On the quite banks of the Piave, at Verego di Meserada near Treviso in northern Italy, lived a family of entrepreneurs who had a strong vocation for performance & excellence. Bruno, Eversio & Venerio Monti took over the hemp & cotton hand-weaving activity that has been started by their father Giorgio in the second half of the 19TH century and set about industrialising it. From that day to this there has been a continuous thread, which can be defined as “total quality” ; the excellence of the product, the continuous search for new inspiration and innovative ideas, and constant attention to technology.

The company’s first products were made to order, but these were soon joined by standard materials sold at local fairs. The first successes convinced the brothers to reinvest the profits back in to the company, and so they brought some of the first mechanical looms to appear on the market, operated by a combustion engine. At the same time they worked on a system for dying hemp with indigo.

With the advent of new machines, production increased and diversified. The new range included furnishing fabrics and textiles for the home. Cotton and hemp yarns gave them colour, style and comfort.

During the First World War the Piave became a battlefield. The Monti brothers were called up and the little company went through a period of uncertainty and tension, supported only by the determination to keep on producing and to maintain the security of employment in a district that had become largely dependent on Tessitura Monti.

The rise of consumerism
Immediately after the end of the war, when the family returned to lead the company, its production was further developed, and in the 1920s it grew still further thanks to the purchase of new looms. This was the moment for the company to enter the wholesale market. Care for the final product, which had always been a basic element of the company’s philosophy, now became even more important, and the Monti family focused on greater integration of the whole production cycle.

This led among other things to installation of new systems including decatizing in the 1930s, forming the starting point for the company’s finishing activities. Developments in customer taste led to the finishing sector assuming even greater importance in later years, with more attention being paid to fundamental aspects such as quality, pleasing texture, colour fastness and the aesthetic appearance of the fabric.

The acquisition of the Montebello plant was a major step forward in the company’s industrial development, with cotton spinning and twisting being added to its activities. The company now covered the full production cycle, making it independent of suppliers. Departments were set up for dying on the reel, adapting the production cycle to the new needs of textile technology.

After the Second World War people wanted to leave the dark days behind them and to get on with living once more, the first ready-made clothing companies introduced their shirt collections in Italy. Mass-produced garments started to appear on the market, competing with the tailor-made variety. Not only white shirts but also stripes, prints, checks and tartans expressed the same desire for enjoyment and renewal that was permeating the society.

To satisfy the demands of the se companies that were taking ever-larger share of the market, Monti expanded and reorganised its production facilities. During the 1960s Fratelli Monti S.p.A. was producing 46,00 square meters of fabric a day.

Solid foundations
Today the small family firm has become an international holding company, Gruppo Tessile Monti S.p.A., which controls Filatura Monti S.p.A. and Tessitura Monti S.p.A., still run by the family. With an annual turnover of more than 100 million euros, almost two thirds of it from exports, a daily output of more than 80,000 meters of fabric and almost 6,500 kilos of yarn, the holding employs nearly 1,000 people in the two factories at Maserada Montebelluna.

Is there a recipe for such a wide and lasting success? The secret lies in the strength and compactness of a family that has always seen “doing business” as a source of growth and learning. It lies also in the continuous search for quality and excellence in every single product, from simplest to the most elaborate. Finally it lies in the dedication to technological innovation, seen as a means of obtaining results that anticipate the demands of the market. This philosophy leads to the choice of natural fibres of the best quality; linen and cotton which, through the skill of the craftsmen and the most advanced technology, are used to make poplin, zypher, haircord, jacquard and many other fabrics, in which the workmanship enhances the natural characteristics of the fibres so as to give wearer a sensation of well- being and comfort. At the same time, however, the company has always devoted great attention to the welfare of its workforce, a part of a family tradition that has never been abandoned. Hence the numerous ventures that the Monti brothers carried out in parallel with the development of the company. These range from the training courses within the company to purchasing small properties for members of personnel. The Monti brothers have always shown that they are family business in the widest and most complete sense of the term.

In all the group’s factories, processing is carried out in dust-free, air-conditioned environment, providing optimum working conditions for the staff and ensuring a perfect product. Moreover the family’s concern for the environment means that the factories are equipped with highly modern water treatment systems, using natural biological breakdown process with active sludge.

Doing it in style
The company has its own stylists and designers who create the two collections that Tessitura Monti presents each year, with a vast range of prints and weaves in wide variety of colours. These range from classic fabrics – always present in the collection – to the most innovative proposals developed in response to the latest fashion trends.

Tessitura Monti also creates exclusive sample ranges for famous stylists and prestigious fashion houses, becoming their trusted partners in the choice of colours, patterns and fabrics. This collaboration between the company and its most important customers leads to a product that combines the creativeness and flair of fashion with the refinement of Monti fabrics. A few years ago company introduced a line of very high quality double twisted fabrics, under the name of “I Dogi”, further reinforcing Tessitura Monti’s presence in the top sector of the market. This is complemented by “Wash and Go” line of cotton fabrics which thanks to their special finish require no ironing. This feature is particularly interesting for foreign markets where Wash and Go has been a great success.

To satisfy an ever more demanding clientele that requires prompt response, Tessitura Monti offers yet another service, called “Pronto Monti”. In the company’s computerised warehouses a vast range of fabrics is always ready for delivery, to meet every requirement. This provides just-in-time delivery for new orders as well as additions to existing assortments.

International expansion
Today, Tessitura Monti products are distributed in over 80 countries, ranging from Europe (still the companies main market) to America and Australia. This market penetration can be seen in the constant growth of turnover. The success on foreign markets is due not only to prestige of the “Made in Italy” label but also to the winning commercial strategy. The company offers top-range products to a market that is becoming more and more demanding in terms of quality and support, with agents in all markets devoting particular attention to customers

Two new plants will be opened in 2003 to meet the needs of the markets where the company is present. Tessitura Monti India Pvt. Ltd. in the city of Kolhapur in the Indian state of Maharashtra, will have the very latest equipment for dying the yarn, warping, sizing and waving, with 80 weaving machines. The plant will provide work to 350 people in a covered area of 20,000 square meters, with a planned production of 6 million meters of shirting per year for markets including Far East.

In Europe, Tessitura Monti Cechia is being set up in the Prague region. This plant will produce 1.7 million meters of shirting per year, with particular attention to achieving the same high quality as the Maserada plant in Italy

ISO 14001 Certified Company.