Fedrigoni Group leverages Fabriano for growth in North America

Fabriano, an 800-year-old Italian paper brand that has been part of the Fedrigoni Group since 2002, has been strengthening its presence in North America for several years.

Now, the Fedrigoni Group intends to leverage the brand to accelerate its growth across North America.   

Fedrigoni produces special papers for luxury packaging, self-adhesive labels, graphic media and RFID technology. The company is already present in the US through its subsidiary Mohawk, the second North American specialty paper player that joined the group this year; Acucote, a self-adhesive label manufacturer that has been part of the group since 2021; and distributor GPA. 

Fabriano aims to strengthen its presence in the North American market in the fine arts and hobby and craft sectors, where the brand is already present with branded products and private labels at several thousand points of sales. In addition, Fabriano wants to develop its stationery business in bookstores and high-end department stores.

'Fabriano, with its distinctive portfolio of fine arts, drawing, stationery and security papers, is an important asset in Fedrigoni's strategic plan and is also the ultimate expression of the craftsmanship and centuries-old tradition of the Marche region, home of paper since 1264,' said Jacques Joly, general manager of Fabriano.

'For 760 years, Fabriano has been producing paper that many extraordinary people in history have used on a daily basis in the fields of art, literature, music and publishing: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Ludwig van Beethoven, Gabriele D'Annunzio and Federico Fellini are just some of the artists who have written, drawn, taken notes and created on paper produced by Fabriano,' Joly added. 'Moreover, we are the only paper mill in the world to produce with all three processes: handmade paper, paper molding machine and Fourdrinier machine. With an entirely Italian production of high-quality products, synonymous with craftsmanship and authenticity, we are convinced that Fabriano will continue to grow strongly in North America.'

Fabriano has been on a continual path of growth since 2020. The brand has seen investments accelerate; for example, Fedrigoni allocated 60 million EUR (63 million USD) to Fabriano out of a total of 300 million EUR (315 million USD) invested by the group. The production team grew from 718 to 840 workers in the Marche production sites. The entire organization was reorganized to better serve a B2C market, addressing business audiences (printers, converters, designers and distributors) and end consumers (students, teachers and drawing enthusiasts).

The new 2025-2028 industrial plan envisages over 50 million EUR (52.5 million USD) of investments in the Fabriano brand (out of the over 250 million EUR (262 million USD) envisaged for the entire group), which will aim to make the production sites in the Marche area more efficient, safe and sustainable and support the expansion of the product portfolio.

Investment priorities include the continuous improvement of paper quality. In addition, the company intends to focus on expanding its product portfolio, strengthening its most popular lines, developing new lines and enhancing its range of security papers (such as those for passports). The latter is a segment in which the company already has knowledge and where there is market need, linked to a sector that has seen a progressive reduction in the supply available worldwide. Fabriano will carry out production of these papers beginning early 2025.

Fabriano also plans to expand its boutique chain with the aim of creating a network of franchised shops around the world authorized to sell its products, including sketchbooks, notebooks and writing and drawing accessories.