More than 70 years of tradition
Luxury furniture manufacturer in Mariano Comense, Brianza, a region closely linked to skilled craftsmanship. Partner to major Italian furniture names.
Management Academy · Research case study · 2024
Process Improvement — MAD Imbottiti Planning
An analysis of upholstered furniture production planning: how to structure the process for bespoke orders, reduce rework and preserve the value of craftsmanship.
01 / Context
Craftsmanship meets the complexity of production planning.
MAD Imbottiti is a luxury upholstered furniture manufacturer in Brianza, Italy. Production includes standard items and bespoke projects, organised as a job shop.
The analysis examines a production environment in which each product requires careful consideration of materials, operator skills, manufacturing stages and aesthetic requirements. Craft quality remains essential.
Production setting documented in the presentation, slide 4.
18
people in the production organisation described
3
main areas: cutting, sewing, assembly
70%
share of standard products in the analysis
30%
share of bespoke products in the analysis
RESEARCH / COMPANY AND PRODUCTION
MAD Imbottiti: company, market and production model.
International group
Part of the Roda Group. The presentation mentions production and commercial operations in Bangkok, Thailand, North America and Canada, with cooperation among managers across locations.
Products and customers
Armchairs, sofas, chairs, poufs, beds and outdoor furniture for restaurants, hotels, lounge bars, venues and luxury homes.
Job shop
Work is planned across three processing islands. 18 people: cutting 3, sewing 7, assembly 6, planning and supply chain 2.
Craftsperson at the centre
Processing time varies by product, materials and the operator's technical skills. The company culture stresses close cooperation with craftspeople.
Sales mix
70% standard products, 30% custom products. Custom quotations are especially challenging because jobs differ from one another.
PROJECT PURPOSE · THESIS
Project purpose
Meet committed delivery dates and initial budgets without unnecessarily extending production time, while preserving the quality of bespoke upholstered furniture.
On-time delivery
Improve planning and assembly so that completed products are delivered on schedule.
Cost control
Avoid repeated work that increases labour, energy and materials expenditure.
Customer-supplied components
Coordinate the provision of frames, bases, fabric and collection transport by the customer or project manager.
Quality and efficiency
Combine artisan craft standards with an efficient, productive organisational process.
Continuous improvement
Apply Kaizen to repeatable products; the presentation cites a ten-month improvement journey for a standard item.
Time and methods
MAD measures processing times and methods used in production.
QUALITY & POSITIONING
Strategic objectives
Deliver a “perfect” product for the luxury-furniture market. The thesis mentions an average price of approximately €4,000 for an armchair as context for the exacting quality expectations.
Functional quality
The furniture must fulfil its intended function.
Formal and aesthetic quality
Symmetry and clean lines are essential.
Fine finishing
Stitching should be continuous, accurate and free from loose threads.
Premium materials
Fabric and finishes must be first-class.
Flexible production
Respond to varying products, materials and craft skills without compromising standards.
02 / The challenge
The know-how is there. But it does not always become shared knowledge.
For bespoke orders, the experience of craftspeople and the Supply Chain Manager is crucial. The study identifies problems when knowledge, past defects and design decisions remain largely in people’s memories.
Incomplete initial information
Imprecise photographs and drawings can make it harder to define the work and prepare reliable quotations.
Limited digitisation of experience
The history of orders, variations and defects is not organised in an easily accessible repository.
Late corrections
Involving craftspeople only once production starts can lead to revisions, rework and delays.
PROBLEM ANALYSIS / SLIDES 8–9
How rework arises in production.
Information and quotation
Custom jobs often start with a photograph of a similar piece and a description of the desired furniture. Small differences can affect quotations. The Supply Chain Manager studies the stages, relies on remembered precedents and produces the executive drawing.
Knowledge about past defects is handed down verbally, without an easily searchable digital order archive.
Problems discovered during production
In the described process, craftspeople are mainly involved during manufacturing. Late problems lead to process redesign or rework, including fabric changes.
These can increase energy, material, labour and delivery times. The thesis also notes limited use of prototypes and the opportunity to group bespoke items into similar product families.
03 / How it works
The process under review.
