The slab-stock flexible polyurethane foam process is our pulsating heart.
Sofa and chair padding, internal mattress parts, pillows and dozens of other pieces are carved from these monumental parallelepipeds.
The 90-plus polyurethane types in the range make for a considerable customer-driven selection of physical and mechanical attributes.
We might select softness for a backrest or pillow, choose comfort for seating, opt for molding elasticity for a mattress or firmness for other applications.
At Vefer we study sizing to obtain the most from each block.
Quality control ensures consistency and lot traceability throughout the production run.

The company was founded in the late 1950s, during the period of development known as the post-war "economic boom", and was established and grew thanks to the determination, sacrifice and skill of its founder, Giuseppe Vergani, who dedicated his entire life to his work and the company, with a constant focus on technological innovation and product quality.
In the beginning, the company mainly dealt with the marketing of products for upholsterers, then in the early 1960s it moved on to the processing and transformation of polyurethane foam, with production mainly aimed at manufacturers of upholstered furniture, such as armchairs and sofas, which in those years, and especially in Brianza, were beginning to grow and develop significantly.
The turning point came in the 1970s, with the decision to purchase a plant in England for the continuous production of polyurethane foam, thus becoming not only a processing and transformation company but also a producer of a raw material, polyurethane foam. Direct production of the raw material allowed Vefer to develop its business not only in the field of upholstered furniture, but also to research and produce polyurethanes for the sleep sector, specifically for use in bed and, above all, mattress padding.
The constant growth in terms of volumes and turnover in the 1980s, when exports accounted for 40% of the company's turnover, led to the need to purchase a second plant in the mid-1990s, again for the continuous production of polyurethane blocks.
In parallel with this investment, a phase of automation was launched for the handling of 30-metre polyurethane slats, with the purchase of dedicated lifting equipment and for the increase in polyol storage, through the purchase of an automatic weighing system.

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Following the increase in production capacity, a new department dedicated to polyurethane cutting was opened in 1998 (rep. 98). In the 2000s, a die-cutting press for airyform processing, covered by a company patent, was installed in this department.
In 2000, purchase of a second robot for handling 30-metre slats, with fully automatic management.
In 2001, the first trials were conducted on the production of viscoelastic polyurethane pillows. The product attracted considerable interest on the market, leading Vefer (the first in Italy) to focus decisively on these types of foams. In fact, in 2002, the production of discontinuous viscoelastic blocks also began. Our Mind Foam brand was created to identify this class of products. The success of this operation lies in Vefer's commitment to using and experimenting with the new formulations developed by the BASF research centre.
In 2002, a new cutting department was opened, adjacent to the discontinuous moulding department for viscoelastic polyurethanes.
The increase in cutting departments increases the production of polyurethane scraps (by-products), hence the company's commitment to their management, with the purchase of a grinder (for the production of flake by-products) and presses for compacting and packaging these scraps.
In 2005, a new cutting department (rep.05) was opened, which will be expanded in 2006.
In 2006 and 2007, the increase in demand for viscoelastic pillows and the need to vacuum pack them (to increase vehicle load capacity and therefore logistics) prompted Vefer to implement an automatic massaging phase in the production line and to purchase an automatic pillow rolling system.
As a result of these increases in production and sales, it became necessary to open a logistics facility (dedicated to pillows) in department 02.
Between 2005 and 2010, the increase in demand for shaped mattress slabs with increasingly complex designs led to the need to expand an existing, long-established cutting department with the purchase of new, higher-performance electronic shaping machines.
With the increase in the production capacity of shaped panels in 2011 and 2012, it became necessary to purchase automatic gluing machines for the production of multi-layer panels, known as "sandwich" panels, composed of different types of overlapping foams. Vefer is also a leading reference in this sector, not only in Italy but also in Europe. In recent years, European certification institutes (such as LGA) have established research partnerships with our technicians to provide a correct assessment of this new type of mattress slab on the market.
In 2013, the process of implementing a new continuous sheet roll management system began with the purchase of a roll baling press. This investment has a dual purpose: to improve the logistics of continuous sheet rolls and manage the new continuous viscoelastic material developed in 2012 and 2013. These new continuous viscoelastic foams have enabled us to expand our Mind Foam product range (including raw blocks, cut blocks and rolls) while reducing production costs compared to discontinuous viscoelastic materials, at a time of crisis and market stagnation.
The decision to focus decisively on continuous viscoelastic polyurethanes has been very well received by the market, leading Vefer to implement production on its second foaming plant, using dedicated production technologies and plant modifications carried out in 2016.
Investments made in foaming plants improve the quality of our block production, driving the company's strategy to increase Vefer's presence in the raw block market. Hence, in 2018, a new department dedicated to the packaging of rolled raw blocks was opened with the purchase of a rolling machine, one of the largest in Europe, to enable significant savings in the transport costs of raw blocks and increase load volumes. In 2019–2020, the completion of the strategy regarding continuous sheet rolls will lead to the construction of an industrial building entirely dedicated to this process and the simultaneous purchase of a new, latestgeneration ring sheeter. In parallel with this investment, in order to meet the demand for increasingly diversified raw blocks, it will be necessary to implement a new polyol warehouse to allow for better management of these raw materials, which have increased in variety over the years. All this is aimed at improving the quality of our foam production and increasing its diversification.
In the years from post-Covid 2021 to 2024, the Company has planned a series of improvement projects mainly related to the 'Vefer Production System'. Vefer has entered into a partnership with a consulting firm that applies the 'Lean Thinking' method.
The Vefer Production System has led to a complete overhaul of the layout in the company's departments, with the aim of optimising productivity and streamlining workflow, and has introduced the 5s+1 technique, a reorganisation of the workplace aimed at improving efficiency and safety.
Another important business improvement in recent years has been the design of a new management system aimed at developing digitalisation in all areas of the company, improving customer service and data management.
All areas of the company were involved in these projects, from production and logistics to sales, thus improving communication and the involvement of all company personnel.
As regards investments in 2024, the new cutting department with automated lines and robotic systems for handling blocks was fully operational, and two automatic packaging lines were implemented.
With regard to normal product development activities, during the 2024 financial year, our Company continued to study polyurethanes containing renewable and recycled raw materials and certified the entire product range with OEKO TEX, CAM (Minimum Environmental Criteria), CERTIPUR and Call117 certifications.