EMU, short for Elettro-Meccanica Umbra, is an Italian manufacturer of outdoor and garden furniture based in Marsciano, Umbria. The company was founded in 1951 by Aldo and Angelo Biscarini together with Dante Menconi. Its origins were not in furniture production, but in the manufacture of military transmission equipment. The founders brought technical experience from the Second World War to the business.
As the post-war market changed, EMU shifted its production towards furniture, initially making school and office furniture. In the process, the company further developed its PVC coating techniques and, according to the company, built Italy’s first plastic coating plant. This expertise in surface protection became the foundation of EMU’s later outdoor positioning: metal furniture that was weather-resistant, durable and suitable for outdoor use.
EMU dates the Rio Collection to 1966. The Rio chair was initially positioned as a garden product, but developed into one of the brand’s major commercial successes in the following years and with international distribution in the early 1970s. According to the company, more than eight million units of the model have been sold.
In the 1980s and 1990s, EMU further strengthened its position in the garden and outdoor furniture market. Later, the company sharpened its focus on design and contract business and intensified its collaborations with international designers. Names associated with the brand include Paola Navone, Patricia Urquiola, Jean-Marie Massaud, Christophe Pillet, Jean Nouvel, Arik Levy, Carlo Colombo, Lucidi-Pevere, Stefan Diez and Rodolfo Dordoni.
Production remains based in Marsciano, Umbria. EMU controls key production stages there, including material selection, surface treatment, cataphoresis, painting and quality control. In 1984, the company opened a 50,000-square-metre plant in Schiavo. Today, the brand has an international presence and distributes its products in more than 85 countries.
The portfolio includes chairs, armchairs, sofas, tables, sun loungers and accessories for private outdoor areas as well as hospitality, restaurant and contract projects. Typical materials include steel, aluminium, technical outdoor fabrics, teak and other weather-resistant materials. Well-known collections include Rio R50, Ivy, Caprera, Pigalle, Arc en Ciel, Snooze, Re-Trouvé and Pattern.
For architects, landscape architects, hoteliers and planners, EMU is particularly relevant wherever Italian outdoor design, metal expertise and contract reliability need to come together. The brand is less about spectacular standalone pieces than about a deeply rooted outdoor DNA: industrially driven, internationally distributed and strong in areas where terraces, gardens, restaurants, hotels and public outdoor spaces need to be furnished for long-term use rather than simply decorated.
With the appointment of Giuseppe Ruozzo as CEO, EMU is placing even greater emphasis on this international growth logic. Ruozzo takes over the company at a time when outdoor is gaining further relevance in the contract market. For EMU, the next phase is therefore not just about new collections under the Italian sun, but about industrial strength, international presence and a clear role in the hospitality and contract furniture market.