The order workflow differs for standard and bespoke products. The research primarily examines bespoke orders, for which design and quotation rely on case-specific assessments.
Current workflow · bespoke order
01 / OrderCustomer request
02 / DefinitionPhotos, drawings and description
03 / AssessmentReview of stages and recalled defects
04 / ProposalProcess and quotation
05 / AcceptanceCustomer confirmation
Editorial adaptation of the “Order Process for Jobs” diagram (slide 7). Standard products follow the catalogue route.
The organisation
Three operational areas, one integrated plan.
The thesis reports 3 employees in cutting, 7 in sewing, 6 in assembly and 2 in planning / supply chain management.
Operations vary by product, material and skill: this is why the initial analysis affects the ability to meet deadlines and budgets.
AS-IS · ORDER PROCESS
Order process for customer jobs
The presentation separates standard catalogue orders from bespoke orders requiring a tailored manufacturing process.
Original diagram from the thesis (Italian)
Standard order
01
Customer order
The request is received.
02
Standard or bespoke?
Order classification.
03
Catalogue product
The standard article is identified.
04
Order confirmation
The order confirmation is prepared.
05
Customer acceptance
The customer approves the order.
Bespoke order
01
Customer order and initial references
Product drawing and photo of a similar product.
02
Process-stage analysis
Supply Chain Manager studies manufacturing stages.
03
Quality control input
Past defects are consulted through experience and mental recollection.
04
Tailored process design
Supply Chain Manager designs the manufacturing process.
05
Quotation and acceptance
Quotation is submitted to the customer for approval.
In the process studied, artisans typically become involved during production to resolve practical issues; this may require redesign and rework.
03A / Project scheduling
The order process Gantt chart.
A faithful reconstruction of the sequence illustrated in the presentation Gantt: nine activities across June and July 2024. The bars retain the positions shown in the original screenshot.
Task / stage
JUNE 2024JULY 2024
313456710111213141718192021242526272812345891011
01 Customer order
02 Custom order
03 Photo and drawing review
04 Process stage assessment
05 QC reviews previous defects
06 SCM redesigns production process
07 Past order database review
08 Quotation submitted to customer
09 Customer order acceptance
04 / Field evidence
From frame to finished product.
The presentation documents furniture production through photographs, from structural frames to successive upholstery and covering stages. Images are taken directly from the project slides.
Real cases: delivery deviations
Data reproduced from the table on slide 13. These cases do not constitute an aggregate performance measurement.
| Order | Finding reported in the analysis | Reported outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Inedito chair | Small photograph and insufficient detail; revisions to the item, fabric and stitching. | 6 weeks late |
| Bali cushion | No issues reported. | On time |
| Pag sofas and chairs | Extensive prototyping. | On time |
| Pouf Meridiani — Gino | Standard product optimised through 10 months of improvement. | On time |
| Club House — Brook Street | Bespoke product not previously manufactured. | 1 week late |
| Eclipse chairs — Turri | Moved from bespoke to standard, supported by established production experience. | 1 week early |
FIELD ANALYSIS · ORIGINAL ORDER DATA
Analysis of real cases
Complete transcription of the seven cases in the presentation, including planned and actual timing, causes, corrective actions and reported variances. Blank or ambiguous source fields remain marked as not specified.
| Order / case | Production start | Expected delivery | Trigger / issue | Response / solution | Actual delivery | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inedito chair | Wk 32 | Wk 36 | Small photo with insufficient detail | Item reworked with changed fabric and stitching | Wk 42 | 6 weeks late |
| Bali cushion | Wk 36 | Wk 39 | None | Not indicated | Wk 39 | On time |
| Pag sofas and chairs | Wk 6 | Wk 43 | None | Extensive prototyping | Wk 43 | On time |
| Meridiani – Gino pouf | 7/8, wk 32 | Wk 41 | None | Standard product optimised over 10 months; assembly only | 11 Oct, wk 41 | On time |
| Club House – Brook Street (RL) | 2 Sep, wk 36 | Wk 42 | Not specified | Previously unproduced bespoke product | 17 Oct, wk 42/43 | 1 week late |
| Eclipse chairs – Turri (OC444) | 6 Aug, wk 32 | 17 Oct, wk 42 | Not specified | Bespoke-to-standard transition; Turri prototype; 4 years of production experience | 11 Oct, wk 41 | 1 week early |
| Int. Market | Quote Feb 2024; drawing approval May 2024; materials 1 Oct | 30 Sep wk 40; 30 Oct wk 44 | Materials not supplied for all units; frame modifications | Not indicated | Not indicated | Not planned / unquantified |
Weeks, dates and entries are retained as reported in the original material; “Int. Market” contains incomplete/ambiguous entries and is not treated as a measured delay.
