Member Article

The Vita Group's Italian acquisition sees staff numbers double and production quadruple

Two years after The Vita Group opened operations in Italy, the Naples site has gone from strength to strength.

Vita’s acquisition of Naples based Italian foam manufacturer I.M.P.E. S.p.A in January 2021 saw the group expand its reach into the second largest furniture producing country in Europe and one of the largest furniture exporters in the world.

With global demand driven by the esteem in which Italian furniture manufacturers are held, the creation of Vita Italy has further enhanced Vita’s international standing.

Known as Vita Italy, the site boasts a foaming department, tank farm, two conversion halls, three warehouses, laboratories, offices as well as extensive storage and transport space. Following its integration into The Vita Group’s operational processes, including management protocols and the delivery of an investment programme to upgrade facilities, Vita Italy has seen rapid increases in staff numbers and productivity. Site headcount has doubled from 30 to 60, while the quantity of foam produced has quadrupled from 3,000t annually to 14,000t.

Vita Italy manufactures value-added and differentiated polyurethane foam for the Italian furniture and bedding industry. The location has enabled Vita to enhance its offering to Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, North Africa and the Americas.

Antonio Piccolo, Vita Italy’s site manager, said: “Our business has undergone a rapid and positive transformation since we became Vita Italy. The Vita Group puts people at the heart of its operations, and through this ethos our site has gone from strength to strength. With our increased capacity we are producing more foam than ever before – and we look to increase our volume once again next year. In tandem with the excellent progress we’re making on sustainability, it looks set to be another very exciting year for Vita Italy.”

Gilbert Davids, Comfort Foams MD, The Vita Group, added: “Two years on from the acquisition of I.M.P.E. S.p.A and the creation of Vita Italy, we are thrilled with how the business has integrated into the Vita family. Our investment and training programme has resulted in enhanced facilities and better jobs for more people throughout Naples. The Vita Group now has an established foothold in one of the most prestigious furniture markets in the world, supporting our entry into new demographics and helping us bring our sustainable products to more customers globally.”

A key differentiator for Vita is products such as OriginTM a revolutionary collection of sustainable flexible PU foams made using polyols sourced from plants, thereby reducing the use of traditional feedstock and enabling the company to offer products which have a lower impact on the environment and increased consumer appeal.

Further investment into the plant will see Vita Italy upgraded in line with The Vita Group’s commitment to all of its sites, by having sustainable foam capabilities no later than 2025.

In recent years Vita has demonstrated its commitment to expand its international footprint, with foam capacity expansions in Lithuania, Poland and Romania. This has allowed increased investment in sectors including Bed in a Box, where the company utilises new technology processes and production equipment in the UK, France, Romania and Germany.

In late 2022, the company was named International Company of the Year (£100m+) at the North West Insider International Trade Awards.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Robson .