New acquisition for Design Holding, the furniture-design group founded in 2018 and controlled by Investindustrial and The Carlyle Group, which includes the companies B&B Italia, Flos and Louis Poulsen. The group has signed, through a wholly owned and newly established company, an agreement for the acquisition of YDesign, one of the main digital platforms on the US market dedicated to the e-commerce of high-end lighting and furniture products, with headquarters main in Walnut Creek, California.
The new company
YDesign, which has 200,000 active customers between “end-consumers” and a community of architects and interior designers, generated in 2020 a turnover of over 160 million dollars, up 30% in the consumer segment, which represents about two thirds of the total turnover. YDesign operates through two websites: YLighting.com and Lumens.com. YDesign distributes several iconic European brands including Artemide, Foscarini, Kartell, Muuto, Nemo, Tom Dixon as well as Flos and Louis Poulsen.
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The operation
The acquisition is part of Design Holding’s strategy to expand into various markets, in particular the North American one, to strengthen the group’s digital presence and provide more and more services and added value to its customers, both private individuals and architects and designers. «We are thrilled to welcome YDesign Group and its management to the Design Holding family – said Gabriele Del Torchio, president of the group -. This acquisition is part of the broader strategy of making Design Holding the leading innovative high-end design platform with a multi-channel value proposition. The maintenance of the organization of YDesign and the independence of its proposals will be the basis of this collaboration. At the same time, YDesign will benefit from Design Holding’s global presence, product and marketing knowledge ».
The prospects
Laura Walsh, CEO of YDesign, will remain in office together with the management: «We see many opportunities for YDesign – says Walsh -. Thanks to the strategic support of the platform and the global presence of Design Holding, we will continue to strengthen our positioning as the market leader in the high-end lighting sector in the United States and our reputation as a reference point for architects and designers ».
The acquisition, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, is subject to customary conditions. YDesign Group was advised by Financo- Raymond James.