PROJECT LIMITS
Constraints and critical issues
Just-in-time components
The customer must supply the necessary elements in time for the production schedule.
More design effort up front
A moderate increase in early planning work may be needed to prevent later rework.
Limited reuse of unique designs
Brand-new bespoke projects cannot always be repeated or standardised.
Artisan expertise
The improvement must protect and involve the know-how of skilled craftspeople.
Luxury workmanship
The customer expects exceptionally accurate finishing and an item made to the highest standard.
Cost of rework
Revisions during manufacture can increase labour, energy and material consumption and delay deliveries.
05 / The proposal
Redesign the process before having to redesign the product.
The thesis proposes earlier analysis, digitised knowledge and the integration of craftspeople’s input during order preparation. The actions shown here are recommendations, not measured improvements.
Reference database
Store similar products, orders, defects, variations and solutions to support future assessments.
3D prototyping
Use prototypes and models, including scale models, to assess feasibility at an earlier stage.
Earlier craft involvement
Bring production expertise into process definition from the outset.
Standardised brief
Improve the quality of incoming information through clearer photographs, drawings and specifications.
Kaizen
Build on experience from repeatable orders that can gradually be standardised.
Focus on process time
Focus on controllable processing time, distinguishing it from factors outside production.
Current situation
Before
- Initial briefs with inconsistent images and detail
- Past issues reviewed from memory
- Craft involvement often begins during production
- Risk of rework and additional time
Proposed process
After · target model
- Better structured initial briefs and information
- Consultation of a digitised project history
- Prototypes and craft input during design
- Database updated after each order
TO-BE · PROPOSED ORDER PROCESS
New order process for customer jobs
The proposed process preserves the standard catalogue route while strengthening the bespoke route with early artisan involvement, 3D prototyping and a shared order-history database.
Original diagram from the thesis (Italian)
Standard order · unchanged route
01
Customer order
Order is received.
02
Standard item
Catalogue item is identified.
03
Order confirmation
Confirmation is issued.
04
Customer acceptance
Customer approves the order.
Bespoke order · improved route
01
Initial brief
Collect product drawing and image of a similar product.
02
Process analysis
Supply Chain Manager studies the required stages.
03
Order database
Quality Control consults recorded historical defects and previous orders.
04
3D prototyping
Evaluate models or 3D-printed prototypes early.
05
Artisan proposals
Appropriate craftsperson contributes ideas to the production-process definition.
06
Process redesign
Supply Chain Manager develops the customised manufacturing plan.
07
Customer quotation
Present the proposal and quotation for acceptance.
08
Update history
Update the order database after the job for continuous improvement.
06 / Conclusions
Process improvement without losing the value of savoir-faire.
The project’s challenge is to introduce methods and transferable knowledge into luxury production without sacrificing product uniqueness and quality.
A question of balance
Investing more effort in design can be justified when it prevents errors, wasted materials and repeated work. The thesis also recognises constraints: timely customer-supplied inputs, the complexity of one-off products and variable production loads.
Qualitative research conclusion · no invented ROI or percentage improvement.
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions
Reference database
Document previous jobs, defects and solutions instead of relying only on memory.
3D model prototyping
Anticipate feasibility reviews with physical or digital models.
Early craftsperson involvement
Bring the right artisan into the design process as soon as possible.
Standardise initial information
Improve drawings, photos, specifications and early communication.
Kaizen
Keep improving and stabilising processes for recurring products.
Focus on process time
Measure and improve process time, the variable more directly under operational control.
These are recommendations from the research, not claims that a measured ROI or percentage reduction was achieved.