Bulgari inaugurates the extension of its jewellery manufacture and doubles its production

Valenza, the region with the greatest expertise in goldsmithing and jewellery in Italy, now has a considerably expanded Bulgari production unit, with two new buildings added to the complex inaugurated in 2017. Now established on 33,000 square metres, the ‘Bvlgari Manifattura’ has grown from 370 employees in 2017 to 1,100 today, with the aim of exceeding 1,600 employees and doubling its production capacity by 2029. This expansion aims for vertical integration, guaranteeing control of the entire goldsmithing process, from the supply of raw materials to the final creation. Founded in Rome in 1884 by Sotirio Bulgari, a talented Greek goldsmith, and recognised as the Italian jeweller whose creations sparkled on the necks of the biggest stars of 1960s Hollywood, including the iconic Elizabeth Taylor, the brand continues to symbolise la dolce vita for today's customers. Serpenti, Tubogas, Cabochon, B.Zero1 and other jewellery collections are all produced in the Italian workshops in Valenza.

The new extension, inaugurated on 16 April, also has 1,000 m² dedicated to the Scuola Bulgari. This initiative makes the centre the first public Bulgari training school dedicated to jewellery, joining the Bvlgari Jewellery Academy, which has specialised in training new employees since 2017. For its CEO Jean-Christophe Babin, also appointed CEO of the LVMH Watches Division at the end of March, ‘Bvlgari Manifattura in Valenza embodies the Brand's holistic vision of its production sites, combining environmental responsibility, knowledge transfer and staff well-being. A milestone in Bvlgari's vertical integration strategy, which aims to control the entire manufacturing process in a working environment that encourages innovation and continuous improvement.’

The official press release also specifies the new construction's sustainable approach: ' The factory's expansion includes solutions that cover up to 50% of the infrastructure's energy needs, with the rest being supplied 100% by renewable energy sources.’ It has a geothermal system providing around 800 kWh of thermal energy for heating and cooling and 4,100 photovoltaic panels. The investments made have not been disclosed.

On 14 April, the LVMH group published its results for the first quarter of 2025. Down 3% on a like-for-like basis, with a turnover of 20.3 billion euros, it disappointed investors, who sanctioned the share on the stock market. Still at 530 euros per share before the markets closed and the figures were published, it is now trading at 488 euros. The group's watchmaking and jewellery division is the only one that has not suffered any decline, unlike the group's other sectors, with a stable turnover of 2.4 billion euros.