Antonio Pedrina spoke at the microphones of ilNewyorkese in the Ritratti podcast, hosted by Claudio Brachino, to tell the entrepreneurial story of FM Exhibit, the family business founded by his father Francesco. A journey that started in the Veneto region and arrived in the United States, passing through international trade fairs, sports and corporate events, and that today represents one of the most interesting experiences of connection between Made in Italy and the American market. “FM Exhibit was born almost by chance, from my father’s passion for skydiving, which led him to frequent America, and from a chance meeting in front of an American trade fair. With my joining the company, we have given continuity to this path. Our job is to create a cultural bridge between America and non-Americans, especially in the world of events,” Pedrina explains.
Over time, the company has expanded its reach to include sports tournaments, public eventsand high-profile corporate events. “Our core business remains the trade show arena, but we also work in contexts such as the Cincinnati Open or the U.S. Open tennis tournament. We accompany Italian companies in an economically interesting but culturally very different market. From the selection of the most suitable events to the physical and logistical realization of the spaces: our core business is trade fairs, but we also deal with private, sports and corporate events, such as the Atlanta Expo or golf tournaments. A wide range of projects, the result of experience built over time.”
In order to be a bridge between two worlds, it is essential to find a winning synthesis between two different cultures and approaches to business: “Our added value lies in connecting the European mentality and modus operandi, Italian in particular, with the American context. We are convinced-and we say this with pride-that Italian-ness, especially in craftsmanship and customization, is superior to the rest of the world. This is not presumption; it is the reality of things. Italian SMEs are unique and, outside Italy, are often highly desired precisely because of their ability to adapt and offer tailored solutions.”
Another central theme emerges, powerfully, in the conversation: the challenge of internationalization. Pedrina lucidly describes the American context, a market that is as fascinating as it is complex: “In America, it is not enough to have the most beautiful product in the world. You have to build trust. And that takes time. Americans place a lot of importance on historicity and presence in the territory: you can’t just think about arriving, exhibiting and selling. You have to be there, invest, come back. So even Italian companies, to be successful there, have to show that they have a stable footing in the territory. Have an office, a concrete presence. We recommend planning participation in fairs on a three-year basis: the first year they get to know you, the second they start talking to you, the third maybe something is concluded.”
An important chapter is that of the Made in Italy Expo in Atlanta, an event that FM Exhibit helped develop and that represents a new trade fair model, focused on the Southeastern U.S. “Atlanta is a strategic marketplace, much undervalued by Italian companies. It is a logistical, industrial hub with a strong cultural identity. The Expo has two souls: on the one hand it enhances the Italian-American entrepreneurial fabric already present – big brands like Pirelli or Acquafina are participating – and on the other hand it wants to open the doors to Italian SMEs that still do not know this market. After a difficult period in the years following the Olympics, Georgia is in the midst of a revival. Big brands like Porsche and Mercedes have invested heavily. Our goal is to help Italian entrepreneurs read the territory well before investing in it. Because it’s not enough to have intuition: you need knowledge. And through events like this we want to give concrete tools to do that.”
FM Exhibit is also a successful example of generational transition, an often critical issue in the Italian business landscape. Pedrina candidly recounts the difficulties and achievements of this journey, “The transition between my father and me was not easy. Comparing different generations is complicated, but today we have found a balance. He has remained in the company as commercial director, bringing his experience, while I bring forward a new vision, more managerial, to move from a family, artisanal reality to a more industrial, more scalable reality.”
The future passes through a paradigm shift: “To really grow we need competent managers who can make decisions with clarity, without the emotional involvement typical of family management.”
Today FM Exhibit has offices in Atlanta, Las Vegas, New York, and soon in Chicago. But more than geographical expansion, the cultural project Pedrina intends to pursue is striking: that of a company that is American in numbers and processes, but deeply Italian in values. “My dream is to build a reality that combines the Italian work culture, made of belonging and attachment, with the efficiency and mobility of the American system. I want to create an international company with a strong soul, one that does not put everything on the level of money, but one that generates satisfaction and recognition.”
In his words we read the vision of an entrepreneur who does not just sell a product, but tries to build a model. A bridge between different worlds, between craftsmanship and innovation, between Italian business culture and American mentality. With a clear ambition: “I want FM Exhibit to become a full-fledged American company, but with an Italian heart.”
The article Antonio Pedrina and FM Exhibit: Made in Italy conquering the United States comes from TheNewyorker.
