SMP HISTORY
Post World War II, the golden years of the bicycle. An entire country moved around on two wheels, and two champions, Coppi and Bartali, challenged each other on the roads of the Giro and the Tour.
These were the years before the economic boom; the motorization of Italy was still yet to come.
A young craftsman, Martino Schiavon, produced bicycle seats in an attic in the historical center of Padua.
This was the beginning of the story of Selle SMP, an Italian story based on age-old values such as tenaciousness, spirit of initiative, courage, and the desire to embark on a new enterprise, counting on the strength of one’s own ideas. Over the years the company grew and developed until becoming one of the main producers worldwide in terms of innovative capacity and number of products sold. Then, at the beginning of the 2000’s, the sector was hit by a serious crisis caused by formidable competition from Asian producers.
The only company on the panorama of national producers, Selle SMP decided to face the global market difficulties without taking the route of delocalization in countries with low labor costs.
The Schiavon family, convinced that the local production network must not lose experience and know how gained over many years of impassioned work and sacrifices, has kept production and employment in the Veneto region, opting to compete in the field of innovation and quality.
In 2004, following long and in-depth anthropometric and ergonomic studies, Pro, the first creation in the 4BIKE series, was born. Selle SMP became a pioneer of a different and absolutely innovative concept of the bicycle seat.
On July 21, 2006, 60 years after that day in 1947 when he started up his business, Martino passed away. Over the years the “helm” of the company was taken over by his sons Franco and Maurizio, but up to the day he died Martino was the President and continued to show up for work every day.
Today Selle SMP is the leader in the sector of high-range ergonomic seats. Sixty years have gone by, but each individual seat is still entirely produced in the Veneto, with the same passion and craftsmanlike care as when production was in a tiny attic.
If up to a few years ago the focus of the company was the first system, supplying the main world bicycle producers, intensive research and development over the years has led to a substantial modification in the positioning of Selle SMP in the market, enabling it to offer high, middle and low range products.
CERTIFIED QUALITY
2009 - ISO 9001:2008
Selle SMP is the only producer in the world that can boast being certified for the
““DESIGN AND PRODUCTION OF BICYCLE SEATS ENTIRELY MADE IN ITALY”
The latest goal was reached in July 2009: Selle SMP is the first producer of seats in Italy to obtain ISO 9001:2008 certification and the only one in the world that can boast having ISO 9001 certification for the “Design and production of bicycle seats entirely made in Italy”
100% MADE IN ITALY
Italy is the cradle of creativity. Its artisan tradition and style are known and admired throughout the world, so much so that the Made in Italy mark has always constituted sought-after added value. An Italian product can immediately be recognized for the attention to details and the aesthetic values it expresses.
In the wake of this great tradition, since 1947 Selle SMP has been creating 100% Made in Italy products, exclusively collaborating with Italian companies and craftsmen in order to offer its clients a high tech and design product. Selle SMP boasts over fifty original patents deposited worldwide.
The rigorous selection of high-quality components and materials and the processing guided by criteria such as total quality enable us to produce and offer clients a vast range of seats for all types of use.
Selle SMP
We conceive them in Italy
We create them in Italy
We sell them worldwide
