The General Assembly of ASSIL members, the National Association of Lighting Manufacturers federated with ANIE Confindustria, has elected as its new President for the two years 2024 – 2026 Carlo Comandini, CEO of Vossloh-Schwabe Italia S.p.A.
Comandini takes the reins of the Association, which – thanks to the strengthening and development – now brings together over 90 companies producing electrical lighting fixtures and components for a global turnover of about € 2.8 billion and representing over 65% of the national market.
On the occasion of the Shareholders’ Meeting, also attended by the President of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana, were also elected the following Directors: Lorenzo Cini (AEC) and Cristiano Venturini (IGuzzini Illuminazione), Ezio Parro (Linergy), Massimo Librandi (TCI), Carlos Loscalzo (Signify Italia), Dante Cariboni (Cariboni Group), Fabrizio Ferrari (GEWISS Group), and Isacco Neri (Neri). The Shareholders’ Meeting also elected the Board of Arbitrators in the persons of Roberto Barbieri, Ettore Fici (BRIDGELUX), Paolo Frabetti (NOVALUX) and the Board of Auditors in the persons of Carmelo Disano (Arcluce), Claudio Raina (Ideallux) and Massimo Valla (Studio Merati Valla) as Standing Members, Emanuele Biffi (Quattrobi) and Cinzia Morselli (Studio Merati Valla) as Alternate Members.
The Lighting Sector closed in 2023 with stable aggregate turnover (+0.4% compared to 2022). Despite the progressively weakening trends, Italian industry is the second production hub in the European Union after Germany. Considering the domestic market, the sector was affected by consumption dynamics, penalized by the impact of energy costs on household income and a decrease in investments. Signs of a slowdown also emerged in foreign markets (+0.2% change in foreign sales at current values). Looking at the principal destination countries, the weak profile of the German market, Italy’s leading trading partner (+0.3% in 2023 and -5.4% in 2022), weighed on the aggregate result. In the first months of 2024, industrial production volumes are recovering. A role in driving growth should also come from international markets, where in a slowly recovering context, growth opportunities will also return to European markets.
These data make us reflect on the importance of a strategic sector for the Italian economy and the enterpreneurial productive fabric. And it is precisely starting from the results achieved by the industry that president Comandini sets out to trace the Association’s future. “An Association that interprets its role in a contemporary way must invite enterpreneurs to invest part of their time in the life of the Association by sharing with colleagues a vision of the future of lighting, current and future problems, highlighting the support needs in favour of the sector and member companies. The concept we wanted for today’s assembly, “WeAssil”, fully expresses my thoughts on the future of our Association: ASSIL must have cohesion, sharing and collaboration as its guiding values to allow the strong, integrated and synergistic development of our sector. The Association can and must develop an advanced system of support services by identifying qualified partners to be at the side of entrepreneurs and to help them manage their businesses at best.” – explains Comandini. For this reason, the skills and knowledge gained in recent years within ASSIL will be functional to “systematize the talents and professionalism of our companies, and of the companies connected to ASSIL, taking advantage of the compelling Confindustria network and the vast network of relationships consolidated over time by our association” – continues Comandini.
Another priority objective highlighted in the inaugural speech concerns the definition of national and European safety and environmental sustainability regulations. “The goal,” Comandini remarks, “is to limit the impact on our companies as much as possible, considering the continuous technological evolution, in favour of a quality industry for quality users. We are, and will be, present in the future on various national and international tables (CEI, Cenelec, IEC, UNI, CEN, ISO, UL) and in the Working Groups of Lighting Europe. We will have to be an active part of future development. Italy is the second largest producer in Europe, so Italian applications should be given adequate prominence in Europe. With this in mind, it will be important to act through lobbying policies with other European associations – starting with ZVEI and ASSOLUCE – to advance common interests, considering the problems of small and medium-sized enterprises“.
Comandini’s managerial career began in 1987 and was carried out entirely within the lighting sector, holding various company positions and top management positions in the companies of the multinational groups Panasonic Lighting Europe and Vossloh-Schwabe, of which he oversaw the acquisition in 2002. Since 2000, he has been CEO of the Italian branch of Vossloh-Schwabe Italia S.p.A., a manufacturer of LED components and solutions for the lighting and household appliances sector. Since 2020, he has been Chairman of the Confindustria Romagna Service Company and Deputy Chairman with delegation of the ASSIL Market Group.
