and over 40 speakers addressed topics ranging from interior design and kitchen systems to bedding, upholstered furniture, ecodesign regulations, and material innovation, providing visitors with operational insights and technical updates that are directly applicable to business decisions.[4][5][7]
Surface in Motion Italy – integrated into the official programme – delivered a broad and specialised conference on surfaces and decorative technologies. Opening with a comprehensive analysis of the European furniture industry by CSIL, the agenda looked at decorative printing, innovative surface technologies, sustainable finishing solutions, and next generation materials. It also investigated how sensory perception and emotion influence material design and examined the international trends currently shaping the global market for decorative surfaces and wood based materials.[4][5][7]
Across the exhibition and conference areas, the event maintained a strong focus on three key sectors: Function & Components, Materials & Nature, and Textiles & Machinery, offering an updated snapshot of a supply chain where production processes, logistics, and collaboration models are moving towards more integrated and resilient solutions.[1][8]
Knowledge partners and collaborative network
interzum forum italy benefits from an extensive network of Knowledge Partners who contribute to the development of sessions on specific topics and help anchor the programme to industry needs. Among the main partners are AIPI (Associazione Italiana Professionisti Interior Designers), AIPEF (Aziende Italiane Poliuretano Espanso Flessibile), EBIA (European Bedding Association) and NBF (UK National Bed Federation), EFIC (European Furniture Industries Confederation), CSIL, CATAS, the AHK study center of the Italian German Chamber of Commerce, the Digital Innovation Observatories of the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano, and the consortium company POLI.Design.
This collaborative framework supports the event’s ambition to be both a marketplace and a technical hub – enabling exhibitors and visitors to align on standards, explore regulatory changes, and share practical solutions. The involvement of trade associations, research centres, and academic institutions reinforces the focus on applied research and helps connect long term innovation projects with the immediate needs of manufacturers, designers, and contractors.
Looking ahead to the 2028 edition
The third edition of interzum forum italy is already scheduled and will return to Bergamo on 7–8 June 2028, maintaining its biennial rhythm and its positioning within the broader interzum portfolio.[2][5] Organisers aim to build on the 2026 results by further strengthening international participation and expanding content dedicated to emerging segments such as boat and caravan interiors, mobility solutions, and advanced material technologies.[1][3]
Koelnmesse’s global living and contract network
Koelnmesse, organiser of interzum forum italy through Koelnmesse Italia, is one of the world’s leading trade fair organisers for the areas of Living, Contract and Public Spaces. Its portfolio in Cologne includes ORGATEC, interzum, FSB, aquanale, spoga+gafa, imm cologne and idd cologne, covering interior and design, the furniture and interior construction supplying industries, kitchen solutions, workplace concepts, garden lifestyles, public spaces, sports and leisure facilities, as well as saunas, pools and wellness centres.
Internationally, Koelnmesse is expanding across growth markets with branded events such as imm india and IFFINA powered by imm cologne in Indonesia, ORGATEC Tokyo, ORGATEC India and ORGATEC WORKSPACE Saudi Arabia. The interzum brand is present through interzum guangzhou, interzum bogota, interzum jakarta and interzum forum italy, while the FSB brand reaches beyond Germany with the FSB Sports Show Riyadh and FSB Forum Italy in Bergamo. The portfolio also includes La Feria De Diseño Medellín powered by idd cologne in Colombia, creating a global ecosystem of fairs that intersect furniture, interiors, surfaces, and contract spaces.
