A Spa Moment Every Day: Baths with Style and Comfort
Interview with Maite Allegra, Sales & Business Development Manager at Sphera S.r.l.
Whether it's individual color coordination, fast delivery times or customized solutions – the Italian company Sphera S.r.l. develops high-quality shower and sanitary products for manufacturers and retailers, impressing with a wide product portfolio and customer-oriented service. The combination of efficiency, flexibility, and innovation has made Sphera a major player in Italy – and now the company is setting its sights on the international market.
Wirtschaftsforum: Ms. Allegra, please tell us about the inception and development of Sphera.
Maite Allegra: Sphera was founded in 1999 by Marco Sogni and Giampiero Gonella, and for years their children Mattia Sogni and Claudia Gonella have been entrusted with the day-to-day management of the company. Originally, our focus was on the production of shower accessories. The area around Gattico-Veruno is a significant center of the sanitary industry, which allowed us to establish close relationships with renowned manufacturers from the outset. Over the years, we have expanded our portfolio and developed our own branded products. Today, Sphera has three production facilities covering a total area of 11,000 sqm and supplies both major sanitary manufacturers and dealers domestically and internationally. Our growth is based not only on expanding our offerings but also on continuous investments in modern production methods and efficient logistics.
Wirtschaftsforum: What distinguishes Sphera from other companies in the industry?
Maite Allegra: Our success is based on four core values: efficiency, service, flexibility, and reliability. We not only offer our customers standard products, but also enable them to customize their items – whether through tailor-made packaging, engravings, or specific color variants. A crucial competitive advantage is our in-house powder coating plant, which allows us to offer a wide range of colors and respond flexibly to customer requests. This is particularly important for international markets, where individual designs and quick delivery times are required.
Another important point is our large warehouse. We keep a wide range of products in stock, including special finishes such as black or nickel. This allows us to ship orders within a few days – while many competitors often take several weeks.
Wirtschaftsforum: Sphera is already well established in Italy. What does the international expansion look like?
Maite Allegra: Currently, we generate 80% of our sales in Italy and 20% abroad, especially in France and Greece. An important step is the opening of our sales office in Dubai in cooperation with the local Chamber of Commerce. This strengthens our presence in the Emirates and the Middle East. The DACH region is also of interest to us as we are already working with customers there. We see great potential to further expand our presence through customized solutions for specialized dealers and OEM partners. In parallel, we are enhancing our online presence: our new website will be available in four languages and modernize our brand image. We have also become more active on social media to specifically target international customers.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is the significance of corporate culture for your success?
Maite Allegra: A crucial success factor is our family-like work environment. Many of our employees have been with us for over ten years, which speaks volumes about their high identification with the company. New employees are integrated from the beginning and do not receive temporary contracts. Instead, we focus on long-term cooperation and personal development opportunities. Another feature is our agile corporate culture: Our teams are flexible and work closely together to quickly respond to market changes. This openness to change and innovation makes us strong – and will help us achieve our international goals.
Wirtschaftsforum: What role does digitalization play for the company?
Maite Allegra: We are continuously working to optimize our internal processes through automation in order to offer our customers an even more efficient service. From order processing to production control, we are increasingly relying on digital solutions to work faster and more precisely. Our goal is to involve all company divisions in this transformation process, so that we can become more competitive in the long term.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are Sphera's most important future goals?
Maite Allegra: Our main goal is to significantly increase our export share and establish Sphera as an international provider. To achieve this, we are focusing on tapping into new markets as well as continuously optimizing our services. A central part of our strategy is the expansion of our international sales structure to better position our products worldwide. At the same time, we are intensively working on the further development of our product portfolio, especially with new colors and designs tailored to the individual wishes of our customers. Optimizing our production and logistics processes also plays a crucial role in further increasing our efficiency. In short: We want to grow – but without compromising on quality and flexibility, which distinguish us as a provider.