From mattresses to bed sheets, this is how the bed supply chain wins

In the Altrenotti workshops in Montanaro, tailoring becomes industry in a vertical model that designs and dresses the bed, from the structure to the bed linen. Mario and Rodolfo Panero, father and son, are at the head of a company with an annual turnover of 10 million, whose history began almost a hundred years ago with the skills and know-how of their ancestors, who returned to Piedmont from Argentina in the 1930s as mattress makers. That craftsmanship is still at the heart of the company's philosophy, even though today the company has doubled its production lines and invested over one million euros in new technologies.

Its business model is closer to the international than to the Italian one: 'We only produce and distribute products under our own brand name,' explains Mario Panero, third generation at the helm of the company. 'We have two production lines, one for mattresses, the other for beds, and we complete the offer with bed linen, a vertical model that makes us unique in this sector and is our strong point, appreciated in the medium-high segment, both in Italy and abroad.

Altrenotti addresses only the retail world, does not work with importers and wholesalers, in order to minimise steps: 'Our products have to be told, that is why we prefer direct distribution'. Around 20 per cent of production is destined for foreign countries, in particular South Korea, Taiwan, Kazakhstan and Russia. The company was also preparing a large project in the United States, which is currently blocked by heavy American tariffs, as price increases of 255% apply to mattresses from Europe.

It is a sector that is experiencing a small revolution and Altrenotti, with a team of young employees, has learnt how to manage the change. 'Today, the most important sales act is the project,' explains Rodolfo Panero. 'You don't just sell a bed or a mattress, but the whole project, and that is why having an integrated supply chain like ours is a winner. This change first started abroad, but it has also arrived in Italy'.

One of Altrenotti's most innovative projects concerns design. "We have launched a 3D configurator, available on our website, which allows anyone to work on their own sleeping system". The philosophy that unites all Altrenotti products is recounted by their father, Mario: "To annul the gravitational force in the most elegant and appreciable way possible, thanks to mattresses that, in the double version, have 32 thousand springs, four times more than an average product".