EN
Select location and language
Select location
Ubicación global
ACTIU Berbegal y Formas, S.A.
Argentina, the commitment to design without borders

Argentina, the commitment to design without borders

MAY 2018 | 4 minutes

Considered one of the main areas and emerging economies of our planet, Latin America has always been associated with a great wealth of raw materials and natural resources. It is a fast growing market thanks to the collaboration policy between the countries of the region and the rest of the world, which after Brazil and Mexico places Argentina as the third largest economy in the region.

Argentina, a country of resources and capabilities

With a growth rate of almost 3% in 2017 (0.5% above IMF forecasts), driven by both the increase in private investment and consumption, as well as the decrease in unemployment, Argentina is already in a position where it has not been for years and that makes it a prime location for international investment. At present, Actiu is already present in Latin America through open collaboration spaces in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Miami. Therefore, this setting is a more than adequate backdrop to incorporate the South American country into its process of expansion. “Although the circumstances for launching which Argentina finds itself in is a slow and hard process, at Actiu we are committed to local entrepreneurs, who with great resources and capabilities are sure to meet their objectives”, confirms its founder and President, Vicente Berbegal.

Actiu enters into the Argentinian market with the support of Grupo(a)², the local company that acquired its representation in this country in 2017 and which the company from Alicante shares work and human values with. Founded in 1994 and with its own factory in Avellaneda, in the province of Buenos Aires, Grupo(a)² has four more Branches in Buenos Aires and 23 points of sale throughout the country, managed through distributors. “The beginning was very difficult, as Argentina was a country used to wood and not plastic”, says Daniel Cwirenbaum, president of this family business that, just like Actiu, has managed to adapt to modern times and overcome difficulties thanks to a careful balance between local production and an international outlook.

Local production and international outlook

As Director of Grupo(a)² Daniel Cwirenbaum as host and the recently named European Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 Vicente Berbegal as guest of honour, the official arrival of Actiu in Argentina consisted of a guided tour of the showroom which Grupo(a)² has in Buenos Aires to the more than 200 attendees, among them representatives of architecture studios and leading companies. The 30,000m² factory is located in what was an old textile factory with 130 years of history and is currently in the process of being renovated. During the visit, the guests could not only see how the furniture is manufactured in the factory, but they also got to see the only testing laboratory for chairs in Argentina.

“The event exemplifies the productive integration between the Argentine and Spanish markets, on an international stage in which these actions are outlined as a growing trend” highlighted the President of Grupo(a)² during the event.

The event dealt with topics such as new 21st century working methods and the furniture that these methods require, as well as trade relations between Spain and Argentina.

The Actiu Technology Park in Castalla also played an important role in an event that highlighted the importance of sustainability and its direct relationship with commercial success. The commitment to quality is achieved thanks to the use of first-class materials and a functional design, but also incorporating environmentally-friendly production processes. In this way, Cool Working® is introduced in Argentina. This is the new way of understanding life and work through furniture, a support process akin to the philosophy of Grupo(a)², who, through its products, is committed to providing quality to people in their place of work, creating work environments in keeping with the times, combining sustainability, creativity, functionality, ergonomics and beauty.

Arrival of ACTIU
in Argentina

Present future in Latin America

The arrival in Argentina is part of the Actiu Brand’s internationalization and positioning policy in the region, not only through corporate projects, but also in industries such as healthcare (hospitals), education (universities) and transport (airports). Present in Latin America for more than 20 years, the company has two other events planned with different collaborators at the end of May, this time in Chile and Peru. Thus, Actiu establishes its commitment to a global design, which is innovative, high quality and without borders that, through transversal collaborations with partners such as Grupo(a)², manages to get closer to the local market, adding value and knowledge to products and processes.