Two years after The Vita Group opened operations in Italy, the Naples site has gone from strength to strength, reports the foam specialist, with site headcount doubling to 60, while the quantity of foam produced has quadrupled from 3000 tonnes annually to 14,000.
Vita’s acquisition of Naples-based Italian foam manufacturer IMPE 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.
Known as Vita Italy, the site boasts a foaming department, tank farm, two conversion halls, three warehouses, laboratories and 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.
Vita Italy manufactures value-added and differentiated PU 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, says: “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, adds: “Two years on from the acquisition of IMPE SpA 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.”
Further investment into the plant will see Vita Italy upgraded in line with The Vita Group’s commitment to all of its sites, to have sustainable foam capabilities by 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.
