Richemont Strengthens Its Presence in Italy with Over 10 Million Euros Invested in Scandicci

The investment, totaling more than 10 million euros, has doubled the site’s floor space. Like other international luxury groups, Richemont is thus demonstrating its increasingly assertive vertical integration strategy.

The industrial complex has expanded from 5,000 to 12,000 square meters and is set to become one of the nerve centers of the Swiss group’s “Fashion and Accessories” division. The facility will be dedicated to the design, prototyping, development, and manufacturing of leather goods for five brands in the Richemont portfolio: Cartier, Chloé, Dunhill, Montblanc, and Serapian. The site now features dedicated spaces for each brand, as well as an advanced cutting center, laboratories for physical testing of materials, and a research and development department.

The Scandicci hub also aims to become a model of sustainability: more than 50% of its energy needs will be covered by a photovoltaic system.

For the division’s industrial director, Domenico Oliveri, this investment reflects “the group’s long-term vision” and its commitment to preserving Italian artisanal expertise.

According to the Italian press, an ecosystem of about 100 suppliers, representing more than 2,000 specialized jobs, revolves around the factory.

Within the site itself, the employment outlook is excellent: the workforce has grown from 150 to 250 employees in just a few years and could reach 300 people in the near future.

Facing competitors like Kering and Hermès, which have increasingly acquired stakes in their suppliers over the past decade, Richemont is in turn accelerating the integration of its manufacturing capabilities.

The goal is not only to increase production but, above all, to ensure quality and innovation while safeguarding the expertise of Italian master artisans, who are highly sought after by all luxury groups.

The choice of Scandicci is, in fact, no coincidence. Considered one of the world’s leading hubs for high-end leather goods, the Florence region is home to rare artisanal skills that major luxury players view as a strategic asset and seek both to preserve and to control.