Upholstery suppliers Nicoletti Home and Man Wah Holdings have agreed a strategic partnership that will see the latter expand the former's brand presence across China.

Man Wah will open and manage a network of 50 Nicoletti Italia branded stores as well as manufacture a dedicated product line under the Italian label.

"Entrusting the development of the Chinese market to such a renowned and reliable partner is for Nicoletti Home a guarantee of efficiency and rapid growth," said Eustachio Nicoletti, world commercial director at the Matera based company.

Man Wah, one of the world's largest sofa producers, already operates a large number of stores for its Cheers recliner brand.

Under the terms of the partnership, Man Wah will also manufacture a line of Nicoletti upholstery exclusively for the Chinese market in its local facilities.

The programme "will be designed by our Centro Studi and will have the flair and class of a typical Nicoletti Home product," Mr Nicoletti added. It will be shown from a 200sqm showroom at the Shanghai furniture fair and will be pitched at a "medium-high profile consumer," he said.

The southern Italian brand's Man Wah alliance follows that of near-neighbour Natuzzi, which recently concluded the details of its joint venture with Jason Furniture (Kuka).

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