A history of the Group
The Bardelli Group, until the end of 2021 Altaeco, was founded in 1962 in Bareggio, and was transferred in the current location of Vittuone, in the province of Milan in 1965. It currently employs about 190 collaborators divided between the head office and the two production units in Cerrione (Biella) and Oderzo (Treviso). The two production units are custodians of a historical tradition, technical expertise, operating know-how and aesthetic creativity of the first order. The Group achieves 40% of its turnover on the domestic market, while international markets account for more than 60% of total turnover in over 70 countries worldwide.
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The history of the Bardelli Group and of the companies that compose it goes back a long way. Even before the creation of the mother company, the Appiani firm was founded in 1873 a Treviso which launched the production of colored tiles until after World War II when it offered the well-known “red sandstone” on the market. In 1939, the Gabbianelli Ceramiche d’Arte activity was already launched in Milan, which would see the creation of the hand-decorating department in 1968.
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In 1962, Arnaldo Bardello founded the Ceramica Bardelli company and only three years later built the historic factory in Vittuone.
The seventies saw strong competition on the market between Appiani, Gabbianelli e Bardelli, while the scenario was progressively enriched with the creation of Ceramica Vogue in Biella in 1978.
In 1982, the three sons joined the company, the second generation of the family. The followed years were marked by a profound market restructuration and accentuated changes of scenario, which led to a new configuration of the Group. In 1992, Bardelli acquired the ICR Group (Appiani) and in 1996 the Gabbianelli-Vogue group and the Florentine company Vicano.
In 2000 a process of a production rationalization at three plants was completed, and Bardelli S.p.A. became Altaeco Group. It is with a completely renewed company that the brand Ceramica Bardelli celebrated the fifty-year anniversary in 2012 and will celebrate the sixtieth anniversary in 2022.
In 2015, the third generation Bardelli joined, a prelude to new initiatives and a new vision for the Group.
TOWARDS THE FUTURE
The concept of family is at the heart of the Bardelli Group’s philosophy and expresses the values of three generations of entrepreneurs who have developed a wide and articulated know-how that it expressed in the winning formula of the Group’s three companies.
The objective of the strategic development plan is to strengthen research skills in a context of innovation, reliability, sustainability with a consultative approach at the customer service, providing, in the meantime, a catalog capable of satisfying every project and design need with excellent personalized results and small and medium format collections for indoor and outdoor uses, which are synonymous with a perfect harmony between functionality and aesthetics and are characterized by a high decorative component in terms of colors, patterns and formats.
The Bardelli Group addresses retail and distributors, interior designers and architects, promoting also the approach to the final consumer, now definitely informed and competent on the subject and willing to invest on a unique and distinctive product. This objective is articulated both in the residential sector, with specific regard to private homes, and in the high-level hospitality sector (boutique hotels, restaurants, and clubs).
With a targeted and articulated strategy on prices and service and a proposal capacity typical of trendy leaders, the Bardelli Group, in its different souls (Ceramica Bardelli, Ceramica Vogue, Appiani), aims to position itself as the Italian ceramic company par excellence in the field of design, interpreting and anticipating in a dynamic and innovative way the most up-to-date trends of modern living.