Altana

Italian clothing manufacturer and distributor. A leader in children’s wear, it is in the medium to high range of the market. It was founded in 1982 in Padernello (Treviso) by Marina Salamon, the sole managing director of the company, which is controlled by the Alchimia family, which at present also controls Doxa, the largest Italian market survey company. Until 1991 Altana concentrated on men’s and children’s shirts for the Benetton and 012 Benetton brands. In 1991 Altana launched lines of women’s and children’s casualwear, finding success in this area. Today, the firm’s brands include Amore (3 Collections, for baby, newborn and young girls), Teddy Bear (young boys), and Pepperino (baby and junior Collections), and it produces on license Superga (newborn and junior), Moncler (baby and junior) and Henry Cotton’s (baby and junior). Altana also has a women’s Collection, marketed under the Amore brand. Shirts, once the company’s main offering, is now just one of several product lines together with dresses, suits, sweatshirts, knitwear, jackets, trousers and skirts. Its clothing is sold in about 800 multi-brand shops in Italy and around 300 shops abroad, with an annual production of some 700,000 pieces. In 2002 its turnover was about €19 million (85% in Italy, 15% abroad). One interesting detail: the company’s staff, from top managers to workers, is composed entirely of women.