Aviointeriors
| File:Aviointeriors logo.png | |
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | CIFA Group |
| Headquarters | Via Appia Km 66.4, Latina (in Italian) , |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Commercial aircraft cabin interior components |
Number of employees | Approximately 400 |
| Website | http://www.aviointeriors.it |
Aviointeriors S.p.A. is an Italian enterprise specializing in the production of airline seats. Its main competitors include companies such as BE Aerospace, Recaro, and Zodiac Aerospace.
Establishment
The origins of the company trace back to its creation as a division of “Uno-Pi,” a home furnishings firm that was part of the CIFA (Confederazione Italiana Fabbriche Arredamento) group, owned by Giovanni Pofferi (1908–1995).
Within the CIFA Group was the Permaflex brand, which introduced spring-mattress technology to Italy in 1950. During the 1960s and 1970s, Permaflex became synonymous in Italian vernacular with spring mattresses.
Seeking to broaden its presence in the furnishing industry, the CIFA group identified an opportunity in commercial aviation through the ATLAS consortium—an alliance of airlines including Air France, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, Lufthansa/Condor, Sabena, and, starting January 1972, Iberia. This consortium aimed to establish unified European technical standards for aircraft systems and operate a centralized procurement office.
Within the ATLAS consortium, Alitalia endorsed a joint venture between the newly formed Aviointeriors and the French company Sicma. This partnership was created to jointly serve the aircraft cabin equipment needs of ATLAS members.
Aviointeriors provided seats and catering trolleys to half of the European airlines in the ATLAS group. In 1974, a manufacturing facility was established in Latina. However, the collaboration with Sicma was short-lived. Aviointeriors gained full technical expertise to independently design, produce, and market its products. Subsequently, the company relocated its headquarters from the CIFA offices in Rome to its current site in Latina.
While Aviointeriors continued outfitting Alitalia’s fleet over subsequent years, another firm named Alven—also supported by Alitalia—shared the domestic market to prevent a monopoly on cabin interiors manufacturing within Italy.
During the 1970s, Aviointeriors diversified by designing fittings and furnishings for V.I.P. Agusta helicopters and private aircraft.
Acquisition of Alven
In the early 1980s, financial difficulties impacted the CIFA group, resulting in Aviointeriors being placed on the market. Following an initial bid from Irvin Aerospace, ownership transferred in May 1986 to the Veneruso family, who controlled Alven—a then rival company located near Naples.
The introduction of advanced seating solutions for business class travelers enabled Aviointeriors to penetrate markets across North and South America as well as expand its reach into Asia-Pacific regions.
Aviointeriors today
Currently, Aviointeriors concentrates primarily on the aircraft seating sector. Its product portfolio spans a comprehensive array of seats, ranging from economy class options for regional flights to premium first-class accommodations, all distributed worldwide. Aviointeriors’ seating solutions are fitted in airplanes that vary from 40-seat regional turboprops to large intercontinental jets accommodating up to 400 passengers.
Originally specializing in mechanical economy and business class seating, the company has expanded its offerings to include electrically operated lie-flat and fully flat seats integrated with accompanying service furniture.
One notable innovation is the SkyRider seat design, a saddle-style seat that reduces seat pitch to just 23 inches. Aviointeriors asserts that this design can boost passenger capacity by as much as 40%.