The historic Italian company IPE was founded in 1959 by the brothers Carlo, Pompeo and Vittorio Cavalli at Zola Predosa
(Bologna). Their entrepreneurial adventure in the world of furnishings, specializing in the creation of upholstered pieces
made with expanded polyurethane, takes on the character of a revolution of engineering and style, standing apart from
the production processes of the time. IPE, which is the Italian acronym for Padding Products Expanded, was born under
the mandate of Pirelli, which asked to find new innovative solutions in the use of polyurethane foam. The company
started using this material for the seats of the Lancia Fulvia, a car that symbolically represented the rebirth of our country.
Immediately after, Vittorio, Pompeo and Carlo Cavalli decided to apply it in the furniture industry. IPE takes part in the first
edition of the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan in 1961 with the Mercury armchair, designed by the sculptor Rito
Valla: art and design find a new, completely original formula of interaction in this unique proposal.
In 2023, IPE-Visionnaire became an associate member of the Marchi Storici D’Italia association. It was established to
promote the strategic importance of Italian historic brands at all levels and to drive them as levers of competitiveness
and internationalization, contributing to enhancing the Italian image through the combined efforts of companies holding
historic brands and competent public administrations. Furthermore, the association translates the diverse merchandise and
organizational diversity of its member companies into a strength, highlighting their common heritage of knowledge and
national excellence passed down through multiple entrepreneurial generations, and leveraging this diversity to find cross-
cutting insights for business and reputation development.
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