Company
We're one of the leading retailers of household products in Italy, owners of one prestigious brand and a network of single-brand stores.
About us
Bergamaschi & Vimercati is one of the leading household products companies in Italy. The brand Excélsa is distributed extensively throughout the country and in some countries in Europe and around the world.
We’re backed by a consolidated history which started with a small retail business of products for the home in Milan in 1919. It was a time of great turmoil for the city; Milan was undergoing a transformation under the influence of Art Nouveau and the architects in the Club degli Urbanisti (lit. Town Planners’ Club).
Time passed and the family business became a joint-stock company specialised in the household products sector.
The Excélsa brand was launched in 1998. Its great success has made a significant contribution to the international expansion and growth of the company, also due to a network of single-brand stores and authorised resellers.
Edoardo Vimercati
Stockholder
Armando Scorrano
Managing director
Franco Vimercati
Chairman
Enrico Vimercati
CEO and Vice President
Edoardo Vimercati
Stockholder
Enrico Vimercati
CEO and Vice President
Armando Scorrano
Managing director
Franco Vimercati
Chairman
Values
Important values beyond profit
People
People are a fundamental value in Bergamaschi & Vimercati. Excellent targets have been reached through the constant commitment of all staff. Passion, responsibility, professionalism, tenacity, and ability to adapt even when faced with unexpected obstacles and unforeseen circumstances are just some of the specific elements we look for in people who want to join us in this venture, becoming part of a motivated, close-knit and enthusiastic team.
The ability to keep up with the times
In a continuously changing world, Bergamaschi & Vimercati makes choices that look to the future, like long-term investment to optimise resources and accelerate the dynamics allowing the guaranteed efficiency of the production and distribution chains.
The cornerstones of our business system
The products developed and marketed have been designed to become an integral part of the daily life of each person. We work constantly on the improvement of all stages of production - from design to sourcing and purchase of raw materials, from quality control to logistics through to the time of sale to ensure high standards and customer satisfaction.
THE EXCÉLSA BRAND
Design, colour and collections - a turbine of innovation.
The Excélsa brand was launched in 1998 and arose from the need to market practical, everyday products designed in a wide range of colours and materials, able to satisfy different tastes and respond to new trends. With this specific aim, the Excélsa brand met with great public approval and, in just a few years, became a synonym for freshness, originality and style.
Viceversa, the historic household design brand, was acquired in 2011 and was the key to an additional, important step forward in the strengthening and development of the corporate structure.
The appearance of the whole catalogue of Viceversa products was renewed without losing the marked eccentricity that was its hallmark, making it modern and dynamic, redesigning it from scratch using the co-operation of young, established designers.
Over the years, Excélsa’s catalogue has been enriched with personalised products under licence with timeless themes. Currently, we currently hold licences for brands such as Peanuts, Batman, Joker, Wonder Woman, Superman, Popeye, Pac-Man, Looney Tunes, Popeye for the relative sectors.
history
Our history
Our story starts with a small business which grew until it became one of the leading companies in the husehold products sector.
1919
On 7 April 1919, Luigi Bergamaschi, Piero Vimercati and Enrico Vimercati and their sisters started their first company 'Bergamaschi & Cugini Vimercati' in via Canonica, Milan. The paid-up capital was 100,000 Italian lire. The business started through the marketing of essential products for hygiene at home - from brooms to cleaning cloths through to coal for stoves.
This was the beginning of our company's story.
1932
A few years after the company was founded, bigger premises were required.
A 3-storey warehouse with a surface area of 1,300 m2 was organised at Via Tazzoli 13, Milan, mainly for wholesale with retail sales only being made to private customers on Saturdays.
1935
Mr Franco Vimercati, the current chairman of Bergamaschi & Vimercati S.p.A., was born.
1945
Luigi Bergamaschi, one of the founders of the company in 1919, died during the Second World War and the company passed to the management of Piero and Enrico Vimercati. They decided to keep Luigi Bergamaschi's surname in the name of the company as a clear sign to his memory and as thanks to the cousin killed in battle.
1950
The expansion continued after the Second World War; a second warehouse was bought in Via Lombroso, Milan.
1960 - 1964
Franco's father, Enrico Vimercati, one of the founders of the company in 1919, died. At 29 years of age, Franco Vimercati took over the running of the company with his cousin Enzo.
1979
Franco and Enzo Vimercati decided to go separate ways.
Mr Armando Scorrano, the current managing director, joined the company.
1981
In 1981, the great step - a more prestigious site at Via Cenisio 54, Milan, with a surface area of 2,300 m2 built in 10 months and featuring elegant executive offices, conference rooms, offices and the electronic centre. Special attention was paid to the choice of materials and the project was followed by the architect Francesco Trisorio.
1985
The company moved to an even larger centre - 5,000 m2 in Via G. da Udine, Milan, rationally organised in a main warehouse, sales point, offices and rooms for product presentations.
The company was completely computerised in accordance with the latest systems of the time, giving momentum to the pure distribution of household products and the 'cash and carry' for resellers.
1991
The 1990s marked an important turning point in the company's history - the business was moved to Turate in the province of Como and construction of the first part of the current complex started.
1995
After a degree in Economics and several years of experience in the company, Enrico Vimercati took over its management with his father Franco.
1998
The Turate complex was further extended until it reached the current size of 15,000 m2 of warehousing, and offices and the exhibition area of 5,000 m2.
Enrico Vimercati was behind the decision to launch the Excélsa brand.
2010
The growing demand for on-line purchases introduced sales through third party e-commerce to the company business model.
2011
2011 was an important stage in the growth of the company with the acquisition of the Viceversa brand.
2013
The first Excélsa single-brand store was opened at Rodengo Saiano (Brescia).
2014 - 2020
A total of 17 Excélsa sales points were opened in the provinces of Udine, La Spezia, Bologna, Pescara, Bari, Bergamo, Rome, Cuneo, Milan, Imperia, Novara and Turin in the next six years.
2019 was the centenary year!
A day's event was organised to thank all company workers along an itinerant path, full of surprises. A succession of feelings impressed in the memory of all of us.
2021
The expansion of traditional retail has continued with the opening of new Excélsa stores in Via Belfiore, Milan, and Via dei Portici, Bolzano.
2022
In March we have opened the first shop in Tuscany in the city center of Livorno. Later in December we have launched the e-shop to serve the Italian market.
2023
In April was opened the physical shop Torino To Dream. In October the new one at Merlata Bloom in the area of Milano Cascina Merlata.
2024
In April Viceversa brand was sale to another company.